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Incesticide

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Incesticide
Compilation albumby
Nirvana
ReleasedDecember 14, 1992(1992-12-14)
RecordedJanuary 23, 1988 – November 9, 1991
Genre
Length44:41
LabelDGC
Producer
Nirvanachronology
Hormoaning
(1992) 		Incesticide
(1992) 		In Utero
(1993)

Incesticideis a compilation album by the AmericanrockbandNirvana.It consists of their 1990 non-album single "Sliver",B-sides,demos, outtakes, cover versions, and radio broadcast recordings, and as such is not the official follow-up to the band's breakthrough album,Nevermind.[1]The album was released on December 14, 1992, in Europe, and December 15, 1992, in the United States. It eventually reached number 39 on theBillboard200.

Background

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Early in 1992,Jonathan PonemanofSub PopcontactedGary Gersh,who had previously signed Nirvana toDGC Records,to inform him that Sub Pop still had a number of unreleased early Nirvana recordings in their possession.[2]The band had intended to release the material via Sub Pop and cynically called itCash Cow.However, Sub Pop could not matchGeffen Records' distribution network, and the band felt that getting the material maximum exposure was important.[3]Sub Pop sold the recordings to Geffen for "a six-figure amount" on the condition that the band would create and approve the release of an album by Christmas 1992.[2]

At the time, the majority of the material onIncesticidewas circulating within fan communities (albeit in lower quality). It was widely reported in the music press that the band wanted to offer fans a higher-quality alternative. In the bookCobain Unseen,Charles R. Crosswrites thatKurt Cobainagreed to the release of this compilation because he was allowed complete control over the album's artwork.

Since the songs were recorded in different sessions and some were recorded when Nirvana did not have a stable formation, the album includes recordings by four different drummers:Chad Channing,Dan Peters,Dale Crover,andDave Grohl.

Songs

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Previously unreleased

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  • "Hairspray Queen"
  • "Aero Zeppelin"
  • "Big Long Now"

Alternate versions

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  • "Been a Son"was a song originally released on the 1989BlewEP, the version onIncesticidewas recorded in 1991 during aBBC Radio 1live studio session.
  • "(New Wave) Polly" is a hard rock version of theNevermindalbum track "Polly".The version onIncesticidewas recorded in 1991 during a BBC Radio 1 live studio session.
  • "Aneurysm"was a song originally released as a b-side to the"Smells Like Teen Spirit"single, the version onIncesticidewas recorded two months later during a BBC Radio 1 live studio session.

Previously released

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  • "Dive"and"Sliver"were released on the" Sliver "single in 1990." Dive "was also previously released onThe Grunge Yearscompilation album in 1991.
  • "Stain" was released on theBlew EPin 1989.
  • The three cover songs, "Turnaround"(Devo), "Molly's Lips"and"Son of a Gun"(The Vaselines) were released on theHormoaningEP in 1992, which was only released in Japan and Australia. All three songs were recorded live in 1990 during a BBC Radio 1 live studio session.
  • "Mexican Seafood" appeared on the 1989Teriyaki Asthma Volume 1compilation.
  • "Beeswax" appeared on the 1991Kill Rock Starscompilation album.
  • "Downer" appears as a bonus track on the 1990 CD release of Nirvana's 1989 debut album,Bleach.

Artwork and packaging

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The cover art was painted by Cobain,[4]who is credited asKurdt Kobainin the liner notes.[5]Therubber duckseen on the album's back cover belonged to art-designer Robert Fisher. It can also be seen on the front sleeve of the compilation albumDGC Rarities.[6]

The front cover prominently displays a poppy, hinting at Cobain's struggle with heroin use.

The first several pressings of the album containedliner noteswritten by Cobain, including a statement decryinghomophobia,racismandmisogyny:[7]

If any of you in any way hate homosexuals, people of different color, or women, please do this one favor for us—leave us the fuck alone! Don't come to our shows and don't buy our records.

Versions of the album containing the liner notes by Cobain could be found at record stores as late as 1998. Initial copies in the U.S. and Canada also contained aParental Advisorylabel.[8]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]
Blender[10]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[11]
Entertainment WeeklyB[12]
NME7/10 / 3/10[13]
Pitchfork8.7/10[14]
Rolling Stone[16]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[17]
Select[18]
The Village VoiceA−[15]

The album received generally positive reviews. "Nobody really wants aHatful of Hollow-type assortment of Peel/Goodier sessions, B-sides, demos and obscurities in the place of a proper studio album, "observed Andrew Perry inSelect."But, hell, wouldn't you try and put an end to the consumer madness going on in your name? And harvest some of the money for yourself? Anyway, people might start talking about the music again…"[18]In a review forAllMusic,music criticStephen Thomas Erlewinesaid that the song "Aneurysm" was "perhaps the greatest single song the group ever recorded".[19]

Commercial performance

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Incesticidewas released on December 14, 1992, in theUnited Kingdom,and on December 15, 1992, in the United States.[20]The record label,Geffen,decided against heavily promoting the album, possibly to avoid a "Nirvana burnout" as the band had releasedNevermindand four singles in the preceding fifteen months.[21]

Despite this lack of promotion and being a collection of old and new material,Incesticidedebuted at number 51 in theBillboard200and sold 500,000 copies in two months.[22]The album is certified Platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America.In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number 17,[1]and peaked at number 14.

