‘It just destroyed his life …’ Michael Azerrad, Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana, Main Street Books, 1993.
‘I remember hanging out at …’ Kurt Cobain, Journals, Viking, 2002.
‘Most of what I remember about the songs …’ Gillian G. Gaar, ‘Verse Chorus Verse: The Recording History of Nirvana’, Goldmine, 14 February 1997.
‘There are a lot of Croatian people here …’ Patrick MacDonald, ‘In Search of Nirvana’, Seattle Times, 8 March 1992.
‘Kurt asked me if I wanted to be in a band …’ Anon, sleeve notes for With the Lights Out, Geffen Records, 2004.
‘I think initially he was intrigued by it …’ Anon, Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Masses video interview, EPM/SFM, 2011.
‘I thought they sucked …’ Greg Prato, Grunge Is Dead: The Oral History of Seattle Rock Music, ECW Press, 2009.
'We were uptight …’ Dawn Anderson, ‘It May Be the Devil and It May Be the Lord … But It Sure as Hell Ain’t Human’, Backlash, August 1988.
‘In our press releases we would announce …’ Jason Crock, ‘Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman’, www.pitchfork.com, 7 July 2008.
‘The Lamefest show was what really put Nirvana …’ Ian Winwood, ‘Nirvana: The Day They Changed the World’, Kerrang!, 26 October 2002.
‘I feel like we’ve been tagged as illiterate, redneck, cousin-fucking kids …’ Nils Bernstein, ‘Berlin Is Just a State of Mind’, The Rocket, December 1989.
‘I don’t remember them saying, “You’re in the band” …’ David Fricke, ‘Nevermind 10 Years On’, Rolling Stone, September 2001.
‘The venue was down the street …’ Craig McLean, ‘Dave Grohl: Grohl with It’, Independent, 11 June 2005.
‘I felt I had something to prove …’ Craig McLean, ‘Dave Grohl: Grohl with It’, Independent, 11 June 2005.
‘His contribution transformed us …’ Krist Novoselic, Of Grunge and Government, RDV Books/Akashic Books, 2004.
Chapter 6
‘We’d meet at her locker …’ Andrew Goldman, ‘Drummer Boy’, Elle.com, 28 July 2007.
‘We’re changing a little bit …’ Keith Cameron, ‘Take the Money and Run’, Sounds, 27 October 1990.
‘I remember going “This is a really good song” …’ Carrie Borzillo, Nirvana: The Day by Day Eyewitness Chronicle, Thunder’s Mouth Press, 2000.
‘As we were mixing the album …’ David Fricke, ‘Nevermind 10 Years on’, Rolling Stone, September 2001.
Chapter 7
‘Kurt had a mystical and powerful connection …’ Danny Goldberg, Bumping into Geniuses, Gotham Books, 2008.
‘I saw this movie Over the Edge …’ The Stud Bothers, ‘Dark Side of the Womb’, Melody Maker, 21 August 1993.
‘The director had a loud bullhorn thing …’ Anon, ‘The Grunge Invasion’, Newsweek, 28 June 1999.
‘It was the first time I had seen …’ Ed Power, ‘Into the Light’, Irish Independent, 8 April 2011.
‘When you tell a drummer “I think you should use …’ Ben Mitchell, unpublished excerpt from ‘My Brilliant Career’, Q, 2005.
‘It was unbelievable. We went from selling …’ Anon, ‘Nevermind – 10 Years On’, Rolling Stone, 2001.
‘One day we were this virtually unknown …’ Ian Winwood, ‘Nirvana: The Day They Changed the World’, Kerrang!, 26 October 2002.
‘We were playing before Nirvana …’ Eric Weisbard with Jessica Letkemann, Ann Powers, Chris Norris, William Van Meter and Will Hermes, ‘Ten Past Ten’, Spin Online, August 2001.
‘He was an oblivion seeker …’ Alexis Petridis, ‘Courtney Love: “Sometimes I’m a little bit weird … but never unpopular”’, Guardian, 25 March 2010.
‘He’s had but an hour’s sleep …’ Jerry McCulley, ‘Spontaneous Combustion’, Bam, 10 January 1992.
‘I remember walking into their hotel room …’ Michael Azerrad, Come AsYou Are, Main Street Books, 1994.
‘I remember thinking, “Wow, it’s on now,’ Eric Weisbard with Jessica Letkemann, Ann Powers, Chris Norris, William Van Meter and Will Hermes, ‘Ten Past Ten’, Spin Online, August 2001.
‘We got to the point where we could …’ Anon, sleevenotes to With the Lights Out, Geffen, 2004.
