i read his bio when i was a teenager and learned that Kurt was known to exaggerate little things like the price of the leadbelly guitar. The guitar was actually 50,000 but hey, 500k sounds better.
He hated money, he would have been equally upset. It wasn't that Leadbellys guitar went for that much. It was that they called him and asked HIM for 500,000. He never spent any of the Nirvana money other than his house in the woods. The only thing he loved was playing music and we ruined that for him.
I was at a conference in '91 or '92, when Judy McGrath spoke. She was the Creative VP at MTV at the time and I think she went on to be be the CEO. She spoke about MTV's exciting new direction, how they would focus on reality TV. Everyone in the audience was appalled. Yet that's what they did. They made a crapload of money. And the world died just a little bit more.
That is pure pain he is using to sing that ending. The man used his soul to sing songs like this. He was all too familiar with the pain the subject in question entailed. That state of mind is exhausting
I always wondered would he be able to scream like that for 30 minutes 1 hour without getting a sour throat if I try to scream like that in 5 seconds i will start coughing
I cannot watch this without crying. I'm 45. My whole life in Seattle. My first concert was Butthole Surfers, Blood Circus, and Nirvana, at Union Station in Seattle on oct 28 1988 . I was there for butthole surfers, never heard of nirvana (years later I learned it was their first show north of Olympia). I only realized nirvana was an opener at the show a few years later. Then i saw them at the OK hotel, with Fitz of depression and Bikini kill. Total little dive bar in seattle, but was an all-ages show (I was 15 or 16). And may 9, 1989 saw Nirvana with Tad and Mudhoney at Lamefest. To be fair, Nirvana wasn't my favorite local band, Mudhoney was/is. But Kurt (and Layne) ended up running in some of the same circles I did. (we're all familiar with the massive seattle heroin epidemic at the time). All that said, I'll never forget where I was, what I was doing when the news broke that Kurt died. Just as clear as 9/11, years later. This unplugged session was the last thing I remember seeing from him before learning of his death, and it was such an amazingly powerful, and in-character, honest performance. Tears and goosebumps every time.
small world, i have a fitz of depression tattoo and i met dave grohl at the ok hotel right after quitting a shit dishwashing job downtown , about a year after kurt died ,he was a nice dude. A few years later i saw bikini kill and it was a good show but the hardcore lesbian chicks were just pushing me in the back because my 6’ height was blocking their view and i was standing in the very back of the room Ahahaha whatever ! what was that sweet dive bar where that rei store is now by I5 where mudhoney recorded an album in the basement ? that place was all homeless people and junkies mixed with random artists types with 1$ black label beers . that whole neighborhood is condo ville now , crazy. - edit , i think it was called the StoreRoom . yeah thats the ticket see ! Myaww See Myaa !!
Fellow 45-year-old Seattleite here too. I never got to see Nirvana live. Met Tad-and his wife-once outside West Seattle Denny's, and partied once at Chris Cornell's house on Beach Drive. This shit is in my blood.
Me as well, Seattle native, was about 19 when Nirvana first became known in the area. Being 48 now I think of the 90's music scene a lot. Screaming Trees, Tad, Mudhoney, so many shows, brother was in a garage band (of course lol). I never saw Nirvana in person but I used to see Krist a lot around town. Once I met him and he shook my hand and my other two girlfriends I was out with and talked to us a bit. I thought he was so nice and down to earth.
@@redbirdsaraceno the storeroom was awesome, in the day. Anybody go see the few punk shows played at St Regis on 2nd and Stewart? I saw a crazy noise band there called the pointy birds. Bought 2 45s, but never once got to listen to them cuz record players went the way of the do-do. They were performance art, but also were impressive, musically. Did anyone here get to check out motormouth? It was all female. Alicia, from Rubber, was the singer. I saw them at that laundry place under the monorail on 5th Ave. Not duds and suds, that was on Howell on cap hill. But some other clever-ish name. Shit, maybe it was duds and suds, and cap hill was called something else. Been about 20 years, hard to recall.
The 4 main Grunge singers’ strongest attributes; 1) Layne Stayley for his emotion (RIP) 2) Kurt Cobain for his intensity (RIP) 3) Eddie Vedder for his uniqueness 4) Chris Cornell for his range (RIP) Side note: It’s such a shame I had to say rip to 3/4 singers above, such a shame. Rip rock gods ❤️
Because of this list, and the connection they shared, I pray for Eddie Vedder like I know the man personally. His lyrics have meant so much to me throughout my life, I don’t know what my world would be without him. The deaths we’ve already endured were heart wrenching, but for some reason, I have always felt more connected to EV.
