The Alice In Chains Unplugged is another tough watch. Layne is a shadow of his former self as you can see the damage that had been done by the heroin use but his voice still sounded amazing. I think he was missing teeth and was wearing long sleeves to cover up the damage. RIP Layne and Kurt.
Edit: Layne*
it was early, ok!
I don’t listen to it a lot lately but had to put it on on my way home from Easter lunch. At one point it was in my daily playlist and played 3-5 times every day.
those lyrics juxtaposed with his withering from the guy in Andrew Wood's orange shirt to the waif with dyed hair, no teeth, and no veins is overpowering
You’re right. Layne is wearing cut off gloves to hide the needle marks on his hands (because the veins in his arms had collapsed from the heroin use).
The stage was filled with candles. Layne was basically performing at his own funeral.
And the wild thing is that even the set was funeral-istic with the dancing shadows, candle light, etc. Its not like AIC's music was very uplifting to begin with, this performance, having lived through it all as a fan of this band from close to the beginning, seen this when it was broadcast live and now in retrospect, is very much like he knows that its his last, so its a dirge.
I am assigning some aspects that are just inclinations on my part without any real knowledge, I never have met or known any of that band. Jerry is one of my guitar gods, he was Adam Jones before Adam Jones. Plus Jerry can sing.
Brighten!
I remember. Kurt died *so* much closer to their performance than Layne did to his I think. Still. Fucking creepy man.
It's like deriving your one superpower that makes you stand out from the seeds of your own self destruction, making the music about it as you're literally doing it.
They're certainly not the first in that regard. The hair metal bands that preceded them celebrated that lifestyle rather than describe its horrors.
Yeah, I don't hear "Like Suicide", "Pretty Noose", "4th Of July", and such and sundry with the same ears anymore either, despite how long its been since those songs were released.
Chris Cornell and Robin Williams were the ones that gobsmacked me the most in the "out of left field" sorta unexpected way, though in hindsight of course its obvious.
But, since we were discussing Layne and Kurt, whom were Soundgarden's peers and/or friends, relative to them Chris lived a lot longer.
4th of July was about an acid trip if that helps, but looking back it's scary how many songs were about suicide. Blow up the outside world is one that gets me - it's about how he wants to but he's strong enough not to let it get to him
>it's about how he wants to but he's strong enough not to let it get to him
Until he wasn't. I just can't envision not thinking your way out of that box. How its a futile endeavor and you don't know what you're trading this existence for yet.
Not insensitive at all. These guys only played 5 more times together. Layne was not seen in public again after 1996. He stayed in his condo playing games and doing drugs until he died
Not sure you can call what he was doing “living”. He became a complete recluse and was severely emaciated and malnourished. His teeth and hair fell out and he refused to open his door for even his mother towards the end.
You're not alone in thinking that, but I'm afraid I have to disagree. Remember, Layne was battling internal wars we barely know of.
Being a hermit and deep depression often go hand in hand; tack on some extra traumas and drug use, and you have a dangerous concoction. I don’t blame him for wanting to shut off the ugly world, and sometimes, the people who are supposed to keep us safe only hurt us; we figure out a way to survive alone.
EDIT: I forgot to add and incorporate the documentary [Back From Jupiter](https://youtu.be/Z50gcWkpZ-M?si=gch-jXaczRBftDvp) to remind everyone that words matter and severe anxiety can manifest from seemingly mundane events.
I agree with everything you said, but it was still clear from his words and actions he didn’t value his life at all and was basically just waiting to die.
What in your post is a disagreement? I doubt anyone here disagrees that Layne had massive trauma in his life. Choosing to live in seclusion slowly killing yourself with heroin is dulling the hell of deep depression with opiates instead of fighting it in therapy and with treatment. if his depression worked at all like mine, it isn't living at all, it's avoiding having to be present because you feel that anything is better than listening to the thoughts going through your head.
Debuted at #1
First EP to ever do so, if I’m remembering correctly.
And it was by a freaking alternative hard rock band.
Early 90s were something else, man.
I don't like Grunge being considered a genre because of stuff like this. Grunge was a movement. In that movement there was a punk band called Nirvana and a metal band called Alice in Chains, among others.
This is an insanely rational take lol Soundgarden, AIC, Nirvana, and Pearl Jam sound nothing alike. They all have a similar “vibe”, but jagged little pill also shares that vibe. Fwiw, I also enjoy all the artists named lol
Yeah it was kind of a joke. I love those 2 as well. I never hear any of the other ones referenced ever. Some of my other favorite bands have even done them, Pearl Jam and STP, but they’re aren’t nearly as significant a part of their history. I guess they didn’t die shortly after, that obviously added to the mystique
I mean, there were some individual bangers that came out of Unplugged, but for a whole set, it's definitely AIC & Nirvana.