‘Everyone’s been saying that …’ Anon, ‘Kurt OD in Belfast: Nirvana Star Rushed to Hospital with “Mystery Stomach Bug”’, Melody Maker, 4 July 1992.
‘You had to say and do …’ Andrew Perry, ‘Anarchy in the UK’, MOJO, May 1998.
‘Spend two days in tour fatigues …’ Keith Cameron, ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’, NME, 29 August 1992.
‘Any musician would be lying …’ Everett True, ‘In My Head I’m so Ugly’, Melody Maker, 18 July 1992.
‘We rehearsed once, the night before …’ Alan Light, ‘Interview: Dave Grohl, Foo Fighters Frontman’, Scotsman, 24 November 2009.
‘But we were wracked with nerves …’ Anon, ‘Festival Questionnaire’, Q, 2000.
‘The hype about us cancelling was …’ Anon, ‘Sky’s Icon of 1992: Dave Grohl’, Sky, 1997.
Chapter 8
‘I’m like, “This is your fucking son,”’ Craig Marks, ‘Endless Love’, Spin, February 1995.
‘I think people who glamorise drugs …’ The Stud Brothers, ‘Dark Side of the Womb’, Melody Maker, 21 August 1993.
‘Humping our own gear into CBGB’s …’ Phil Sutcliffe, ‘Something in the Way’, Nirvana and the Story of Grunge, 2005.
‘I felt this big …’ Phil Sutcliffe, ‘Something in the Way’, Nirvana and The Story of Grunge, 2005.
‘I don’t listen to records like that at home …’ Jon Savage, ‘Kurt Cobain: The Lost Interview’, Guitar World, 1997.
‘Our A&R man at the time …’ Phil Sutcliffe, ‘King of Pain’, Q, October 1993.
‘We’d never met Albini before …’ Ben Mitchell, previously unpublished excerpt from ‘My Brilliant Career’, Q, November 2007.
‘When we talked to him before recording …’ Phil Sutcliffe, ‘Something in the Way’, Nirvana and the Story of Grunge, 2005.
‘We knew that Albini didn’t wanna …’ Keith Cameron, ‘This Is Pop’, MOJO, May 2001.
‘We went out of our way to say things …’ Brendan Mullen, with Don Bolles and Adam Parfrey, Lexicon Devil, Feral House, 2002.
‘Krist, Dave and I have been working on this formula …’ David Fricke, ‘Kurt Cobain’, Rolling Stone, 27 January 1994.
‘I woke up at, like …’ Craig Marks, ‘Endless Love’, Spin, February 1995.
Chapter 9
‘After Kurt’s death I was about as confused …’ Anon, Foo Fighters’ press release, 1995.
‘My first reaction was, “What the fuck?” …’ Clark Collis, ‘Dave Grohl Q&A’, www.music-mix.ew.com, 15 April 2011.
‘Right when the thing with Stan Lynch …’ Matt Snow, ‘Learning to Fly’, MOJO, December 2009.
‘At one point Dave phoned me …’ Jacob McMurray, Taking Punk to the Masses: From Nowhere to Nevermind, Fantagraphics Books, 2011.
‘I wanted to fucking murder him …’ Dorian Lynskey, ‘The Man Who Fell to Earth’, Arena, 2002.
‘This was exactly the big …’ David Daley, Magnet, November/December 1998.
‘I approach every song trying …’ Anon, ‘Hey, What’s that Buzz’, Guitar World, May 2011.
‘No one has ever said anything …’ Tom Doyle, ‘I’ll Stick Around’, Nirvana and the Story of Grunge, 2005.
Chapter 10
‘I’ve made punk rock records …’ Kim Hughes, ‘Dave Grohl: From Punk Pounder to Foo Fighter’, NOW, 1997.
‘I love it for the way …’ Anon, ‘Rebellious Jukebox’, Melody Maker, 1997.
‘Dave had me do 96 takes …’ Michael Roberts, ‘Bring Back That Sunny Day’, Miami New Times, 3 December 1998.
‘I knew it was a cool song …’ Morat, ‘How to Write a Rock Anthem’, Kerrang!, 17 June 2006.
‘I had no idea what I was doing and I faked it and it worked …’ Anon, ‘Foo for Thought’
, Raygun, August 1997.
‘It’s important to break out from …’ Mike Rubin, ‘So Happy Together’, Spin, July 1997.
‘Had Franz not been in Wool at the time …’ Lisa Johnson, ‘The New Model Army’, Kerrang!, 18 October 1997.
‘Of course he’ll be writing with us …’ Lisa Johnson, ‘The New Model Army’, Kerrang!, 18 October 1997.