@@hipp0stratus Right? Most of us were introduced to Nirvana via "Smells Like Teen Spirit," or if you were super into the Seattle Scene, "Floyd the Barber" "Blew" or "About a Girl." It's interesting to see someone get to see the more melodic and musical side of Kurt and the band before they get introduced to "typical" Nirvana.
Please notice the silence and patient respect of the crowd at the end. No one rushing or clamoring. No one yelling or demanding. That was real respect of art and artist alike.
When I was a small girl we sang this song. I'm 82 so that was a very long time ago. Of course, we didn't sing it like Curt but was one of those-everyone knew and you sat on the porch and the family would all join in.
The last two lines of this comment are completely strange and unfamiliar Spending time with the family, GETTING TOGETHER and even SINGING TOGETHER? That's like the most alien thing I've ever heard and I could ever imagine I'm not labeling this as a bad thing it's just completely unknown for me but maybe I'm just weird
Kurt laid it out there for all on this song. he even said it was "the performance of his life". he wouldn't do an encore.....because you couldn't top it.
Mitch Hedberg, Robbin Williams, and more I cant think off right now. Sorry if I misspelled any names. Even my own dad was hilarious and the life of the party.... But killed himself. It's shitty.
@@lawrenceeason8007 lol. Didn't even think about what I was writing but thanks verry much. It's been almost 20 years but you know. Your quick reply touched me and caught me tottaly by surprise. Thanks.
I was a huge fan of Nirvana. I was 21 when that was recorded, and 22 when Kurt killed himself. It was a very hard time for me emotionally. That performance, of a song that most people didn't even know existed, even though it was some 60 years old at the time, made me cry a little inside every time I heard it. His emotion just blew my mind. After he died I used to drive around and listen to it and bawl my eyes out. I stopped listening to it after a few months and rarely listen to it now even after 25 years. BUT seeing you react. That meant a lot to me. I had no one around me at the time to commiserate with about it - nobody but Nirvana fans really gave a shit and I didn't know any. But tonight, YOU made me feel better about it after all these years. It's not like I think about it often. I grew older and have a good life. But seeing you appreciate it, gave me some closure to something that was always there in the depths of my mind. Thank you,
I was 20 when he died. I cried for a week. I drove around at night listening to them and crying. I hear you man. I still cry when I see old pics of him.
I was 11 when I became a fan of Nirvana and 12 when he died. I still remember where I was and what I was wearing that day, when I received the call from my mom saying that his death was all over the news. I was never the same after that. Being so young and dealing with so much his music got me thru so much. I never felt so much loss over a human being in me entire life prior or since then.
Dear man, I heard your comment so loud and clear. I think we were in the same boat. See my comment that I just finished writing above. This is so relatable.
This is Nirvana's version of Lead Belly's version of an old, old, OLD Appalachian/Southern folk song. A college student of music, history, &/or anthropology could probably build a master's thesis out of trying to find the original iteration of this song.
While we're giving out old covers The animals House of rising sun was covered by Leadbelly before them but it's an old folk song that dates back to the 1600s
He lost himself in this encore. Kurt looked at the crowd at plenty performances. But yeah he was shy and had anxiety, but he wss very outspoken at times and could be sn extrovert in interviews. And he asshat afraid to tekk an asshole fan to go fuck off. Just a great guy that reminded me if myself a ton growing up to him.
He was literally talking to the crowd before the song started lol. I grew up listening to him he had some anxiety but not when he performed that's what he loved thats when he felt most like himself. I seen this man in concert first time at 14 sadly only seen him one more time before he passed. Biggest loss the musical community has had in my opinion music would be different today if he was still living.
Grunge was a way to rebel against the mainstream music sell outs the raspy voice and ear shredding sound Is like saying and giving a big fuck you to them and the music industry
It’s crazy to think that Kurt put on this kind of amazing performance. He was withdrawing from heroine for days and was feeling very sick, hadn’t washed his hair in days and he was extremely nervous and doubtful of his ability to pull of the show. But in all his doubt, he pulled it together and put together an iconic performance.
