UPDATE: The track listing is now at the bottom of the post, courtesy of the NME!
Original post: Back on June 22, we reported on Geffen Records/Universal Music Enterprises' plans for a 20th anniversary edition of Nirvana's 1991 Nevermind, originally released on September 24 of that year. New details have been released on the set which will arrive in stores on September 27, just three days after the exact anniversary. Universal has stopped short of providing a complete track listing, but one thing's for sure. This looks like a box set that should leave you saying anything but "Nevermind" about the classic album described by our very own Mike Duquette as having "firmly solidified Nirvana’s place not only in the pop spotlight, but in the rock canon as well."
Like most of the other releases in the "Super Deluxe Edition" format, Nevermind will be overflowing with material! Among the content on this 4-CD/1-DVD set (which will be limited to 10,000 copies in the U.S. and another 30,000 internationally):
- Remastered edition of the album plus associated B-sides
- First complete release of the pre-Nevermind demos recorded at Butch Vig’s Smart Studios in Wisconsin
- “Boombox recordings” of early band rehearsals, containing embryonic versions of “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “Come As You Are,” “On a Plain” and more
- The Devonshire Mixes, the full album as produced and mixed by Vig, as opposed to the commercially released version that was produced by Vig and mixed by Andy Wallace
- Two previously unreleased BBC recordings
- Full concert recorded at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre on Halloween night, 1991, on both CD and DVD
- A 90-page book “full of rarely and never before seen photos, documents and various other visual artifacts of the Nevermind era.”
Too "Super Deluxe" for you? Universal's got you covered. Hit the jump for the additional, pared-down releases that are planned for the anniversary, as well as the low-down on the box set's DVD!
The Super Deluxe Edition's DVD will include all four of the official Nevermind videos, as well as the Halloween concert. That concert performance was transferred from 16mm film and multi-track audio and is the only known Nirvana concert shot to film. It will be available in 1080p high definition with uncompressed 5.1 surround sound.
Don't need that DVD and all of the bells and whistles? Following precedent (Derek and the Dominos' Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, Legacy's upcoming Elvis Presley box Young Man with a Big Beat, etc.), a 2-CD Deluxe Edition will arrive on the same day for those more budget-conscious collectors. The 2-CD version's 40 tracks encompass the remastered original album, the B-sides, the Smart Studios demos, the two BBC tracks and the "Boombox" recordings. This same track line-up will also be available on a 4-LP set pressed on 180-gram audiophile-quality vinyl.
Nevermind: 20th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition (Geffen/UMe, 2011)
Disc 1: Original LP and B-sides
- Smells Like Teen Spirit
- In Bloom
- Come As You Are
- Breed
- Lithium
- Polly
- Territorial Pissings
- Drain You
- Lounge Act
- Stay Away
- On a Plain
- Something in the Way
- Even in His Youth
- Aneurysm
- Curmudgeon
- D-7 (John Peel Session - 10/21/1990)
- Been a Son (Live @ the Paramount Theatre, Seattle - 10/31/1991)
- School (Live @ the Paramount Theatre, Seattle - 10/31/1991)
- Drain You (Live @ the Paramount Theatre, Seattle - 10/31/1991)
- Sliver (Live @ O'Brien Pavillion, Del Mar, CA - 12/28/1991)
- Polly (Live @ O'Brien Pavillion, Del Mar, CA - 12/28/1991)
Disc 2: The Smart Studio Sessions (Tracks 1-8), The Boombox Rehearsals (Tracks 9-16) and BBC Sessions (Tracks 17-18)
- In Bloom *
- Immodium (Breed) *
- Lithium *
- Polly *
- Pay to Play
- Here She Comes Now
- Dive *
- Sappy *
- Smells Like Teen Spirit
- Verse Chorus Verse *
- Territorial Pissings *
- Lounge Act *
- Come As You Are
- Old Age *
- Something in the Way *
- On a Plain *
- Drain You (John Peel Session - 9/3/1991) *
- Something in the Way (Mark Goodier Session - 11/9/1991) *
Disc 3: The Devonshire Mixes
- Smells Like Teen Spirit *
- In Bloom *
- Come As You Are *
- Breed
- Lithium *
- Territorial Pissings *
- Drain You *
- Lounge Act *
- Stay Away *
- On a Plain *
- Something in the Way *
Disc 4: Live at the Paramount Theatre, Seattle - 10/31/1991 *
- Jesus Doesn’t Want Me for a Sunbeam
- Aneurysm
- Drain You
- School
- Floyd the Barber
- Smells Like Teen Spirit
- About a Girl
- Polly
- Breed
- Sliver
- Love Buzz
- Lithium
- Been a Son
- Negative Creep
- On a Plain
- Blew
- Rape Me
- Territorial Pissings
- Endless, Nameless
DVD: Live at The Paramount Theatre, Seattle - 10/31/1991 (track list identical to Disc 4) * and music videos ("Smells Like Teen Spirit," "Come As You Are," "Lithium," "In Bloom")
Disc 1, Tracks 1-12 released as DGC LP 24425, 1991
Disc 1, Tracks 13-14 released as B-sides to "Smells Like Teen Spirit" CD single (DGC DGCDS-21673, 1991)
Disc 1, Tracks 15-17 released as B-sides to "Lithium" (DGC DGCDT 9 (U.K.), 1992)
Disc 1, Tracks 18-19 released as B-sides to "Come As You Are" (DGC DGCDS-21707, 1992)
Disc 1, Tracks 20-21 released as B-sides to "In Bloom" (DGC GFSTD 34 (U.K.), 1992)
Disc 2, Tracks 5-6 and 9 and Disc 3, Track 4 released on With the Lights Out (Geffen B0003727-00, 2004)
Disc 2, Track 13 released on Sliver: The Best of the Box (Geffen B0005617-02, 2005)
The Weekend Stream Extra: A Guide to 'MTV Unplugged' on Paramount+ (Part 2)
Release Round-Up: Week of October 27
Heart-Shaped Box: Nirvana's "In Utero" Returns in 30th Anniversary Box Set Editions
Release Round-Up: Week of November 12
They'll probably do one for "In Utero" before too long. Hopefully, it will have the original Albini mixes.
