DAY-BY-DAY HISTORY: 1992

January
? - 'Hormoaning' EP is released in Japan and Australia to support upcoming Pacific Rim tour.

2 - Salem, OR, Salem Armory.

3 - Seattle, WA, Seattle Centre Arena (cancelled).

4 - Vancouver, BC, Canada, Pacific Nationale Exhibition Forum (cancelled).

7 - 'Nirvana' turn down an invitation from 'Guns 'N' Roses' to tour with them. Kurt later also refuses to play at Axl's 30th birthday party. In an article run by the 'Advocate' in February 1993 he later explained: "I can't even waste my time on that band, because they're so obviously pathetic and untalented ... They're really talentless people, and they write crap music, and they're the most popular rock band on the earth right now. I can't believe it".

7 - Nevermind goes 2x Platinum.

9 - Rehearse for SNL in the afternoon (HTH).

10 - New York, NY, MTV Studios (120 Minutes). NIRVANA record for just 35 minutes instead of the proposed full hour for their appearance on '120 Minutes'. Mark Kates takes photographs during the show and it is directed by Milton Lage. After the show Cobain leaves the studios and goes to the New York museum of modern Art (HTH). Krist and Dave, on the other hand, are interviewed by Kurt St. Thomas (who had been present at the taping of show that day) in the Righa Royal Hotel in New York for the interview CD 'Nevermind, It's An Interview'. Earlier in the day Kurt and Courtney had been interviewed for SASSY magazine by Christina Kelly (HTH).

11 - New York, NY, NBS Studios (Saturday Night Live). The band trashes their equipment as their finale. In the original live broadcast Krist and Kurt also French-kissed in the closing credits, which has been edited out of all future broadcasts. 'Nevermind' goes to #1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart (selling around 300,000 units a week) after knocking Michael Jackson's 'Dangerous' off the top spot. 'Nevermind' also reaches number one in Belgium, Canada, France, Ireland, Israel and Spain. Everywhere else it entered the top 3 (except Italy, Japan and the UK). In the afternoon 'weird Al Yankovik' had called up Kurt and asked if he could do the parody 'Smells Like Nirvana'. Kurt agreed as he was a big fan of Al. The band does a photo shoot with Michael Lavine on this day before the SNL taping and Kurt falls asleep a few times during the shoot. It was a particularly tense day because the effects of Kurt's heroin use were now becoming obvious to all involved (CAYA, p.241). After the show, late into the night, Cobain was interviewed at the Omni Park Central Hotelin New York for his part in the 'Nevermind, It's An Interview' CD by Kurt St. Thomas (who had also attended the taping of that days SNL perfomance), giving one of his longiest and liveliest interviews ever.

12 - Kurt and Courtney do another shoot with Michael Lavine for their cover-story in Sassy.

12 - Kurt OD's in the Omni hotel @ 7AM after taking china white heroin (HTH).

? - Returning from New York Kurt and Courtney move into their new home on Spaulding Avenue in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles.

15 - Seattle, WA, Crocodile Café (as 'Melvana', with Buzz Osbourne on guitar and vocals, Dave Grohl on drums and Krist on bass). Charles Petersen is present and takes photographs.

? - Courtney discovers that she is pregnant. Unclear if this is before of after Nirvana's SNL appearance. Kurt originally assumed that an abortion would be necessary because of their previous drug use. They consult a teratogenic, who told them that the baby would not affect the baby, especially if the heroin use did not exceed the first trimester (CAYA, p.244). She and Kurt go into detox (checking into a Holiday Inn and taking drugs prescribed by their doctor) before Kurt leaves for 'Nirvana's' Pacific Rim tour.

21 - The video for 'Come As You Are' is made. Directed by Kevin Kerslake, who Kurt chose specifically after the unpleasant experience of working with Bayer on the 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' video. Kurt had few ideas for the video, leaving Kerslake to conceptualise it. Kurt did insist though that their faces be obscured. It was Kerslake's idea to use projections of the band members in the background of many shots. Most of the footage for this was shot in a park in the Hollywood Hills a few days before the main shoot. It is Kurt swinging on the chandelier, which he did for about an hour, resting on a ladder between takes. The band is very active at the editing stage, deciding to cut a lot of the "goofy" footage shot for the projections, favouring the "more ethereal stuff". Dave and Krist had not seen Kurt up until this point and had heard through the grapevine that he was detoxing (CAYA, p.246-47).

22 - 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' goes Gold.

24 - Sydney, Australia, Phoenician Club. 'Nirvana' were supported by 'Tumbleweed' and 'The Meanies'. This is the start of the Pacific Rim tour, which included Australia, Japan and Hawaii. The Australian tour promoter was Steve Pavlovic, the publicist Mandy Barron and the tour manager was Alex Macleod.

