Nirvana Recording Sessions and Song List Version 3.7
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History:
Version 1.0 09/30/94
Version 1.1 12/01/94
Version 1.2 03/30/95
Version 2.0 06/10/95
Version 3.0 09/17/95
Version 3.1 09/27/95
Version 3.2 09/29/95
Version 3.3 10/10/95
Version 3.4 11/08/95
Version 3.5 12/27/95
Version 3.6 01/17/96
Version 3.7 02/27/96
Latest update:
Ver 3.7
1) Minor date corrections - especially for Nov. / Dec. UK TV broadcasts.
2) Live only songs, live covers indicate 1st show where the song was known to be played.
3) Added some comments based upon a 'discussion' with 'Courtney Love'.
4) Check end of document for section called 'Discuss amongst yrselves ...'
Ver 3.6
1) Added info about the Evergreen video shoot.
2) Added some notes for each recording session.
Ver 3.5
1) Added information from the Dressed for Success bootleg CD.
Ver 3.4
1) Added notations *C (indicates song is available on bootleg cd) and
*T (indicates the song is available on a bootleg tape).
2) Update info on the KAOS acoustic broadcast.
3) Run, Rabbit Run - it's really a cover song - the original song was
done by a Finnish band called Smack.
4) Added notes at the end.
DISCLAIMER
1) This is not definitive. Please make any corrections/comments.
2) I do not have tapes of all of this material. I am always
interesting in trading, though. Send me your list.
3) I am not supporting bootlegs - just trying to get information out
to people.
4) Pass this around, quote it, discuss it, just give me credit,
please.
John Loughney
john.loughney@ntc.nokia.com
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Explanation of symbols
? = Unsure of exact information
* = Unreleased
*T = Unreleased, but available through tape trading
*C = Commercially unavailable, but on bootleg cd
{ver} = different version than album
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Pre-Nirvana - Tededfred, Pencapchew, Stiff Woodies, Throat Oysters,
Bliss ...
?* Montage of Heck {poss. The Landlord}
?* Vendettagainst
Pre-Nirvana Covers {unknown info}
?* Bad Moon Rising (Credence Clearwater Revival)
?* Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves (Cher) {Chris lead vocals}
?* Sex Bomb (Flipper)
?* White Lace and Strange ( ? )
1986 Fecal Matter demo
* Bambi Slaughter
* Buffy's Pregnant
* Downer {ver - instrumental}
* Laminated Effect
* Spank Thru
* Sound of Dentage
* Suicide Samurai
April '87 - Evergreen College, The Skid Row demo, KAOS Radio show
* Love Buzz {ver}
* Floyd the Barber {ver}
* Downer {ver}
* Mexican Seafood {ver}
* Spank Thru {ver}
* Hairspray Queen {ver}
* plus 3 others
Note: This was a live show that served as Nirvana's first demo.
January 1988 - Barnyard Session {4 track demos}
*C Polly (AKA Cracker) {Acoustic}
*C Sappy (AKA Verse Chorus Verse; Seed) {acoustic}
*C Spectre (AKA Misery Loves Company; Sad)
Note: "Cracker" / "Seed" / "Sad" are thought to be "Polly" /
"Sappy" (AKA Verse Chorus Verse) / "Spectre" (AKA "Misery Loves
Company", but again all is hear-say. The exact date of
recording is also up in the air. In the book, Come As You Are,
there is a picture of a bio written around summer / fall 1988
that lists "Cracker" / "Seed" / "Sad" as available, so I am
leaning towards thinking that they were recorded sometime in
1988.
