Grunge Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

Nirvana‘s social media accounts have shared the four-page letter Steve Albini sent to them, proposing that he produce their landmark album ‘In Utero’.Today (May 9), Nirvana’s X (formerly Twitter) account published the four-page proposal, in which Albini wrote of his approach and methodology to music and how he planned to handle the recording of ‘In Utero’.The post comes after it was revealed yesterday (May 8) that Albini had died at the age of 61 due to a heart attack. The legendary producer and musician’s death was confirmed by his recording studio, Electronic Audio.In Albini’s four-paged proposal, he famously declared that “if a record takes more than a week to make, somebody’s fucking up”.“I think the very best thing you could do at this point is exactly what you are talking about doing: bang a record out in a couple of days, with high quality but minimal ‘production’ and no interference from the front office bulletheads,” he wrote.

Before forming queer synth-rock band The FMs, friends Matte Namer and Frankie Maddox Rex grew up in different parts of New York City — the former in Greenwich Village, the latter fifteen miles away in College Point, Queens.Their lives were separated by more than mere distance. “We had very different upbringings,” Namer recalls.

Steve Albini – the indie rock icon and legendary record producer – has died at the age of 61.Per Pitchfork, Albini died of a heart attack at Electronic Audio – his recording studio in Chicago. His death was confirmed by the studio’s staff members.Albini fronted the likes of underground bands such as Shellac, Big Black, Rapeman and Flour. He was most well known for being the producer of major albums such as Nirvana’s ‘In Utero‘, Pixies’ ‘Surfer Rosa’, PJ Harvey’s ‘Rid of Me’, Manic Street Preachers‘ ‘Journal For Plague Lovers’ and more.Shellac recently announced ‘To All Trains’, their first album in 10 years which is set for release next week (May 17) and were preparing to embark on a tour.RIP Steve Albini pic.twitter.com/qQjEQla0mF— PIXIES (@PIXIES) May 8, 2024Ugh man, a heartbreaking loss of a legend.

Pearl Jam kicked off their 2024 world tour in Vancouver on Saturday (May 4), playing several songs from new album ‘Dark Matter’ for the first time. Check out footage below.The band played a 25-song set at the Rogers Arena, including a total of nine tracks from their recently-released 12th album, seven of which graced a setlist for the first time ever.Also played at the show were early classics including ‘Alive’, ‘Black’ and ‘Daughter’, as well as deeper cuts like ‘Leatherman’, at the request of drummer Matt Cameron, and covers of Neil Young’s ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’, Tom Petty’s ‘I Won’t Back Down’ and Mother Love Bone’s ‘Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns’.See footage from the show here:‘Wash’ ‘Low Light’ ‘Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town’ ‘Given to Fly’ ‘Scared of Fear’ ‘React, Respond’ ‘Wreckage’ ‘Dark Matter’ ‘Daughter’ ‘Leatherman’ ‘Corduroy’ ‘Red Mosquito’ ‘Upper Hand’ ‘Won’t Tell’ ‘Running’ ‘Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns’ ‘Porch’ ‘I Won’t Back Down’ ‘Black’ ‘Do the Evolution’ ‘Something Special’ ‘Alive’ ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ ‘Yellow Ledbetter’ ‘Setting Sun’ The Seattle band announced the tour back in February, and it will continue around North America for the rest of May, before heading to Europe and the UK.

Krist Novoselic has paid tribute to Kurt Cobain on the 30th anniversary of his death this week (April 5).Cobain rose to prominence at the end of the ‘80s as the frontman and guitarist of Nirvana – alongside Dave Grohl and Novoselic – and went on to become one of the most iconic figures in rock, particularly the ‘90s grunge scene. He died by suicide on April 5, 1994.Novoselic has paid tribute to his former bandmate in Mojo, where he recalled the opening to their ‘In Utero’ North American tour, which began at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix. He remembered Cobain as the one “carrying the show”.“We were trying to be professional,” Novoselic recalls of the tour.

Frances Bean Cobain, the daughter of the late grunge icon Kurt Cobain, has shared a moving post on the 30th anniversary of the musician’s death.She took to her Instagram page earlier today (April 5) to share a series of images of her father, and write a lengthy caption about how his death has impacted her throughout her life.The musician rose to prominence at the end of the ‘80s as the frontman and guitarist of Nirvana – alongside Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic – and went on to become one of the most iconic figures in rock, particularly in the ‘90s grunge scene. He died by suicide on April 5, 1994, when his daughter, whom he had with Courtney Love, was only one year old.Now, exactly three decades since his tragic death, Frances Bean – now aged 31 – has shared an emotive tribute to her late parent, and discussed how she wishes she “could have known” him.“30 years ago my dad’s life ended,” she wrote, sharing an image of the musician’s hands, taken by R.E.M frontman (and her godfather) Michael Stipe, followed by a couple of photos of them together.