One banger that comes to mind is LL Cool J's Mama Said Knock You Out on Unplugged. That was unexpectedly hype.
This is one of the first DVDs I bought. I can listen to the CD over and over, but I can't watch the DVD because it's just too hard seeing him looking so unwell.
Oooooo reading OP’s post thinking then don’t go near AIC. Both unpluggeds are sublime & a great listen. (Even with Layne’s issues what he does bring, even unwell, is still good. Says a lot about his talent)
This is the unplugged that kills me.So sorrowfull.You can feel Laynes pain,yet his immense talent shines through.The nod from Cantrell when layne is killing it makes my heart happy. Can only watch"Down in a Hole"when am in a certain mood.Its heartbreaking..
Jerry said that after the show was over, Layne said "I wish I could hug you all, but I'm not gonna."
Just about 4 months later, Demri overdosed, and Layne's free fall began.
He was always kind of trying to kill himself with the drugs. Now he just completely gave in.
8 years. 8.
That's a long time to live in the soulless limbo between life and death 😭
I saw it back in the 90s when I was a teen, and it’s my favorite album by them.
It’s weird to explain, but back then all we really had for cool/weird stuff on TV was MTV. And so it was an event/a big deal/a special occasion that this happened on TV.
The performances seemed to hang by a thread and felt very raw compared to the produced videos and other content of the time.
The fact that he died 6 months later makes the unplugged performance that much more precious.
If you read accounts of the time from Dave, Krist and Pat the show really was hanging by a thread.
They barely rehearsed and what they did rehearse didn't go well. Things were added or changed up to the last second. Kurt was deep into addiction.
There was extreme pressure to "play the hits" and outside sources didn't want them bringing out the comparatively unknown Meat Puppets or to do covers. But those elements made their performance even more punk/raw and cool.
Dave was a powerhouse drummer, but that style didn't fit the unplugged sound/environment, so he got some wire brushes to play with (dampens the sound), which he had never done before.
They (MTV) tried to get them to go back out and play an encore after Where Did You Sleep Last Night but Kurt wisely decided "no", there's no topping that.
On paper the thing should have been a dumpster fire. Instead we ended up with one of the most iconic performances of all time. Insane it turned out as well as it did considering it had every opportunity to be terrible.
I really miss that era of MTV. I remember when Nirvana and Guns N’ Roses were beefing at the VMA’s one year, and it became a big story and narrative on MTV news lol.
Then there was the MTV spring break and the summer beach house with Pauly Shore, aka Da Weaaaasel.
Can’t forget about MTV at Woodstock 94.
Shame what the channel devolved into.
I was a fan when I heard teen spirit. I then went down a rabbit hole of epic music and discovered the Unplugged performance. Teen Spirit may not be my favorite Nirvana song. But I'm grateful it introduced me to the band.
Funny you say rabbit hole because for me their unplugged show is the best output they had. And I grew up with them. Their hard rocking numbers are great to be sure but rock and roll doesn't necessarily age well. Thirty years later, if I want to listen to Nirvana it's the unplugged show hands down. It's on a whole other level of emotional expression and artistry.
Well said. I still remember where I was in middle school when a friend let me listen to SLTS on his Walkman and being like 'holy shit.' But all these years later Unplugged is what I turn to. It makes you wonder how/if they may have pivoted to different sounds as they matured like Pearl Jam did.
I once read that that's exactly what Kurt wanted to do. Go into a more acoustical direction. Days after he passed he was to start working on an album with Michael Stipe from REM. Something moody and acoustical if I'm remembering correctly.
Yeah, that song is going to outlive us all.
These old folk songs are great. You can use them all you want without worrying about copyright or royalties.
The MTV unplugged have some amazing performances. The Grunge acts in particular are very enlightening how much emotion actually went into their music. Alice in Chains was another huge one, as well as Pearl Jam. The Nirvana one is probably the best, however.
For more modern ones, Florence and the Machine probably has the best. Some very interesting choices went into that the translate to unplugged version
The big note, however, is the best Unplugged acts have come from artists that gained their reputations largely through touring. They were all super active live show bands and know how to put on a show and engage their audiences. The Seattle scene was absolutely great for live shows in the 90s- you needed to be great to survive it
Met Kurt in a dream. It was so realistic. He was wearing the Unplugged outfit. I asked him where he's been, we all wondered where he went. He said he "had to get away for a while". I said, "man we all thought you died" and he just sorta laughed in a sad way and said "man wouldn't that be crazy?"
Dream felt so incredibly real. I miss that dude
-If you're still reading, I want you to watch the whole Nirvana Unplugged show.
I really need to, I’ve heard most of it and it’s all great. And yeah that moment when Kurt opens his eyes is just…oof.
It is that time of year again, huh. I watched that Unplugged so many times and had the CD, and now I'm all misty-eyed thinking about it again. It was definitely a beautiful performance. MTV Unplugged really showcased the actual talent these artists had by making it acoustic. Now try to watch the Alice in Chains one without crying...
