A Review By Adam Andrews

NIRVANA - A Tour Diary is an eyewitness account of NIRVANA's 1991 UK Nevermind tour by Andy Bollen, who at the time was the drummer in Captain America, NIRVANA's support band. Whilst in theory such a unique vantage point as Bollen's should translate into an original account, books such as Everett True's NIRVANA - The True Story demonstrate that the author having a ring side seat doesn't always make for a great read. So does Bollen's book shine a new light on both the tour and NIRVANA's inner workings in an engaging way or does it fall into the trap of being either a walk down memory lane in rose-tinted spectacles or salacious hackjob focussing on the darker side of the band?

The book is split into 16 chapters: chapters 1 and 2 set the scene, chapters 3 to 15 cover each show in order, with chapter 16 and an epilogue wrapping things up. This simple chronological run through works well in both leading the reader through the tour but also giving a sense of the building pressures of Nirvana-mania and the unrelenting nature of touring. This is nicely complemented by the author's approach and down-to-earth writing style. The story itself is told firmly through the eyes of Bollen, who unashamedly presents himself as an 'average Joe' finding himself in the right place at the right time. And perhaps it's being an 'average Joe' which gives him an interesting lens through which to analyse what he saw in a way which connects well with the reader. As such the book does includes a fair bit of information about both Captain America's performances and the author's own feelings about touring, the music industry and life more generally. But in using this wider lens and so not just focussing on his interactions with, and observations of, NIRVANA makes for a great read for music fans more generally and certainly gives the sense that touring isn't all it's cracked up to be. It perhaps also prevents the author over-analysing his interactions with NIRVANA. It should also be said that Bollen's account is also very funny throughout, which is perhaps explained by the fact that today the author is a comedy writer, especially his description of various encounters with "groupies" which will leave you in need of stitches.

But without substance good writing is not enough. Does the author actually tell us anything new to justify the cover price? Strangely enough the meat of the book is not actually the live performances themselves. The author provides a setlist for each gig* and some observations but does not deliver a chord-by-chord account of each show. This is perhaps a good thing as ultimately the performances speak for themselves through the tapes circulating amongst collectors and do not require such commentary. That said, he does however provide a couple of nuggets of new information about each show. As examples he provides a new setlist for the Nottingham Rock City gig, reveals that is was Bollen playing drums on Molly's Lips at the Kilburn show and explains what were the red stains visible in photos on Cobain's T-shirt at Glasgow were. Sadly however there is no new information about the as-yet unsurfaced gig at The Southern Bar in Edinburgh, as the author did not attend. There is little new information in terms of songs that were soundchecked, aside from All Apologies which was first demoed back in January 1991 and had been played live previously so by this point was not as new as Bollen seems to think. Finally, whilst various "personal issues" are alluded to, they are not made explicit which could be for a variety of reasons, such as respect for Cobain, a lack of first hand observation, legal concerns, etc. That said Bollen still strikes a good balance in terms of acknowledging, but not sensationalising these personal issues.

The book concentrates more on the goings-on before and after each show, giving the reader a fascinating and unique insight into NIRVANA at this time. For example, NIRVANA's nurturing nature towards support bands (sharing kit, offering to take Captain Ameria to Europe with them, etc.), the contrast between NIRVANA's energetic stage presence and their subdued off-stage persona, their ability to remain grounded as NIRVANA-mania took hold, Cobain's ability to be engaging or withdrawn at a moment's notice, the dynamics between the band members and much more. These themes are often exposed through observations, brief chats with the band etc, rather than purposeful tête-a-têtes, but are no less powerful. Whilst these themes are not new in themselves , it is through these nitty-gritty details of Bollen's more humdrum interactions with the band coupled with his writing style that the book provides intimate, poignant and unique insight into the band. Add on top of this the inclusion of a number of hitherto unpublished backstage photos with the band and it's a great combination which feels very personal to both the author and the reader.

My only real criticism of the book is confined to the cover, which just doesn't do it justice! Firstly it features a picture of Cobain from the In Utero tour which suggests the content is wider than it really is. Secondly the use of black/yellow almost gives the impression that it's an official release. It's a good example of the old addage that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover! [I discussed the strange cover choices with the author who informs me that he had a very different vision for the cover but was ultimately guided by his publishers].

The Verdict:

In summary Nirvana - A Tour Diary is a unique, poignant and very funny account of NIRVANA's UK Nevermind tour. Whilst it doesn't contain any major revelations per se, the author's unique vantage point and engaging writing style give an intimate and well-rounded perspective on both the band at the height of Nirvana-mania and the realities of life on the road more generally. Well worth a read!

* NOTE: Unfortunately there are printing errors in two setlists. Through direct communication with the author I can confirm that the 11/26/91 Bradford and 12/3/91 Nottingham setlists as listed in the Live NIRVANA Tour History are correct. This confirms that 'All Apologies' and 'Something In The Way' were indeed played at Bradford and so suggests that these two tracks which feature on the bootleg Entertain Us are indeed from Bradford and not Bristol.