Sorry Chris, but I'm going to have to express my oft-criticised view that Nirvana were over-rated. Cobain was an excellent songwriter but at best an average singer/guitarist. Grohl has done far more interesting things subsequent to Nirvana. And Novoselic, well, he sure disappeared into obscurity.

I think Nirvana benefited immensely from being in the right place (Seattle) at the right time (early 90's), as opposed to other bands of that era who fought their way to the top of the food chain (GnR, Soundgarden, Faith No More).

Well, m0rph3us, you're not going to win.

I don't know if I'm a nut, and probably not more of a nut than you, but when I took up bass guitar in 1994 the first thing I did was stay up all night learning the entirety of Nevermind. Even now I can play the whole album, from the start of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" to the end of "Something in the Way".

I think the MTV Unplugged DVD is fantastic. Will definitely be looking out for the Reading set DVD. And I have to agree with you: In Utero is their best album by far, though I think I have to go with Nevermind second, simply due to the nostalgic element to it.

Also, have you ever seen the Classic Albums episode about Nevermind? One of the most fascinating hours of television I've ever watched (for example, did you know Cobain recorded "Something in the Way" while lying on his back in the studio booth?!). You can sometimes get the DVD of it pretty cheap on TradeMe.

I started relistening to some Nirvana (In Utero, Nevermind)I had on my computer. To be honest most of it is screaming and distortion. I was way more inclined to listen to STP and AIC back in the day as opposed to aural organised chaos so no cd for me.

Nirvana = Smells Like Teen Spirit including the kick-ass video, nomore.

Right on Shultz, I too love Nirvana. I have everything you've mentioned plus an original Sub Pop copy of Bleach on tape! Can you beat that Shutz, I think not. Hey I also noticed you didn't mention The True Story, go grab yourself a copy at lunchtime. It's the best thing I've ever read. True.

Wow. I'm just commenting coz I'm surprised a million and one other screaming fan boys and girls haven't. I'm not a bigger nut than you, but I'm pretty sure I've got every legitimate release with their name on it. I have the Bleach re-issue already and I think it's fabulous and Live at Reading is everything I expected it to be... I'd heard most of it... But it's nice to have something all official like. Perhaps they aren't as good as you and I think they are, but I love them so much I just don't care - they've hold such a special place in my musical history, I honestly can't imagine life without them. Who knows what Kurt would have done, had he lived? Maybe nothing, but probably something truly extraordinary, and importantly, we could have kept Dave Grohl on the drums WHERE HE SHOULD BE. *sigh*

i burned a copy of the journals. beat that.

gimme.

After a period of listening to 'In Utero' everyday for 3 months, I went through a complete pyschic meltdown trying to find clues as to Kurt's fractured state of mind. In the end, I discovered that by looking too deeply, I missed the obvious- I think the expression about not seeing the forest for the trees comes to mind. It was an album that reshaped my opinion of Nirvana. After 'Nevermind', which had been played to death at every party I went to, I discovered the true nature of the band- self loathing and miserable...perfect!

Nirvana are just awful. If Kurt Cobain hadn't have killed himself they would be forgotten by now.