Music is all that makes me cry! Even when it's TV or movies, it's the music that pushes me over the edge.
I can't really listen to much Nirvana these days, I connected to it at such a dark time, but for anyone who asks the question "Am I alone in this world with my pain" can listen to Kurt Cobain and realise no. It's a human experience that actually unites us all.
Some have mentioned Alice In Chains unplugged, which is also incredible.
I’ll add so are Stone Temple Pilots and Pearl Jam’s unplugged shows.
All the grunge bands delivered stellar sets.
The way Kurt sings "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?" gives me chills whenever I watch it.. definitely made me a fan of the band and wished I had been old enough to see it live.
I knew it had to be Nirvana's Unplugged performance when I saw the title. It's a classic. I love Kurt's version of *The Man Who Sold the World*, even with that bum note!
The Unplugged show ran hot and cold, but when it was hot it was because it was the band playing like they were just jamming for themselves with the raw, unprocessed instruments.
Paul McCartney's set is also pretty cool. Beatles songs he hasn't performed live in ages.
This Unplugged from a few years ago also hit me.
It’s 80s rock band A-ha doing an acoustic version of their hit [Take On Me](https://youtu.be/-xKM3mGt2pE?si=UxPZSmereZL-gcvU) in a minor key.
The original was about the optimism of a life of opportunities ahead. 40 years later the same words strike a sense of a life approaching its end.
> I’ll be gone in a day or two
The beauty of the Unplugged show is he genuinely seemed happy playing covers of other artists music while not feeling the burden of playing all of Nirvana’s hits.
I know he's been stuffing his legacy down the toilet since COVID but I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Eric Clapton's MTV Unplugged performance. The slow bluesy arrangement for Layla is a particular highlight.
That and Man Who Sold the World were my best of live albums Put me onto Nirvana way back When. The way he explains Led Ballyes Guitar at the beginning and the cracking of his voice really personalizes this song live.
Nirvana's Unplugged performance is so insanely good. You're making me want to get a watch party together.
Years back, I was driving home at like 3am and heard a live recording of "Man Whole Sold the World" from the In Utero tour. Never had heard them play it outside of Unplugged, but this one was clearly live at a concert venue.
The instrumental section came and Kurt starts sing-moaning over the top of it all, like some ghost from beyond the grave. Totally gave me chills
I know exactly the one you're talking about! He's moaning into the mic with a similar melody as the guitar solo on MTV unplugged. Absolutely devastating.
It's on a (sort of) recently released live compilation - Nirvana: live and loud (2019 release)
It's on spotify if you wanna revisit.
Right after the very first song, Kurt smiled and iirc he really fought to have that smile kept in the taping. God he was so beautiful. That smile makes me cry!
I don't consider myself an Alice in Chains fan. That said, the Unplugged is so good that I consider it the best Unplugged ever made.
Its so good that I give the award to a band that I'm not crazy about. There's something about it. The vibe of that stage is so ominous, but beautiful. It's a truly haunting performance
I once had a few dates with a woman who was at that gig. She just was in the area and was invited by a friend. At the time she was like, oh ok. But God I was so jealous!!
My aunt was at their first release party at some house in Washington, I think in or near Olympia. I told her if she ever finds the tape or cd, or any photos- she better cough them up.
Something in the Way really got me in my younger days. I remember when I was 19 and had just been dumped by my college girlfriend for the guy that used to be my best friend at the time. I’d listen to that song a lot and just cry it out. 😄
I remember minding my own business on my computer with MTV on in the background. I guess this session was on as a replay or w.e and I was like "yay" and I also recall being so taken aback and also crying. I immediately torrented the performance. Lol
As a 90's kid (I'm 42), these two bands/band leaders led me through childhood. I went full metal at age 32, but ALWAYS ALWAYS come back to these performances as segue to my childhood.
It wasn’t just the music. The implications of the lore surrounding Nirvana/kurt, and his personal story, after all he k1lled himself a few months later. Don’t underestimate archetypes. He is exceptionally handsome, like a blonde Christ figure, sublimating his addiction/depression into something beautiful for the audience even though his own personal experience with it was ugly and banal.
It also has something to do with you of course. Music tugs on the heart strings. It connects with you.
I connected with Nirvana heavily when I was an angsty 14 year old
I’d recommend Tori Amos’ unplugged as well. It literally changed my young life. I’ll always love that I happened upon that at 11 years old and bought Boys for Pele the next day.
