Nirvana’s Nevermind, which turns thirty years old this month, is an album that was never likely to be forgotten. Many elements combine here: the record’s now iconic cover – a submerged baby swimming towards a dollar bill; the tragic death of lead singer Kurt Cobain, the fact that the record crested a wave of a particular style of music and, of course, the music itself, including the immensely successful single and accompanying video, “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” Lastly, there is the sad subject of Cobain’s untimely death, at the age of twenty-seven, a mystic number for rock ‘n roll martyrdom, unashamedly mined by some quarters of the press.
In terms of music and cultural history, Nevermind stands as an important landmark, well deserving of the forthcoming BBC documentary, “When Nirvana Came To Britain,” which will feature appearances from former band alumni Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl. For many, the record marks the beginning of the grunge scene, a re-imagining of punk with a cathartic emotional edge.
In reality, of course, musical trends, just like all cultural trends, are a matter of slow evolution rather than sudden revolutions, with no convenient start/stop points along the way. There are, however, significant moments which cannot be ignored. For example: The Sex Pistols gig at The Lesser Free Trade Hall, Manchester, June, 1976. In the crowd that day you would have found an astonishing list of musicians-to-be, who would go on to significant achievements. Mark E. Smith of The Fall, Morrissey, and future members of both Joy Division/New Order and The Buzzcocks were all present.
There are watershed albums too, records which did not single-handedly bring about a sea-change, but served as both a popularizer and a cementer of a certain style and ethos. Nirvana’s Nevermind falls squarely into this category. It’s mix of radio-friendly sounds with a dissonant, heavy-rock edge proved, in the end, an irresistible force, defining for many the Grunge genre. Flying somewhat under the radar upon its initial release, the success of single “Smells Like Teen Spirit” meant that, before long, journalists were scrambling to address the phenomenon.
It helped, of course, that Nirvana, like many great bands, had a charismatic frontman who held an unique spell over his audience. Similar to The Doors’ Jim Morrison, in many tragic ways, Cobain was a magnetic presence who struggled to cope with the fame and fortune thrown his way. That both Cobain and Morrison struggled with addictions and mental health, and both died at the same age, albeit in markedly different circumstances, means that, perversely, they will long be remembered and celebrated.
As an interesting final note, Spencer Elden, the baby who featured on the album’s cover, is now suing the band, claiming he was exploited as a child and has suffered “lifelong damages” as a result. Elden’s legal team state, quite understandable, that this is an issue of consent. It’s a case that could prove as defining and momentous as the record itself. Depending on its outcome, many similar cases may well follow.
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