Lots of great bits in this hour, but the best stuff was Butch Vig separating out the music from the vocals -- this is priceless to actually hear the different tracks that were blended to create the album, and I almost wonder why "vocal mixes" were not released at some point...
We learn a bit about Aberdeen versus Seattle, though not much (this could be better). And interestingly, how Cobain loved the Beatles and John Lennon while other grunge bands rebelled against that music. Nirvana was pop disguised as rock, with all the hooks and harmonies. The noisy guitars and vocals may make that hard to recognize, but the formula is there.
Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth is interviewed, which is cool because today the band is little-known, despite sort of opening the door for Nirvana and touring with them early on. Oddly, Geffen thought Nirvana's "Nevermind" would sell 50,000 copies -- only half of what Sonic Youth's "Goo" sold. They could not have been more wrong.
Lastly, director Sam Bayer was hired specifically because he was thought of as not good and was seen as anti-commercial, never doing a music video before. So, the band also launched his career. Bayer has now shot and directed videos for The Rolling Stones, Green Day, David Bowie, Garbage, The Strokes, Marilyn Manson, Smashing Pumpkins and Justin Timberlake, among others, and won several awards.
We learn a bit about Aberdeen versus Seattle, though not much (this could be better). And interestingly, how Cobain loved the Beatles and John Lennon while other grunge bands rebelled against that music. Nirvana was pop disguised as rock, with all the hooks and harmonies. The noisy guitars and vocals may make that hard to recognize, but the formula is there.
Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth is interviewed, which is cool because today the band is little-known, despite sort of opening the door for Nirvana and touring with them early on. Oddly, Geffen thought Nirvana's "Nevermind" would sell 50,000 copies -- only half of what Sonic Youth's "Goo" sold. They could not have been more wrong.
Lastly, director Sam Bayer was hired specifically because he was thought of as not good and was seen as anti-commercial, never doing a music video before. So, the band also launched his career. Bayer has now shot and directed videos for The Rolling Stones, Green Day, David Bowie, Garbage, The Strokes, Marilyn Manson, Smashing Pumpkins and Justin Timberlake, among others, and won several awards.