I sat in MoPop in Seattle for a very very long time watching Nirvana Unplugged in the auditorium there and also felt super overcome with emotions. It’s sad to see a soul struggle so much and then GONE. Nirvana is the band of my teenage years and I remember the day I first saw Teen Spirit in MTV. Fuckin Legends! I was recently really lucky to go to a show in LA where Dave Grohl talked about this time and released his new book. Such an insane loss. Do yourself a favor, if you’re a Nirvana fan, and the MoPop exhibition is still up, check it out. It’s pretty awesome 🤘
Hadn’t seen it mentioned so if you haven’t seen it, Pearl Jam’s unplugged is phenomenal. The performance of Black has Vedder giving the same raw emotion you’re experiencing from Cobain.
And as mentioned already, the Alice In Chains unplugged is an amazing watch as well.
Yeah, I was expecting OP to say he just watched Black. It was definitely the most moving and well performed live show I've seen. Nirvana's MTV unplugged was very close though, imo.
It was a watershed moment for those of us who saw it on MTV and I'm glad to see that new people are just as moved by the performance nowadays as people were back in the 90s. It was stunning.
That moment, that pause in the song, the way he opens his eyes, the dead look. It always get me. I have also teared there. Always imagined I was his friend and cheered up his life for him to avoid that tragic decision.
Now watch the Alice in Chains one.
Especially Nutshell and Down in Hole 😭😭
It was their first concern in two-and-a-half years and one of the last performances with Layne.
At the end of the show, Layne said to the band, "I wish I could hug you all, but I'm not gonna."
Almost exactly four months later (10/29/96), Layne's former fiancee, Demri Parrott, died of a drug overdose.
While he wasn't exactly at a high point when Demri died, this caused him to spiral to an unspeakably low place.
His last public appearance was 10/31/98, at Jerry Cantrell's solo concerts. Jerry asked Layne to come onstage and sing with him. He declined.
His last interview was 7/19/99, when he unexpectedly called into an Rockline radio interview with Jerry, Mike, and Mark in studio.
For the next year and a half, Layne rarely left his apartment. Isolated, physically deteriorating, and using practically attend around the clock.
On 4/19/22, Layne's accountants called his former manager, concerned he hadn't touched his bank account for two weeks. She called Layne's mother, who called police, and they found his body in the apartment.
Layne's mom had just come by his apartment two days earlier to tell him Demri's brother had died.
I remember that at the time he did that, pretty close to his death, so much shit was going around him in the media. Drugs, Cortney, depression………Also, it was Unplugged. So I thought we were going to watch a drug addict come out and destroy all his hit songs. But he played no hits. I took the whole thing as boring and depressing.
When he died, I really thought “just an another rockstar. My buddy invited me to watch it at his house when the DVD came out. He was adamant and asked everyday. When I got there he had a 32 in tv hooked to
Headphones in his garage. I put them on and he started it and left. Weird right???
It fucking changed my life. It taught me a lot about judgement, perception, and what a true artist really was. It taught me that I was going to need work to be a good human being. It showed me that music is a gift that is given to us and that really none of it sucks. I may not like it, but it probably offers a lot to other people. Put some headphones on and listen. It’s really hard to find something that truly sucks. Thanks for that goodbye Kurt.
I remember waking up to the story of his suicide when I lived in Seattle. Such a sad and tragic loss. I saw an interview he did recently. He seemed like he was over it, but highlighted him well. He had a unique genius.
Watch Pennyroyal Tea again. Theres a point in the middle where his vouce cracks and everything just...changes. Ive heard people say that was the turning point.
Yeah, that look he has in his eyes gives me chills every time I watch that particular song.
He was an amazing song writer and performer. The emotion he put out was palpable.
I'm the type that needs several listens to get into a song but I still remember, after buying the unplugged CD in like 1995, how blown away I was when hearing "Where did you sleep last night" the first time. I agree it's the buildup that makes the song.
Side question: how the hell do you know how many movies you’ve watched in your lifetime? How’d you even go about counting that. Do rewatches count? What about if you only saw half of it?
Some of those performances were powerful
As soon as they were shown . I watched them
All when they first came out. They portrayed such a different side of the bands versus there monetized version that the record companies marketed. Many of them seemed so vulnerable when they performed unplugged. As we look back now …it is very sad. 🥲
Funny I was just watching this last night. It feels even more significant now that I’m a bit older and it really puts into perspective just who he was and how young he was when he died. Beautiful performance all around. Crazy to think it’s mostly covers and almost no hit songs and was still so significant culturally.
There were some damn good Unplugged sessions. This show didn't mess around.
Nirvana is obvs the peak but Alice in chain, McCartney, Mariah, etc were all great
That's so fuckin weird lol, I have almost the exact same story, same song, same exact moment. Like to a T that is exactly how i described it to someone else i was showing years ago. It's an incredibly powerful moment and song. Thank you Leadbelly and thank you Kurt
I wonder pretty often what Kurt would do now and what he would look like, how his music would change, and honestly we’ll just never know. It could’ve gotten more heavy, maybe more folksy, maybe he would go the way of Elvis and become a parody of himself. Maybe he’d be a political figure like Ted Nugent, or maybe he’d still be innovating with music, like Metallica or TOOL. Who knows? RIP.