‘We waited about a year for him …’ Michael Roberts, ‘Bring Back That Sunny Day’, Miami New Times, 3 December 1998.
‘Nothing seems sacred here …’ Ben Myers, ‘I’m Still Standing’, Kerrang!, 18 September 1999.
Chapter 11
‘This place is like our own little boot camp …’ Joshua Sindell, ‘We Have Lift Off!’, Kerrang!, 19 May 2001.
‘There’s freaky time signatures, it’s fucking fast …’ Joshua Sindell, ‘We Have Lift Off!’, Kerrang!, 19 May 2001.
‘It doesn’t matter what they were …’ Ian Winwood, ‘Courtney. Kurt. Drugs. Rehab’, Kerrang!, 30 March 2002.
‘So in 2000, as we were touring with Queens …’ Ben Mitchell, unpublished excerpt from ‘My Brilliant Career’, Q.
‘Being in Queens was one of the greatest …’ Ben Mitchell, unpublished excerpt from ‘My Brilliant Career’, Q.
‘Playing drums in Queens was like ESP …’ Austin Scaggs, ‘On a Honor Roll’, Rolling Stone, July 2005.
‘I had a profound revelation …’ Austin Scaggs, ‘On a Honor Roll’, Rolling Stone, July 2005.
‘We rushed into it and we rushed …’ Austin Scaggs, ‘Foos Reclaim Their Honor’, Rolling Stone.com, 25 April 2005.
‘Those bands were something …’ Ian Winwood, ‘Metal God’, Kerrang!, 29 November 2003.
Chapter 12
‘I really avoided talking to the press …’ Anon, ‘James Hetfield: I Don’t Like Talking Politics’, WENN, 1 August 2002.
‘All the hot air coming …’ Ian Winwood, ‘I Put My Faith in the Cult of Elvis Costello’, Guardian Online, 12 July 2007.
‘I felt like I was being challenged by …’ Tom Doyle, ‘Let Me Entertain You’, Q, June 2008.
‘I went back and forth to Los Angeles for years …’ Ian Gittins, ‘Dave Grohl’, Man about Town, April 2011.
‘I was personally offended …’ Andrew Beaujon, ‘Q&A: Dave Grohl’, Spin, July 2005.
‘Every day before Kerry got up to speak …’ Andrew Beaujon, ‘Q&A: Dave Grohl’, Spin, July 2005.
‘There was a moment when I thought …’ Morat, ‘Riders on the Storm’, Kerrang!, January 2005.
‘About what it meant for us …’ Ian Winwood, ‘I’m a Geek. I’m the Guy Next Door …’, NME, May 2005.
‘It didn’t make a lot of sense not to try …’ Ian Winwood, ‘I’m a Geek. I’m the Guy Next Door …’, NME, May 2005.
‘I tried to be cool …’ Dom Lawson, ‘Into the Void’, Kerrang!, May 2005.
‘It didn’t feel like the most important show …’ Dan Gennoe, ‘Monster of Rock’, Mail on Sunday, 16 September 2007.
‘We don’t usually jump …’ Anon, ‘It’s Like Being Knighted’, Uncut, 2006.
Chapter 13
‘The next project that I’m trying to initiate …’ Stevie Chick, ‘“Everyone Has Their Dark Side”: Dave Grohl – The MOJO Interview’, MOJO, May 2005.
‘How could it get any bigger or better?’ Anon, ‘Summer Rocks!’, Kerrang!, 31 May 2008.
‘I’m not at liberty to talk about it …’ Johnny Firecloud, ‘24 Minutes with Brody Dalle of Spinnerette’, www.antiquiet.com, 3 July 2009.
‘The first song we recorded, we get a drum …’ Ken Micallef, ‘The Foo Fighters Take a Low-Tech Approach to High-Intensity Rock’, Electronic Musician, May 2011.
Lyrics credits
‘Days change at night, change in an instant …’
X, ‘Los Angeles’, written by John Doe and Exene Cervanka, published by Billy Zoom Music BMI, from the album Los Angeles (Slash, 1980).
‘last year I was 21 / I didn’t have a lot of fun’
The Stooges, ‘1969’, written by Dave Alexander, Ron Asheton, Scott Asheton and Iggy Pop, published by Paradox Music BMI, from the album The Stooges (Elektra, 1969).
‘I’m about to have a nervous breakdown / My head really hurts / If I don’t find a way outta here / I’m gonna go berserk …’
Black Flag, ‘Nervous Breakdown’, written by Greg Ginn, published by SST Music, from the EP Nervous Breakdown (SST, 1979).
