Blew

Last updated

Blew
NirvanaBlewEP.jpg
EP by
Nirvana
ReleasedNovember 1989 (1989-11) [1]
RecordedJune/December 1988 (side one)
September 1989 (side two) [2]
Genre
Length11:32
Label Tupelo
Producer
Nirvana chronology
Bleach
(1989)		Blew
(1989)		 Nevermind
(1991)
"Blew"
Song by Nirvana
from the album Bleach
ReleasedJune 15, 1989 (1989-06-15)
RecordedDecember 1988
Studio Reciprocal Recordings (Seattle, Washington)
Genre
Length2:56
Label Sub Pop
Songwriter(s) Kurt Cobain
Producer(s) Jack Endino
Nirvana singles chronology
"Love Buzz"
(1988)		"Blew"
(1989)		"Sliver"
(1990)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]

"Blew" is a song by American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. It is the first song on the band's debut album Bleach , released in June 1989 by Sub Pop.

Contents

The song was re-released on Tupelo Records as the title track of a four-song EP in the United Kingdom in November 1989, where it charted at number 15 on the UK Indie Singles chart. [6] [7]

Background and recording

"Blew" was first performed live at the Community World Theatre in Tacoma, Washington, on March 19, 1988. This was also the first show the band played with their name as Nirvana. [8]

The song was first recorded in the studio by Jack Endino at Reciprocal Recording Studios in Seattle, Washington on June 11, 1988, [9] during the recording sessions for what became the band's debut single, "Love Buzz".

Bleach

A second studio version was recorded by Endino at Reciprocal in December 1988, and was released on Bleach on June 15, 1989.

The Bleach version of "Blew" was accidentally recorded one step lower than the band had intended, which contributed to what Nirvana biographer Michael Azerrad called its "extraordinarily heavy sound". [10] Not realizing that they had already tuned to their favored D Standard tuning, the band tuned further down to Drop C on the first day of the sessions and recorded several songs in that tuning. As bassist Krist Novoselic recalled in a 2009 Seattle Times article, "we came back the next day and decided the idea wasn't so hot, and we recorded over most of it with things tuned back up a little. In fact, 'Blew', with that growly bass, is the only survivor of that experiment." [11]

Blew EP

The Bleach version of "Blew" was re-released on the Blew EP in November 1989, along with the Bleach mix of "Love Buzz" and the previously-unreleased songs "Been a Son" and "Stain", which had been recorded by Steve Fisk at Music Source in Seattle, Washington in September 1989. The band's original plan had been to release an EP to promote their upcoming European tour, but the EP was delayed and released exclusively in the United Kingdom a few days before the final tourdate in London. However, the EP built on the interest the band had generated in the UK with Bleach, and was promoted by English DJ John Peel, who had also played Bleach on his influential show. The Blew EP eventually peaked at number 15 on the UK Indie chart. [6] [7]

Post-Bleach

"Blew" was one of only three songs from Bleach, along with "About a Girl" and "School", that remained in the bands setlists until the end of their touring career. It was performed live for the final time in Munich, Germany on March 1, 1994, as the second-to-last song preceding "Heart-Shaped Box".

Composition and lyrics

In his 1993 Nirvana biography Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana , Azerrad described the song as having a "theme of entrapment and control." [10]

Release and reception

In 2009, Novoselic said that "Blew" was perhaps his favorite song on Bleach "because it has a groove, and again, it's the sole survivor of the Doom Pop experiment." [11]

In 2015, Rolling Stone listed "Blew" at number 22 on their ranking of 102 Nirvana songs. [12] In 2023, the A.V. Club ranked it at number 29 in their list of Nirvana's "30 greatest songs. [13]

EP

The Blew EP was released in November 1989 on Tupelo Records on 12-inch vinyl and CD. With a working title of Winnebago, [14] the EP was originally intended as a release to promote an upcoming European tour, but due to production delays, [15] the maxi-single ended up being released exclusively in the United Kingdom a few days before the tour's completion.

Released exclusively in the UK, the EP was difficult to obtain elsewhere, with only 3,000 copies of the maxi-single pressed on 12-inch vinyl and CD. Both vinyl and CD counterfeit copies exist, with the vinyl copies varying in color. The official 12-inch vinyl was pressed only on black vinyl. The cover art was photographed by Cobain's then-girlfriend Tracy Marander at a May 26, 1989 concert at the Green River Community College in Auburn, Washington. [16] Marander shot the back cover photo as well.