January 23, 1988 - Reciprocal Studios {prod by Jack Endino}
Floyd The Barber [Bleach]
Paper Cuts [Bleach]
Downer [Bleach]
Hairspray Queen [Incesticide]
Beeswax [Incesticide]
Aero Zeppelin [Incesticide]
Mexican Seafood [Incesticide]
*C If You Must
*C Pencapchew
*C Spank Thru {ver}
Note: Dale Crover on drums
June 11, 1988 - Reciprocal Studios {prod by Jack Endino}
Love Buzz [Bleach]
Big Cheese [Bleach]
Spank Thru [Sub Pop 200]
*C Blandest
*C Sifting {ver - instrumental}
*C Blew {ver}
*C Mr. Moustache {ver}
*C Buzz Cut {unused intro for Love Buzz}
*C Nose Bleed {different edit than Buzz Cut}
*C The Landlord {poss. Montage of Heck}
June 30, 1988 - Reciprocal Studios {prod by Jack Endino}
About A Girl [Bleach]
December 28, 1988 - Reciprocal Studios {prod by Jack Endino}
Downer [Bleach]
Blew [Bleach]
School [Bleach]
Negative Creep [Bleach]
Scoff [Bleach]
Swap Meet [Bleach]
Mr. Moustache [Bleach]
Sifting [Bleach]
Downer [Bleach]
*C Floyd The Barber {ver}
*C Papercuts {ver}
? Big Long Now [Incesticide]
Late 1988 Session
*C Bambie Kill
*C Clean Up Before She Comes
*C Beans (Full Version)
*C Token Eastern Song (Instrumental) {probably wrong name}
Different Session 1988
*C About A Girl (Boom Box Recording)
Spring 1989 - K Records, Olympia WA
Bikini twilight {Go Team -Calvin Johnson, Tobi Vale, Kurt}
Note: this was released on K records
June 1989 - Evergreen State Session {with Jason Everman}
Do You Love Me [Hard to Believe - A Tribute to Kiss]
* Dive {ver}
Note: Dive as on Outcesticide III isn't from this session. It's
really a soundboard recording of Dive from the 11/18/89 Hanau,
Germany show.
August 1989 - Sessions for Mark Lanegan's The Winding Sheet album
Down In The Dark {Kurt backup vocals} [Winding Sheet]
Where Did You Sleep Last Night {Kurt + Chris backing} [Winding Sheet]
* Ain't It A Shame {Kurt lead vocals}
September 1989 - Blew EP Sessions {prod by Steve Fisk}
Been A Son [Blew EP]
Stain [Blew EP]
*C Even In His Youth {ver}
*C Polly {Electric}
* Token Eastern Song {instrumental ver of Junkyard}
October 26, 1989 - Maide Vaile Studios, London "John Peel Session"
*C About A Girl {ver}
*C Love Buzz {ver}
*C Polly {ver}
*C Spank Thru {ver}
November 1, 1989 - Hilversum, Holland Radio Studios "VPRO Session"
*C About a Girl {ver}
*C Dive {ver}
April '90 - Smart Studio, Madison WI. {prod by Butch Vig} "Nevermind Demos"
Dive [Sliver Single]
In Bloom [Sub Pop Video Network 1] {ver}
Polly [Nevermind]
Stay Away (AKA Pay To Play) [DGC Rarities Vol 1]
*C Lithium {ver}
*C Breed (AKA Immodium) {ver}
*C Sappy (AKA Verse-Chorus-Verse)
May 1990, Evergreen Video Shoot
*T School
*T Lithium
*T Big Cheese
*T Floyd the Barber
NOTE: Lithium is quite a different version here. Exact date
and location unknown. May 1990 is just an estimate.