On November 23, 2012,Incesticidewas re-released on vinyl as a limited two-LP 45 RPM edition for its 20th anniversary.[23]

Track listing

[edit]
Incesticide
No.TitleWriter(s)Original releaseLength
1."Dive"Kurt Cobain,Krist Novoselic"Sliver"single (1990) andThe Grunge Years(1991)3:55
2."Sliver"Cobain, Novoselic"Sliver" single (1990)2:16
3."Stain"CobainBlewEP (1989)2:40
4."Been a Son"CobainPreviously unreleased alternate version1:55
5."Turnaround"(Devocover)Mark Mothersbaugh,Gerald CasaleHormoaningEP (1992)2:19
6."Molly's Lips"(The Vaselinescover)Eugene Kelly,Frances McKeeHormoaningEP (1992)1:54
7."Son of a Gun"(The Vaselinescover)Eugene Kelly, Frances McKeeHormoaningEP (1992)2:48
8."(New Wave) Polly"Cobain, Novoselic,Dave GrohlPreviously unreleased alternate version1:47
9."Beeswax"CobainKill Rock Stars(1991)2:50
10."Downer"CobainCD version ofBleach(1990 reissue)1:43
11."Mexican Seafood"CobainTeriyaki Asthma Volume 1(1989)1:55
12."Hairspray Queen"Cobain, NovoselicPreviously unreleased4:13
13."Aero Zeppelin"CobainPreviously unreleased4:41
14."Big Long Now"CobainPreviously unreleased5:03
15."Aneurysm"Cobain, Novoselic, GrohlPreviously unreleased alternate version4:35
Total length:44:41

Personnel

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All sessions:

Seattle,WA:Reciprocal Recording Studios(January 23, 1988)
Nirvana's first studio demo tape.
Songs:"Beeswax," "Downer," "Mexican Seafood," "Hairspray Queen," and "Aero Zeppelin"

Seattle, WA: Reciprocal Recording Studios (December 1988 – January 1989)
TheBleachrecording sessions.
Song:"Big Long Now"

Seattle, WA: Music Source Studios (September 1989)
TheBlewEP recording sessions.
Song:"Stain"

Madison,WI:Smart Studios (April 2, 1990 – April 6, 1990)
The sessions for theplannedsecondSub Popalbum.
Song:"Dive"

  • Chad Channing – drums
  • Butch Vig– producer

Seattle, WA: Reciprocal Recording Studios (July 11, 1990)
The "Sliver" Sub Pop single session.
Song:"Sliver"

  • Dan Peters– drums
  • Jack Endino – producer, engineer

London,England:Maida ValeStudio 3 (October 21, 1990)
The 1990BBCsession forJohn Peel.
Songs:"Turnaround," "Molly's Lips," and "Son of a Gun"

London, England: Maida Vale Studio 4 (November 9, 1991)
The 1991 BBC session forMark Goodier.
Songs:"Been a Son," "(New Wave) Polly," and "Aneurysm"