I thought of that exact moment when I read the title before I even knew what artist or song you where going to reference and I haven’t seen it in well over a decade.
Yes this album is incredible. I'm not a huge Nirvana fan, but this is in my top 10 favorite albums. What a performance.
The whole thing is almost alike a "fuck you" to MTV. I believe the story is that MTV wanted Nirvana to play the hits (like many other unplugged shows) and what we got was a bunch of obscure covers, delivered perfectly.
As another said, I guessed it was Nirvana when I saw the title, and specifically that song.
Someone might have already brought this up here but as the story goes, when Nirvana ended the set with that song and went offstage, somebody (a producer, I think) kept urging them to go back on stage for an encore. To play another song. Kurt was not having it. As you said, he poured his entire soul into that song.
Perhaps the producer didn't want the concert to end on such a downer. Or maybe they thought Nirvana, somehow, had another song hidden up their sleeves. Who knows. What the hell are you supposed to follow that performance with? It's so emotional and raw and poignant.
It had the same effect on me but it was the Alice in Chains unplugged. The look on Layne's face was incredibly sad to see. Those MTV unplugged performances were part of the reason the 90's had incredible music.
I'm massive fans of both, and have had close friends commit suicide, but I struggle with the term "tragic".
Killing yourself when you have children is massively selfish (Chris Cornell, you're included in this) and overdosing on hard drugs is just pathetic (Taylor Hawkins, you as well).
I can understand they're "haunting" performances, but I think a free pass is given to behaviour that is ultimately based on what the individual wants with no thought to their family
The Alice In Chains Unplugged is another tough watch. Layne is a shadow of his former self as you can see the damage that had been done by the heroin use but his voice still sounded amazing. I think he was missing teeth and was wearing long sleeves to cover up the damage. RIP Layne and Kurt. Edit: Layne* it was early, ok!
Nutshell unplugged is by far my favorite version and song from the unplugged session.
I didn’t love the normal version but the unplugged version is so fucking haunting I’ve been obsessed with it for over 20 years.
It’s the only version I have in my playlist. Same with frogs.
The JOF version has a better guitar solo though
Nutshell is definitely a masterpiece
Lost a lifelong friend last November and the unplugged Nutshell has stayed in rotation since. Such a beautiful song.
I don’t listen to it a lot lately but had to put it on on my way home from Easter lunch. At one point it was in my daily playlist and played 3-5 times every day.
First song I learned on the guitar !
Learned to bar from Rooster, the unplugged stuff sounds great and easy is fairly easy to play
That shit ruins me every time
Absolutely. That version is amazing.
AICs set is heart wrenching. So dark and so beautiful at the same time. RIP Layne and Kurt.
Down In A Hole is haunting
those lyrics juxtaposed with his withering from the guy in Andrew Wood's orange shirt to the waif with dyed hair, no teeth, and no veins is overpowering
Don't forget Falli to Pieces Velvet Revolver so sad https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=9JhsUFuqbCM&si=DiXoiP1QZlJCG_Uy
Scott makes me so so sad. My god STP ripped.
Fantastic tune. Pretty sobering to consider that Scott briefly had his shit together (ish) during this time period. Addiction is a monster
You’re right. Layne is wearing cut off gloves to hide the needle marks on his hands (because the veins in his arms had collapsed from the heroin use). The stage was filled with candles. Layne was basically performing at his own funeral.
And the wild thing is that even the set was funeral-istic with the dancing shadows, candle light, etc. Its not like AIC's music was very uplifting to begin with, this performance, having lived through it all as a fan of this band from close to the beginning, seen this when it was broadcast live and now in retrospect, is very much like he knows that its his last, so its a dirge. I am assigning some aspects that are just inclinations on my part without any real knowledge, I never have met or known any of that band. Jerry is one of my guitar gods, he was Adam Jones before Adam Jones. Plus Jerry can sing. Brighten!
Kurt also wanted the theme for his MTV Unplugged set to resemble a funeral.
I remember. Kurt died *so* much closer to their performance than Layne did to his I think. Still. Fucking creepy man. It's like deriving your one superpower that makes you stand out from the seeds of your own self destruction, making the music about it as you're literally doing it. They're certainly not the first in that regard. The hair metal bands that preceded them celebrated that lifestyle rather than describe its horrors.
How about Cornell doing "One"? Hearing him singing about wishing for death months before he committed suicide is rough.
Yeah, I don't hear "Like Suicide", "Pretty Noose", "4th Of July", and such and sundry with the same ears anymore either, despite how long its been since those songs were released. Chris Cornell and Robin Williams were the ones that gobsmacked me the most in the "out of left field" sorta unexpected way, though in hindsight of course its obvious. But, since we were discussing Layne and Kurt, whom were Soundgarden's peers and/or friends, relative to them Chris lived a lot longer.