May 1990, Laundry Room Sessions
*C D-7
Here She Comes Now [Between Heaven and Hell - Tribute to VU]
July 11, 1990 - Demo {prod by Butch Vig with Dan Peters of Mudhoney}
Sliver [Sliver Single] {phone call outro}
August 1990 - House of the Melvins, Seattle
*C Drain You {Boom box recording}
September 15, 1990 - Olympia WA KAOS FM "Boy Meets Girl Radio"
*C Opinion
*T Lithium {ver}
* Dumb {ver}
Note: Kurt solo
November 3, 1990 - Maide Vaile Studios, London "John Peel Session"
D-7 [Lithium single - UK]
Molly's Lips [Incesticide]
Son Of A Gun [Incesticide]
Turnaround [Incesticide]
Autumn 1990, Seattle 4-Track Recording
* Pennyroyal Tea
January 11, 1991 - Music Source Sessions, Seattle Washington
Aneurysm [Smells Like Teen Spirit Single]
Even In His Youth [Smells Like Teen Spirit Single]
May to June 1991 - Los Angeles {prod by Butch Vig}
Smells Like Teen Spirit [Nevermind]
In Bloom [Nevermind]
Come As You Are [Nevermind]
Breed [Nevermind]
Lithium [Nevermind]
Territorial Pissings [Nevermind]
Drain You [Nevermind]
Lounge Act [Nevermind]
Stay Away [Nevermind]
On A Plain [Nevermind]
Something In The Way [Nevermind]
Endless, Nameless [Nevermind]
* Endless, Nameless {wierd ver}
* Rape Me {unfinished ver}
* Pennyroyal Tea {unfinished ver}
* Dumb {unfinished ver}
September 3, 1991 - Maide Vaile Studios, London "John Peel Session"
*C Dumb {ver}
*C Drain You {ver}
*C Endless Nameless {ver}
November 5, 1991 - BBC Studios "Mark Goodier Radio 1 Session"
Been A Son [Incesticide] {ver}
New Wave Polly [Incesticide]
Aneurysm [Incesticide] {ver}
*C Something In The Way {ver}
November 8, 1991 - BBC Studios, London "The Word TV"
*C Smells Like Teen Spirt {ver}
November 24, 1991 - Hilversum, Holland Studios VARA-FM "2 Meter Sessie"
*C Here She Comes Now {ver}
*C Where Did You Sleep Last Night {ver}
*T Love Buzz {ver}
Note: Its rumoured that Nirvana played a song called
_Crisco_, but I think that is a fake. I've talked
to many people who feel the same, and no one who has any
certain info about it. I have seen lyrics of it, and I really
doubt that they were lyrics Kurt would write. I have talked to
some people who have asked the Dutch dj at this session, and
there has been no mention of any odd songs played.
November 28, 1991 - BBC Studios "Top of the Pops"
Smells Like Teen Spirit {Goth Version} [Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!]
December 6, 1991 - BBC Studios "Jonathan Ross Show"
Territorial Pissings [Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!] {ver}
January 10, 1992 - MTV Studios, NYC
*C Drain You {ver}
*C Polly {ver}
*C Smells Like Teen Spirit {ver}
*C Territorial Pissings {ver}
* On A Plain {ver}
* Dive {ver}
* Molly's Lips {ver}
* 3 or 4 others
January 11, 1992, NBC Studios, NYC "Saturday Night Live"
*C Smells Like Teen Spirit
*C Territorial Pissings
April 1992 - Laundry Room session
Oh, The Guilt [split with Jesus Lizard]
Curmudgeon [Lithium single]
Return Of The Rat [8 / 14 Songs for Greg Sage and the Wipers]
September 1992 - Los Angeles "MTV Video Awards"
?* New Poopy {Played during the practices}
Rape Me {Intro}
Lithium {ver}
Note: New Poopy is probably just a different name for
tourettes.
November 1992 - Living Room session
Guitar part for Burroughs 'The Priest They Called Him'
Note: Kurt solo.
January 1993 - Rio de Janeiro
*C Drunk In Rio (AKA Its Closing Soon) {Kurt and Courtney}
?* 2 Others
March 1993 - Pachyderm Studios {prod by Steve Albini}
Serve The Servants
Scentless Apprentice
Heart-Shaped Box
Rape Me
Dumb
Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle
Pennyroyal Tea
Very Ape
Milk It
Radio Friendly Unit Shifter
tourette's
All Apologies
I Hate Myself and Want To Die [Beavis & Butthead Experience]
Marigold [HSB single]
MV (Moist Vagina) [All Apologies single]
Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through The Strip [HSB Promo]
Note: 2 Bass Kid is often said to be recorded during the In
Utero sessions. I believe it to be just another name
for I Hate Myself and Want To Die.
