Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Nirvana's Debut, Bleach, From the People Who Were There
As promised, we made a big to-do about the 20th anniversary re-issue of Bleach, Nirvana's debut in the printed and electronic pages of Seattle Weekly today. Read all about it here, and help yourself to a remastered copy of the record -- complete with an entire Nirvana live show from 1990 -- on November, 3. There, you've got something else to do on Tuesday BESIDES vote. But, you should probably do both. Right, Krist?
Photo by Kurt Cobain A dapper Krist Novoselic in 1989.
Here's what we've got:
-- Nirvana co-founder/bassist Krist Novoselic interviews Bleach drummers Dale Crover and Chad Channing and discuss potato chips, "Big Cheese," and their friend Kurt.
-- Jack Endino: Recording Nirvana Before They Were Nirvana: Jack Endino recorded an unknown, unnamed band at an unmemorable session that he'll never forget.
-- Bleach Signaled Chaos Around the Corner: Nirvana's debut could have been the band's swan song. Instead it was the start of the sound that made Seattle famous.
-- Back in Bleach: The first Nirvana album was probably the last one you heard, but it marks a critical chapter in Seattle music history.

18 comment(s)












Tony says:
Who cares!! I'm Glad Kurts dead - he was a looser heroin addict fuck head who took his own life. Now we have the foo fighters who are a much more positive roll model. Why do losers who take heroin look up to dead losers who died from heroin activities. Now loser lowlifes still get fueled by this shit. Pull the needle out & get on with a productive life - freaks.
Posted On: Wednesday, Oct. 28 2009 @ 1:01PM
kaitlyn says:
Jesus Christ Tony. Anyway, I am going to buy the reissue as soon as it comes out! I cant wait!
Posted On: Wednesday, Oct. 28 2009 @ 2:34PM
cc18285 says:
@tony
I sincerely hope you're some 13year old teen who doesn't quite understand.
If not, get the fuck out and keep those stupid opinions to yourself,
Oh, cool pic of Krist taken from Kurt, nice scarf! haha
Posted On: Wednesday, Oct. 28 2009 @ 2:36PM
Blake Cohen says:
Firstly (as this is so much more important) thank you Krist and everyone who contributed to this. It has been something so many people have been looking forward to and have been awaiting -- we've had a great deal of magazine articles mentioning Bleach and the rise of Nirvana (Kerrang! being one of them, with a whole 19-page-special, w/posters!) I can speak for pretty much everyone on here when I say that we are all very grateful for this and what you are sharing.
Secondly, to our wonderful little commenter: TONY. I imagine you have never had to deal with a heroin addict or ever been on any kind of drug or anything in relation to this. A lot of people on here can probably speak from experience - myself included. And those who can't are not here to talk about that because weirdly enough, when Bleach came out (and I imagine at the time, you weren't even a thought inside your mothers - she must be so proud - womb) Kurt was very much alive and working very hard - as were the others, of course - to do what he wanted to do. It wasn't like it is now where you can just go on stupid shows like X Factor, American Idol, etc. You actually had to work for that shit. You know... choose between recording and studio time or eating a meal. This is something that should be celebrated and any real, true NIRVANA fan knows that. Regardless of what happened in the end, the fact is, NIRVANA and Kurt Cobain are still well known some 15 years later... if everyone thought like you do, surely no-one would stiff be buying or at least anticipating the anniversary of this. Perhaps if you stopped to think, just for one second, that there was more the NIRVANA and Kurt than all the stupid drug shit hype and the people actually appreciated the music for what it was - raw, honest and new - maybe you would have the smallest ounce of understanding as to why this is so important and appreciated today.
Posted On: Wednesday, Oct. 28 2009 @ 2:59PM
blake cohen says:
And OMFG I made a spelling mistake. I meant STILL of course, but I guess that gives you something else to play on, since I'm pretty sure (with your attitude) you must have the mental age of about 8.
Posted On: Wednesday, Oct. 28 2009 @ 3:04PM
Stacey says:
What is wrong with you? He was a human being. I bet you've never had any fucking problems have you? I'm sorry but my 18 year old son was just diagnosed with schizophrenia & I worry every day he could try to kill himself. People with mental illnesses often self medicate to feel "normal". I know quite a bit about Kurt Cobaine-know why? Because about 2 years ago my son became obsessed with him. I was concerned at first because of the suicide, but i decided to find out more about him and I'm glad I did because now I myself have become a Nirvana fan. I never really paid attention to them before because I was busy being a single mother. Now I love Nirvana's music & just feel bad that what was probably a mental illness turned so horrible. & I've never used heroin or anything with a needle you selfish fuck! I am alo now a huge Foo Fighter fan as well as both Dave Grohl & Krist Novoselic. I'm sure Krist went through alot & it's real nice that you'd make a comment like that. Better be careful, someday someone you care for could be just as lost as kurt or my son. Then maybe you'll be a little more understanding. But then again, you're just a stupid asshole just like my ex husband and you probably wouldn't even let it effect your life! Why would you? It's easier to just ignore things like this & talk a bunch of shit!