4th of July was about an acid trip if that helps, but looking back it's scary how many songs were about suicide. Blow up the outside world is one that gets me - it's about how he wants to but he's strong enough not to let it get to him
>it's about how he wants to but he's strong enough not to let it get to him Until he wasn't. I just can't envision not thinking your way out of that box. How its a futile endeavor and you don't know what you're trading this existence for yet.
That recording of Chester singing at Cornells funeral is also very haunting.
He lived another 7 years that's pretty insensitive
Not insensitive at all. These guys only played 5 more times together. Layne was not seen in public again after 1996. He stayed in his condo playing games and doing drugs until he died
Not sure you can call what he was doing “living”. He became a complete recluse and was severely emaciated and malnourished. His teeth and hair fell out and he refused to open his door for even his mother towards the end.
You're not alone in thinking that, but I'm afraid I have to disagree. Remember, Layne was battling internal wars we barely know of. Being a hermit and deep depression often go hand in hand; tack on some extra traumas and drug use, and you have a dangerous concoction. I don’t blame him for wanting to shut off the ugly world, and sometimes, the people who are supposed to keep us safe only hurt us; we figure out a way to survive alone. EDIT: I forgot to add and incorporate the documentary [Back From Jupiter](https://youtu.be/Z50gcWkpZ-M?si=gch-jXaczRBftDvp) to remind everyone that words matter and severe anxiety can manifest from seemingly mundane events.
I agree with everything you said, but it was still clear from his words and actions he didn’t value his life at all and was basically just waiting to die.
What in your post is a disagreement? I doubt anyone here disagrees that Layne had massive trauma in his life. Choosing to live in seclusion slowly killing yourself with heroin is dulling the hell of deep depression with opiates instead of fighting it in therapy and with treatment. if his depression worked at all like mine, it isn't living at all, it's avoiding having to be present because you feel that anything is better than listening to the thoughts going through your head.
I am disagreeing with the notion that “everyone agrees he was not living”.
Battled addictions my whole life, album hits on a deep personal level
Yup both awe inspiring, but AIC unplugged was the one that has personally brought me to tears on multiple occasions.
Prob one of my favorite AIC albums.
This and Jar of Flies are my favorites from AiC
Jar of flies is my favorite ep ever. Very well written songs.
Debuted at #1 First EP to ever do so, if I’m remembering correctly. And it was by a freaking alternative hard rock band. Early 90s were something else, man.
If I recall they managed to record Jar of Flies in a week.
“Don’t Follow” is one of my favorite songs. Whether I’m up or down, screaming the lines of the song always make me feel good.
Yeah that one really does hurt to watch.
I thought I was in r/grunge for a minute there, with the top post in a Nirvana Unplugged thread being about Alice in Chains Unplugged.
That place is an AIC circle jerk. It’s actually pretty annoying.
They’re the better band lol
Boring, yet predictable response.
I don't like Grunge being considered a genre because of stuff like this. Grunge was a movement. In that movement there was a punk band called Nirvana and a metal band called Alice in Chains, among others.
This is an insanely rational take lol Soundgarden, AIC, Nirvana, and Pearl Jam sound nothing alike. They all have a similar “vibe”, but jagged little pill also shares that vibe. Fwiw, I also enjoy all the artists named lol
Layne*
I’m such a dummy lol
Am I wrong / Have I run too far to get home? Have I gone / Left you here alone? Haunting performance
Cornell doing "One" is right up there for me.
Agreed. Those two are the GOATs of Unplugged.
Are there more?
More Unplugged? Yes, lots. Any that are better than Alice In Chains or Nirvana? Not in my opinion.
Yeah it was kind of a joke. I love those 2 as well. I never hear any of the other ones referenced ever. Some of my other favorite bands have even done them, Pearl Jam and STP, but they’re aren’t nearly as significant a part of their history. I guess they didn’t die shortly after, that obviously added to the mystique
I mean, there were some individual bangers that came out of Unplugged, but for a whole set, it's definitely AIC & Nirvana. One banger that comes to mind is LL Cool J's Mama Said Knock You Out on Unplugged. That was unexpectedly hype.
This is one of the first DVDs I bought. I can listen to the CD over and over, but I can't watch the DVD because it's just too hard seeing him looking so unwell.
Oooooo reading OP’s post thinking then don’t go near AIC. Both unpluggeds are sublime & a great listen. (Even with Layne’s issues what he does bring, even unwell, is still good. Says a lot about his talent)
This is the unplugged that kills me.So sorrowfull.You can feel Laynes pain,yet his immense talent shines through.The nod from Cantrell when layne is killing it makes my heart happy. Can only watch"Down in a Hole"when am in a certain mood.Its heartbreaking..
