The story of Nirvana is one of the most unlikely and therefore legendary success stories in rock history. Out of nowhere, the rock-hard single Smells Like Teen Spirit by the young alternative rock band from Seattle conquered the international charts in 1991, and the album Nevermind (their second) went over that. Traits: catchy rock riffs, extreme dynamics (The Pixies were an influence) and a rare
… feel for pop hooks. Every song on the record was a potential hit, the production (by Butch Vig) was fatter and heavier than ever heard before. Fans from the very beginning were murmuring about commercial sales, and they didn't know half how much they would be right. Nevermind was the starting shot for a huge boom in alternative bands, a movement that exploded three years later after the self-imposed death of singer Kurt Cobain, who was plagued by guilt and a persistent drug addiction. Only then did it become clear that the 'teenage angst' in his songs was dire. A glorious success story thus ended in an anti-climax. The subdued songs of Nevermind - Polly and Something In The Way - let Cobain hear at its most vulnerable and - with the science of today - make the most impression. (MS) The subdued songs of Nevermind - Polly and Something In The Way - let Cobain hear at its most vulnerable and - with the science of today - make the most impression. (MS) The subdued songs of Nevermind - Polly and Something In The Way - let Cobain hear at its most vulnerable and - with the science of today - make the most impression. (MS)more