LiveNIRVANA.com > Sessions History > Studio Sessions > June–September, 1988 - Reciprocal Recording, Seattle, WA, US

LIVE NIRVANA SESSIONS HISTORY:
June–September, 1988 - Reciprocal Recording, Seattle, WA, US

Artist

• NIRVANA
  • Channing, Chad (drums)
  • Cobain, Kurt (vocals, guitar)
  • Novoselic, Krist (bass)
• Endino, Jack (backing vocals)

Crew

• Endino, Jack (producer, engineer)

Set

• [O] Blandest
• [?] Love Buzz
• [X] Big Cheese
• [?] Mr. Moustache
• [U] Mr. Moustache
• [U] Sifting (instrumental)
• [U] Blew
• [O] Spank Thru (Endino on backing vocals)
• [O] Big Cheese
• [O] Love Buzz
• [X] Floyd The Barber
• [X] Love Buzz (instrumental)

Format

• Audio: ½-inch 8-track analog magnetic tape (session tape)

Best available sources

Source	Quality	Complete	Runtime	Lowest Gen	Tracks Featured	Notes
SBD #1a	10.0	No	0:07:18	Official 7" (Love Buzz)	• Love Buzz • Big Cheese	Mixed by Jack Endino, July 1988. Love Buzz features a 10-second sound collage intro and another sound collage dubbed into the instrumental break.
SBD #1b	10.0	No	0:03:41	Official CD (Bleach, SP34b first pressing)	• Big Cheese	Mixed by Jack Endino, July 1988.
SBD #1c	9.5	No	0:07:36	ANA(2)>CDR(1)>FLAC	• Big Cheese • Love Buzz	Mixed by Jack Endino, July 1988. This source is sometimes referred to as the Touch & Go demo or Kurdt's Kassette. It features between-song banter not found on other sources.
SBD #2	10.0	No	0:03:19	Official CD (Various Artists - Sub Pop 200)	• Spank Thru	Mixed by Jack Endino, September 1988.
SBD #3a	7.0	No	0:03:49	Unofficial CD (The Demos)	• Blandest	Rough mix by Jack Endino, June 1988. Features some post-song ambient noises not found on other sources.
SBD #3b	7.5	No	0:02:57	Unofficial CD (Reciprocal Studio Demos)	• Blew	Rough mix by Jack Endino, June 1988.
SBD #3c	9.0	No	0:13:14	ANA(2)>DAT(1)>FLAC	• Blandest • Mr. Moustache • Sifting (instrumental)	Rough mixes by Jack Endino, June 1988. This source is sometimes referred to as the Master reel compilation tape.
SBD #3d	9.0	No	0:03:56	Official CD (With The Lights Out)	• Blandest	Rough mix by Jack Endino, June 1988. Sourced from a band member's cassette. Mastered by Bob Ludwig.
SBD #4	10.0	No	0:03:35	Official CD (Bleach, SP34b first pressing)	• Love Buzz	Remix by Jack Endino, 1989.
SBD #5	9.5	No	0:09:33	ANA(2)>CDR(1)>FLAC	• Mr. Moustache • Sifting (instrumental)	Alternative mixes by Jack Endino, 1988. This source is sometimes referred to as Kurdt's Tape Side A.

Notes

The band, by this time called NIRVANA, returned to Reciprocal Recording to record their first single for Sub Pop; Jack Endino was again chosen as producer.

Four sessions took place: June 11 [five hours—this was the main session], June 30 [five hours], July 16 [three hours—all mixed on this day], and September 27 [two hours—to mix Spank Thru for the Sub Pop 200 compilation]. (1)

While the Dale demo had been very straightforward and easy to record, this session turned out to be a lot more problematic. (2)

The session began with Blandest, which Cobain had considered a possible B-side. Channing had not long been shown the arrangement, and hadn't had the opportunity to learn or practice it prior to recording. (3) Unsurprisingly, the track did not turn out too well and the band opted to re-record it later (which they never did, because money for additional tapes was very tight). (3) Blandest was followed by the first takes of Love Buzz, Big Cheese, early versions of Mr Moustache, an instrumental version of Sifting (using a wah wah pedal), and Blew. (4)

The band didn't want to spend another $50 on a reel of tape, Endino explains. They were like These takes suck, let's record over them! We did that routinely. I fitted new tracks over unwanted old takes right in the middle of the reels if necessary. (4) So, at the next session, a new version of Spank Thru (with Endino on backing vocals) was recorded over Blandest. A second take of Big Cheese was then recorded over the first take of Love Buzz. A second take of Love Buzz followed, plus a new version of Floyd The Barber, but the band quickly decided the latter wasn't worth saving, and proceeded to record an instrumental take of Love Buzz over it (1:26 minutes of Floyd The Barber remain on the master reels). (4) Previously recorded songs survive thanks to cassette reference copies the band made. (4)

Jonathan Poneman of Sub Pop was unhappy with the vocals on the first mix of Love Buzz and asked that they be re-recorded, although Endino admits to being hard-pressed to discern any difference. (5) Take 2 of Love Buzz, with Cobain's re-recorded vocal, is what eventually made the record. (4)

The 7-inch release of Love Buzz is a different mix than appears on Bleach. The 7-inch mix features a 10-second sound collage intro (originally 45-seconds long, cut to 20 by Endino and then to 10 at Bruce Pavitt's request) and another sound collage dubbed into the instrumental break. (3) The sound collage is missing from the remixed album version, as Cobain neglected to bring the home-made tape with him to the studio. (3)

Part of the reason for the delay in recording Love Buzz was the problem with adding the sound collage to the mix. (2) Owing to the lack of modern equipment at Reciprocal, the band had to press the play button on the cassette player at the appropriate point during mixing to add the collage. (2)

Cobain would later criticize Love Buzz as sounding too lightweight: We just couldn't get a good sound out of it, he told NIRVANA biographer, Michael Azerrad. It sounded really clean and just didn't have any low end. I think it's the wimpiest recording we've ever done. (5)

References

1. Gaar, Gillian G., 1997. Verse Chorus Verse: The Recording History Of Nirvana, Goldmine, [online] Available at: http://www.nirvanaclub.com/articles/02.14.97.html. ↑
2. Cross, Charles R., 2001. Heavier Than Heaven. Hodder & Stoughton, London. ↑
3. Endino, Jack, 1998. Jack Endino's Nirvana FAQ, [online] Available at: http://www.endino.com/nirvfaq.html. ↑
4. Gaar, Gillian G., 2004. Mondo Nirvana, Tablet Siffblog, [online] Available at: http://siff.tabletmag.com/other/mondo_nirvana_002003.html. ↑
5. Azerrad, Michael, 1993. Come As You Are: The Story Of Nirvana. Doubleday. ↑

© Alex Roberts. August 28, 2011