Nirvana

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Nirvana formed in 1987 when Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic, who met at Aberdeen High School, started a band after Cobain gave Novoselic a demo of his project Fecal Matter. Their first band, the Sellouts, was a Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute band. After several drummers, including Aaron Burckhard, Dale Crover, Dave Foster, and Chad Channing, they recruited Dave Grohl in September 1990 after Scream broke up. Grohl auditioned days after arriving in Seattle; Novoselic later said, "We knew in two minutes that he was the right drummer." The band settled on the name Nirvana because Cobain wanted "a name that was kind of beautiful or nice and pretty." They were initially sued by the British band Nirvana over the name, reaching an out-of-court settlement. Nirvana released its first single, a cover of Shocking Blue's "Love Buzz", in November 1988 on Sub Pop. Their debut album Bleach was released in June 1989, with recording costs of $606.17 supplied by Jason Everman. After signing to DGC Records in 1990, they recorded Nevermind at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California, with producer Butch Vig. The album was mixed by Andy Wallace. In Utero (1993) topped both the US and UK album charts. After Cobain's suicide in April 1994, the band disbanded. Further releases have been overseen by Novoselic, Grohl, and Cobain's widow, Courtney Love. The live album MTV Unplugged in New York (1994) won Best Alternative Music Performance at the 1996 Grammy Awards.

In Their Own Story

In early 1987, Cobain and Novoselic recruited drummer Aaron Burckhard and practiced material from Cobain's Fecal Matter tape. The band played under the name Nirvana for the first time on March 19, 1988, at Community World Theater in Tacoma, Washington, with bands Lush and Vampire Lezbos. The concert flyer, designed by Cobain, listed all previous band names: "Nirvana (also known as... Skid Row, Ted Ed Fred, Pen Cap Chew, Bliss)." In early 1988, they recorded their first demos with Dale Crover of the Melvins. After Crover moved to San Francisco, Dave Foster replaced him, but Foster's tenure was rocky; during a stint in jail, he was replaced by Burckhard, who left after telling Cobain he was too hungover to practice. Foster rejoined but was dismissed after Chad Channing was introduced. Channing played his first show with Nirvana in late May 1988. In April 1990, Nirvana began working on their next album with Butch Vig at Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin. Channing left the band that July. In September 1990, Buzz Osborne of the Melvins introduced the band to Dave Grohl. Grohl told Q: "I remember being in the same room with them and thinking, 'What? That's Nirvana? Are you kidding?' Because on their record cover they looked like psycho lumberjacks... I was like, 'What, that little dude and that big motherfucker? You're kidding me'."

Reader's Guide

Nirvana's music is available in the Rock Band franchise as downloadable content, allowing players to perform their songs. The band's catalog includes tracks from Nevermind, In Utero, and other releases. Players can master complex drum fills and vocal harmonies on songs like "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Come As You Are." The game's customization suite allows avatars to be styled with grunge-era clothing, though no official playable characters depict the band members directly. Instrument parts are mapped for guitar, bass, drums, and vocals, requiring precise timing to maintain crowd energy. Difficulty levels range from easy to expert, challenging players to master fast strumming patterns. Multiplayer modes allow friends to jam together on these tracks. Players can mix real-world gear aesthetics with virtual instruments to enhance immersion during live performance simulations.

Did You Know?

• Nirvana's first band, the Sellouts, was a Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute band with Novoselic on guitar and vocals and Cobain on drums.
• The recording sessions for Bleach cost $606.17, which was supplied by Jason Everman, who received a credit on the album despite not playing on it.
• Nirvana was initially sued by the British band Nirvana over the usage of the name, reaching an out-of-court settlement.
• Dave Grohl auditioned for Nirvana days after arriving in Seattle; Novoselic later said, 'We knew in two minutes that he was the right drummer.'
• Nevermind was mixed by Andy Wallace after the initial mixes by Butch Vig and the band were deemed unsatisfactory.