Nirvana - With The Lights Out
W końcu to dorwałem jakiś czas temu a ostatnio trochę posłuchałem więc mogę napisać kilka zdań. Bardzo fajny boksik. 3 płyty audio i 1 DVD. Duuużo ciekawostek. Nie wszystkie wykonania powalają ale z pewnością pokazują fenomen zespołu a przede wszystkim samego Kurta. Sporo utworów jest tu w bardzo pierwotnych wersjach, najczęściej akustycznych - sam Cobain, tylko jego głos i gitara. Po takiej dawce wydaje się, że zagranie koncertu Unplugged musiało być czymś najprostszym na świecie
Układ utworów na płytach jest prawie chronologiczny. Są jakieś małe przeskoki wprzód i w tył ale zasadniczo jedziemy z historią grupy. Zatem CD1 krąży głównie wokół utworów z samego początku grupy, no maksymalnie z debiutu. Czyli między innymi pierwszy wystep, pierwsza sesja radiowa itd.
Cytat:
Disc 1
- From Nirvana's first show (March 7, 1987 in Raymond, Washington)
1. "Heartbreaker" (John Bonham/John Paul Jones/Jimmy Page/Robert Plant) – 2:59
- From Nirvana's first radio session (April 17, 1987 at KAOS 89.3 FM in Olympia, Washington)
2. "Anorexorcist" – 2:44
3. "White Lace and Strange" (Chris Bond) – 2:09
4. "Vendetagainst" (aka "Help Me, I'm Hungry") – 2:41
- From a boombox-recorded band practice demo tape (summer of 1987 in Washington)
5. "Mrs. Butterworth" – 4:05
- From Nirvana's first studio session (January 23, 1988 at Reciprocal Recording Studios in Seattle, Washington, produced by Jack Endino)
6. "If You Must" – 4:01
7. "Pen Cap Chew" – 3:02
- From a live performance (January 23, 1988 at the Community World Theatre in Tacoma, Washington)
8. "Downer" – 1:43
9. "Floyd the Barber" – 2:33
10. "Raunchola"/ "Moby Dick" ("Moby Dick" - John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page) – 6:24
- Cobain's 4-track home recordings (1987 and/or 1988 in Aberdeen, Washington)
11. "Beans" – 1:32
12. "Don't Want It All" – 2:26
13. "Clean Up Before She Comes" – 3:12
14. "Polly" – 2:30
15. "About a Girl" – 2:44
- From the studio session which yielded the Bleach recordings of "Love Buzz" and "Big Cheese" (June 6, 1988 at Reciprocal Recording Studios in Seattle, Washington, produced by Jack Endino)
16. "Blandest" – 3:56
- From Nirvana's first 24-track studio session (spring 1989 at The Evergreen State College Audio Studio in in Olympia, Washington, produced by Greg Babior)
17. "Dive" – 4:50
- From a studio session for "the Jury", a Lead Belly cover band featuring members of Nirvana and the Screaming Trees (August 20 and 28, 1989 at Reciprocal Recording Studios in Seattle, Washington, produced by Jack Endino)
18. "They Hung Him on a Cross" (Huddie Ledbetter) – 1:57
19. "Grey Goose" (Huddie Ledbetter) – 4:36
20. "Ain't It a Shame" (Huddie Ledbetter) – 2:01
- From the studio session which yielded the Blew versions of "Been a Son" and "Stain" (September of 1989 at Music Source Studios in Seattle, Washington, produced by Steve Fisk)
21. "Token Eastern Song" – 3:21
22. "Even in His Youth" – 3:12
23. "Polly" – 2:36
Moją uwagę zwróciła przedostatnia sesja - bardzo fajne utwory a pierwszy z nich szczególnie zaskakujący tekstem, mało kojarzącym się z Cobainem
They hung him on the cross
They hung him on the cross
They hung him on the cross
For me
One day when I was lost
They hung him on the cross
They hung him on the cross for me
They whooped him up the hill
They whooped him up the hill
They whooped him up the hill
For me
One day when I was lost
They hung him on the cross
They whooped him up the hill for me
He never said among them word
They never said among them word
They never said among them word
For me
One day when I was lost
They hung him on the cross
They hung him on the cross
For me
They bit him in the side
They bit him in the side
They bit him in the side
For me
One day when I was lost
They hung him on the cross
They hung him on the cross for me
He hung his head and died
He hung his head and died
He hung his head and died
For me
One day when I was lost
They hung him on the cross
They hung him on the cross
For me
Na CD2 przechodzimy już zdecydowanie do czasu powstania Nevermind, w tym pierwsze rejestracje utworów z tego albumu jak i trochę b-sidów. Kilka z nich jest bardzo ciekawych. "Verse Chorus Verse" znane wcześniej jako Sappy (pod tą nazwą jeszcze wróci na CD3) czy "Old Age". Z kolei "Oh, the Guilt" pochodzi ze splitowego singla z Jesus Lizard, Velvet Undergroundowe "Here She Comes Now" z podobnego splitowego singla z Melvins a "Return of the Rat" to cover The Wipers wydany na tribucie tej kapeli z 1992 ('Eight Songs for Greg Sage And The Wipers').