25 - Sydney, Australia, Hordern Pavilion (Big Day Out Festival).

26 - Gold Coast, Australia, Fisherman's Wharf.

27 - Brisbane, Australia, Brisbane Festival Hall. This show was cut short because of Kurt's ill-health (stomach problems). John Silva (their manager) contacts everybody connected with the band telling them not to talk to Britt Collins and Victoria Clarke regarding the book that they are writing.

28 - Melbourne, Australia, Metro.

29 - Freemantle, Perth, Australia, Metropolis (cancelled due to Kurt's ill health).

30 - Adelaide, Australia, Thebarton Theatre (moved from the Old Lion).

31 - Melbourne, Australia, Palace.

February
? - 'Nevermind' reaches #7 in the UK charts, its highest position in the UK chart.

1 - Melbourne, Australia, Palace (all ages show). Recorded in its entirety by JJJ Radio. 'Nevermind' goes to #1 on the Billboard chart for the second time, having fell to #4.

2 - Melbourne, Australia, The Palace.

3 - Nevermind goes 3x Platinum.

4 - Sydney, Australia, Dee Why Hotel. This show was cancelled. It was just pencilled in and replaced by two shows at Selina's Coogee Bay Hotel instead on the 6th and 7th. February.

5 - Canberra, Australia, ANU Bar.

6 - Sydney, Australia, Selina's Coogee Bay Hotel.

7 - Sydney, Australia, Selina's, Coogee Bay Hotel. Supported by 'Nunbait', 'Crow', and 'Cosmic Psychos'.

12 - Auckland, New Zealand, Logan Campbell Centre.

13 - Singapore. For a day of press. Met by some 250 screaming fans at the airport, with the label having printed Nirvana's arrival time (CAYA, p.250).

14 - Osaka, Japan, Kokusai Koryu Centre (first of 4 Japanese dates). The band meets up with 'Shonen Knife' and are interviewed together for 'Rapido', the BBC 2 UK TV programme. Courtney joins the band for the Japanese and Hawaiian legs.

16 - Nagoya, Japan, Club Quattro.

17 - Kawasaki, Japan, Club Citta.

19 - Tokyo, Japan, Nakano Sunplaza.

21 - Honolulu, HI, Pink's Garage.

22 - Honolulu, HI, Pink's Garage.

24 - Kurt and Courtney get married in Waikiki, Hawaii on a cliff overlooking the beach. Kurt wears flannel pyjamas and Courtney wears an antique lace dress that once belonged to the actress Frances Farmer. Everyone wore leis. Chris and Shelli are not invited, when Kurt had announced Krist didn't want anyone at the wedding that didn't approve (meaning Krist's wife, Shelli), which meant he didn't go either. Dylan Carlson is the best man. Also present were Dave Grohl, Alex Macleod, Nick Close (guitar technician), Ian Beveridge (the soundman) and Dylan's girlfriend. A brief ceremony performed by a female non-demoninational minister. Kurt cried, Courtney did not. At Courtney's demand a prenuptial agreement had already been worked out by this point (CAYA, p.251-52).

March
2 - 'Come As You Are' single is released in the UK. Import versions contain 'Endless, Nameless', from the Nevermind sessions, but a slightly different mix to the version on the album. The live tracks on the single were drawn from the October 30 1991 appearance at Seattle's Paramount Theatre.

3 - 'Come As You Are Single' is released in the US.

? - Tori Amos releases her version of 'Teen Spirit'.

? - Disruption over royalties between Kurt and the band.

April
? - The censorship board in Washington state decides to ban 'Nevermind' for being erotic. Chris goes on a protest march. CAYA (p.180) also notes an incident in which a city code enforcement offer allegedly advsed the Wild Planet record store in Ventura, California to cover up the picture of the baby's penis on a display poter, which they did with a pink post-it.

? - The band go into Barrett Jones Laundry Room Studios in Seattle and record (at least) 'Return Of The Rat', 'Oh, The Guilt' and 'Curmudgeon'.

? - A tour is scheduled and posters are printed stating the following areas: Los Angeles, Hollywood, Hartford, Las Vegas, Memphis, Seattle, Boston, New York City, San Francisco, Nashville and Cleveland.

4 - 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' goes Platinum.

10 - Phoenix, AZ, Compadre Stadium (cancelled).

11 - Tuscon, AZ, Fairgrounds (cancelled).

12 - Salt Lake City, UT, The Galleria (cancelled).

13 - Boulder, CO, CU Fieldhouse (cancelled).

15 - Kansas City , MO, Memorial Hall (cancelled).

17 - Austin, TX, Coliseum (cancelled).

18 - Houston, TX, The Unicorn (cancelled).

19 - Dallas, TX, Starplex Amphitheatre (cancelled).

