In 1985 Kurt Cobain met fellow Melvins fan Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington and formed a band. After a series of name changes they finally settled on Nirvana and released their debut album, 'Bleach' (working title; 'Too many Humans') with Sub Pop in 1989 with Chad Channing as drummer (he would later be replaced by Dave Grohl). Listing their influences from a diverse range of musicians including Mudhoney, the Pixies, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, Kurt Cobain sought to create a mixture of punk and pop music.

After sudden success with their second album ;Nevermind' Cobain's emotional stte became increasingly more erratic until his suicide in 1994 Afterwards Krist Novoselic went on to form the less than successful 'Sweet 75' and later 'Set Adrift' with Curt Kirkwood (meat Puppets and Bud Gaugh (Sublime). Dave Grohl went to drum for just about everybody including Queens of the Stoneage, Tenacious D and Nine Inch Nails and then formed the 'Foo Fighters'.

'Bleach', produced by Jack Endino, only sold 30,000 copies on it's first release, however after their explosive popularity with 'Nevermind' in 1991 the album has now sold over 4 million copies.

In addition to Cobain, Novoselic and Channing there is also a credit to guitarist Jason Everman on the album. Despite the fact he did not play on the album, he had forked out the cash to have the album pressed and would join the band for a brief time after it was released. Also Dave Crover play drums for 'Floyd the Barber', 'Paper Cuts' and 'Downer'

All songs were written by Kurt Cobain, unless otherwise stated

Blew

'If you wouldn't care I would like to leave
If you wouldn't mind I would like to breathe'

A simple composition played in dropped C tuning, though this was apparently the result of a technical error. From the start it sounds dark and grungy with filthy guitar chords following the aggressive vocal melody for the chorus and verses sounding almost resigned and hopeless. For the most part the guitar plays its own riff, but the melody follows the vocals when they are there. The grinding bass lacks melody. The guitar strikes out on it's own for the bridge with a relatively high pitched and melodic solo. Early live performances featured almost entirely different lyrics.

Floyd the Barber

'I was shamed
I was shaved
I was shamed'

Opening with ominous dark chords and monotonous vocals punctuated by simple percussion in a relentless unchanging rhythm that dominate the track. The vocals are dull and let yield emotion like a weapon. The bass follows the rhythm of percussion and melody of the vocals. The bridge is a simple guitar solo that moves with ease in-between the main body of the track.

About a Girl

'I'll take advantage
While you hang me out to dry
But I can see you every night for free'

Considered Cobain's first great pop song, the vocals are surprisingly touching being out of tune though honest. Suddenly he seems very young and vulnerable, not surprising considering he was only 18 at the time. The guitar riff is basic and changes very little, only changing key for the chorus. The melody is pretty and all the more poignant when backed by the basic percussion and bass. The bridge is a melodic guitar solo backed by a shaker in percussion that lightens the mood and a very basic bass which joins the guitar melody for the playout.

School

'Won't you believe it
It's just my luck
No recess'

Despite its aggressive vocals this track remains quite slow paced, although it features as an aggressive interlude between the quieter 'About a Girl' and 'Love Buzz'. A critique of Seattle's music scene, it opens with a distorted riff and raw vocals which break for the chorus. The extremely simple composition is based around the same three lines of lyrics leaving little room for manoeuvre for the instrumentation. The bridge is melodic, but has a haphazard guitar for the first half and the second half features the vocals increasing in intensity for an explosive return to the chorus and an abrupt finish.

Love Buzz (Robbie van Leevwen)

'Would you believe me when I tell you
You are the queen of my heart'

Written by Robbie van Leevwen from Dutch band 'Shocking Blue'. It opens on a pleasant catchy bass riff which carries through to the verses and the chorus where it is punctuated by a guitar, which picks up the basic melody and livens it up a little. The vocals are gentle and innocent for the verses, but become progressively more aggressive through the chorus. There is no guitar at all for the verses and very little for the chorus. The bridge features discordant and haphazard guitars held together by unchanging bass and percussion. The outro begin a progressively discordant riff which moves back to the bass and guitar duet.

