I Just Read About That…

SOUNDTRACK: NIRVANA: With the Lights Out (2004).

It probably sounds like an urban myth to say that Nirvana was a catalyst for new music way back then. But I can recall when “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was first on the radio, and I was living in a region of the country (hey Office fans, it was Scranton, PA) that was devoid of anything interesting on the radio; it was like a flash of light: there is interesting music out there, somewhere. So, yup, Nirvana was a great moment for me.

Now, I’ll backtrack by saying that I had just graduated college, where I had been music director of our college’s radio station. We specialized in good indie music, so I was no stranger to Sonic Youth or They Might Be Giants, or anything that would soon be played on 120 Minutes, or labeled “alternative”; but as our station had a range of about 50 feet, I couldn’t even hear it from my apartment. So, I was left with Rock 107–not a bad station, just a typical classic rock outlet–and Marywood College’s very hip, very cool radio station, that came in if the weather agreed.

And suddenly there was Nirvana.

I wasn’t that bummed when Cobain killed himself, as I’d enjoyed their releases, but they were no longer the huge band in my life. So I got some of the posthumous releases, but held off on the box set because, who needs an expensive collection of outtakes? Well, for Christmas, Amazon was selling With the Lights Out for super cheap (sometimes it pays to wait), so I figured I’d grab it.

The best thing I can say about it is that it really rekindled my appreciation for Nirvana. It also made me realize that they only released three albums (not including all of the comps and live releases), which is a teeny output for such a huge band). And, finally, and most shockingly it made me realize that “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is over 5 minutes long…WHAT? How did a 5 minute song become a hit??

Anyhow, I’ve enjoyed listening to this collection. It was cool to hear some of the early demos of songs, and see how they morphed into the ones I know. There’s a few 8 minute jams that aren’t worth hearing more than once, but overall, it’s good for those who like Nirvana and would like a little more of their story. Especially if you can get it cheap!

[READ: November 12, 2007] Scouts in Bondage

This is a fantastically funny book. It is a collection of book covers from antique and rare books that are now shockingly inappropriate. I feel that the UK subtitle is more apt for the book, because when these books were written, they weren’t meant to be risque, but as times and language has changed, they are now full of double entendre.

There isn’t a lot to read in this book (unlike the next book I’ll be reviewing called Bizarre Books) but it’s a great collection of full color covers of these hilarious books. Laugh at the great cover of Invisible Dick, or Book of Blank Maps (not all of the topics are dirty, some are just strange)

The author makes no comments about the books, it is merely a presentation of titles. Certainly it’s a slight work, but it allows for multiple viewings. A great gift for anyone with a childish sense of humor. It’s never really vulgar or R rated, just sort of nudge nudge, wink wink. As I mentioned, it’s an excellent companion to Bizarre Books, see the next entry for more…