21 - Atlanta, GA, Georgia State Gymnasium (cancelled).

22 - Charlotte, NC, Grady Cole Centre (cancelled).

24 - Washington, DC, Smith Centre (cancelled).

25 - New York, Roseland Ballroom, or the Ritz (cancelled).

26 - New York, Roseland Ballroom, or the Ritz (cancelled).

28 - Waltham, MA, Brandeis Gym (cancelled).

29 - Toronto, Canada, Concert Hall (cancelled).

May
? - Nirvana's first Westwood One 'In Concert' appearance is distributed to radio stations.

1 - Detroit, MI, Clubland (cancelled).

2 - Akron, OH, James A Rhodes Arena (cancelled).

3 - Chicago, IL, Aragon Ballroom (cancelled).

5 - Omaha, NE, Ak-Sar-Ben Coliseum (cancelled).

8 - Vancouver, BC, Canada, Pacific Nationale Exhibition Forum (cancelled).

9 - Seattle, WA, Arena, or the Pier (cancelled).

10 - Seattle, WA, Arena, or the Pier (cancelled).

June
? - Kurt is interviewed in his LA apartment by Everett True for 'Melody Maker'.

? - Start of European two-week tour to make-up for dates cancelled in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scandinavia cancelled in the previous December. Gigs in France and Spain were also scheduled.

12 - Nevermind goes 4x Platinum.

20 - 'Return of the Rat' is released on 'Eight Songs for Greg Sage and the Wipers' on 'T/K Records'.

21 - Dublin, Ireland, Point Depot.

22 - Belfast, Ireland, Northern Ireland King's Hall.

23 - Kurt collapses at breakfast and has convulsions. He is rushed to Belfast Royal Victoria hospital with abdominal pains. The press release states that this was due to an ulcer and in connection with Kurt's love of junk food. However, someone leaked it to the press that Kurt had OD'ed. It later transpires that it was neither, but due to methadone withdrawal, with Kurt having forgotten to take his methadone the night before and being too sick that morning to take it. So he went to hospital to get some morphine (CAYA, p.260).

24 - Paris, France, Le Zenith. By this point Gold Mountain had hired some minders to watch Kurt, with the rumours being believed that he had overdosed in Ireland.

26 - Roskilde, Denmark, Roskilde Festival.

27 - Turku, Finland, Ruisrock Festival.

28 - Oslo, Norway, Kalvoya Festival. Steve Gullick takes photographs of the band playing the gig.

29 - In the morning the band fly to Copenhagen. Steve Gullick photographs Krist and Dave in their hotel. Later in the day, at the festival site, Steve Gullick takes photos of the whole band.

30 - Stockholm, Sweden, Sjohistoriska Museum. Dave and Chris are interviewed in their hotel prior to the gig by Everett True.

July
2 - Valencia, Spain, Plaza de Toros de Valencia.

3 - Madrid, Spain, Palacio de los Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid. The band is interviewed by Keith Cameron for 'NME'. It was the story that Cameron subsequently wrote from this interview which led to his irreparable falling-out with the band. The article, published to coincide with Nirvana's Reading appearance, slammed the band: "From nobodies to superstars to fuck-ups in the space of six months! That had to be a record". He described the band as having become what they had always hated, self-indulgent rock stars who missed soundchecks, refused interviews and photographs and took drugs. He also ran through all the past and current drugs rumours and slammed Courtney, holding her responsible for the band being on the verge of breaking-up.

4 - Bilboa, Spain, Pabellon de la Casilla de Bilbao (was this show cancelled?).

5 - San Sebestain, Spain, Velodromo de Anoeta (cancelled due to illness on Kurt's part). Courtney has some complications involved with her pregnancy and is admitted to hospital in Bilbao. It is believed that she has damaged her womb and has to stay in hospital for five days, but she returns to the States with the band. The 'Nirvana' tour is cut short.

6 - Courtney is taken to hospital in Los Angeles upon their return.

? - On their return to Los Angeles, Kurt and Courtney find that their bathroom has flooded. Kurt had left all his valuables in the bathroom, thinking that a burglar wouldn't look there. 2 guitars, 2 tapes that had all of his demoed guitar parts on, poetry books and lyrics for the new songs stored in the bath were all ruined. They move to an apartment in the Holy Hills, near the Hollywood Bowl. Kurt started writing again (CAYA, p.262). Another 'Nirvana', this time the 60's British band, try to sue Nirvana over the use of the name. The fact that the British band had waited two years to bring the case since Nirvana had become popular in the UK meant it was dropped.

? - The week after they arrive back from Europe Kurt tells Everett True of 'Melody Maker' that the band would be in the studio recording tracks for the new LP if Chris wasn't away in Greece.