  • Dave Grohl – drums
  • Miti Adhikari – producer
  • John Taylor – engineer

Charts

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References

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  1. ^abJones, Alan (26 December 1992)."Christmas Chart Focus"(PDF).Music Week.p. 13.Retrieved13 August2021.
  2. ^abGoldberg, Danny (2008).Bumping Into Geniuses: My Life Inside the Rock and Roll Business.Penguin Books.p. 214.ISBN9781592403707.Retrieved1 August2018.
  3. ^St. Thomas, Kurt; Smith, Troy (2004).Nirvana: The Chosen Rejects.Macmillan Publishers.p. 154.ISBN9780312206635.Retrieved1 August2018.
  4. ^Azerrad, 1994. p. 295
  5. ^Incesticideliner notes
  6. ^"Instagram".
  7. ^Allman, Kevin (9 February 1993)."The Dark Side of Kurt Cobain"(PDF).The Advocate.No. 622. pp. 35–43.Retrieved1 April2019.
  8. ^"Incesticide - Americas".Sliver.it.Retrieved24 February2012.
  9. ^Erlewine, Stephen Thomas.IncesticideatAllMusic.Retrieved 10 February 2005.
  10. ^[1]ArchivedJanuary 6, 2010, at theWayback Machine
  11. ^Larkin, Colin(2011).The Encyclopedia of Popular Music(5th concise ed.).Omnibus Press.
  12. ^Browne, David (18 December 2017)."Incesticide".Entertainment Weekly.Retrieved31 August2017.
  13. ^Lewis, Angela (12 September 2005)."Nirvana: Incesticide - 12/12/92".NME.
  14. ^Pelly, Jenn (1 July 2018)."Nirvana:Incesticide".Pitchfork.Retrieved25 September2023.
  15. ^Christgau, Robert(26 January 1993)."Consumer Guide: Nirvana:Incesticide".The Village Voice.Retrieved21 December2011.Relevant portion posted in a revised version at"Nirvana:Incesticide> Consumer Guide Album ".Robert Christgau.Retrieved4 May2007.
  16. ^Alden, Grant (21 January 1993)."Recordings: NirvanaIncesticide> Album Review ".Rolling Stone.No. 648.Archivedfrom the original on 18 September 2007.Retrieved14 March2005.
  17. ^The New Rolling Stone Album Guide.Simon & Schuster.2004. pp.589.
  18. ^abSelect,January 1993
  19. ^Nirvana - Incesticide - AllMusic review by Stephen Thomas Erlewineallmusic.com. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
  20. ^Azerrad, 1994. p. 357–358
  21. ^Azerrad, 1994. p. 296
  22. ^Cross, p. 269
  23. ^"RECORD STORE DAY - SpecialRelease".Recordstoreday.com.Retrieved13 November2012.
  24. ^"Australiancharts.com – Nirvana – Incesticide".Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  25. ^"ARIA Top 20 Alternative Charts".ARIA Report.No. 155. 24 January 1993. p. 12.Retrieved22 November2021.
  26. ^"Austriancharts.at – Nirvana – Incesticide"(in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  27. ^"Top RPM Albums: Issue 1829".RPM.Library and Archives Canada.Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  28. ^"Top Retail Alternative".The Record.1 February 1993. p. 7.Retrieved13 October2023.Numbers in brackets indicate position on Top Retail Album chart
  29. ^"European Top 100 Albums"(PDF).Music & Media.30 January 1993. p. 42.Retrieved28 July2018.
  30. ^"Dutchcharts.nl – Nirvana – Incesticide"(in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  31. ^Pennanen, Timo (2003).Sisältää hitin: levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972.Otava Publishing Company Ltd.ISBN951-1-21053-X.
  32. ^(The user has to select "Nirvana" from the drop down list) "InfoDisc: Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste".Infodisc.fr.Retrieved14 October2012.{{cite web}}:Check|url=value (help)
  33. ^"Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline"(in German). Musicline.de.Phononet GmbH.Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  34. ^Album Chart-Book Complete Edition 1970-2005. Orikonmāketingupuromōshon (2006).ISBN4-87131-077-9.
  35. ^"Charts.nz – Nirvana – Incesticide".Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  36. ^"Swedishcharts.com – Nirvana – Incesticide".Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  37. ^"Swisscharts.com – Nirvana – Incesticide".Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  38. ^"Nirvana | Artist | Official Charts".UK Albums Chart.Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  39. ^"Heavy Rock Albums 20"(PDF).Hit Music.CIN,Gallup.26 December 1992. p. 11.Retrieved17 June2023.
  40. ^"Nirvana Chart History (Billboard200) ".Billboard.Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  41. ^"Nirvana Chart History (Top Catalog Albums)".Billboard. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  42. ^"Top-75 Albums Sales Chart (Combined) - Week 11/2021".IFPI Greece.Archived fromthe originalon 29 March 2021.Retrieved29 March2021.
  43. ^"ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Albums"(PDF).Australian Recording Industry Association.Retrieved8 March2024.
  44. ^"Canadian album certifications – Nirvana – Incesticide".Music Canada.
  45. ^"French album certifications – Nirvana – Incesticide"(in French).Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  46. ^"British album certifications – Nirvana – Incesticide".British Phonographic Industry.
  47. ^Ask Billboard: Rihanna's (Quirky) Record in the Hot 100's Top 10 With 'Needed Me'Billboard.Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  48. ^"American album certifications – Nirvana – Incesticide".Recording Industry Association of America.

Bibliography

  • Azerrad, Michael.Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana.Doubleday, 1994.ISBN0-385-47199-8
  • Cross, Charles.Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain.Hyperion, 2001.ISBN0-7868-8402-9
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