Cytat:
Disc 2
- From Cobain's acoustic performance on Calvin Johnson's college radio show (September 25, 1990 at KAOS 89.3 FM in Olympia, Washington)
1. "Opinion" – 1:24
2. "Lithium" – 1:49
3. "Been a Son" – 1:12
- From Cobain's boombox-recorded home demos (1990 in Olympia, Washington)
4. "Sliver" – 2:09
5. "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" (traditional) – 2:31
- From the studio session which yielded the Nevermind version of "Polly" (April 2 to 6, 1990 at Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin; produced by Butch Vig)
6. "Pay to Play" (early version of "Stay Away") – 3:29
7. "Here She Comes Now" (John Cale/Sterling Morrison/Lou Reed/Maureen Tucker) – 5:01
- From a 4-track demo (April 1991 in San Francisco, California). Features Dale Crover on drums and Dave Grohl on bass.
8. "Drain You" – 2:38
- From the studio session which also yielded the "Smells Like Teen Spirit" single version of "Even in His Youth" (January 1, 1991 at Music Source Studios in Seattle, Washington; produced by Craig Montgomery)
9. "Aneurysm" (Smells Like Teen Spirit single b-side) – 4:47
- From a boombox-recorded rehearsal demo (March 1991 in Tacoma, Washington)
10. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" – 5:40
- From the studio session for Nevermind (May to June 1991 at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California; produced by Butch Vig)
11. "Breed" (Butch Vig mix) – 3:07
12. "Verse Chorus Verse" – 3:17
13. "Old Age" – 4:20
- From a John Peel radio session (September 3, 1991 at Maida Vale Studios, London, England)
14. "Endless, Nameless" – 8:47
15. "Dumb" – 2:35
- From a John Peel radio session (October 21, 1990 at Maida Vale Studios, London, England)
16. "D-7" (Greg Sage) – 3:46
- From Nirvana's first post-Nevermind studio session (April 7, 1992 at Laundry Room Studios in Seattle, Washington; produced by Butch Vig)
17. "Oh, the Guilt" – 3:25
18. "Curmudgeon" (Lithium single b-side) – 3:03
19. "Return of the Rat" (Greg Sage) – 3:09
- From the studio session for Nevermind (May to June 1991 at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California; produced by Butch Vig)
20. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (Butch Vig mix) – 4:59
CD3 to z kolei wariacje na temat ostatniej studyjnej płyty. Oprócz różnych wersji utworów z In Utero pojawiają się też "I Hate Myself and Want to Die", który ostatecznie trafił wtedy na składankową płytę The Beavis and Butt-Head Experience; wymienione już wcześniej Sappy czy inne utwory które trafiły na single jak Moist Vagina czy Marigold. Ten ostatni to jedyny wydany utwór Nirvany autorstwa Dave'a Grohla. Przez Foo Fighters przypomniany dopiero po latach na koncercie akustycznym wydanym jako "Skin And Bones"
Cytat:
Disc 3
- Cobain's boombox-recorded home demo (May 1991 in Oakwood, CA?)
1. "Rape Me" – 3:23
- From Nirvana's second post-Nevermind studio session (October 25-26, 1992 at Word of Mouth Studios [former Reciprocal Recording Studios], Seattle, WA. Producer: Jack Endino).