Summer 1993 - Laundry Room session "In Utero Clean-up"
Verse-Chorus-Verse [No Alternative]
September 24, 1993 - NBC Studios NYC "Saturday Night Live Rehersals"
*T Heart Shaped Box {2 versions}
*T Rape Me {ver}
September 25, 1993 - NBC Studios NYC "Saturday Night Live"
*C Heart Shaped Box {ver}
*C Rape Me {ver}
November 18, 1993 - Sony Studios NYC "MTV Unplugged"
About A Girl [Unplugged in NY]
Come As You Are [Unplugged in NY]
Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam [Unplugged in NY]
Dumb [Unplugged in NY]
Man Who Sold The World [Unplugged in NY]
Pennyroyal Tea [Unplugged in NY]
On A Plain [Unplugged in NY]
Something In The Way [Unplugged in NY]
Plateau [Unplugged in NY]
Oh, Me [Unplugged in NY]
Lake Of Fire [Unplugged in NY]
All Apologies [Unplugged in NY]
Where Did You Sleep Last Night [Unplugged in NY]
*T Freebird jam (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
*T Sweet Home Alabama jam (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
February 4, 1994 - Nulle Part A - French TV studio, Paris, France
*C Rape Me {ver}
*C Pennyroyal Tea {ver}
*C Drain You {ver}
February 23, 1994 - Tunnel - RAI Italian TV Studio, Rome Italy
*C Serve the Servants {ver}
*C Dumb {ver}
March 1994 - Laundry Room sessions
?* On The Mountain (AKA You Got No Right)
?* Man Who Sold The World
?* Dough, Ray and Me (AKA Me and My IV)
?* Clean-up Before She Comes
?* Opinion {doubtful}
?* Talk to Me {doubtful}
Note:
Rumor has it that a total of 9 songs were done.
On the Mountain was actually played live on Oct 23rd
1993. Its slightly different than the song Hole did on
Unplugged. Supposedly, this might be released (it might have
been recorded during a March 1994 studio session). Dough, Ray
& Me was also probably recorded then, too - but I have no real
idea. The song Clean-up Before She Comes has been released on
a bootleg called Dressed For Success. I think that it was a 4-
track recording from 1988. This song could have been
re-recorded durning March 1994.
Maybe Clean-Up was re-recorded. I do remember reading that
Kurt had been quite depressed after In Utero because he was all
written out (no new songs). Maybe that was a factor in his
suicide - I don't know. If so, then it makes sense that some
old, unreleased songs were re-recorded for the March 1994
sessions. There was a plan to release an ep with some songs
from that session with some of the Unplugged songs when Nirvana
went on tour with Lollapalooza. That ep, was, of course
scrapped.
Acording to CL on the HSB Mailing list:
'dough ray me is the last song Kurt wrote, mostly in the
basement w/ Pat S and Eric- Also "got no right" I found a
buncha lyrics on a napkin on the TV- also dr and me
was called "Me and My IV" on the napkin.'
Demos for Michael Stipe
??? {Only Kurt}
Note: Michael Stipe and Kurt were never able to record
together. Michael Stipe did mention that Kurt had put together
some demos for Michael.