Kurt Cobain.A range of content will be aired across both television and radio to celebrate and remember the life and legacy of the Nirvana frontman, who died by suicide on April 5, 1994.BBC Two and iPlayer will dedicate a Saturday night of programmes to Cobain and Nirvana in April, which includes a new documentary, Moments That Shook Music: Kurt Cobain. The documentary tells the story of the last days of Cobain’s life using rare archive footage, some of which has never been seen on British TV before.Some of the footage includes the reaction of the electrician who found Cobain’s body when installing a security system at his Seattle home, statements of police at the scene and the confusion and devastation of fans hearing the news.

Courtney Love’s Women.The series will see the music legend share her “ultimate soundtrack to her life” as she reflects on the women in music who have “shaped her journey, her sound and her next chapter”.Across eight episodes that will air from April 8 to April 15, the Hole founder and singer will journey through the eras of her life and the music that made her alongside her friend and music podcaster and writer, Rob Harvilla.Love will recall the musical moments from throughout her formative years as part of the series, including when she discovered disco through the record collection at a childhood care home and recited Sylvia Plath poetry for a Mickey Mouse Club audition.She will also detail her love of Billie Holiday and Nina Simone and recall her time at an all-girl boarding school in New Zealand and in juvenile detention, before she reflects on couch-surfing across America and struggles with drug abuse.Other topics covered in the series will include her acting career, her attempts to creatively matchmake Stevie Nicks and Billy Corgan, hanging out with Debbie Harry at a Limp Bizkit album launch at the Playboy Mansion, Gwen Stefani – after years of public feuding between the pair – her relationship with Nirvana‘s Kurt Cobain, taking pandemic guitar lessons with The Big Moon’s Juliet Jackson and more.Samantha Moy, Head of BBC Radio 6 Music, said in a press statement: “Courtney Love is an icon and a trailblazer – her influence on music and culture over the decades is undeniable.

Courtney Love has reignited speculation about a Hole reunion, telling a crowd in London that she will be returning with the band “later”.The moment took place last night (February 27), when the ‘90s icon made a surprise appearance with Green Day‘s Billie Joe Armstrong as he performed an intimate show in the capital with his covers band The Coverups.The gig was the first of two surprise gigs in the capital that Armstrong announced last week, and saw the group – who are famed for their impromptu gigs – deliver renditions of rock and punk staples at The Garage in Islington.Around halfway through the gig, the Green Day frontman announced to the crowd that Love would be joining them for a special appearance. From there, the singer helped belt out covers of ‘He’s A Whore’ and ‘Surrender’ by Cheap Trick, and ‘Even The Losers’ by Tom Petty.“My name is Courtney Love – you may not remember me.

Kurt Cobain-inspired opera based on the film Last Days will have its US premiere next month.The opera, based on Gus Van Sant’s 2005 film loosely inspired by the late Nirvana musician, had its debut at the Royal Opera House’s Linbury Theatre in London in 2022.It’s now set to arrive in the US with a premiere at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles on February 6. Tickets are available to purchase here.A description for opera, directed by Van Sant and produced by HBO Films, says that the performance “plunges into the torment that created a modern myth”.The opera follows a successful musician called Blake, who escapes a rehab facility before taking his own life.A synopsis continues: “The safety of his house is soon disrupted by a slew of unwelcome guests—an insistent delivery worker, a pair of Mormons on a mission, a chorus of scrounging friends, and the ominous figure of the property’s groundskeeper.“Matters are made worse by the never-ending phone calls from his Manager and presence of a Private Investigator and Superfan stalking nearby.

Keanu Reeves has performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live! with his band Dogstar. Check out footage of the moment below.The performance took place on Tuesday night (November 28), as the ‘90s grunge outfit took to the stage to perform their new single ‘Breach’ on the US chat show.Dressed entirely in black, the band – which features Reeves on the bass – played their latest single in support of their new album ‘Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees’, which is their first LP in two decades.It also marked their first television appearance as a band since they performed on Jay Leno’s Tonight Show back in the summer of 2000, and saw the John Wick leading man play on a bass solo.

Kurt Cobain has gone on auction, described as “maybe the most expensive packet of cigarettes ever”.The variety of memorabilia is the latest of Cobain’s items to go on auction. It’s set to see various items owned and used by the late Nirvana vocalist and guitarist sold off to those who want to own a part of the grunge icon’s possessions.Among the latest round of items hitting the auction block at Julien’s auctions next week is a pack of cigarettes owned by the musician, which are predicted to become “the most expensive pack of cigarettes ever” when sold (via Associated Press).“American Spirit menthols were the preferred brand of the late rock star,” reads the official lot description of the item.

Raw Power to the hairstylist as a template. “An hour later I walked out with an embarrassing feathered shag, like the kind John Travolta had in Saturday Night Fever a few years later,” he writes.

