Henry Rollins explains how Nirvana became the biggest band of the 1990s
Nirvana is one of those rare bands that seem to unite all factions of music fans. They might have risen out of the grunge scene, but the intense success of Nevermind saw Kurt Cobain and company burst into the musical mainstream, finding appreciation from many people who otherwise might never have paid attention to the grunge explosion. Across the rock scene of the 1990s, there were few bands bigger than Nirvana, and Henry Rollins had his theories as to the reasons why.
Rollins has been a stalwart of punk and alternative rock since the very early days. Learning his craft as a cornerstone of the hardcore movement in Washington D.C., the punk rocker was soon recruited to join the ranks of Black Flag, one of the most iconic and well-renowned punk groups in American history. Although Black Flag never really achieved mainstream success, Rollins is undoubtedly qualified to be a voice of authority in the field of alternative rock music.
There once was a time in which Rollins was a feared figure among journalists and artists alike, known for his confrontational personality and deliberately contrarian opinions. As the frontman has aged, however, he has mellowed somewhat. Nowadays, he is more likely to be heard espousing the joys of punk rock rather than threatening interviewers or punching stage divers. When it comes to groups like Nirvana, he has always been keen to voice his support for the next generation of punk-inspired groups.
Back in 1992, Rollins appeared on MTV’s 120 Minutes, where he introduced Nirvana’s classic track ‘In Bloom’. “They were the biggest of all the alternative bands to get big in the last year,” Rollins shared, adding, “R.E.M, [Red Hot] Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, all got very huge recently, and they put the question to me: ‘Why? Why did this happen?’”
Admittedly, Rollins was well-positioned to answer that question. After all, he had been part of the original wave of punk rock, which had gone on to inspire the grunge generation, which produced groups like Nirvana and Pearl Jam. These groups owed a lot to the defiant sounds of Black Flag, and Rollins was certainly aware of that. Reflecting on the colossal success of groups like Nirvana, he said: “I have my own theory because, to be in this business, you got to start wondering why you’re still taking the bus, and the other guy’s sneering at you from his four-block-long limo.”
The success of Nirvana came as no surprise to Rollins, who added, “I think that there’s always been four million Nirvana fans out there. It’s just that it’s taken the industry a very long time to catch up with where young folks are at. It doesn’t take an idiot to realise that the mass media continually underestimates the intelligence of their audience.” This theory might also go to explain why Black Flag never fully reached the heights of mainstream success.
The frontman asked, “None of you people are stupid, are you?” before continuing, “No. You know what you like, and you know how dissatisfied you’ve been with a lot of mainstream rock and roll. So, when a band like Nirvana, who are kicking the real thing, come along and get some exposure, you like it, because it’s real.”
It is hard to disagree with Rollins here. Nirvana were among the most authentic and important groups to populate the rock charts of the 1990s. Their authenticity and songwriting talents also provide an answer to why, after three decades, Nirvana remain incredibly important to legions of alternative rock fans across the globe.