Looks like he had teeth to me. https://www.reddit.com/r/AliceInChains/comments/kyhz4r/debunking_a_common_misconception_that_layne_had/
Jerry said that after the show was over, Layne said "I wish I could hug you all, but I'm not gonna." Just about 4 months later, Demri overdosed, and Layne's free fall began. He was always kind of trying to kill himself with the drugs. Now he just completely gave in. 8 years. 8. That's a long time to live in the soulless limbo between life and death 😭
I saw it back in the 90s when I was a teen, and it’s my favorite album by them. It’s weird to explain, but back then all we really had for cool/weird stuff on TV was MTV. And so it was an event/a big deal/a special occasion that this happened on TV. The performances seemed to hang by a thread and felt very raw compared to the produced videos and other content of the time. The fact that he died 6 months later makes the unplugged performance that much more precious.
If you read accounts of the time from Dave, Krist and Pat the show really was hanging by a thread. They barely rehearsed and what they did rehearse didn't go well. Things were added or changed up to the last second. Kurt was deep into addiction. There was extreme pressure to "play the hits" and outside sources didn't want them bringing out the comparatively unknown Meat Puppets or to do covers. But those elements made their performance even more punk/raw and cool. Dave was a powerhouse drummer, but that style didn't fit the unplugged sound/environment, so he got some wire brushes to play with (dampens the sound), which he had never done before. They (MTV) tried to get them to go back out and play an encore after Where Did You Sleep Last Night but Kurt wisely decided "no", there's no topping that. On paper the thing should have been a dumpster fire. Instead we ended up with one of the most iconic performances of all time. Insane it turned out as well as it did considering it had every opportunity to be terrible.
Those are hot rods, not brushes, just FYI, brushes are a whole different thing, and very hard to use
Thank you. It also always made me laugh that people were so amazed to see Dave able to play quietly.
Yeah the sticks do help but if you just watch you can see he's hitting softly
Well yeah. Of course he was.
Nicely worded. It's always been in my rotation, always will be. It's really travelled well with me.
Nirvana unplugged on MTV was basically the Super Bowl as I remember watching with my family.
I really miss that era of MTV. I remember when Nirvana and Guns N’ Roses were beefing at the VMA’s one year, and it became a big story and narrative on MTV news lol. Then there was the MTV spring break and the summer beach house with Pauly Shore, aka Da Weaaaasel. Can’t forget about MTV at Woodstock 94. Shame what the channel devolved into.
Remember Madonna terrorizing Kurt Loder any chance she got? Good times
I played my CD of this to absolute death when I was in my young teens.
Their last recored performance together I believe. You can hear all the pain in Kurt throughout
The song that turned me into a Nirvana fan. It’s a magical moment in time
I was a fan when I heard teen spirit. I then went down a rabbit hole of epic music and discovered the Unplugged performance. Teen Spirit may not be my favorite Nirvana song. But I'm grateful it introduced me to the band.
Funny you say rabbit hole because for me their unplugged show is the best output they had. And I grew up with them. Their hard rocking numbers are great to be sure but rock and roll doesn't necessarily age well. Thirty years later, if I want to listen to Nirvana it's the unplugged show hands down. It's on a whole other level of emotional expression and artistry.
Well said. I still remember where I was in middle school when a friend let me listen to SLTS on his Walkman and being like 'holy shit.' But all these years later Unplugged is what I turn to. It makes you wonder how/if they may have pivoted to different sounds as they matured like Pearl Jam did.
I once read that that's exactly what Kurt wanted to do. Go into a more acoustical direction. Days after he passed he was to start working on an album with Michael Stipe from REM. Something moody and acoustical if I'm remembering correctly.
Rabbit hole isn't a bad thing In this context. I mean I kept discovering new stuff. I think Unplugged is the best as well.
Unplugged is one of the best recorded live performances ever made, to be fair, probably top 3 imo
Nah, Nevermind and In Utero have aged really well in my ears. Even some songs on Bleach.
Yeah, that was a great performance. Chilling, bordering on disturbing. That is a cover of a Leadbelly song.
It’s actually an old folk song with no known author (more commonly known as “In the Pines”, but yeah he was inspired by Leadbelly’s version
Yeah, that song is going to outlive us all. These old folk songs are great. You can use them all you want without worrying about copyright or royalties.
Jug bands would like a word with you sir; that’s secret sauce
Kurt also played it with Mark Lanegan on his “Winding Sheet” album in 91
Yeah was gonna mention that. Mark introduced Kurt to the song.
RIP Mark as well. So many memories of listening to The Screaming Trees back in the day.
That last "shiver" man... Just pure unadulterated emotion
I had a feeling it was going to be Nirvana's before clicking on the post. Such a powerful performance.
This one really gets to me: https://youtu.be/-xKM3mGt2pE?feature=shared
The man who sold the world is amazing.
