Kurt Cobain was quite open about the music he loved and was very clear that he ripped off the riff for Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” from Boston’s “More Than A Feeling“. Which for me are both great songs. Did you what the first song that Kurt learned to play on the guitar that he got for his 14th birthday was? It was another slice of classic rock, none other than AC/DC’s “Back In Black“. Incidentally don’t you think it’s sad that Kurt would have been 48 yesterday. A great loss to rock music! Talking of great losses, AC/DC’s Bon Scott died 35 years ago on 19th February 1980, just a day before Kurt Cobain’s 13th birthday.
I am pleased to see that someone has kicked off a Facebook campaign to make Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” the UKChristmas number one this year. I posted something of a similar sentiment a short while ago, click here to read it. This new Facebook campaign was kicked off in response to the X Factor naming one of this years crop of average karaoke singers, another insipid, bland girl group, Rhythmix. The name is also the name of a UK charity that uses music as and to help children and young people from difficult backgrounds. It gives many young people the opportunity to make music to help them develop and learn. Check out the charity website here.
Simon Cowell will do anything in his desire to rule the world, including throwing babies to sharks
When the charity contacted the X Factor team they were told to “get a lawyer”. Effectively because they didn’t have the rights to the name for use as a band, basically they held the rights for educational purposes only. That’s within the letter of the law I’m sure, but ethically and morally it suggests that Cowell and his cronies are emotionally bankrupt.
Nirvana's unused sleeve for their cover of the Commodores "Brick House"
So let’s get behind this campaign and spoil this years pop muppets Christmas. Click here to find the page on Facebook. In the meantime enjoy the band doing the song at the Reading Festival in 1992. They even insert a short burst of Boston’s “More Than A Feeling” a song fromwhich Kurt Cobain claimed to have ripped off the riff for Teen Spirit from.
With Just A Hint Of Mayhem 