I remember watching this performance years ago and ever since I can't help but wonder what exactly he was thinking right at that moment. There's something important about it but obviously we'll never know what it was. I can only imagine the song meant something to him because i don't believe they played it for any other show and the unplugged release by MTV was the only album it appeared on.
Kurt wasn't a heartthrob. He was an addict. But his voice and lyrics meant a lot to to those who were teenagers in the early 90s. Up until then, most teenagers didn't know it was the norm to be sad and depressed and didn't know what to say or how to act as a collective group. He, as much as he didn't want to be, was our voice. He wanted people to hear his music because he knew how relatable it was, but he hated how fame made him feel. It was nice to have nice things. It was nice to have fans. But the worship wasn't so nice and in the end it killed him. Yes drugs did too, and he'd had a problem with them for a decade. But trying to be someone he wasn't trying to be made it worse. A lot of the emotional songs from the 90s were made possible by his basically saying we don't know what to with ourselves, but here we are. I don't think his career could've survived the 2000s. He wouldn't be able to conform and I think pop would've made him jaded. It made all of us jaded, it still does. Fuck man--I'm still waiting for the poppy reign of terror to end tbh. Music has suffered because of the mindlessness of lyrics in today's music. It means nothing. A beat, some synth, and a lot of autotune fronted by a pretty face and you have a hit. It's sad. Getting old and being wise sucks sometimes. But that dark, depressing time was one of the best times to live through with grunge.
I will never forget that moment when he takes a big breath before the end. It always gives me goosebumps. For you, being the first time listening to Kurt, and actually getting goosebumps really tells how much he was able to transmit in this performance. He died not even 6 months after this was filmed. A real tragedy.
Yes. Yes. Yes. I was watching that night of the original performance. That moment got to me too. It still does. When we lost Kurt, that moment stuck in my head. Forever. ♥️❤❤
My favorite musician. His eyes, at the end of the song, when he sings "I'll shiver.. the whole" .. But before he takes a deep breath.. this look comes over him that gives me goosebumps everytime.
This might be the pinnacle of everything MTV did. The world would have lost a lot without the Nirvana unplugged performance. This, lake of fire, and man who sold the world are what you need to show people in the future to explain the power music had and can have again.
The story of that unplugged and that song is really amazing. Going on unplugged was a big deal at the time, all the top bands were doing it. For Nirvana, it was really a huge deal because they were all about being loud and aggressive, how would they do in a soft and quiet performance? During rehearsals everything went wrong! The band was not in a groove together and it showed. Add to it they were playing many cover songs and the producers worried people wouldn't like this. When it came time to the performance, it all went smooth! The band played great, Kurt was amazing and the songs were all well received. They showed, and Kurt especially, showed his brilliance. This was the last song, as Kurt says, and it was so amazing, so passionate by the time they got off the stage the producers wanted more and asked Kurt for an encore song. Kurt simply replied "No, I can't top that song". Less than a year later Kurt would be dead, but he left his brilliance for us to see in this performance.
He had a project in the works w michael stipe (REM) acoustic, bluesy and more singer songwriter orientated his days with Nirvana were just about thru but he had a lot of great music left in him. I remember the day they announced they found his body. Was a very sad day for the world. RIP Kurt your music will live in forever
@@dwebs1340 Yep. Kurt was actually going to branch off and do some solo work. More folk blues stuff. It's an absolute tragedy that work was never completed. Would have been something we've never seen before. Nothing hit me harder than the day Kurt left us. I still remember it like it wss yesterday.
Man, I gotta tell you... some of your videos bring tears to my eyes and i'm a grown-assed 57 year old man. I finally figured out why. I grew up being restricted to christian and pale country/western stuff. I would get punished if caught listening to anything else. So at 16 (1978), first car, first FM/cassette deck... I had a lot of years to catch up on. Watching you react to these songs, some of the same songs that blew me away in my teens, touches me somewhere deep inside. Thank you.