18 - 'Melody Maker' runs a story about Chris adding his support to the anti-erotic music bill lobby. A bill that was passed in June, that would prevent anyone under the age of 18 from buying records considered "erotic".

20 - 'Lithium' single is released in the UK. Import versions contain 'D-7' from the October 1990 Peel session. The two live tracks on the single come from their October 30 1991 appearance at Seattle's Paramount Theatre. The single contains all the lyrics to songs on 'Nevermind' and a sonogram of the soon to be born Frances Bean Cobain. Her middle name, 'Bean', comes from the fact that she looks like a bean in this sonogram.

21 - 'Lithium' single is released in the US.

? - Shortly after the release of the single the video is aired. The video is a montage of footage from Nirvana's 10/31/91 homecoming show and from the video '1991: The Year Punk Broke'. Kerslake uses the clever technique of using the more violent scenes (where the band is trashing their gear) for the quiet parts and vice versa. Originally Kurt had played something much more ambitious, but CAYA speculates that due to Kurt's drug habit at this time he was perhaps not up to conceptualising a video: "Kerslake says it was to be an animated film about a girl named Prego who lines in a house in a forest. One day she finds a big pile of eggs close to a king's castle. By that time, all the eggs but one have cracked and she takes that egg and carries it up to the king's throne and places in on a large book that's on his lap. He's asleep, but when he wakes, he opens his legs and the book slides between them and closes on the egg. When Kurt and Kerslake discovered that the animation would take four months to do, they went with easily produced live collage" (CAYA, p.259).

25 - 'Melody Maker' runs a story saying that Kurt is working on a solo project with a musician called Robin from a Seattle band called 'Sybil'.

? - 'Hole' sign with DGC for $1 million (that's more than Nirvana got).

August
? - The 'Vanity Fair' article is published.

? - The band were being sued by 'Killing Joke' over the bass line in 'Come As You Are'. 'Killing Joke' bassist, Paul Raven, claimed it was directly copied from their 1985 hit 'Eighties'. Papers were filed in Los Angeles. Krist went to court on behalf of the band. The case was later dismissed.

4 - Kurt checks into Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles to start a 25-day detox. By this stage his heroin habit had reached a $400 a day climax (this was the most his cash card would dispense on a single day). CAYA, p.263: "I ended up doing a hundred-dollar shot in one shot and not even feeling it, hardly. I was just filling up the syringe as far as it could go without pulling the end off. At that point, it was like, why do it?". Hole's Eric Erlandson visited both Kurt and Courtney throughout this time providing support. In gratitude Kurt and Courtney put him in their will. Dave and Chris visit after the early stages of his treatment. They agree to play a benefit in Oregan (against homophobia), a homecoming in show in Seattle (to benefit the anticensorship Washington Music Industry Coalition) and attend the MTV Music Video Awards (CAYA, p.264).

18 - Frances Bean Cobain is born at 7.48am at Los Angeles Cedars Sina Hospital. The EWC was 08/08/92. She was named after Francis McKee, a member of the Vaselines and not Frances Farmer. If the baby had been a boy they were going to call him Eugene, after Eugene Kelly. She weighed 7lb 1oz. Kurt was in the same hospital, detoxing. He was present at the birth, but didn't see the birth of his daughter because he passed out! (CAYA, p.269). A few days later a press release is issued stating that the baby is in perfect health.

22 - Portland, OR, Portland Meadows (cancelled). Re-scheduled for 09/10/92.

23 - Seattle, WA, Seattle Centre Coliseum (cancelled). The gig is cancelled at the last minute (and re-scheduled for 09/11/92) even though it had sold out it's 15,000 capacity. It is believed that they pulled out because of the 'Vanity Fair' article on Courtney.

27 - The 'Sun' newspaper in the UK runs a story claiming that Frances Bean has been born a drug addict.

30 - Reading, Berkshire, UK, Reading Festival. 'Nirvana' headline after much speculation that they either wouldn't show or wouldn't play. British papers were alleging that the band were about to split because of Kurt's drug use. Kurt strenuously denies this: "No, it was the classic, typical English journalism. Sensationalism. I have absolutely no respect for the English people. They make me sick. I thought I'd never say anything racist in my life, but those people are the most snooty, cocksure, anal people and they have absolutely no regard for people's emotions. They don't think of other humans at all. They're the coldest people I've ever met" (CAYA, p.271). Kurt had organised the bill for the day, refusing to play if the bands he wanted on were excluded. The day's bill included the 'Melvins', 'Screaming Trees', 'L7', 'Mudhoney', 'Eugenius', 'Pavement', Nick Cave and the 'Bad Seeds'. Nirvana play for 90 minutes, giving what is often regarded as their greatest performance. Kurt comes onto the stage in a wheelchair and surgical smock, mocking the rumours about his ill-health. Charles Petersen was present taking photos and in Gaar's 1997 Goldmine article he recalls: "I was the only photographer that got to sit on the stage the whole time. Just to sit there and have Nirvana playing in front of you on this mammoth mammoth stage, and to my left was 50,000 people all singing alone ... it was unbelievable. It sent shivers up my spine the whole time. Sometimes I just had to drop the camera and just sort of take it all in". At the after-show party at the Ramada hotel Kurt confronts Keith Cameron for his recent unflattering piece and Eric Erlandson pours a drink over him. Cameron maintains that he was sad to have to write the piece he did, as Nirvana was a band which, until his encounter with them in Spain, he had respected immensely.

