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Nirvana were a grunge band from Seattle (late 1980s early 1990s). Members included Kurt Cobain (guitar and vocals), Krist Novoselic (bass and backing vocals), and Dave Grohl (drums and backing vocals). Their first album, Bleach, was a garage rock record, made for the Seattle independent record label Sub Pop and sold poorly. Their second, Nevermind, sweetened the sound of the earlier with a cleaner production (by Butch Vig) and occasional pop hooks. Recorded for the much larger Geffen Records label it was a major breakthrough both for the band, and the rock music scene. The highly infectious single "Smells Like Teen Spirit" received heavy airplay on MTV inspiring a slew of imitators and bringing the grunge sound into the mainstream. Their follow up In Utero, released 1993, was less accessible to the mass market due to its more subdued and introspective sound, but still obtained critical and commercial success.

Around 1993 Cobain married musician and actress Courtney Love but, plagued by an unexplained stomach illness, had become depressed, reclusive and an alleged heroin addict. Cobain committed suicide in 1994, after which the band broke apart. Drummer Dave Grohl went on to form the Foo Fighters. Two posthumous albums, a live set and a superb perfomance on MTV's Unplugged were later released.

According to some, notably public access host Richard Lee of Seattle, Kurt Cobain was murdered. His ongoing documentary has been running since the week after Cobain's demise. In addition, a documentary film called "Kurt & Courtney" was made by filmmaker Nick Broomfield which suggests that Love had Cobain killed. However, these are generally considered to be conspiracy theories and the official verdict of death by self-inflicted gunshot wound is widely accepted.

Over the years following Kurt Cobain's death, there has been much controversy over the ownership of Nirvana. The two remaining members, Grohl and Novoselic, and wife Courney Love, have argued the issue of releasing a new ablum containing rare or unreleased tracks. On October 29, 2002, the album 'Nirvana' was released containing several greatest hits and one unreleased track, "You Know You're Right".

Discography:

Bleach (1989)

Nevermind (1991)

Hormoaning (1992 – Australia and Japan only)

Incesticide (1992)

In Utero (1993)

MTV Unplugged in New York (1994)

From the Muddy Banks of Wishkah

Nirvana (2002 – Compilation containing a previously unreleased track)

R.I.P. Kurt Cobain