"Stain" was re-released by DGC Records in December 1992, on the band's rarities compilation, Incesticide . The Blew version of "Been a Son", hailed by Kurt St. Thomas as the "definitive take" due to its trashy sound and pronounced bass solo, [17] remained a rarity until it was re-released in October 2002 on the band's first best-of compilation, Nirvana . [18]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Kurt Cobain, except where noted

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Blew" 2:56
2."Love Buzz" (Shocking Blue cover) Robbie van Leeuwen 3:36
Total length:6:32
Side two
No.TitleLength
3."Been a Son"2:22
4."Stain"2:38
Total length:5:00 11:32

Charts

Chart (1989)Peak
position
UK Indie Singles (MRIB) [6] [7] 15
UK Indie Singles ( NME ) [19] 8

Accolades

YearPublicationCountryAccoladeRank
2023 The A.V. Club United StatesEssential Nirvana: Their 30 greatest songs, ranked [20] 29

Other releases

Personnel

Nirvana

Production

Additional Personnel

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nirvana (band)</span> American rock band (1987–1994)

Nirvana was an American rock band formed in Aberdeen, Washington, in 1987. Founded by lead singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic, the band went through a succession of drummers, most notably Chad Channing, before recruiting Dave Grohl in 1990. Nirvana's success popularized alternative rock, and they were often referenced as the figurehead band of Generation X. Despite a short mainstream career spanning only three years, their music maintains a popular following and continues to influence modern rock culture.

<i>Incesticide</i> 1992 compilation album by Nirvana

Incesticide is a compilation album by the American rock band Nirvana. It consists of their 1990 non-album single "Sliver", B-sides, demos, outtakes, cover versions, and radio broadcast recordings, and as such is not the official follow-up to the band's breakthrough album, Nevermind. The album was released on December 14, 1992, in Europe, and December 15, 1992, in the United States. It eventually reached number 39 on the Billboard 200.

<i>Bleach</i> (Nirvana album) 1989 studio album by Nirvana

Bleach is the debut studio album by American rock band Nirvana, released on June 15, 1989, by Sub Pop. After the release of their debut single "Love Buzz" on Sub Pop in November 1988, Nirvana rehearsed for two to three weeks in preparation for recording a full-length album. The main recording sessions for Bleach took place at Reciprocal Recording in Seattle, Washington between December 1988 and January 1989. It is the only Nirvana album released on the Sub Pop label and their only studio album to feature drummer Chad Channing.

<i>From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah</i> 1996 live album by Nirvana

From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah is a live album by American rock band Nirvana, released on October 1, 1996 by DGC Records. It features live performances recorded from 1989 to 1994.

Chad Channing is an American musician who is best known as the drummer of the rock band Nirvana from 1988 to 1990, during which time they recorded and released their debut album Bleach; he also appears on "Polly" in the follow-up album Nevermind. He currently sings and plays bass in the band Before Cars.

<i>With the Lights Out</i> 2004 compilation box set by Nirvana

With the Lights Out is a box set by the American rock band Nirvana, released on November 23, 2004. It contains three CDs and one DVD of previously rare or unreleased material, including B-sides, demos, and rehearsal and live recordings. The title comes from the lyrics of Nirvana's 1991 single "Smells Like Teen Spirit".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sliver (song)</span> 1990 single by Nirvana

"Sliver" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic. It was first released as a non-album single by the band's then record label, Sub Pop, in the United States in September 1990, and by Tupelo in Britain in January 1991. The same recording was re-released on the compilation album Incesticide by DGC in December 1992, and a new music video, directed by Kevin Kerslake, was released in May 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">About a Girl (Nirvana song)</span> 1989 song by Nirvana

"About a Girl" is a song by American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. It is the third song on their debut album, Bleach, released in June 1989.

"Love Buzz" is a song by Dutch rock band Shocking Blue. It was written by Robbie van Leeuwen and first released on the group's 1969 album At Home. The original song is notable for its psychedelic rock style and its extensive use of the sitar, played by Leeuwen.

Fecal Matter was a punk rock band from Aberdeen, Washington. The group was formed in 1985 by Kurt Cobain, the future frontman of Nirvana, along with Dale Crover of the Melvins and drummer Greg Hokanson. Melvins members Buzz Osborne and Mike Dillard appeared in a later version of the band during rehearsals the following year. The band was short-lived, disbanding in 1986.

"Negative Creep" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist, Kurt Cobain. It is the seventh song on their debut album Bleach, released in June 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polly (Nirvana song)</span> 1991 song by Nirvana

"Polly" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. It is the sixth song on their second album Nevermind, released by DGC Records in September 1991.

