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 The Legends of Laurel Canyon
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
It’s So Hard To Tell Who’s Going To Love You The Best
Karen Dalton
Transfiguration of Vincent
M. Ward
Muswell Hillbillies
Kinks
Christmas in the Heart
Bob Dylan
Glitter and Doom Live
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Let It Roll: The Best of George Harrison
George Harrison
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Songs Around the World
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Nirvana
It’s been fifteen years since this show aired on MTV. Since then, the accompanying CD has become a staple with most fans of the band, while the show itself became a distant memory. On one hand, it just doesn’t feel like fifteen years have passed since then; the music still sounds fresh, vital and contemporary. On the other hand, my son barely knew how to walk when this was filmed, and now he’s applying for a driver’s license. I guess perspective is everything. In its time, the most jarring aspect of this performance rested in how well these songs worked in an acoustic environment. Here was this intense, electrified, post-punk indie band playing at James Taylor volumes. Kurt Cobain remains seated throughout, while Dave Grohl plays his drums with a deft touch, using brushes. Against all expectations, the show rocked in ways that nobody could have predicted, and finally, the evidence is available on DVD for all to see.
So many of these songs are classics in their own right, but many have been surpassed by the specific versions featured in this program. “Jesus Doesn’t Want Me for a Sunbeam,” “The Man Who Sold the World,” “All Apologies” and “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” represent some of the best music that our culture had to offer, and what held true in ’93 still holds true today. This performance seemed simple and charming in its time, but has grown to represent so much more. Watching this, it is impossible to not mourn the loss of Kurt Cobain. What he could have achieved is incalculable, but there is so much evidence here pointing to the raw and crucial nature of his artistic creativity. We are so much worse off without him than we tend to acknowledge. Considering that he passed away within six months of this show, it now takes on the airs of a eulogy, an impression that is heightened by the candles and flowers that adorn the stage.
On a technical note, this DVD contains the unedited performance, including songs that did not appear on the original MTV broadcast. For purists and impatient types, it also contains the edited version as aired by MTV. The extra tracks and between-song banter only add to the casual brilliance of this performance, and the recording is so crystal clear that you can hear the texture of Grohl’s brushes on the cymbals. As rock and roll films go, this is classic, like footage from Woodstock, or Altamont. It seemed so simple at the time, but nothing like it has appeared since then. An entire generation has now come of age that never had the opportunity to see Nirvana, and specifically this show. Now that I’ve watched it a few times, I know what I must do. I need to give this to my son. before he leaves for college.
an
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