LIVE NIRVANA INTERVIEW ARCHIVE September 25, 1990 - Olympia, WA, US

Interviewer(s)
Calvin Johnson
Interviewee(s)
Kurt Cobain
Publisher Title Transcript
KAOS Radio Boy Meets Girl Yes
HBO Documentary Films/Universal Pictures Kurt Cobain: Montage Of Heck Yes

Calvin Johnson - Hey, Kids! Got a special treat for you today - Kurt Cobain's here. You know, Kurt Cobain from Aberdeen… What's going on, Baby?

Kurt Cobain - Not a damn thing.

Calvin Johnson - I see.

Kurt Cobain - How are you?

Calvin Johnson - I'm pretty groovy.

Kurt Cobain - Do a lot of people ask you that?

Calvin Johnson - Umm, not really.

Kurt Cobain - Oh.

Calvin Johnson - Umm, I was, uh, I was fine. I was just hanging out here on the Boy Meets Girl Show, and, umm, you called up and said, "I wanna play some songs."

Kurt Cobain - This is true.

Calvin Johnson - So I said, "Rockin' good news."

Kurt Cobain - Bloody brilliant!

Calvin Johnson - So, uhh, what's going on. You got some new tunes? You gonna share 'em with us or what?

Kurt Cobain - Yes, I'm gonna share some new tunes with you…

Calvin Johnson - Cool.

Kurt Cobain - …And everyone else. Umm, I just wrote most of the lyrics this evening.

Calvin Johnson - On the… In the car on the way up here?

Kurt Cobain - While I was driving with one foot.

Calvin Johnson - Uh huh!

Kurt Cobain - I wanted it to be as spontaneous as possible, you know? So, umm. Umm. Yeah, that's what I did. I just, thought I'd just come here and say "Hi."

Calvin Johnson - Well, let 'er rip.

Kurt Cobain - OK… uhh, this song's called "Opinion."

[Cobain performs Opinion]

Kurt Cobain - Don't you think that song sounds like Taxman?

Calvin Johnson - Nothing sounds like Taxman after I heard the Jam doing, um, Start. You heard that song?

Kurt Cobain - Uhh…

Calvin Johnson - Sounds exactly like Taxman. So I mean… You couldn't even come close to sounding like Taxman like the The Jam sound like Taxman.

Kurt Cobain - Oh well you know there is a song called Mr. Cigarette Man by Herman's Hermits.

Calvin Johnson - I haven't heard that one.

Kurt Cobain - Boy oh boy… Oh, and here's a song that was… that's gonna be on… our new album.

Calvin Johnson - Whose new album?

Kurt Cobain - On Nirvana's new album. And it's called "Lithium". And I'll play it.

[Cobain plays the first chords of "Lithium"]

Kurt Cobain - Is it soundin' okay?

Calvin Johnson - It sounds really good.

Kurt Cobain - Good…

[Cobain performs "Lithium"]

Kurt Cobain - It's a rip off!

Calvin Johnson - Only steal from the best.

[Kurt Cobain performs "Dumb"]

[Kurt Cobain performs "Been A Son"]

© KAOS FM, 1990

Calvin Johnson - Kurt Cobain's here. You know, Kurt Cobain from Aberdeen… What's going on, Baby?

Kurt Cobain - Not a damn thing.

Calvin Johnson - You called up and said, "I wanna play some songs."

Kurt Cobain - This is true.

Calvin Johnson - So I said, "Rockin' good news."

Kurt Cobain - Bloody brilliant! Umm, I just wrote most of the lyrics this evening.

Calvin Johnson - In the car on the way up here?

Kurt Cobain - While I was driving with one foot.

Calvin Johnson - Uh huh!

Kurt Cobain - Umm. Yeah, that's what I did. I just, thought I'd just come here and say "Hi."

Calvin Johnson - Well, let 'er rip.

© KAOS FM, 2015