Boons to the Spirit

austinkleon:

Nirvana, “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” off Nevermind (1991)

From Cobain’s 1994 Rolling Stone interview:

I was trying to write the ultimate pop song. I was basically trying to rip off the Pixies. I have to admit it [smiles]. When I heard the Pixies for the first time, I connected with that band so heavily I should have been in that band — or at least in a Pixies cover band. We used their sense of dynamics, being soft and quiet and then loud and hard.

“Teen Spirit” was such a clichéd riff. It was so close to a Boston riff or “Louie, Louie.” When I came up with the guitar part, Krist looked at me and said, “That is so ridiculous.” I made the band play it for an hour and a half.

20 years old. Dang. (But I’m with Kurt: “Drain You” is a better song.”)

(Source: apillowbook)