2. "Rape Me" – 3:01
- From a band practice demo tape (Winter 1992 in Seattle, WA)
3. "Scentless Apprentice" (Kurt Cobain/Dave Grohl/Krist Novoselic) (rehearsal demo) – 9:32
- From Nirvana's final pre-In Utero studio session (January 19-21, 1993 at Ariola Ltda BMG, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Producer: Craig Montgomery)
4. "Heart-Shaped Box" – 5:31
5. "I Hate Myself and Want to Die" – 4:03
6. "Milk It" – 4:34
7. "Moist Vagina" (a.k.a. "MV") – 1:56
8. "Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip" – 7:33
9. "The Other Improv" – 6:24
- Cobain's boombox-recorded home demos (Fall or Winter 1992 in Seattle, WA)
10. "Serve the Servants" – 1:36
11. "Very Ape" – 1:52
- Cobain's boombox-recorded home demo (1993 in Seattle, WA)
12. "Pennyroyal Tea" – 3:30
- From the studio session for In Utero (February 12-26, 1993 at Pachyderm Studios, Cannon Falls, Minnesota. Producer: Steve Albini)
13. "Marigold" (Dave Grohl) (Heart-Shaped Box single b-side) – 2:34
14. "Sappy" – 3:26
- From a band practice demo tape (February 5, 1994 at Pavilhão Dramatico, Cascais, Portugal)
15. "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam" (Eugene Kelly/Frances McKee) – 3:57
- Cobain's boombox-recorded home demo (1994 in Seattle, WA)
16. "Do Re Mi" – 4:24
- Cobain's boombox-recorded home demo (1993 or 1994 in Seattle, WA)
17. "You Know You're Right" – 2:30
- Cobain's boombox-recorded home demo (1991 or 1992 in Olympia, WA or Los Angeles, California?)
18. "All Apologies" – 3:33
DVD jest chyba najlepszym fragmentem całości. Pierwsze 9 numerów to próba z domu matki Novoselica z końca 1988. Amatorskie nagranie video, utwory w przeważającej mierzez z niewydanego wtedy jeszcze debiutu. Czad i energia w czystej postaci. Potem kilka pomniejszych fragmentów - bardzo fajne wykonanie Sappy, pierwsze publiczne wykonania Smells Like Teen Spirit czy Pennyroyal Tea itd. No i na końcu nagrane w studiach BMG w Rio de Janeiro "Seasons In the Sun" Cobain na wokalu i perkusji, Grohl na basie a Nooselic na gitarze
Cytat:
[edit] Disc 4: DVD
Rehearsal at bass player Krist Novoselic's mother's house, Aberdeen, Washington in 1988.
1. "Love Buzz" – 2:32
2. "Scoff" – :47
3. "About a Girl" – 3:05
4. "Big Long Now" – 4:22
5. "Immigrant Song" (Jimmy Page/Robert Plant) – 1:57
6. "Spank Thru" – 3:03
7. "Hairspray Queen" – 3:37
8. "School" – 2:53
9. "Mr. Moustache" – 3:47
23 June 1989 Rhino Records, Los Angeles, California
10. "Big Cheese" – 3:13
16 February 1990, Bogarts, Long Beach, California
11. "Sappy" – 4:27 [mislisted as track 12 on the cover]
Early version of song/early music video, while on Sub Pop
12. "In Bloom" – 4:28 [mislisted as track 11 on the cover]
22 September 1990, the Motor Sports International Garage, Seattle, Washington
13. "School" – 2:33
11 October 1990, North Shore Surf Club, Seattle, Washington
14. "Love Buzz" (Robbie van Leeuwen) – 3:40
17 April 1991, OK Hotel, Seattle, Washington
15. "Pennyroyal Tea" [First ever performance] – 1:55
16. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" [First ever performance] – 6:16
17. "Territorial Pissings" – 2:45
31 October 1991, Paramount Theatre, Seattle, Washington
18. "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam" (Eugene Kelly/Frances McKee) – 3:32
4 October 1992, The Crocodile Cafe, Seattle Washington
19. "Talk to Me" – 3:35
22 January 1993 BMG Ariola Studios, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
20. "Seasons in the Sun" (Terry Jacks) – 3:40
Alternate versions of "Lounge Act" and "All Apologies" are also featured on the DVD menus.
Oprócz materiału audio/video ciekawa jest też książeczka z tekstami o zespole oraz z kalendarium wszystkich sesji demo/radiowych itp z zaznaczeniem co znalazło się na tym wydawnictwie. Można tam znaleźć, że parę utworów z pierwszej płyty Foo Fighters też zostało nagranych jescze przez Nirvanę na bodajże ostatniej sesji zespołu.
Gwiazdki? Ciężko tu być obiektywnym... Na pewno nie jest to wydawnictwo, które trafi w przypadkowe ręce. Chociażby cena (mi udało się kupic na allegro za ok 100PLN ale w sklepach regularnie stało po ok 300PLN) powoduje, że rzuci się na to tylko mocniej zdeterminowany fan. I właśnie dla takich osób jest to pozycja bezcenna.
*****1/2 dla fana
***1/2 dla reszty