Nirvana was an American rock band formed in 1987 in a town called Aberdeen, which is near Seattle in Washington USA. Nirvana quickly established itself as a core part of Seattle’s famous grunge scene and was founded by its lead singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain, as well as bassist Krist Novoselic, and Aaron Burckhard. Dave Grohl eventually joined as the drummer in 1990.
Nirvana was a key influence in alternative rock becoming successful and they continue to influence modern rock culture today. Nirvana remains one of the best-selling bands of all time, and they have sold more than 75 million records worldwide. They have received multiple awards, including “an American Music Award, Brit Award and Grammy Award, as well as seven MTV Video Music Awards and two NME Awards. They achieved five number-one hits on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart and four number-one albums on the Billboard 200. In 2004, Rolling Stone named Nirvana among the 100 greatest artists of all time. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility in 2014.”
Current members
Kurt Cobain is the guitarist, songwriter and lead vocalist for Nirvana. Born in 1967, he died in 1994. His death shocked the world, however, during the last years of his life, Cobain struggled with heroin addiction, as well as chronic health problems, such as depression. He didn’t enjoy the pressure of fame, and his marriage to Courtney Love was also contentious. He did try to turn it all around, entering detox programs, but he was found dead at home at the age of 27, he had shot himself. A complicated man, he had a massive influence on music, and is often referred to as the voice of Generation X. After his death he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Rolling Stone included Cobain in its lists of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time, 100 Greatest Guitarists, and 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. He was ranked 7th by MTV in the “22 Greatest Voices in Music”. In 2006, he was placed 20th by Hit Parader on their list of the “100 Greatest Metal Singers of All Time”.
Dave Grohl is the drummer for Nirvana and he has a very impressive career. Born in the US in 1969, you might know him better as the founder of the rock band Foo Fighters, where he is lead singer, guitarist, and principal songwriter. Before this, he was the drummer of Nirvana from 1990 to 1994, and prior to Nirvana, he was with the punk rock group, Scream. Nirvana disbanded after Kurt’s death, and so he started Foo Fighters. He has also produced music videos, documentaries, miniseries, and even an autobiography. A talented man.
Krist Novoselic is the bass player for Nirvana. Born in 1965, Krist Anthony Novoselic (Croatian heritage) co-founded Nirvana with Kurt and Aaron. After Nirvana disbanded, Krist formed Sweet 75, and then Eyes Adrift, but he only released one album with each band. He also played with the punk rock band Flipper, and contributed bass and accordion to the song “I Should Have Known” on the Foo Fighters’ studio album Wasting Light. More recently, he played bass and accordion for the band Giants in the Trees. Today, he’s known for his activism and politics. He formed a PAC called JAMPAC (Joint Artists and Musicians Political Action Committee), writes about politics for the Seattle Weekly, and he has served on the board of the electoral reform organization FairVote and became board chair of Zócalo Public Square.
Previous members
- Pat Smear – (1993 – 1994) rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Chad Channing – (1988–1990) drums
- Jason Everman – (1989-1989) rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Melora Creager – (1994-1994) cello
- Dave Foster – (1988-1988) drums
- Aaron Burckhard – (1987-1987) drums
- Mark Pickerel – (1989-1989) drums
- Dan Peters – (1990-1990) drums
- Dale Crover – (1988, 1990) drums, backing vocals (1988)
Personal reflection
Nirvana’s song “Something in the way” is my chilling out tune. I put it on and can relax. I am also interested in the life of Kurt Cobain. I don’t think there was any other possible outcome for him, as his depression and addictions were so bad. It’s sad. We lost a great musician.
Links
Spotify