Live Recordings
*C Anorexorcist - Tacoma 12/14/87
*T Donuts - Washington DC 11/13/93
*C Formaldehyde - Dallas 10/11/91
*C In His Room - Soundcheck, Hollywood 08/17/90
*C Help Me - Melkweg, Amsterdam, 11/05/89
*T (Help Me) Death Jam - Providence, RI, 09/25/91
*C Jealousy - Rio 01/23/93
*T On The Mountain - Chicago 10/23/93
*T Raunchola - Tacoma 12/14/87 (ref. to as Run, Rabbit Run)
?*T Rock Whore - Glasgow, Scotland 11/30/91 (ref. as Crisco)
*T Talk To Me - Gent 11/23/91
*C Token Eastern Song (AKA Junkyard) Denver 09/13/89
Live Covers
*C Baba O'Riley (the Who) Rennes, France 12/07/91
*C Dazed & Confused Led Zeppelin) Mezzago, Italy 10/26/89
*C The End (The Doors) Reading, England 08/23/91
*C High On The Hog (Tad) Mezzago, Italy 10/26/89 {Kurt + Tad}
*T Immigrant Song (Led Zepplin) Hoqiuam Eagles Lodge 12/21/88
*T Love Gun (Kiss) Peaches Record Store 09/16/91 {Chris+Dave}
*C Moby Dick (Led Zeppelin) Tacoma 12/14/87
*C Money Will Roll Right In (Fang) Stockholm 06/30/92
*C More Than a Feeling (Boston) Reading Festival 08/30/92
*C My Sharona (the Knack) Rennes France 02/16/94
*T Play That Funky Music (??) Santa Cruz 06/19/1991
*C Ramble On jam (Led Zeppelin) Miami 11/27/93
* Rio (Duran Duran) Sao Paulo, Brazil concert {Chris + Dave}
*T Run Rabbit Run (Smack) Hoquiam 12/21/88 {diff. then Outcesticide III}
* Sacrifice [Flipper] {Chris, Dave & Buzz Osborne}
* Seasons in the Sun (Terry Jacks) Sao Paulo, Brazil
*T Sweet Emotion jam (Aerosmith) Rio 01/23/93
*T Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd) Tacoma 1/20/90
*C The End (the Doors) Reading, UK 8/23/91
* Way of the World [Flipper] {Chris, Dave & Buzz Osborne)
*T Wild Thing jam (Trogs) OK Hotel, Seattle 4/17/91
*T [Unknown Tad song] Mezzago, Italy 10/26/89 {Kurt + Tad}
*T [Unknown jam] Köln, Germany 11/8/89 {Chris+Dave}
Note: Not all these songs where played in their entirety.
Sometimes, they are just a drum and bass jam.
Melvana: Guitar, Vocals: Buzz Osbourne / Bass: Chris Novoselic
/ Drums: David Grohl
Notes: Melvana is made of members of Nirvana and the Melvins.
These are two live recordings from a small tour from back in
1992. These songs were recorded on 1-15-92 at the Crocodile
Cafe, Seattle. Both songs are covers of Flipper songs.
Sacrifice is also the second song on the Lysol EP.
Unknown
* Dead
* The Dodge
* Hummingbirds From Hell
* I'm Thinking
* Leave Me Alone
* Loser
* Our Little Song
* Punk Theme
* Slut
Some songs registered to Kurt Cobain (from BMI Web page)
* Call It What You Want
* Milk Made
Thanks to:
Greg (greg@america.net)
Jason Hetlebridle
Jeff McRae (jmcrae@oswego.oswego.edu)
Jonas Blank (smjr95b@prodigy.com).
Jyrki Maekelae (jyrmake@kirjasto.kaarina.fi)
Liz Ellison (emellison@delphi.com)
Leo Cailleteau (dadson@neosoft.com)
Rob (rfiles@u.washington.edu)
Thomas Bradford Graham-Fang (tbg0001@jove.acs.unt.edu)
Sources
Michael Azerrad _Come As You Are_
Goldmine magazine
Discoveries magazine
Record Collector
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Discuss Amongst Yrselves:
1) No one has any information, that I can gather, on when "Big Long
Now" was recorded. Its a bit of a mystery.
2) Is the song called 'The Landlord' on the Fecal Matter faked-
bootleg actually 'Montage of Heck'?
3) Is 'New Poopy' that was supposedly played during the MTV movie
awards during Sept. 1992 actually an early version of
tourrettes?
4) Anyone have any information that Crisco isn't simply a faked
name? Is the song played at Glasgow Scottland on 11/28/91
really Rock Whore?