Nirvana Members Only Hoped ‘Nevermind’ Would Buy Them Apartments
Dave Grohl looked back on Nirvana’s modest ambitions for their 1991 album, Nevermind, saying they only hoped it would allow them each to have their own apartment.
His first record with Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic has gone on to sell over 30 millions copies to date. But in a recent interview with Uncut, Grohl recalled they weren’t thinking along those lines when they arrived at Los Angeles’ Sound City Studios to start recording.
“When we pulled up to Sound City, as much of a shithole as it was, it was the most legitimate recording studio I had ever been in at the time,” he said. “Knowing the history of that place, we thought, ‘Now, this is the real deal.’” He continued: “That being said, nobody thought that it was going to be what it became. We thought, ‘Hopefully we'll get to achieve the success of a band like Sonic Youth, and each get to have our own apartment!’ That was the extent of our ambitions.”
The Foo Fighters leader admitted he still hadn’t been able to work out why Nevermind became such a big deal, adding: “What I do know is that once we signed to the David Geffen Company and made a video, it started feeling a bit more professional. Now we were doing in-stores and signing posters. We had a rock video that was on MTV. It started feeling a bit more legitimate, but it wasn't until the tour started that I [realized], 'Oh, something is going on.’”
Asked about the prospect of marking the album’s 30th anniversary, Grohl said no plans were in place, but that he was sure “something will come up.” He added: “Personally… I don't build an altar to Nevermind! If I'm sitting in traffic in L.A. listening to the radio, fucking chances are one of those songs is going to come on — and I don't turn it off. I used to, but I don't anymore.”