Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #78910 in Books
• Published on: 2006-08-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 500 pages

Mojo - October issue
Forget the journals, the

Q - October issue
The most provocative Nirvana biog yet.

Mojo - October 2006
Forget the journals, the "authorised" biography: this is the book
anyone touched by Nirvana has been waiting to read.

Customer Reviews

nirvana is a band from olympia
Nirvana is a band from Olympia

Don't buy this book if all you're interested in is the conspiracy theories. Everett True is a music fan. The reason this book exists is because he wants to explain quite why so many people still love Nirvana, over 12 years after Kurt killed himself. He is ideally placed to do this - he was the first music critic outside of Seattle to interview Nirvana, he saw Nirvana play on over 40 occasions, he was the man responsible for bringing `grunge' to the attention of the outside world...he even performed on stage with Nirvana on several occasions! And he shares a similar enthusiasm for many of the same underground bands that Kurt once loved.

True was in a great situation when writing this book - estranged from the mainstream record industry (although he still publishes an excellent underground magazine, Plan B, http://www.planbmag.com), and having parted company with the likes of Courtney Love years ago, he clearly didn't feel he had anything to prove and so he's able to tell the story without undue prejudice or taking anyone's side, instead concentrating on the music and live shows with an infectious, unbridled passion. He doesn't skip the bad sides, though. Indeed not: as one of the very few allowed access to the inner sanctum of `Kurtney', the downsides and arguments and drug busts are told with a keen eye. But it's always the music True keeps returning to, Nirvana's wonderful incredible music - and all the bands that Kurt in particular so passionately championed. Frequently, True finds himself sidetracked as he takes timeout to explain just what the appeal of Shonen Knife or Half-Japanese or The Marine Girls were. He always returns back to the riveting narrative, though.

True takes pains to point out that history as such, doesn't exist - it's down to individual viewpoints, and the interpretation placed on events. So at several crucial points in the story he prints several different accounts, often conflicting. Is any one of them less valid for that? He seeks to debunk several of the more ridiculous Nirvana myths that have sprung up - where Kurt first met Courtney, the overdose at SNL, the guns in the river incident - while creating several more of this own. The people he's spoken to for the book - including such previously unreachable sources as Tobi Vail, Bruce Pavitt and Cali DeWitt - he has an obvious respect for, and they for him. And don't forget that he interviewed Nirvana and Kurt over a dozen times during Kurt's lifetime, and he and Courtney were basically best friends for several years!

Crucial to this book is True's contention that Nirvana is a band from Olympia, not Seattle - the disparity between the two Northwest cities being a major factor and influence on Kurt's creative and social life. To the best of my knowledge, he is the first journalist ever to make this claim, and it's certainly worth buying this book to discover why. Simply put, this is the only Nirvana book you really need if you were ever touched by Kurt's incredible songs - `Come As You Are' is far too patchy, `Heavier Than Heaven' is the made-for-Hollywood version (told from Courtney's side)...this is the one the fans have been waiting for.

Incredible stuff.

Highly readable account of the Nirvana's history
This is a well-written biography of one of the best bands of the last forty years, full of anecdotes and asides on the main characters. The focus of the book is on the people - not just Kurt, Krist and Dave (and Chad, Jason, Pat etc.) but the managers, record company people and scenesters from Olympia, Seattle, LA etc.

The book starts pretty much when the band first forms, and doesn't go into unnecessary detail about the various members' childhoods and backgrounds. The author spent a lot of time with the band during their heyday and has a useful perspective on the story, and he's not afraid to say when the band sucked, nor to pull punches on the drugs issue or Courtney's behaviour.

The only downside is the author's well-known arrogance. Although he was around the band a lot he clearly thinks of himself as almost an honorary member of the group, and is almost pathetically eager to tell us every occasion when someone connected to the group refers to him as a "friend". He comes across as a little nerd, desperate to be thought of as cool and always ready with a sarcastic put-down for those he thinks he would be uncool to be associated with. Everett True needs to grow up.

That aside, for any fans of the band this is well worth a read, if only to relive those moments in the early 90s when it really seemed like music would change forever. History has shown that Nirvana didn't really change anything but that takes nothing away from the power of their awesome music...and their story is a great one!

Hmmm...Still not convinced
No, I'm not being cynical just to be perverse. I'm just not sure if I enjoyed this book or not. It was informative and in places interesting but I can't say I'd read it again. I honestly think too much time has passed since the Grunge movement for people to remember every single detail clearly. If Cali De Witt was a junkie then how the hell can his word be taken as gospel? As with all books about Nirvana and Kurt Cobain, this book raises more questions than it answers. The only person who can tell us the truth is gone and whilst I hope he is never forgotten maybe we should just enjoy the music rather than try to understand someone who didn't want to be understood. Still a good read for any Nirvana fan but don't expect to get closer to Kurt