LIVE NIRVANA SESSIONS HISTORY September 25, 1990 - KAOS Radio, The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA, US View in Google Maps

  • Kurt Cobain (vocals, guitar)
  • Calvin Johnson (backing vocals)
  • Calvin Johnson (producer, host)
  • [O] Opinion part of
  • [O] Opinion
  • [U] Lithium part of
  • [O] Lithium
  • [U] Dumb
  • [O] Been A Son
  • [X] D-7 duet with Calvin Johnson
  • [X] Polly
  • 1990-09-25, KAOS-FM Olympia Community Radio, Boy Meets Girl
Source ID Quality Complete Runtime Lowest Gen Tracks Featured Notes
SBD #1a 8.0 0:04:40 FM>ANA(2)>FLAC
  • Opinion
  • Lithium
  • Features some banter between Cobain and Calvin Johnson. Lithium cuts out halfway through.
SBD #1b 8.5 0:04:35 Official CD (With The Lights Out)
  • Opinion
  • Lithium
  • Been A Son
  • Been A Son fades out halfway through.
SBD #1c 8.5 0:08:59 TBC>FLAC
  • Opinion
  • Lithium
  • Dumb
  • Been A Son
  • Been A Son fades out halfway through.

In June 2002, whilst on their US tour, the owners of this website chatted to Calvin Johnson backstage at a K-Records showcase in New York City. After the show they asked Johnson some questions about this much sought-after radio session, recorded for his Boy Meets Girl radio program.

When asked which other songs were recorded besides Opinion (a song Johnson unsurprisingly did not recall) and Lithium, Johnson confirmed that D-7 and Polly were aired. Whilst he could not remember precisely which other songs were played, he insisted that eight songs were aired in total because this was the format his show took (four songs/interview/four songs/interview). Johnson was surprised that the complete session had not surfaced among collectors and lamented this on account of a duet he performed with Cobain on D-7 which he remembers as being rather good. Johnson insisted that his tape of the session was blank but thought that someone had to have a copy. (1)

However, independent LN research reveals that KAOS are indeed in possession of a tape of this broadcast, but for obvious reasons they do not wish to be hounded and therefore deny its existence.

Cobain intended this session to be a showcase for some new material; indeed, Dumb was also debuted at this session. (2) The song was penned in summer 1990, just before NIRVANA signed with Geffen. Cobain also wrote Pennyroyal Tea in winter of 1990, after the band signed. During the interview segments, Cobain announced live on air that Dave Grohl was to be the band's new drummer and that he had not yet informed Bruce Pavitt (Sub Pop co-founder). (2)

  1. Johnson, Calvin, 2002. Personal communication with Adam Andrews & Charles Furth.
  2. Azerrad, Michael, 1993. Come As You Are: The Story Of Nirvana. Doubleday.

© Alex Roberts. Last modified: August 28 2022