September
1 - 'Bleach' is re-issued through 'Geffen'. Cassettes now feature the 7" version of 'Big Cheese' and the CD's also contain 'Downer' from the 1/23/88 session.

? - Following the Vanity Fair article in the September issue (alleging that Courtney took heroin after she knew she was pregnant, that she had "a train-wreck personality ... [and] isn't particularly interested in the consequences of her actions" and that various "inside sources" feared for the baby's well-being) Kurt and Courtney appear in front of the family court. Frances Bean is placed in care with Courtney's sister Jamie for one month, based on the Vanity Fair article and urine tests of the couple. For a month after this they were not allowed to be alone with their baby. Kurt is ordered to detox for 30 days. Courtney strongly denies that she took drugs when she knew she was pregnant.

7 - Rehearsing at the studio for the MTV Music Video Awards.

8 - Los Angeles, CA, UCLA's Pauley Pavilion (MTV Music Video Awards). Win two awards: best new artist and best alternative music video. Krist and Dave are interviewed for MTV before the show. The band was originally told that they could play any song they wanted. At the rehearsal the day before Nirvana played 'Rape Me' and 'New Poopy' (probably tourette's). On the day of the awards, however, MTV demanded that they play 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'. The band was originally not going to play but feared the repercussions of this on similar bands and their friends at the station. MTV then said they could either play 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' or 'Lithium'. About this Kurt has said, "We didn't want to fuck everything up for everyone so we decided to play 'Lithium'. Instead of bowing out and keeping our dignity, we decided to get fucked in the ass. It would have hurt them if we had actually gone through with it" (CAYA, p.277). But Kurt gets his own back by playing the opening of 'Rape Me' to scare all the executives (which has been edited out of re-runs of Nirvana's MTV VMA appearance). MTV were about to cut to commercials just before the band launched into 'Lithium'. At the end of the performance Kris tosses his bass guitar into the air and on its descent smacks him square on the face and he runs off stage. There was some initial concern about him when he couldn't be found. Alex Macleod eventually found him in the ready room, nursing his head with ice, drinking champagne and talking to Brian May! Dave and Kurt then proceed to destroy the set. After the performance of 'Lithium' it was time to collect the awards. Kurt had the first award collected by a Michael Jackson impersonator because the band didn't want to collect the award for 'Best Alternative Music Video'. The impersonator improvised a speech to the confusion of the audience, but it was Kurt's idea that he introduce himself as "the King of Grunge". Kurt later explained the concept behind it as follows: "I wanted it to be used as a reminder that I'm dealing with the same thing. All rock stars have to deal with it. It's the fault of the fans and the media" (CAYA, p.277). Kurt, however, was persuaded to accept the second award: "I was just kind of nervous up there. When we played, I didn't look out into the audience and realise how big it was. And once I got up there, I realised millions of people are watching and it's a really big place and these lights are really bright and I didn't want to be here, this is really stupid. I just wanted to leave right away" (CAYA, p.278). Kurt thanks the label, his friends, family and "true fans". Kurt closed making his point: "You know, it's really hard to believe everything you read". After the show the infamous 'Axl Rose incident' occurs when Axl threatens to beat Kurt up for not keeping his wife in order when they met backstage and she had asked him to be the godfather of their child. Kurt jokingly says to Courtney, as instucted by Axl, "Shut up, bitch!". When the band returned to their trailer they found themselves confronted by the Guns 'N' Rose entourage. Kurt checked Frances, leaving Krist surrounded to face the music (with Duff McKagen personally wanting to lay into Krist). Crowds began to gather and the situation dissolved with noone coming to any harm (CAYA, p.280).

10 - Portland, OR, Portland Meadows (No On 9 Benefit). They donate $25,000 to the Washington Music Industry Coalition, an anti-censorship group (erotic music bill). It was Nirvana's largest show in the city so far. Alice Wheeler, in Gaar's 1997 Goldmine article recalls, "It was really weird to see somebody that you know up on this huge stage. I felt really bad for Kurt. It seemed like he looked really lost up there". During the show Kurt explains to the crowd the 'Axl Rose Incident'.

