This Legendary Grunge Band was Kicked Out of Their Own Album Release Party
Chaos ensuing at a grunge rock album release party should come as no surprise – pandemonium comes with the territory. That’s what the genre is all about, really – rejecting societal norms and embracing the weird, the off-beat, the messy. Grunge music is built upon a foundation of authenticity. It explores the ugly truth, shining a spotlight on the less curated and less desirable aspects of life. The artists behind this music are just as genuine and rough around the edges as the music that they create.
There is not a band out there (past or current) that represents grunge music and the corresponding lifestyle quite like the inimitable Nirvana. Having no desire for the spotlight, they made no effort to alter their personas to be socially acceptable or (God forbid) marketable. If they had, their raw, unbridled talent would have been grossly stunted. So, when the album release party for their second studio album Nevermind turned disastrous, the clean-cut music execs in attendance may very well have been horrified – but, frankly, they should have seen it coming.
The Party Was Not What They Had Expected
It was September 1991. It was also, fittingly, Friday the 13th. The Nevermind album release party was taking place at a small venue called Re-bar in Seattle. The bar was known as a refuge for the subculture, a hub for punk and grunge musicians as well as the LGBTQ+ community. It was an understated joint, beer and wine only, no frills – a perfect fit for the unpretentious band. However, the powers that be had a different vision for the party. Despite being allergic to publicity, Nirvana was well on their (unwilling) way to exorbitant fame and success. Nevermind was their first record since signing with DCG Records, so the release party was especially important – both parties had a lot on the line, although only one of them actually cared. DCG pushed for a fancier party with more exclusive attendees in order to advance Nirvana’s career.
To the band’s abject horror, they walked into a thinly-veiled corporate networking event. The walls of the bar were covered with Nirvana posters and photographs of the band. The musicians, specifically lead singer Kurt Cobain, did not like attention. Kurt famously hated photos of himself, so a dozen images of his face leering down from the walls was not exactly his idea of fun. The guest list was not composed of fans and friends and peers, as the band would have preferred. While there were some friendly faces in attendance, the majority of the party guests were stuffy studio execs, corporate suits, and music critics. Essentially, the crowd was the antithesis to the band members and their values.
The trio of band members – Krist Novoselic, Dave Grohl, and Kurt Cobain – began the night on their best behavior, despite their qualms with the party planning. For a while, they did as they were told – signed autographs, shook hands, talked to boring people they didn’t care about. They loved making music and they were willing to pay the piper for the opportunity to hone their craft – up to a certain point. They couldn’t keep the charade up forever.
Kurt, Dave, and Krist Stick it To The Man
The three band members grew restless as the night wore on. The DJ was playing their album on loop, and hearing so much of their own music was beginning to grate on their nerves. They started requesting different songs, becoming louder and more excitable and — most noticeably — way, way drunker. But how, when there was only beer and wine (and a limited amount at that) did they manage to get so inebriated? This mystery was soon solved when partygoers saw Krist, Dave, and Kurt toting around large bottles of Jack Daniels they had snuck into the venue. The more they imbibed, the less discrete they became with their contraband. Things were getting sloppy.
At this point, the party had devolved completely. The Nirvana trio ran wild around the venue, tearing down their own posters until the walls were bare. The floor was covered with shredded paper and empty handles of whiskey – fitting detritus for grunge musicians who had well surpassed their ass-kissing limit. They did not care to impress these corporate cronies who, from their perspective, were bastardizing their music through gross commodification.
To the horror of the label execs, the chaos continued to escalate. All crazy, awesome, messy hell broke loose in this little Seattle gay bar. According to onlookers, Krist launched a tamale directly at Kurt Cobain’s head. Kurt returned fire with a handful of guacamole and before anyone knew it, a full-blown food fight had broken out. Artists and corporate fat cats alike were covered head to toe in corn husks and avocado.
Kurt, Dave, and Krist were rounded up by the door guys and literally kicked to the curb, where all three of them promptly vomited. The other guests were quick to disband after the stars of the show had been vanquished, and the party was effectively ruined. Serves them right for trying to make a Nirvana party appeal to the upper crust.
Why is Nirvana’s Rebellion Important?
If their goal was to be agents of chaos (and pretty safe to assume that it was), then the album release party was a raging success for the members of Nirvana. Ultimately, the label wasn’t upset either – they knew what they were signing up for. As for Re-bar and its employees? Just happy to be a part of rock and roll history. All’s well that ends well.
The story of the Nevermind album release party became a humorous anecdote, a source of bragging rights for those in attendance. Another colorful thread in the tapestry that is Nirvana. But there are lessons to be gleaned from this hilarious tale. Music is about freedom and human expression. Corporations should not have absolute control of musicians and their work– music is art, not just a way to make money. When music is commodified and polished until it’s shiny and socially acceptable, it loses what makes it special. Nirvana didn’t let anyone put them in a box or push them around – they stayed true to themselves and their values and, if this 1991 party is any indication, they (sometimes) had fun doing it.