The video portion of this set must be a Blu-ray Disc. DVD doesn't support 1080p video.
This sounds fantastic, although I hope there isn't too much overlap between this and WTLO (and to go along with plasket, I'd probably be even more anxious for a super deluxe In Utero in two years).
The Butch Vig mix of "Breed" is amazing so I can't wait to hear the rest of it. All in all, really looking forward to this release. I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that the set will be reissued with the concert on Blu-Ray down the line--wouldn't be surprised to see if that version is limited to Best Buy initially before receiving a wide release. I'm still a DVD man so as long as that's available, and I don't doubt that it would be, I'm set.
I hate the 'limited edition' thing.
Too bad if you really want it but already have Pink Floyd and other impending releases on order.
why put 3 songs double on it? (b-sides and part of live gig)
and more importantly: why not put the only Nevermind studio sessions outtake that is known to have been recorded but doesn't circulate on it?!?! Sappy was recorded (see http://www.livenirvana.com/bootography, where this can be found:
“The arrangement we did [of Sappy] at Sound City was very close to the Smart version,” says Vig. Cobain played lead guitar while attempting to sing one live scratch vocal and one formal vocal pass. After overdubbing the lead fuzz guitar with his Rat pedal, Cobain laid down his guitar and walked straight into the control room. “I don't want to do this,” he insisted. “I'm not into this song right now. So let's leave it.” The song is in a different key to that of previously recorded versions, it opens without instrumental intro and features a few lyrical changes, the guitar solo is also subtly different.)
also the january first 1991 session could have easily fitted after the Devonshire mixes.
for the rest, nice tracklist 🙂
Yeah, that's a bummer about "Sappy" and the overlapping B-sides (although at least it seems that the complete concert will be represented, whereas the Live at Reading CD had to cut out "Love Buzz" for time). Since the first two discs will be available outside the super-deluxe, it's kind of a bummer that disc 3 is comparatively short on content (although the Vig mixes are probably the biggest draw of the package for me). But at least the set isn't padded with material from With the Lights Out.
Also, what about "Endless, Nameless"? The B-side version is longer than the hidden track version IIRC, and we definitely don't need the silence and/or it being on the same track #12 as "Something in the Way." All in all though I'm very happy with this...seems like it'll be an incredible set.
BTW, the Devonshire mix of "Breed" was previously released on With the Lights Out as well.
Ok, a quick Wiki check shows that I was wrong about "Endless, Nameless" being longer as a B-side...still, I really wish they didn't feel a need to keep it on the same track as "Something in the Way" (assuming EN is represented in the first place).
I had no idea that Rape ME dated abck that far.
I am speechless about how disappointing this is!
The only tracks that has not been released or easily found on bootlegs are the Butch Vig mixes (not including "Breed" which was on WTLO) and some of the Boombox Rehearsals. A lot of already released material! If they are going to duplicate material on the 20th aniv. set and WTLO, why not at least include "Old Age" and "Verse Chorus Verse." At least it would have gave the illusion of the complete Nevermind sessions. Speaking of having the complete sessions, why is the Nevermind version of "Sappy" not included. Why isn't the alt. take of "Lounge Act" (which is only available on the WTO DVD) not on here. And what about other alt. takes from the session and the rumored "Song In D"!
I know that the first two disc represents the cheap version, so most people won't get the bonus live disc, but to have two versions of "School" and "Drain You" from the same concert on Disc 1 and Disc 4 is just wrong!
Why can't they get these anniversary/special deluxe releases right? My only hope is that someday Rhino will release a version of the Nevermind session like they released the Stooges' Fun House sessions.
Guess I will have to wait until the 50th anniversary...
Take this for what it is (a random first post on a message board)...but someone at a Nirvana board is claiming that this is not the full tracklist. I normally wouldn't put much stock into this but he also uploaded the Devonshire mix of "Territorial Pissings," which is pretty curious considering that I read the only promo was the 2-CD version.
http://soundofdentage.zsuatt.com/forums/index.php?s=605f61555bbb3ed4a0b347ecbcf6e4fc&showtopic=11836&st=0&p=159438&#entry159438
FWIW...the first time "Sappy" was released, it was (at Kurt's insistence) an unlisted bonus track on the No Alternative compilation. Perhaps that's the case here as well? I can dream.