11 - Seattle, WA, Coliseum Arena (WMIC Benefit). Charles Petersen takes photos. Kurt's dad shows up uninvited with his son (Kurt's half-brother), Chad. He got into the gig by showing his driving licence. He asked to go backstage but nobody got back to him. Eventually he found the room in which the after-show party was taking place. Kurt introduced him to his wife and daughter. Don had not seen his son up until this point for seven years (CAYA, p.281-82). Victoria Clarke is barred from the gig after having interviewed Lynn Hirschberg for an unauthorised book on Nirvana that she was researching with Britt Collins.

? - Stephen Sweet takes photographs of Kurt, Courtney and Frances Bean (with 'Diet Grrrl' written across her stomach) at their home in Hollywood.

21 - The 'LA Times' runs an interview with Kurt done by Robert Hilburn. This is the first interview he's done since Frances Bean was born. The interview takes place at their home in Hollywood. The subject centres around rumours of Kurt's continued drug use, which he denies vehemently. He stated that he had done heroin for a few weeks earlier in the year, but gone into rehab and was now on the straight and narrow. He made his feelings about the press clear: "The biggest thing that affected me was all the insane rumours ... all this speculation going on. I felt totally violated. I never realised that my private life would be such an issue".

26 - Valancia, CA, Castaic Lake Natural Amphitheater. Kurt sings the Leadbelly cover 'Where Did You Sleep Last Night' (solo), before 'Mudhoney' play and plays 'The Money Will Roll Right In', with Kurt accompanying on guitar during their encore.

October
? - Another Westwood One 'In Concert' CD featuring Nirvana is released to radio stations.

3 - Bellingham, WA, Carver Gymnasium, Western Washington University (secret gig supporting 'Mudhoney'). They supposedly play some really old songs like 'Mexican Seafood' and also 'Drain You', 'Jesus Don't Want Me For A Sunbeam', 'School', 'Stain', 'Dumb', 'On A Plain', 'Endless, Nameless' and 'The Money Will Roll Right In'. Charles Petersen is present and takes photos and recalls, from Gaar's Goldmine piece: "It was good, really good. My memory of it is there were all these student photographers down in the pit, and there was this one guy, he's got his camera, and he's dancing around, but he's right in front of where Kurt is. I'm like, 'If you're not going to take pictures, get out of the way'. And he was like, 'I've only got this one shot left and I'm waiting for the destruction'. And the brilliant thing was, that night, they didn't destroy their instruments. These two seven year old kids came on the stage. And Kurt draped his guitar around one of them, and Chris draped his guitar around the other kid's neck. And everyone was like 'Smash it! Smash it!'. And somehow this kid hauled Krist's guitar over his head and smashed in onto the stage. And Alex, their tour managed, is just back there with his head in his hands, 'cause Chris never really smashed his basses. It was great. It was the perfect ending to it". These were the last live shows Petersen shot. The band are interviewed for 'Spin Magazine' by Pleasant Gehman. The band was originally scheduled to play in Finsbury Park in London, but the gig was never confirmed, so they did not ever intend to play.

4 - Seattle, WA, Crocodile Cafe (secret gig supporting 'Mudhoney'). About the show Gaar in her 1997 Goldmine article says: "... the band was clearly relaxed, enjoying the chance to return to their roots, however fleetingly. For its part, the audience stood in awed appreciation, barely able to mosh". During the 'Mudhoney' set Kurt stagedives into the audience. When he gets back on stage Krist gives him his guitar and he jams with 'Mudhoney' on some punk covers. Charles Petersen was present and took photos.

6 - Krist goes to see Metallica and Guns N Roses in Seattle at the Kingdome.

26 - Word of Mouth Studios, Seattle, WA (formerly Reciprocal Studios). The band record some 8-track demos with Jack Endino consisting of songs for the forthcoming 'In Utero' album. They do 6 songs, all of the tracks are instrumental with the exception of 'Rape Me'. The session lasts two days. No cassette copies were made. One of the other tracks was 'tourettes'. Also believed to have been recorded were 'Dumb', 'Heart-Shaped Box', 'Pennyroyal Tea' and 'Scentless Apprentice'.

