On Tuesday night, it was announced to no one’s surprise that Nirvana is up for a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a choice made by officials who were probably ticking down the days until the band’s debut, Bleach, turned 25 for Hall eligibility. And although everything about Kurt Cobain and co. spat in the face of the radio-friendly hair-rock at the time, the some unforgettable moments propelled the trio to legendary status. And we’re not talking TVs thrown out of hotels or weird stories involving fish—with their outspoken approach to the media paired with dry senses of humor, Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl redefined what it meant to be a rock star in decades to come.
Below, we’ve listed some of our favorite moments in Nirvana’s history. You can share your own in the comment section below.
8. “Rape Me”
Not many words are needed to explain why Nirvana’s second In Utero single turned up noses all over—first when the band threatened (and started) to perform it at the ’92 VMAs after repeated network requests against it, then again when Wal-Mart was faced with carrying an album with that title on its shelves. The band ended up releasing an album that lists “Waif Me” on the back for Wal-Mart, and Nirvana turned around and really ended up playing “Lithium” at the MTV awards. But like anything Nirvana did, “Rape Me” riled up only those who weren’t meant to enjoy it anyways.
7. Cobain Attacked by a Security Guard
Nothing screams that you’re in Texas like a good ol’ bar brawl, but Kurt Cobain found himself in the thick of it after a stage dive went sour near the end of a gig in 1991. The band would end up completing the gig, but not until after Cobain’s bandmates dove to his rescue.
6. Krist Novoselic Pioneers the “Bass Drop”
At the 1992 MTV VMA awards, Krist Novoselic did the live-TV, bassist version of the “look mom, no hands!” trick and thankfully wasn’t seriously harmed when the instrument came crashing down on his head. Although the bass toss was the subject of plenty of speculation (Did he go to the hospital? I heard he had a concussion), Novoselic summed it up pretty well for everyone 16 years later for Seattle Weekly.
I stumbled offstage toward the green room with my hands on my forehead. I walked straight into the bathroom and looked at a bloody forehead in the mirror. I washed my face off and put a paper towel to my head. Paramedics came in and put a little bandage on, then handed me a long medical release form to sign. Standing behind them was Brian May, the guitarist of Queen, with a glass of chilled champagne. I signed the release just to get the medics away from me so I could take a sip of Mr. May’s wonderful medicine. Ahh, yes!!!