"Been a Son" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. It was originally released on the Blew EP in November 1989, which charted at number 15 on the UK Indie Singles chart.

"Breed" is a song by the American grunge band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. It is the fourth song on their second studio album, Nevermind, released in September 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Serve the Servants</span> 1993 song by Nirvana

"Serve the Servants" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist, Kurt Cobain. It is the first track on their third and final studio album In Utero, released in September 1993.

"Scentless Apprentice" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain, drummer Dave Grohl, and bassist Krist Novoselic. It is the second track on their third and final studio album In Utero, released in September 1993.

"Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. It is the fifth song on their third and final studio album, In Utero, released in September 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dive (Nirvana song)</span> 1990 song by Nirvana

"Dive" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic. It was released as the B-side to the band's second single, "Sliver" in September 1990. The same version was re-released as the opening track on the compilation album The Grunge Years in 1991, and again on the Nirvana rarities compilation, Incesticide, in December 1992.

<i>Live at the Paramount</i> (video) 2011 video by Nirvana

Live at the Paramount is a live video and album by American rock band Nirvana, released on September 24, 2011. It was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc as part of the 20th anniversary of the band's second album and mainstream breakthrough, Nevermind.

"Spank Thru" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. It appears on the compilation album Sub Pop 200, released in December 1988.

References

  1. ↑ Borzillo-Vrenna, Carrie (2003). Nirvana - The Day to Day Illustrated Journals (1st ed.). Barnes & Noble. p. 49. ISBN   0-7607-4893-4.
  2. ↑ Gaar, Gillan (2012). Entertain Us (1st ed.). Jawbone. p. 190. ISBN   978-1-906002-89-3.
  3. ↑ Danaher, Michael (August 4, 2014). "The 50 Best Grunge Songs". Paste . Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  4. ↑ Gerard, Chris (April 6, 2021). "The 100 Best Alternative Singles of the 1980s: 80 - 61". PopMatters . p. 2. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Nirvana: Blew EP". AllMusic.
  6. 1 2 3 Lazell, Barry (1997). Indie Hits 1980–1989. Cherry Red Books. ISBN   978-0-9517206-9-1. OCLC   38292499. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved July 9, 2020.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. 1 2 3 "Charts - Indie Singles". Melody Maker . MRIB. November 18, 1989. p. 35. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
  8. ↑ "1988-03-19 Community World Theatre show".
  9. ↑ "Love Buzz sessions".
  10. 1 2 Azerrad, Michael (1994). Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana. Doubleday. p. 100. ISBN   0-385-47199-8.
  11. 1 2 Novoselic, Krist (October 27, 2009). "Bleach: Krist Novoselic Interviews Chad Channing". Seattle Weekly. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  12. ↑ Bienstock, Richard (April 8, 2015). "No Apologies: All 102 Nirvana Songs Ranked". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  13. ↑ Thomas Erlewine, Stephen (September 21, 2023). "Essential Nirvana: Their 30 greatest songs, ranked". The A.V. Club. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Live Nirvana | Interview Archive | 1989 | August ??, 1989 - Olympia, WA, US".
  15. ↑ Borzillo-Vrenna, Carrie (2003). Nirvana - The Day to Day Illustrated Journals (1st ed.). Barnes & Noble. p. 49. ISBN   0-7607-4893-4.
  16. ↑ "Live Nirvana | Concert Chronology | 1989 | May 26, 1989 - Lindbloom Student Center, Green River Community College, Auburn, WA, US".
  17. ↑ St. Thomas, Kurt (2004). Nirvana: The Chosen Rejects. New York City: St. Martin's Press. p.  54. ISBN   0312206631.
  18. ↑ Gaar, Gillian G (March 31, 2020). "A look at Nirvana's collectible recordings". Goldmine . Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Charts". NME . November 18, 1989. p. 60. Retrieved June 15, 2022. Bleu
  20. ↑ Thomas Erlewine, Stephen (September 21, 2023). "Essential Nirvana: Their 30 greatest songs, ranked". The A.V. Club. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  21. ↑ Monroe, Jazz. "Nirvana Reissuing In Utero With 2 Unreleased Live Albums for 30th Anniversary". Pitchfork. No. 5 September 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  22. ↑ Deaux, John (September 5, 2023). "Nirvana In Utero: 30th anniversary multi-format reissues arrive October 27, 2023". allabouttherock.co.uk. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.