Paper Cuts

'My whole existence is for your amusement
And that's why I'm here with you'

Eerie vocals backed by ominous and basic guitar chords and a brooding bass. The vocals swing between quiet and foreboding to explosive and aggressive to match the mood of the guitar and bass. The dark cloud raised by the verses is dissipated by the intense and emotion filled chorus. The melody comes out for the chorus partnered with desperate layered vocals backed by dark chords. The verses form sets of 2 lines the first rising in pitch and the second dropping again. A pretty guitar riff fills the space in-between verse and chorus.

Negative Creep

'I'm a negative creep
And I'm stoned'

A basic composition with a faster pace, quick fire percussion and desperate vocals. The mood is ominous and desperately aggressive with an almost insane haphazard feel. It is vocally lead with the instrumentation struggling to keep up. The lyrics sound blues in composition with three repeated lines, then a 'punchline' before a brief pause and starts the cycle again. The bridge takes the form of a basic guitar riff punctuated by a vocal scream that plays out into the outro and a fade to finish.

Scoff

'In your eyes I'm not worth it
Give me back my alcohol'

Keeping the pace of the last track, 'Scoff' is relentless, forceful and filled with tension characterised by dark and heavy guitar chords. The pace winds down through the chorus and back up through the verses. The track is lead by a distorted guitar building tension throughout the verses and acting as fillers in the spaces between chorus and verses. The percussion is basic followed by bass chords making the track relentless and unchanging and repetitive lyrics help to keep the rhythm. . The bridge has a long and repetitive vocal start with a simple guitar solo followed by bass and percussion playing as one.

Swap Meet

'She loves him more than he will ever know
He loves her more than he will ever show'

A heavy start with ambling verses falling into more forceful chorus, overall there is a pushy and driven mood to the track. The guitar formation is simple with a slight change for the chorus. There are 2 chords played behind each line then a burst of riff to carry through to the next line. The bridge features a brief, but exciting guitar solo which moves back into the basic riff for the playout.

Mr Moustache

'Is he in an easy chair?
Poop as hard as rock
I don't like you anyway
Seal it in a box'

A hasty track inspired by a dislike for macho behaviour this track has obscure lyrics. The pace is extremely fast aided by short sharp lines for the chorus short verses and a simple composition. The chorus contains many 3 syllable words broken down into 3 distinct sounds to add to the pace. The track moves with an unrelenting force with a pushy guitar riff. There is a slow wind down for the outro.

Sifting

'Afraid - to grade
Wouldn't it be fun?
Cross, self loss
Wouldn't it be fun?

A slower paced track with the rhythm following the lyrical set up and a short burst of catchy, if dark riff punctuating the end and middle of lines. The heavily produced vocals to allow them to hold log high pitched notes and slow dark chords give a relentless and grinding mood. The chorus slows the pace even more and simplifies the riff as it acts as a backdrop for the vocal melody which becomes more intense. The eerie bridge ends on an ominous note before shifting back uneasily into the main body.

Big Cheese

'Black is black, no trading back
We were enemies'

Featuring only on the CD version, this track opens with eerie guitar chords, but is joined by percussion and heavier guitar chords after a few bars. In a change from the norm, the vocals lack strength and appear sulky for the chorus and are heavier for the authorative verses. Also, the vocals are more regimented while the instrumentation is chaotic. The outro features a brief degradation of instrumentation.

Downer (Cobain/Novoselic)

'Hand out lobotomies
To save little families'

A fast paced track kept in line by the percussion with verses that feature just vocals and percussion setting the pace for the entire track, and a very subdued bass lurking in the background. The guitar comes in for the chorus with ascending chords woven around short snippets of melody. The chorus lines are spoken at such a fast pace they almost run into each other.