Indiana DeFrate
Crimson Chronicle Reporter
Nirvana’s, In Utero, was re-released for its 30th anniversary recently. This record was the final release from the band before lead singer Kurt Cobain’s death, and contains iconic live performances fans have been wanting on streaming platforms.
Produced by Steve Albini in 1993, the record has been re-released in three distinct physical versions. The two super deluxe editions, will hold a large amount of bonus material in the form of two complete concerts. That being Los Angeles in December ‘93, and Seattle in January ‘94. Five previously released B-sides, six bonus live cuts and the remastered album complete will be included in the box sets. This adds up to 72 tracks in total, 53 of which having been previously unreleased.
The 8LP Vinyl Super Deluxe Edition includes a total of six records and 12 sides of vinyl to deliver all the tracks. The CD box set on the other hand uses five CDs to deliver an identical listening experience.
Both of the deluxe box sets are very expensive (~$268 for the 8LP Super Deluxe Edition, ~$148 for the 5CD Super Deluxe Edition) due to extravagant packaging. Both box sets include a removable acrylic front cover, a 48-page hardcover book, a 20-page newly designed fanzine, a Los Angeles tour poster lithograph by hot rod artist Coop, replicas of the 1993 record store promo Angel mobile, three gig fliers, two ticket stubs for Los Angeles and Seattle, an All-Access tour laminate, and four cloth sticky tour backstage passes.
Beyond the two super deluxe box sets, there is also a much cheaper 2CD deluxe that offers the remastered album, and both concerts. This comes at about $16, a stark contrast to the other prices.
Formed December, 1987, in Aberdeen Washington, Nirvana lasted a brief seven years. Despite this, the impact of Nirvana’s music, style, and presence has remained strong in the 29 years since the band dissolved. This was in large part due to lead singer Kurt Cobain’s public image. Having grown up a child of divorce, and having been introduced to punk rock music at a young age, Cobain had disliked the sudden fame and attention put onto him after 1991’s Nevermind released. This attention only grew more intense and negative after his marriage to and parenthood with Courteny Love, and their publicized struggles with drug use after. Cobain committed suicide at their Seattle home in April 8, 1994 after leaving a drug rehabilitation program.
The band had been good friends with other bands in the Seattle alternative scene, such as Bikini Kill and Sonic Youth, and was beloved in its short lifespan. Furthermore, Love’s band, Hole, was popular in its own right, independent of Cobain’s Nirvana fame. After Cobain’s death, Love acquired all Nirvana properties and copyrights that had previously belonged to Cobain, and has put out five posthumous releases (not including rereleases.)