‘Never mind the Stars and Stripes, let’s print the Watergate tapes’
The Clash, ‘I’m So Bored with the USA’, written by Joe Strummer and Mick Jones, published by Nineden Ltd./Riva Mus. Ltd., from the album The Clash (CBS, 1977).
‘Chaotic Hardcore Underage Delinquents! Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers!’
Mission Impossible, ‘Chud’, written by Mission Impossible, from the first Mission Impossible demo tape.
‘Slow down!’
Mission Impossible, ‘Life Already Drawn’, written by Mission Impossible, from the first Mission Impossible demo tape.
‘To err is human, so what the fuck are you? Working so hard to make me perfect too …’
Mission Impossible, ‘To Err Is Human’, written by Dave Grohl, from the first Mission Impossible demo tape.
‘I can’t promise perfection, I can only try’
Mission Impossible, ‘I Can Only Try’, written by Mission Impossible, from the split EP Thanks (Sammich, 1985).
‘If you’re really upset and you don’t know what to do, then shout it out or talk it out, don’t crawl into your shell’
Mission Impossible, ‘Into Your Shell’, written by Mission Impossible, from the split EP Thanks (Sammich, 1985).
‘Now I’m off to face a new horizon but I don’t think I’ll be alone.’
Mission Impossible, ‘Now I’m Alone’, written by Mission Impossible, from the split EP Thanks (Sammich, 1985).
‘… more from a three minute record than we ever learned in school’
Bruce Springsteen, ‘No Surrender’, written by Bruce Springsteen, published by Bruce Springsteen (ASCAP), from the album Born in the U.S.A. (Columbia, 1984).
‘We’re from the basement /We’re from underground /We want to break all barriers with our sound /We’re sick and tired of fucking rejection / But we’re not down ’cause we got a direction.’
Scream, ‘We’re Fed Up’, written by Scream, from the album Still Screaming (Dischord, 1983).
‘Yesterday it rained so hard I thought the roof was gonna give / But now today’s so bright, just wanna let it all in’
Scream, ‘This Side Up’, written by Scream, from the album This Side Up (Dischord, 1985).
‘The sky’s my limit’
Dain Bramage, ‘I Scream Not Coming Down’, written by Dan Kozak and Reuben Radding, published by Dainger Island/Further Down Music, from the album I Scream Not Coming Down (Fartblossom, 1987).
‘smoke rising outta Dischord House’
Pussy Galore, ‘You Look Like a Jew’, written by Jon Spencer, published by Vinyl Drip Int., from the EP Groovy Hate Fuck (Shove, 1986).
‘The spoken word is weak. Scream, motherfuckers, scream!’
Steve Albini, ‘Spoken Word Intro Thing’, written by Steve Albini, from the album Sub Pop 100 (Sub Pop, 1986).
‘Damaged by you / Damaged by me / I’m confused / Confused / Don’t wanna be confused.’
Black Flag, ‘Damaged II’, written by Greg Ginn, published by Cesstone Music (BMI), from the album Damaged (SST, 1981).
‘I’m a negative creep, I’m a negative creep, I’m a negative creep and I’m stoned’ Nirvana, ‘Negative Creep’, written by Kurt Cobain, published by The End of Music/EMI-Virgin Songs, Inc. (BMI), from the album Bleach (Sub Pop, 1989).
‘over-bored and self-assured’
Nirvana, ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, written by Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, published by The End of Music, M.J.-Twelve Music and Murky Slough Music, all EMI-Virgin Songs, Inc., all BMI,
from the album Nevermind (Geffen, 1991).
‘With the lights out, it’s less dangerous. Here we are now, entertain us …’ Nirvana, ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, written by Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, published by The End of Music, M.J.-Twelve Music and Murky Slough Music, all EMI-Virgin Songs, Inc., all BMI, from the album Nevermind (Geffen, 1991).
‘pretty songs’
Nirvana, ‘In Bloom’, written by Kurt Cobain, published by The End of Music/ EMI-Virgin Songs, Inc. (BMI), from the album Nevermind (Geffen, 1991).
‘plays an old guitar, with a coin found by the phone’
Late!, ‘Friend of a Friend’, written by Dave Grohl, published by M.J.-Twelve Music, administered by EMI Music (BMI), from the album Pocketwatch (Simple Machines, 1993).
‘or Flipside … one of those punk things’
Late!, ’Just Another Story About Skeeter Thompson’, written by Dave Grohl, published by M.J.-Twelve Music, administered by EMI Music (BMI), from the album Pocketwatch (Simple Machines, 1993).
‘Some say love it is a river …’
Better Midler, ‘The Rose’, written by Amanda McBroom, published by Chappell, from the album The Rose: The Original Soundtrack Recording (Atlantic, 1979).
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