_The Amplified Come as You Are_ is the original _Come as You Are_ but with a whole new book's worth of annotations, illuminations, emendations, expositions and clarifications. People say it makes them cry... in a good way. And: first time in hardcover!
bookshop.org/a/108973/97800…

It's the 35th anniversary of Nirvana's triumphant 1991 homecoming show at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle.

Here's a passage about it from _The Amplified Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana_, a new, vastly expanded edition of _Come as You Are_.

One of Kurt Cobain's favorite movies was _Over the Edge_, about a bunch of frustrated, rebellious suburban teens. Soundtrack has @cheaptrick , the Cars, Ramones. Set your VCRs: it's on TCM at 2:00 AM Sunday.

In the meantime, here's my Substack about it.
michaelazerrad.substack.com/p/this-movie-i…

In case you weren't able to see _Over the Edge_ on TCM, it's also on @Tubi. In the meantime, you can read my @Substack piece about one of Kurt Cobain's favorite movies. Link in previous tweet.

Thanks for the kind words! I'm really proud of _The Amplified Come as You Are_ — I think there's a ton of interesting stuff in there about secrets in the album art, Gen X, Kurt's unique musicality, a lot of myth debunking, and lots and lots more.

It's the 20th anniversary of the last night of CBGB, so I'm posting my reminiscence of... the last night of CBGB.

Featuring Patti Smith, Flea, the great Dead Boys bassist Jeff Magnum, Danny Fields and — last but not least — Mr. Sensitive Eyes.

michaelazerrad.substack.com/p/the-last-pogo

You know, Bob Seger was right: it really is strange how the night moves with autumn closing in.

Maybe it's just the _Fear of Music_ reissue but is something up w/ Talking Heads?
They each just chose their key TH tracks
Did a group interview on Sirius XM
NPR: Do you have a project you’re trying to wake up right now?
Byrne: [pause] Um… yeah but I don’t want to talk about it.

Happy
Happy birthday
Happy birthday, Steve
Happy birthday, Steve Reich
Happy birthday, Steve
Happy birthday
Happy

Legendary Williamsburg post-punk duo They Might Be Giants @tmbg have a lot of songs about bands and being in a band. Here, they comment on those songs and show why they're some of the most insightful commentators on the art of making music.

pastemagazine.com/music/they-mig…

For drummers only: an outtake from _The Amplified Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana_ about "The Terminator," the already legendary rented snare drum that Dave Grohl played on _Nevermind_.

michaelazerrad.substack.com/p/nirvana-dave…

On the 35th anniversary of Nirvana's _Nevermind_, I will now shamelessly plug my book _The Amplified Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana_. Read about _Nevermind_'s infamous bio and why it backfired, and the surprising cultural depth of the intro of "Territorial Pissings."

Nirvana's final album _In Utero_ was released this month in 1993. My book _The Amplified Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana_ reveals the fascinating and deeply poignant meaning of the 21 mysterious little pictograms on the back cover.

It's the birthday of twins Gunnar and Matthew Nelson, collectively known as Nelson, the early-'90s pop-metal sensation. What better occasion to post this outtake from _The Amplified Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana_, the deeply annotated version of my 1993 Nirvana biography.

Using the primitive video software of the time, Peter Max, the canonical pop-psychedelic artist and '60s icon, made a beautiful video for a heartbreaking song: Missing Persons' "Surrender Your Heart" (1984). Max just passed at the age of 88.

youtube.com/watch?v=17fpgs…

Last night, speaking after a screening of rare Dylan clips, Bill Frisell conceded he's not the most articulate guy—"I sing through my guitar." And then he did just that, playing three Dylan songs instrumentally. It was lyrical and deep. He went from a caterpillar to a butterfly.

At last night's screening of rare/unseen Bob Dylan clips by the Bob Dylan Center at @ParisTheaterNYC, Bill Frisell played incandescent instrumental versions of "Just Like a Woman," "The Times They Are a-Changin'" and "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall."

This is one of my favorite annotations from _The Amplified Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana_. I guess you have to be into art photography to fully appreciate it but it was quite a moment for me.

I should add that it wasn't really an "epiphany" — I'd already written _Our Band Could Be Your Life_, an entire book about how great music can come from places besides the coastal media centers — but Aberdeen is far off the beaten path and yet it birthed several artistic titans.

Chops are nothing if you ain't got taste. During Sexmob's masterly late set at Dizzy's last night, trumpeter Steven Bernstein nailed something about his now 30 y/o jazz quartet: "That’s what’s good about this band: we kinda know what we’re doing—but not enough to hurt the music."

Metallica
Eagles
Deerhoof
The Dave Clark Five
Fleetwood Mac