In 1991, Nirvana released the album that would propel them from burgeoning club-level favourites to The Biggest Band in The World. Nevermind, Nirvana’s major label debut, would apply a sleeper hold to glam/hair metal, knock Michael Jackson’s Bad off the Billboard top spot and kickstart the ‘grunge’ movement that shaped youth culture in every form. The catalyst for the album’s success? Smells Like Teen Spirit.
Released on 10 Sept, it was a slow burn, failing to chart — no surprises there, given that Nirvana were still relative unknowns struggling to pay their rent. But to discover the origins of Dave Grohl’s iconic drum parts, we need to rewind 18 months, before Grohl was even a member of the band.