Will never get old. If you could hear this on my rebuilt 1959 Bell CARILLON 6060 tube amp with el34 power tubes and amperex and telefunken pre amp tubes, on vinyl, played on my jvc ql a 75 TT, with my signet tk10ml cart. Boy oh boy. Lol. I can't explain it. He's there in the room. That simple. As loud and rough as it csn get, but smooth as fuck at the same time no matter how loud it gets. Heaven This deserves to be heard that way
This was a *very* famous performance. I vividly remember watching. It was on "MTV Unplugged" Nirvana didn't typically do acoustic. This was a departure from the typical. Which was the whole point of the show. The sweater, Kurt Cobain's wearing is famous too. I heard it was just sold at auction
This is my favourite Nirvana performance EVER! I was so pleased when 'Nirvana Unplugged' was released as an album. This is IMO the best song on there, even though it was a cover - Kurt's voice & charisma took it to a whole new level - the way he looked up at 7:28 - haunting. Kurt was a gentle but troubled soul who hated fame, but what a wonderful legacy he left us ....I wish he'd got to see his daughter grow up. R.I.P. Kurt Cobain 💔
Yep I'm 39 years old , I was just getting fully into his music and really loving it , a friend told me one morning at school ( country australia) I had to sit down and was stunned, so very very sad 😐😪
I can't go a week without chucking on some Nirvana - my mates take the piss constantly (same age: 43) Nothing really moved me like Nirvana, the lyrics, delivery,simplicity,pain. "voice of a generation" they say.... it was real,it was important. It still is and always will be.
God, I’ll never forget hearing the news he died. I was 11 or 12, my older brother loved them, along with sublime. He was torn up. I was too. He’s a legend and they’re a legendary band!
Kurt passed when I was thirteen, I'm now 37 and I love him just the same as ever. He always makes me smile and cry at the same time. Rest in peace kurt and thank you Jamal for your reaction :)
"Sounds like he's got a sense of humor... you know, he's a people person..." Bitter. The word you're looking for is bitter. He was an immensely talented person, and it felt like the world kind of let him down. Sometimes the bitterness came through.
I love it when someone who has never experienced the sound of Nirvana, finally listens to them. Nirvana came on the scene and changed music forever. Kurt's pain played with every strum of the guitar strings. He healed a generation with his words, while the music ripped a whole in your soul and left you open, begging for more! Nirvana showed me that I wasn't the only person who was hiding a truckload of pain behind a mask I wore for the world, so no one would see. His death was a punch to the gut that never seemed to go away, because there was finally someone that I could understand. The misfits finally had someone who knew us. For me, it was always Nirvana and all these years later, it's still true. RIP Kurt. ❤️
Yeah, MTV Unplugged just was the shit back in those days. They really put together amazing performances. I can't watch the Nirvana clip without feeling sadness for Kurt. Really sorry to have lost a great artist and person. Every song on this Unplugged is gold, but go ahead and do tge man who sold the world next. Great memories.
Yeah, the Unplugged show had TONS of great performances. I'd say Nirvana and STP were two of my faves. I also second the opinion of watching that entire concert. The CD of that show is one of my favorite Nirvana cds--and cds period. I was surprised they had the acoustical chops to pull it off originally but they did, and with a lot of songs that weren't part of their catalog too.
@@nekkidpossum4397 Reznor himself said, after hearing Cash's version, that Hurt was Johhny's song now. Reznor himself liked the Cash version more than his own
I very highly recommend the entire Nirvana Unplugged in New York album, especially Dumb. Kurt Cobain had amazing talent! Nirvana is my favorite band, Heart is my second favorite. I am truly enjoying your reactions!
When i first listen to this concert, about 20 years ago, i was stuned... Then i grabed 3 friend -none of us were playing music at that time- and we started a band ! Still playing. Love from France.
The MTV: Unplugged set, whilst not entirely representitive of the Nirvana 'sound' on the whole, is definitey representitive of the talent they possessed and gives a very deep insight into their influences and personalities. I think the most devastating thing about this, is that in hindsight, it almost looks like the whole performance was arranged by Kurt as his funeral procession, the flowers, the candles, the choice of songs (heavy spiritual themes, which wasn't necessarily a stable of the Nirvana catalogue). Definitely has to go down as one of the best performances ever recorded.
I dont know if you are aware of what you said, being a definite truth. There was great tension in Kurt before this performance, and while trying to put together the set, and stage, fir their performance, the 'stage manager?' Finally said, 'like a funeral?' And Kurt said 'Yes, that's exactly what I'm looking for.' So, I dont know if you were aware of this, but you are right on target. I'm sure that you can find the video I'm talking about, it's the story told by his 'entourage', about this performance, and stage set up, prior to. Nirvana, MTV unplugged, should get you there. It's worth it to watch!!