? - After previous attempts at compromise fail Kurt and Courtney leave threatening messages on Victoria Clarke's answerphone due to a book she was about to co-publish wit Britt Collins, which threatened to reveal the dark side of their lives. Kurt and Courtney allege that they had obtained interviews by claiming that it was an official biography and by Collins saying she had slept with Dave Grohl. Gold Mountain asked for people not to participate in the interviews. Kurt and Courtney leave a series of messages on Clarke's answerphone begging her not to publish the book, offering a bribe and even threatening to have her killed. Kurt later explained his actions to Michael Azerrad: "I don't enjoy people fucking with my family and carrying on the tradition of lies and slander. I don't deserve it. No one deserves it. We've been scapegoated more than any fucking band I can think of in the history of rock, to my knowledge. People fuck with us and they want dirt and they want to lie about us and I just don't understand it. I've never really tried to do anything scandalous in my life. When people unnecessarily fuck with me, I just can't help but want to beat them to death ... I'm a firm believer in revenge ... I wouldn't hesitate and if I ever do see [Clarke or Collins]in public, I'm going to beat the fucking shit out of either of them. If they can get away with doing that much damage to me and my family, then I can sit in jail for a few months for battery" (CAYA, p.289). Victoria Clarke was so alarmed at the messages that she immediately leaves Seattle. She calls the police from Los Angeles. Nothing came of the incident, but the book was toned down.

28 - Los Angeles, CA, The Palace.

29 - Buenos Aires, Argentina. According to the linear notes of the bootleg 'A Higher State of Mind': "After an 18-hour flight the band and crew booked in at the hotel, stuffed their guts, care of room service, before hitting the local club scene. One problem, there wasn't a local club scene, only a rather dubious hard rock cafe. Not to worry, the manager soon recognised the American contingent and set about plying them with free drinks for the entire evening, one way of keeping celebrities at your club all night. As it was live music night the 'Nirvana' entourage were treated to local alternative heroes 'Los Pirates Industrial', not bad, but after hearing these two guys playing 'New Order' covers on empty motorcycle gas tanks it was enough to send half of the crew back to the hotel with their fingers in their ears. After the last act on the bill had done their turn Krist grabbed a bass guitar, Courtney a spare rythem guitar and with a local kid called Louis on drums they took to the stage and bashed out a short impromptu set of new wave noise, the locals decided it was their turn to sit with their fingers in their ears!".

30 - Buenos Aires, Argentina, Velez Sarsfield Stadium. The show nearly sold-out and some 30,000 were present. According to the linear notes of the 'A Higher State of Mind' bootleg: "Local act 'Los Brujos' warmed the crowd up, then came the turn of Nirvana's special guest brought over from Portland, Oregan, the all-girl punk outfit 'Calamity Jane'. What followed was a total breakdown in communication between the band and the audience. The crowd soon twigged that these weren't Ozzy Osbourne or Metallica or heavy even. An idiot contingent soon started throwing bottles and stones at the band. Gilly, Megan, Marci and Joanna were soon forced to quit the stage before someone got hurt. Backstage Kurt was mighty pissed off. The band were mighty pissed off. 'Calamity Jane' and the crew were mighty pissed off, and Courtney was seething as only Courtney knows (God bless her). Something had to be done. A crime had been committed in Kurt's eyes and he had to think of a punishment, there would be no "Teen Spirit" tonight. The crowd of 30,000 had gathered principally to hear one song and because of their behaviour they weren't gonna get it, in fact "Beeswax" was dug out of the archive instead and added to the set, with the encore ... consisting of ten minutes of feedback in the shape of 'Endless, Nameless', the secret song off the 'Nevermind' album. Hopefully lessons were learnt that night in Argentina where Kurt's nightmare's became a reality". CAYA (p.290) adds that Kurt was deliberately trying to sabotage the show. He started with an improvised jam which became a "fifteen-minute feedback fest", with Kurt stopping to glare at the audience. CAYA also notes that they played "a definitive version" of 'Endless, Nameless', quoting Kurt, "It was so intense. There was so much emotion in it and feedback was coming out of my guitar just perfectly. I was manipulating it better than I ever had. It was really a great expreience. I was really fun".

31 - Dave Grohl is interviewed in the Sheraton Hotel for 'Madhouse' magazine by Ceser Fuentes Rodriguez.

