VARIOUS – ROOTS OF
NIRVANA (MOJO MAGAZINE)
Gummed onto the front
cover of the March 2011 issue of Mojo this is quite
possibly the best ever free CD to come with a magazine. To have a compilation the sees Shonen
Knife slip into Big Black
is a triumph while also having a record than sits “Bad Penny” next to “The
Money Will Roll Right In” is a distinct victory of art over commerce.
This is not the first
time a magazine has put together a CD of Kurt Cobain’s tastes and
influences. Previously in 2004 the NME came up with a compilation crassly called Kurt’s
Choice which also opened with a Mudhoney
track (then “Touch
Me I’m Sick” and now “In’n Out Of Grace”) as well as the originals of songs
covered in the MTV
Unplugged set (“Where Did You Sleep Last Night” and “Plateau”). In addition, both compilations contain songs
by The Vaselines that Nirvana covered
but needless to say, this collection is superior having not been compiled by
teenagers.
Subtitled “Distorted
Sounds From The Punk Underground” the collection is something of a history
lesson in US
There are many rock
family tree links here: Nirvana covered
the aforementioned “The Money Will Roll
Right In”, “Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam” and “Plateau”. Dan Peters of Mudhoney was briefly their
drummer. Steve Albini of Big Black
recorded In
Utero while Cobain
was a one-time roadie for the Melvins as
later Krist Novoselic
would play bass for Flipper. In addition, there is the whole Sub Pop thing with in addition to Green River and
Mudhoney being mainstays and label mates, the company at various stages would
feature releases by Beat
Happening, The Vaselines and Shonen
Knife.
Overall this is a very
pleasingly raw record. Clown Alley proves
a wonderful discovery having seemingly been buried by rock history. It seems too strange to consider a band that
sounds so big and so right never actually.
With this the more
seasoned surf scroll of Beat Happening and “Bewitched” has never sounded more
perverse and obtuse. Likewise the
clarity attached to the aural attack that is “Bad Penny” by Big Black has never
felt more powerful and essential. These
two tracks alone appear to cram more ingenuity into than so many modern acts do
entire sets.
Key also is the sense
of humour and attitude attached. As
Albini claims “I think I fucked your sister once” this then moves onto the sarcastic
desire to sell out and “fuck Brooke
Shields” of the pleasingly nonchalant “The Money Will Roll Right In” by Fang. Covered by both Mudhoney and Nirvana I truly
would like to inhabit a world and mindset that shares such slack confidence.
The more melodic side
of Cobain’s brain and influence are soon represented by The Vaselines, Young Marble Giants
and Meat Puppets each offered a
different way of taking care of business.
However still keen to
cause a riot and upset the squares the inclusion of David Yow screaming his way through
“Cannibal” by Scratch Acid
feels a key noise rock insertion before telling nods to scene trailblazers
Green River and Melvins
offer appreciation and inspiration.
Melvins in particular take the opportunity to explain and display just
how powerful a king hook can be.
With maturity things,
reach a head via bratty posturing and antagonism delivered from Flipper and
almost eight minutes of “Sex Bomb” before it all ends with eternal respect for Iggy Pop
and a live version of “Gimme Danger” with The Stooges.
This is music that
makes a misfit better.
Once again, all that
is missing is Sonic Youth.
Thesaurus moment:
substance.
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