I’m glad that you highlighted Kurt Cobain‘s underrated sense of humor. Sadly, because of his tragic demise, his name is synonymous with heroin and suicide. Many people who knew him would talk about his sense of humor and his kindness to his fans. Thanks for highlighting that and keep on listening to great music.
One of the most unique and talented people ever right there. Kurt was the man, and this tune...that look he gives during the last inhale of the song..that’s something to behold, it’s stuck with me since I first saw it when I was 17.
It's truly sad that people go that long and never experienced Nirvana. This live show and Neil Young live by himself with his acoustic are the 2 best live concerts you could see. Their performances were unreal. Can't beat those. Nirvana gets addicting my man. If you go down that rabbit hole you're going to have a lot of favorite songs.
I keep 2 CD's in my car for road trips, in case I can't get wifi: Led Zeppelin Mothership and Nirvana on MTV Unplugged. I can listen to these on repeat indefinitely, they never get old, and they really stand the test of time. This song in particular is amazing. I always end up replaying it a few times before I can move on. Also, look at little Dave Grohl on drums! We were so young.
That growl/scream that Kurt does at the end of the song is kind of his trademark. Kurt had chronic stomach pain and said that it was the source of that sound. The whole Unplugged concert is great, especially the cover of "The Man Who Sold the World," although when the album was first released I was really into their cover of the Vaseline's "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam." Of course, you probably should also check out Nirvana's own music (I've always loved "About a Girl" and "All Apologies").
I get the chills and goosebumps every time I listen to this. Kurt was just a legendary talent and an extraordinary ordinary human being. He hated the shit that came with fame but he had no other path. He will never be forgotten.
Also 'Wake Up' by Mad Season. The lyrics are devastatingly poignant, especially sung by Layne. The first several times I tried to listen to it I had to turn it off; a strange reaction given that I did not even know him.
Original version of song is "Black Girl"/"In the Pine" by Lead Belly early 20th century blues musician, Kurt loved the song and wanted to do a cover of it and changed it from "black girl" to "my girl". This song is one of the most emotionally gutting songs for me as I grew up in Seattle during the 80s/90s, Kurt was sorta the town hero. The entire album "Nirvana: Unplugged" is one of the best examples of (for me at least) the last really amazing grunge/rock unplugged style albums. I saw a documentary where people that knew Kurt were commenting on his life after he had killed himself, I don't remember who it was, but when Kurt takes that last deep breath and looks up from his guitar the person commented almost to himself "God damnit Kurt". Looking back it is very easy to see that Kurt was saying goodbye in this performance, that last grindy tone he makes in his throat was physically painful to hear him make, and emotional agony to people going through depression themselves. He gave this performance his all and it showed and I get filled with such vitriolic hate for Courtney Love for her enabling of his addiction.
Actually Ledbelly did not do the original nor did he write it. It's a traditional American folk song with obscure origins going back to the 1870s. The content and lyrics changed over the years. The first recording was done by Dock Walsh in the 1920s.
@@jamespicklehead5610 Bwuuuaaah??! Seriously? *pulls up wiki* oh bloody hell. "In the pines" and "the longest train" by unknown were both combined into the current in the pines? My entire world is a lie! I guess my brain mushed them all together as the Bill Monroe and Lead Belly in the 40s/50s... I found Dock Walsh who apparently pioneered playing the banjo with a knife (metal), Walsh is attributed with a recording in 1926 as an A side on one of his singles. but had been sung in about 20 or so different versions since 1870... Oh well, can we call this a horseshoe/hand grenade sorta thing on my first post... I guess I should research before I speak.
People need a villain to hate and blame. The truth is, Kurt had a depression, suicide and drug problem long before he met Courtney. She was also dealing w/ her own addiction and trying to get clean while Kurt just wanted to obliterate all feeling in himself. It's a strange thing watching her get blamed for everything Kurt is responsible for. He was a tortured and sensitive soul. So was she, she was just tougher in the end and survived, only to have to face the intense vitriol and blame of his formidable fan base.
@jamel_Aka_jamal check out Fantastic Negrito’s version (called In The Pines from his The Last Days Of Oakland) - really amazing and with a modern verse that makes me cry every time)
Its still difficult to watch this incredible passionate emotional but tortured soul perform like the genius that he was its heartbreaking to realize he's gone forever from this world love ya Kurt rip