The late summer-into-autumn period of 1991 was a real
eye-opener for me.

I was fast approaching the big 3-0, and, as a
musician, I was comfortably isolated in my own little
make-believe world, a world where Beatle-esque
melodies melded with hairspray-chainsaw guitars (I've
got the demos -- don't make me dig 'em out). Like many
of my peers, I was searching for new directions, new
sounds, new melodies, new attitudes. Like many of my
peers, I had grown bored of radio ("today's mega hits,
all the time"), MTV, gangsta rap, and everything else
for that matter.

Suddenly, all that changed.

Metallica's "black album" struck gold; the band went
from a meandering, prog-metal act to a highly polished
pop-metal machine. Pearl Jam's "10" went nuts,
introducing the world to the joys of flannel in the
process ("Jeremy" remains a musical touchstone to this
day). Soundgarden's "Badmotorfinger" was happening (I
still love "Outshined" and all it's stupid
mega-heaviness). Crowded House released their melodic
masterpiece "Woodface". The Red Hot Chili Peppers went
uncharacteristically mellow with the smash hit "Under
the Bridge". And, on top of it all -- riding the crest
of the New Musical Wave -- were Nirvana. 

(In the midst of all this was Teenage Fanclub's
"Bandwagonesque", a lightweight piece of melodic fluff
that, to me, represented everything that the 'grunge'
bands were trying to annihilate. If the timing had
been different, I probably would've adored TFC, but,
alas, some things are not meant to be.)

"It's a good time for music", I told myself in hushed
whispers.

Back to Nirvana. Upon first listen, I thought "Smells
Like Teen Spirit" was a boring song: no real bridge,
no significant chord variations (other than the
"hey....way...." parts), cookie-monster vocal
screeching, a lame-ass guitar solo parroting the main
melody, the cliched heard-it-before-but-better opening
riff. I thought the tune was a songwriting cop out,
relying upon loud/soft dynamics rather than actual
chord progressions to make its point. Cool video; hey,
can a southpaw guitar player be all that bad?
Notwithstanding, I wrote the band off as a one hit
wonder, a product of the times; I gave 'em fifteen
minutes and not a nanosecond more.

Then I heard "Lithium". Well, folks, if that song
doesn't change your perceptions of what a hard rock
song can be, then nothing on this flat earth ever
will. I was thrown for a complete loop-de-loop,
musically speaking. Those crazy, angular verses; that
anguished voice articulating faces-in-the-mirror,
self-effacing lyrics; that smash 'em up anvil-headed
chorus that backhands you right across your filthy,
unshaven face. "Lithium" was, for me, personally, a
milestone, an early clue to the new direction, and
nothing less than a revelation.

What was amazing was that the entire "Nevermind" album
was just as good. I mean, like, *every song*. "In
Bloom" was beyond description, a happy pop song turned
ugly, a step-child locked in a broom closet, forced to
live on it's own fecal matter. "Breed" -- what the
fuck? If punk had sounded this good, I'd have pierced
my uvula years ago. "On A Plain" raped me, left me
ball-gagged and drenched in sweat. "Drain You", did
just that. "Come As You Are", etc, etc. It remains an
irresistibly melodic, incredibly cohesive musical
statement to this day. Go ahead, deny it.

I thought the fact that the band actively disdained
their popularity was very cool -- they weren't
rockstars by any stretch of the imagination. Whoever
posted that they didn't have a sense of humor about
themselves is obviously an uninformed harpy who's
never seen any of their live footage or their
countless goofy interviews -- these guys were WAY
irreverent, at least most of the time (especially
early on).

As time dragged on and the band became an industry
unto itself, it was then that the pressure began to
assert itself on the band's guiding light. I can't
imagine the weight this guy and his band were
shouldering towards the end there -- I'd imagine
anyone would have difficulties coping with that
situation (and wouldn't we all like the chance?).

So, even though I was nowhere NEAR being a Gen X-er,
even though I was approaching 30 and worked at a bank,
even though I had been writing and playing music for
ten jaded years, this band -- Nirvana -- managed to
open my eyes to sonic and melodic possibilities that I
hadn't considered before. And because of that, I will
always have a place in my heart for them.

I was at work when I heard the news of the suicide. I
wondered if it was for real, this time. Who could be
sure? I wasn't surprised -- not by any stretch of the
imagination -- but I was saddened and somewhat
depressed, for weeks afterward. I even grew a memorial
goatee in tribute. :)

To paraphrase Chief Bromden from "One Flew Over the
Cuckoo's Nest": Why do people kill themselves when all
they have to do is wait?

kErrY kOMpOsT

www.abelincolnstory.com (swing-punk-soul project)
www.kompost.blogspot.com (weekly message)
www.soundclick.com/kompost (solo project)
www.tribecamusic.net (pop-jazz project)

NP: Mark Bacino - Pop Job


__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Small Business $15K Web Design Giveaway 
http://promotions.yahoo.com/design_giveaway/