Nirvana - From The Muddy Banks of Wiskah (Liner Notes) lyrics

Nirvana started as a live band
(Don't all bands?) we played around
For two years before the
Release of Bleach in June, 1989 at the time
Live shows were our bread and butter
(this being prior to the
Release of Nevermind in September
Of 1991) we'd hit
The road for months at a time
Coming back with one or two grand to
Be split three ways in those days
That was as much "success"
As we thought possible
The earliest performances on this album
Are brought to you courtesy
Of a sound board cassette
Recording of a December
1989 show at London's Astoria "Breed"
(then called "Immodium") and "Polly" (the big
Rock version) are taken from this
Show, the last date of a
European tour supporting fellow Sub-Poppers
Tad

Early in 1991, the band signed with Geffen
Records and acquired
Professional management dIY fefll
To the wayside

Nevermind was recorded in the spring of 1991
Following summer tours with Dinosaur Jr and
The Jesus Lizard, Nevermind was released in
The fall immediately following the release
We went on a
Tour headlining small venues that
Culminated with a Halloween
Homecoming Show at Seattle's
Paramount Theater this
Show was filmed and recorded onto multi track
Yielding the version of Negative Creep
Used in compliling this record

Two days later, the band left for another
European tour "School, " "Been A Son, "
"Lithium" and "Blew" were all taken from a
Show at the Paradiso
In Amsterdam, Netherlands, on November 25
1991 the show was filmed and recorded
On multi track for Dutch TV "Spank Thru
" this version having been recorded
On November 19, 1991 in Rome
Was actually the first Nirvana song

While we were touring Europe
Nevermind was becoming all the rage
Back home though we were kept
Informed of the momentum
Being so far away made us pretty oblivious
To the extent of what was happening
We ended the year with a
Brief West Coast Tour
The bill included Pearl Jam
And Nirvana and was headlined by The Red Hot
Chili Peppers the second
Show of this tour was on December 28
1991 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds
(just outside San Diego) for whatever reason
Our set
Was particularly aggressive that night
- "Drain You
" "Aneurysm" and "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
Were all taken from this recording

Early in 1992, the band toured Australia
And Japan later in the summer
We traveled to Europe to make up
Some Scandinavian shows we had to
Cancel on the previous
Tour the touring highlight of
The year, however
Was a headlining slot on England's Reading
Festival i have to say that hearing
Tens of thousands of people
Sing along with "Lithium" was a
Very cool moment in the
History of the band we were
Having fun playing and deciding
To stretch the set out a
Bit - enter "Tourettes
" a song which had been
Around for a few years
(and eventually found it's way onto In Utero)

Following the release of In Utero in 1993
We once again hit the road
Using left over props
From the "Heart-Shaped Box" video
Shoot as set dressing
(our first foray into the world
Of stage props)
We concentrated on working up a set
That spanned the band's entire
Career and gave the audience a
Longer show than we
Had done on past tours in that we were
Playing the "big" halls on this tour
It felt like we needed to bring along
A "big" sound ladies and gentleman
Please welcome Pat Smear

"Scentless Apprentice" was filmed
And recorded by mTV for their 1993 New
Year's special recorded at a show
At a pier in
Seattle "Heart-Shaped Box" comes from a
Sound board DAT recording from
A show at The Forum in
Los Angeles in December
1993 we took "Milk It" from a sound
Board recording from the Seattle Center
Arena "Sliver" is taken from a board
Tape from the Springfiled Civic Center
(in Massachusettes)

In presenting this record
We hope that the ultimate allure of Nirvana
(and especially Kurt) as well as the
Passion that we had -
And have - for the music
We made is once again
Brought to the forefront let all the
Analysis fall away like yellow
Aged newsprint crank this record up
And realize the bliss, power and passion
TOTAL NIRVANA!

Krist Novoselic