November
? - 'In Bloom' is premiered on MTV (it was shot about a month before this). The video was directed by Kevin Kerslake. There are three versions of the video. One features the band in dresses for half the time and suits for the other (this is the version regularly broadcast on TV). Another, which was broadcast on MTV's '120 Minutes', in which the band are in dresses throughout and a third (unbroadcast) version in which the band wear suits throughout. Kurt's original idea for the video was a "surrealistic fable about a little girl who is born into a Ku Klux Flan family and one day realises how evil her parents are" (p.CAYA, p.291). As with the proposed 'Lithium' video this was deemed too ambitious and so they decided to parody an appearance on an early sixties TV variety programme. Kurt asked that it be filmed using cameras from the time and so Kerslake used some old Kinescopes. There was no script and filming only required the song to be run through five times. Although it looks like there was a large crowd present, there wasn't. Krist cut his hair for the video and the glasses Kurt wore made him dizzy. Kurt had brought the dresses along and it was his idea to use them. Kurt explained the idea behind the kids in the audience as follows: "The audience as freaks idea was kind of an attack on what those kids turned into. I'm sure the majority of them turned into yuppies. It was kind of a dis on their generation, the whole Rolling Stone generation. There was nothing wrong with those kids at the time - they were totally innocent and into rock and roll. Now they're in control of the media and the corporations and they're cranking out the very same shit that they used to despise. There are still Fabians and the Monkees, but at least the Monkees had good songs, instead of New Kids on the Block" (CAYA, p.293). The video was attacking the idea of manufactured pop icons like Fabian and the Monkees and was also an ironic comment on the fact that Nirvana had reached a similar status. The absurdity of the idea of squeaky-clean pop idols and the high morals they are expected to live up to was brought across by the presenter (Dough Llewelyn) introducing them as "These three fine young and decent fellows" and their wearing suits, with slicked-back hair and their wooden stage movements. By destroying everything at the end they wanted to get across the idea of smashing this image, reinforced with the announcer at the end saying "Let's hear it for these three nice, decent, clean-cut young men!". Kurt's intention was to show the humorous side behind the band. Initially the band planned to release just the all-suit (pop-icon) version. Then they planned to release the version where the band changed half-way through as a surprise. But as MTV's '120 Minutes' insisted on dubuting it Kurt doubted they would be the humour of the all-suit version, so they went for an all-dresses version which meant the gag was lost (CAYA, p.294).

? - Laundry Room session with Barrett Jones producing. Kurt records the guitar part for the single 'The Priest They Call Him', which features William Burroughs telling his story. Kurt's guitar piece was originally about 27 minutes long, but was edited down to about 12 minutes. This was the amount of time it took Burroughs to read a chapter out of 'The Priest'.

? - Kurt produces the Melvins 'Houdini' LP at Razors Edge Studio in San Francisco and Brilliant Studios, also in San Francisco. He called up Endino to ask him some questions about microphones. This was the first time Kurt had produced anything. Kurt plays guitar on 'Sky Pup' and plays percussion on 'Spread Eagle Beagle'.

3 - Detroit, MI, State Theatre (cancelled).

4 - Detroit, MI, State Theatre (cancelled).

6 - New York, NY, Paramount (cancelled).

7 - Waltham, MA, Brandeis University (cancelled).

8 - Washington, DC, Bender Arena (cancelled).

10 - North Carolina, ? (cancelled).

11 - Atlanta, GA, Civic Centre (cancelled).

13 - Houston, TX, Astro Arena (cancelled).

15 - Chicago, IL, Aragon Ballroom (cancelled).

16 - Chicago, IL, Aragon Ballroom (cancelled).

18 - Minneapolis, MN, Roy Wilkins Auditorium (cancelled).

20 - Boulder, CO, CU Fieldhouse (cancelled).

22 - Del Mar, CA, Pat O'Brien Pavilion (cancelled).

23 - Los Angeles, CA, Universal Amphitheatre (cancelled).

24 - Los Angeles, CA, Universal Amphitheatre (cancelled).

25 - San Francisco, CA, Civic Centre (cancelled).

30 - 'In Bloom' single is released in the UK only. The live tracks on the single were taken from their December 21 1991 appearance at Del Mar Fairgounds, San Diego, CA.

December
? - Kurt is interviewed for 'The Advocate' magazine in a hotel room in Seattle. Kurt and Courtney are in Seattle to finalize their house purchase. Kurt says that he has around 12 songs ready to be recorded but has no lyrics to go with them. He is booked into the hotel as Simon Ritchie.

14 - 'Incesticide' is released in the UK. The intention behind this collection of B-sides and rarities was to 'beat the bootleggers' (a similar intention lay behind the release of the singles box set in November 1995). It was originally planned as two separate releases by Geffen and Sub Pop (to be called "Cash Cow"), but they decided to ally to make a definitive compilation.

15 - 'Incesticide' is released in the US.

? - Kurt and Courtney are interviewed by Everett True at their apartment in Los Angeles, West Hollywood for 'Melody Maker'.

? - Courtney Love and Victoria Clarke have a fight at Reggies Club on Hollywood Boulevard at a 'Pygmy Love Circus' gig. Victoria Clarke alleges that Courtney smashed a glass over her head. Clarke went to the Cedar Sinai Hospital after the incident where she was told that she had concussion.

? - The following day Courtney filed a counter claim saying that it was Clarke who attacked her first.

29 - Courtney files a lawsuit over the leaking of her medical records to the magazine 'LA Weekly'. Alongside the Cedars-Sinai hospital Courtney also implicates her physician. By this stage Frances was living with Kurt and Courtney, but the too had to undergo regular urine tests and a social worker visited them regularly (CAYA, p.296).