Revisit the earliest live recording of Nirvana song ‘Breed’
Few other bands have made as much cultural impact as Nirvana did in such a short space of time. Arguably the biggest alternative rock band of the 1990s, Nirvana may only have released three studio albums, but their impact on popular culture has been undeniable. From the ubiquity of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ to their famous smiley face logo, the group are still unavoidable even 30 years after the death of lead singer Kurt Cobain.
Having formed and played under various other names around the Washington live circuit in 1987, Nirvana released their first album, Bleach, in 1989 on Sup Pop Records. The album didn’t sell well initially but was met with rave reviews in the press. It would be the springboard for an almighty career.
As was expected, Nirvana toured in support of the album, with dates on the West Coast and their first shows in Europe. By 1990, they had built on the strong reviews and developed a reputation as a fierce and raucous live act. While on the road, they began writing new material to make up their Sub Pop follow-up. When this album was cancelled, they carried some of the material over to their major label debut and breakthrough album, Nevermind, in 1991.
Nevermind was most people’s introduction to Nirvana and their music, but some lucky fans had already had a sneak preview of two of the songs from the album well over a year before it came out. At a show at the tiny ManRay club in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on April 18th, 1990, with only around 100 people in attendance, Nirvana previewed two new Nevermind tracks in the form of ‘Breed’ and ‘In Bloom’.
One of the few who found themselves fortunate enough to be in attendance in Boston that night was WFNX radio DJ Duanne Bruce, who captured the performance on tape. In doing so, he captured the sound of a band who were playing with a huge excitement at the new music they were making; captured the sound of a band who were playing with the freedom of a group who have an engaged audience but have not yet broken through to the controlling and oppressive world of the mainstream and ultimately, captured the sound of a band who are on the cusp of blowing up, taking off and conquering the world.
To introduce the new song ‘Breed’, Kurt Cobain – sounding more awkward when talking to his audience than when singing to them – said: “this is from our next record, it’s gonna be out in September or something like that. It’s gonna be a rock n roll record! It’s gonna have all your rock favourites, and it’s gonna be a blast”.
With Chad Channing on drums, both the original 1990 recording of ‘Breed’ and the live performance at ManRay tap into a more primal, visceral energy in the track than the recording which made its way onto Nevermind in 1991. On all the songs that night in Boston, the band were a force to be reckoned with, but perhaps none more so than the pounding outpouring of ‘Breed’.
The song would remain in the group’s live act up until Kurt Cobain’s death in 1994.
