#435 - Nirvana - In Utero (1993)
MUSIC HISTORY WRITTEN BY HEAD WRITER DJ MORTY COYLE:
Released on September 21st of 1993 and originally produced by Steve Albini with some production by Scott Litt this is the third and final studio album by American, Grunge, Punk, Alternative, Hard Rock, band Nirvana.
The band was started in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987 by guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic. They played with a succession of different drummers before settling on Chad Channing
After becoming a part of the Seattle, Washington “Grunge” music scene in the late ‘80s the band released one single, a cover of Shocking Blue’s “Love Buzz” before recording their first studio album, “Bleach” on the independent label, “Sub Pop.”
The 1989 album was embraced by college radio and sold fairly well.
After their first national tour they released an EP and by 1990 they were making new album demos with producer Buch Vig.
But before they were done they parted ways with drummer Chad Channing.
After a couple more fill-in drummers they were joined permanently by Dave Grohl of the recently disbanded Washington D.C. group, “Scream.”
After signing with David Geffen’s DGC Records in 1990 the band took a year to make “Nevermind.”
Although they hoped for another modest success they were overwhelmed when it exploded into a worldwide phenomenon, selling 30 million copies, and bumping Michael Jackson’s “Dangerous” from the number 1 spot by 1992.
But Nirvana had trouble dealing with that much fame happening that quickly.
Being thrust into the ever-scrutinizing and judgmental public eye also meant Kurt Cobain’s private life including his romances and relationship with drugs would be a constant presence on magazines, tabloid t.v., and MTV in between the heavy rotation of Nirvana videos.
By the time they were ready to follow up “Nevermind”, which the band felt was too polished and commercially appealing, Kurt’s goal was to return the band to its Punk Rock roots no matter what it did to their career.
Although the label had hoped for a ’92 release the band didn’t start recording until early 1993 because they all lived in different states and Kurt and his wife Courtney Love were expecting their baby daughter, Francis Bean Cobain.
The label released the compilation, “Incesticide” to bridge the gap.
By late ’92 the band chose underground producer Steve Albini due to his street cred and his work with The Pixies and The Breeders.
Albini didn’t know much about them other than their huge success, which he assumed meant they were sell-outs.
After they proved they were on the same page the band and Albini decided on recording in the remote Pachyderm Studio in Cannon Falls, Minnesota to avoid distractions and record company interference.
They recorded songs written years before and some finished during the sessions.
In about two weeks this raw and uncompromising album was recorded and mixed for only $25,000 dollars.
After hearing the unmastered album the record company who had been hoping for a “Nevermind” part 2 were less than enthusiastic.
Even Nirvana’s management company were critical of the results.
Rumors went around that the record label thought the album was “sub-par” and “unlistenable” and shelved it.
Both Nirvana and their label denied that but the label knew it would be a hard sell to get radio airplay as it was.
Meanwhile Kurt and the band also had some serious issues with the finished sound.
After Albini refused to budge on fixing anything they had producer Scott LItt rework and augment a few tracks with the band and had “Nevermind” mixer Andy Wallace remix the singles.
The band and record company compromised to release the record.
The label decided to only put out its three singles promotionally but not commercially in America to allow the record to grow its audience organically.
The album showcased Nirvana’s past, pure, pop, sensibilities on some tracks and their outright, rampaging, Punk, apoplexy on several others.
Although it was met with mixed reviews and was refused to be sold at a few chain stores due to its fetus-strewn back cover and the song titled, “Rape Me” it still debuted at number 1 on the charts.
However the album slipped down the charts shortly after release despite them appeasing the chain stores by censoring some album art and the offending track title.
The band started their first tour in two years in October of ’93 but by early ’94 Cobain had suffered a drug overdose and a possible suicide attempt.
After going to rehab and then escaping he was found in his Seattle home in April of ’94, dead from a likely suicide with a shotgun.
The album shot back up the charts the next week.
Although it sold fifteen million records, decidedly underperforming the success of “Nevermind”, it has since gone on to be considered a classic of its genre.