Stacey from I'll
P.S. If you don't like Nirvana, why did you even bother reading this fucking article?
Posted On: Wednesday, Oct. 28 2009 @ 3:33PM
Tony says:
You got trolled. Please do not feed the trolls. Thank you. -MGMT
Posted On: Wednesday, Oct. 28 2009 @ 3:55PM
Jim says:
Tony your an idiot, Taylor Hawkins, the foo fighters drummer, overdosed on heroin in either 1999 or 2000
Posted On: Wednesday, Oct. 28 2009 @ 6:34PM
Tyler says:
Tony is probably some lonely 30 year old virgin whos parents hate him and who has never had a real life girlfriend.
Kurt Cobain was an incredible human and deserves all the respect hes been given.
Krist, THANK YOU
Posted On: Wednesday, Oct. 28 2009 @ 6:51PM
Karisuma says:
Last I noted Taylor Hawkins was alive and well and on the new Foos record.
He did, however, have a problem with sleeping pills back in the day and that is probably the OD you are thinking of, Jim.
Posted On: Wednesday, Oct. 28 2009 @ 6:56PM
Seán says:
I cant wait to get this. So excited. Nirvana influenced me a hell of alot and i owe them so much. BEST BAND IN THE WORLD EVER. Fact. This Tony guy is a bit of eejit, idiot, fool.
Get a grip man for christ sake.
Seán
Posted On: Thursday, Oct. 29 2009 @ 1:33AM
Not Tony says:
Is this about music or drug abuse? Anyway, the album 'Bleach' was probably named after a common chemical used to clean needles. That's my theory; I don't care enough to find out why something was named something. If I can't get my own meaningful interpretation on a form of art, then it generally means that I am not interested.
Nirvana = Best Band Ever
Posted On: Thursday, Oct. 29 2009 @ 7:53AM
Also Not Tony says:
BTW, you all have been trolled. If you don't know the meaning of trolled(internet), look it up. So no more comments regarding Tony. This is not a "respond to Tony's opinion" blog entry.
Pls. do not feed the trolls.
Posted On: Thursday, Oct. 29 2009 @ 7:57AM
nirvana fan!!! says:
listen you negative fuck, are you brain dead or something! without kurt and without nirvana there never would've been a foo fighters! granted they are a great band no doubt but krist dave and kurt made that sound a reality! there are a lot of bands out there that are deeply influenced by nirvana and the music they made! i'm sure many of the bands you listen to this very day were ispired by the music nirvana made! everone has faults and sure yours may not be drugs but you can't deny the great effect nirvanas music and people! step back and get a grip yourself! freak!!!
Posted On: Saturday, Oct. 31 2009 @ 11:01AM
Rick says:
I think it's sad when people use the anonymity of the internet to spew whatever ill-conceived bullshit comes to mind. It would infuriate me if I didn't find it so pathetic and revolting.
I would like to thank Krist, Kurt, and Dave for making some of the most unique, enjoyable music I have had the privilege of experiencing. Kurt's death was a tragedy, but the music these guys made is immortal and will always mean something to me.
Posted On: Wednesday, Nov. 4 2009 @ 3:17PM
jefe says:
My first tape ever was Nevermind. I bought it used in the basement of a bookstore in 1995. At that time all I knew of this band was some cloudy notion of their influence a few years before and that there was a naked baby on the cover ("you can totally see the penis!"), but from that day I was die-hard. Pretty soon after that I bought all the major full-lengths, scoured Positively Fourth Street Records in Olympia for rarities and unreleased albums (Outsesticides I-V, In Scope a live album, his strange collab with William S. Burroughs, etc), and would read every biography on Kurt and Nirvana that I could find. I played that used Nevermind tape until it was so warped you could barely discern the songs, and continued to listen to it even after that. Nirvana was the first real band I loved that I couldn't find in my parent's vinyl collection. They have influenced me profoundly, and even though Nirvana has long since fallen out of everyday listening for me, I am forever indebted and grateful to them for showing me such angst and yet such fragility, honest, raw and uncompromising. Thanks and much love guys!
Posted On: Saturday, Nov. 7 2009 @ 12:46PM
alexi angelino says:
Thank you to all whom have come forward to remember Kurt and his influence on the music scene. The healing proccess of Kurts loss is ongoing and it is sad that so many people still only focuss on Kurts pain rather than what came from that pain. Nirvana led the way for so many artists. New artists are launching out of Seattle and will continue to share their talent with the world!
Peace and Love,
Alexi Angelino
Founder/Seattle Music Revival
www.myspace.com/blueartlove
www.seattlemusicrevival.com
Posted On: Monday, Nov. 9 2009 @ 12:18PM
north carolina says:
HELLO,I AM A 32 MALE FROM NC AND I ALLWAYS LOVE NIRVANA.THEY ARE THE BEST JPAZZUTO@YAHOO.COM
Posted On: Monday, Dec. 14 2009 @ 8:11PM