Silverchair‘s Ben Gillies and Chris Joannou have opened up about the battles with drug addiction and mental health that existed within their band.In 2011, the Australian rock band split up and went into what they described as an “indefinite hibernation”, having formed in 1992.Speaking in a new interview with ABC Australiain which they reflected on their career, Joannou remembered that around fourth album ‘Diorama’, former frontman, guitarist and songwriter Daniel Johns – with whom they’ve had little contact with since the band broke up – began to take creative control.“Ben probably struggled with it the most,” Joannou said. “He might have felt that his friend didn’t trust his musical judgement anymore.

Nirvana merchandise and, needless to say, fans aren’t happy.The new selection comes under the brand’s new “Vintage” range and sees various Kurt Cobain-inspired t-shirts for sale, priced between $990 and $4,450 (£770 and £3,857). The most expensive of which is a faded black tee, which bears the artwork of their 1992 compilation album, ‘Incesticide’.While it is unsurprising that anything from Saint Laurent is going to have a much higher price point than any garments found on the high street – or in this case, the merch stands – it is important to note that the Nirvana t-shirts aren’t actually manufactured by the brand.Instead, each of the garments is an actual piece of Nirvana merchandise, which has been acquired and upsold by the fashion house.Highsnobiety discussed the range on Instagram and explained that while the price tags may seem shocking, some vintage merchandise is becoming more collectable and capable of fetching a lot of money.A post shared by HIGHSNOBIETY (@highsnobiety)“In Saint Laurent’s defense, some vintage T-shirts are worth their weight in gold,” the post read.

Bikini Kill’s Kathleen Hanna has announced details of a new memoir, titled Rebel Girl: My Life As A Feminist Punk.Set for release in May next year via HarperCollins imprint Ecco, the book looks to discuss the emergence of the ’90s feminist punk movement, and detail the life and relationships of the artist.It also explores how Hanna became a founder of the Riot Grrrl movement and went on to inspire the likes of Kurt Cobain and Sonic Youth with her attitude and work as a musician, as well as her struggle with Lyme disease. Pre-order the book here.“In Rebel Girl, Hanna’s raw and insightful new memoir, she takes us from her tumultuous childhood home to her formative college years in Olympia, Washington, and on to her first years on tour, fighting hard for gigs and for her band,” reads the description.

Kurt Cobain has sold for just shy of $600,000 (£480,000) at auction.The instrument in question is a black Fender Stratocaster, which was reportedly broken by the frontman around the same time that Nirvana were releasing their now-iconic second album, ‘Nevermind’.Hosted by Julien’s Auctions, it sold on Saturday (May 20) at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City, and exceeded all expectations by reaching 10 times the expected value. Originally, the axe was thought to bring in between $60,000 and $80,000 at the event, namely due to the period the musician used it and the details it included on the body.Not only was the Stratocaster reportedly used by the musician around 1991, but it also features signatures from all three band members – Cobain, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic.

Courtney Love has shared some unpublished lyrics that Kurt Cobain wrote for Nirvana’s biggest hit ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’.The Hole frontwoman was taking part in Rob Harvilla’s podcast 60 Songs That Explain The ‘90s when she shared anecdotes about her relationship with Kurt Cobain, and some lyrics that the singer had written for Nirvana‘s most famous track.The episode in question was Harvilla’s first one back, following a three-month hiatus. Taking part as a guest for the episode, Love explained how she came to be a fan of the podcast, and provided fans with an insight into the Nirvana frontman’s writing process.Alongside numerous anecdotes — including how Cobain wrote his 1993 track ‘Dumb’ in just 20 minutes when the pair were in Amsterdam — Love also shared some of his unpublished lyric ideas, originally written for what would soon become ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’.“Some of these were in these journals, and some of them are unpublished,” she explains, proceeding to recite some lyrics.

Billy Corgan has recalled his reaction to the news of Kurt Cobain‘s death — explaining that it felt like he had lost his “greatest opponent”.The Smashing Pumpkins frontman discussed the impact Cobain and Nirvana had on his own success in a new interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, and expressed how he missed the sense of competition he had with the grunge icons.Reflecting on the numerous influential rock groups of the ’90s, Corgan took a moment to speak on the late Nirvana frontman — explaining how his success challenged the Smashing Pumpkins to continuously improve.“When Kurt died, I cried because I lost my greatest opponent,” he told the host. “I want to beat the best.

Keanu Reeves‘ grunge band, Dogstar, are gearing up to release their first new music in 23 years.The band released two albums, 1996’s ‘Our Little Visionary’ and 2000’s ‘Happy Ending’, before calling it quits in 2002. Reeves played bass in the band and interest in them grew as his acting career began to take off.The band reunited last summer, as confirmed on a newly-created Instagram, and since then, they’ve been posting behind-the-scenes photos and video updates of their time in the studio.“Thank you everyone for the kind comments. We are overjoyed to see such a response,” the band wrote alongside a new promo photo.