Bleach (album)
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| Bleach | ||
 |
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| Studio album by Nirvana | ||
| Released | June 15, 1989 | |
| Recorded | 1988, 1989 at Reciprocal Recordings in Seattle, Washington | |
| Genre | Grunge | |
| Length | 42:14 | |
| Label | Sub Pop | |
| Producer(s) | Jack Endino | |
| Professional reviews | ||
|---|---|---|
| Nirvana chronology | ||
| Bleach (1989) |
Blew (1989) |
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Bleach was the debut album by Nirvana, released in June 1989 through Sub Pop. It originally only sold 6,000 copies, but following the enormous success of the band's second album, Nevermind, fans discovered Nirvana's little-known debut album. It has now sold over four million copies worldwide.
The album's working title was Too Many Humans. It was officially named Bleach in February 1989 after Cobain found an AIDS prevention poster while Nirvana was driving through San Francisco. The poster advised heroin addicts to bleach their needles before use, featuring the slogan "Bleach Your Works".
Contents |
[edit] Songs
Most of the songs feature themes based on life in Aberdeen, Washington, U.S., a small working class town where songwriter Kurt Cobain grew up. Lyrically the album is less surreal and nonsensical than much of what came after. Musically the album is heavily influenced by early Black Sabbath, the heavy dirge rock of The Melvins and Mudhoney, and the hardcore of Black Flag and Minor Threat. Kurt has even said that the band listened to Swiss extreme metallers Celtic Frost before recording the album.
The band's punk rock roots are most evident on "Negative Creep" though there is little trace of the direction they would later go in. "School" is about the Seattle Scene at the time, comparing it to high school; the song's lyrics consist of only four lines.
"Floyd the Barber" is a song about small-town America where everyone turns into a massmurderer. Kurt Cobain once referred the song in an interview to the Andy Griffith show hence the mentioning of characters like Opie and Aunt Bea. The drums in Floyd the Barber are reminiscent of The Rolling Stones' song "My Obsession." "Paper Cuts" is partially based on a true story of a family in Aberdeen, Washington that kept their children isolated in a windowless room, opening the door only to feed them; the song also references Kurt's alienation from his mother.
- "About a Girl" (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- Sample of "About a Girl" by Nirvana.
- Problems listening to the file? See media help.
[edit] Recording
Three of the songs that appear on Bleach ("Floyd the Barber", "Paper Cuts", and "Downer") were recorded at Reciprocal Studios on January 23, 1988 with Dale Crover on drums. This session cost only $152.44 and was paid for with money Cobain had saved up from his janitorial job and a loan from Tracy Marander, his then-girlfriend. This was also Nirvana's first collaboration with Jack Endino.
The other songs on Bleach were recorded at the Reciprocal Recording Studios in Seattle, Washington for $606.17 (which was footed by 2nd guitarist Jason Everman) and a sandwich, by Jack Endino, in 1988.
[edit] Singles
- "Love Buzz" (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- Sample of "Love Buzz" by Nirvana.
- Problems listening to the file? See media help.
"Love Buzz" was released backed with "Big Cheese" in October 1988, as Sub Pop's first "Single of the Month." The version of "Love Buzz" on the single has a different mix than the album version, and features a sound collage by Kurt Cobain. Only 1000 copies of this single were pressed, each individually hand numbered, making it very sought after by Nirvana fans. In addition to the numbered copies 100-200 more unnumbered copies exist. Most of them include a red slash where the number is on the official copies.
"Blew" was released through Tupelo Records in December 1989 with "Love Buzz", "Been a Son" and "Stain". "Stain" was written by Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic.
[edit] Pressings
In the U.S., the album was released on Sub Pop (Catalog: SP-34). The first 1,000 copies were pressed on white vinyl, the next 2,000 on black vinyl, and all subsequent pressings were on assorted colored vinyl. The first 3,000 copies of the record came with a poster, featuring Jason Everman.
In the UK the record was released via Tupelo Records (Catalog: TUPLP6), and later Geffen Records (Catalog:GEF-24433). The first 300 Tupelo copies were pressed on white vinyl, the next 2,000 copies were on dark green vinyl.
In Australia the LP was released on Waterfront Records [1](DAMP114) and later issued on various colored covers and colored vinyl before it was deleted in late 1992.
Sub Pop released a remastered version of the album on CD and cassette in April 1992.
[edit] Track listing
(All songs by Kurt Cobain unless otherwise noted)
- "Blew" – 2:54
- "Floyd the Barber" – 2:18
- "About a Girl" – 2:48
- "School" – 2:42
- "Love Buzz" (Robbie van Leeuwen) – 3:35
- "Paper Cuts" – 4:06
- "Negative Creep" – 2:56
- "Scoff" – 4:10
- "Swap Meet" – 3:03
- "Mr. Moustache" – 3:24
- "Sifting" – 5:22
- "Big Cheese" – 3:42
- "Downer" (only on CD version) – 1:43
[edit] Chart positions
| Year | Album | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | “Bleach” | Official Finland Albums Chart | No. 24 |
| 1992 | “Bleach” | Official German Albums Charts | No. 24 |
| 1992 | “Bleach” | Official Austrian Albums Chart | No. 26 |
| 1992 | “Bleach” | Official New Zealand Albums Chart | No. 30 |
| 1992 | “Bleach” | Official UK Albums Chart | No. 33 |
| 1992 | “Bleach” | Official Australian Albums Chart | No. 34 |
| 1992 | “Bleach” | Official Japanese Albums Chart | No. 46 |
| 1992 | “Bleach” | The Billboard 200 | No. 89 |
[edit] Accolades
- Kerrang! magazine "100 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" - Editors Choice #78 (1998)
- Kerrang! magazine "100 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" - Readers Choice #28 (1998)
- Joe S. Harrington's Top 100 Albums (2001 to 2003) - #97
[edit] Credits
- Kurt Cobain – Vocals, Guitar (as Kurdt Kobain)
- Krist Novoselic – Bass (as Chris Novoselic)
- Chad Channing – Drums
- Jason Everman – Guitar (paid for the recording but does not perform on the record)
- Dale Crover – Drums ("Floyd the Barber", "Paper Cuts" and "Downer")
- Jack Endino – Producer
- Tracy Marander – Photography
- Charles Peterson – Photography
- Lisa Orth – Design
- Jane Higgins – Execution
[edit] Sales
- American sales: 1.9 million (1.900.000), (Certified 1 X Platinum 02/27/95)
- Canadian sales: 50,000 (Gold)
- Japanese sales: 1992/08/, 4 weeks, 19,530
- UK Sales: 300.000
- German sales: 200.000
- French sales: 200.000
- Polish sales: 50.000
[edit] Sources
- Azerrad, Michael. Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana, Doubleday, New York: 1993, ISBN 0-86369-746-1
- Sandford, Christopher. Kurt Cobain, Carroll & Graf, New York: 1996, ISBN 0-7867-1369-0
- Nirvana Discography 3.3, by Aaron Tuller, October 19, 1996