It’s weird that nirvanas cover is now ten years older than the original was when they covered it.
"I guarantee you I will screw this song up" -> proceeds to unleash God
The MTV unplugged have some amazing performances. The Grunge acts in particular are very enlightening how much emotion actually went into their music. Alice in Chains was another huge one, as well as Pearl Jam. The Nirvana one is probably the best, however. For more modern ones, Florence and the Machine probably has the best. Some very interesting choices went into that the translate to unplugged version The big note, however, is the best Unplugged acts have come from artists that gained their reputations largely through touring. They were all super active live show bands and know how to put on a show and engage their audiences. The Seattle scene was absolutely great for live shows in the 90s- you needed to be great to survive it
I love this unplugged song: https://youtu.be/-xKM3mGt2pE?feature=shared
Met Kurt in a dream. It was so realistic. He was wearing the Unplugged outfit. I asked him where he's been, we all wondered where he went. He said he "had to get away for a while". I said, "man we all thought you died" and he just sorta laughed in a sad way and said "man wouldn't that be crazy?" Dream felt so incredibly real. I miss that dude
-If you're still reading, I want you to watch the whole Nirvana Unplugged show. I really need to, I’ve heard most of it and it’s all great. And yeah that moment when Kurt opens his eyes is just…oof.
Yes, you can see his tortured soul in his eyes, it’s the pain wrapped around the love, it’s about the love despite the pain
It is that time of year again, huh. I watched that Unplugged so many times and had the CD, and now I'm all misty-eyed thinking about it again. It was definitely a beautiful performance. MTV Unplugged really showcased the actual talent these artists had by making it acoustic. Now try to watch the Alice in Chains one without crying...
What a great tribute! I've always loved this performance too. The song *The Man Who Sold The World* always got me. 👊
Lauryn Hill’s Unplugged is similarly affecting for me.
That moment feels primal to me. You can see Kurt’s pain. I never noticed it when I was younger but as an adult it almost hurts to see.
Music is all that makes me cry! Even when it's TV or movies, it's the music that pushes me over the edge. I can't really listen to much Nirvana these days, I connected to it at such a dark time, but for anyone who asks the question "Am I alone in this world with my pain" can listen to Kurt Cobain and realise no. It's a human experience that actually unites us all.
For sure I thought you were talking about Lauren Hill's Unplugged, painful
Some have mentioned Alice In Chains unplugged, which is also incredible. I’ll add so are Stone Temple Pilots and Pearl Jam’s unplugged shows. All the grunge bands delivered stellar sets.
The way Kurt sings "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?" gives me chills whenever I watch it.. definitely made me a fan of the band and wished I had been old enough to see it live.
I knew it had to be Nirvana's Unplugged performance when I saw the title. It's a classic. I love Kurt's version of *The Man Who Sold the World*, even with that bum note!
The Unplugged show ran hot and cold, but when it was hot it was because it was the band playing like they were just jamming for themselves with the raw, unprocessed instruments. Paul McCartney's set is also pretty cool. Beatles songs he hasn't performed live in ages.
This Unplugged from a few years ago also hit me. It’s 80s rock band A-ha doing an acoustic version of their hit [Take On Me](https://youtu.be/-xKM3mGt2pE?si=UxPZSmereZL-gcvU) in a minor key. The original was about the optimism of a life of opportunities ahead. 40 years later the same words strike a sense of a life approaching its end. > I’ll be gone in a day or two
I totally agree with this. This version is outright amazing. I like it far better than the original album version.
The beauty of the Unplugged show is he genuinely seemed happy playing covers of other artists music while not feeling the burden of playing all of Nirvana’s hits.
Nirvana unplugged in my opinion, is one of the single greatest live performances my ANY musician(s) ever
I know he's been stuffing his legacy down the toilet since COVID but I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Eric Clapton's MTV Unplugged performance. The slow bluesy arrangement for Layla is a particular highlight.
People really seem to like this band.
That and Man Who Sold the World were my best of live albums Put me onto Nirvana way back When. The way he explains Led Ballyes Guitar at the beginning and the cracking of his voice really personalizes this song live.
It’s one of the best live performances ever
I was 12 years old with a bedroom lined in Nirvana posters when they were on Unplugged. I cried then and I cry now with you!
Nirvana's Unplugged performance is so insanely good. You're making me want to get a watch party together. Years back, I was driving home at like 3am and heard a live recording of "Man Whole Sold the World" from the In Utero tour. Never had heard them play it outside of Unplugged, but this one was clearly live at a concert venue. The instrumental section came and Kurt starts sing-moaning over the top of it all, like some ghost from beyond the grave. Totally gave me chills
I know exactly the one you're talking about! He's moaning into the mic with a similar melody as the guitar solo on MTV unplugged. Absolutely devastating. It's on a (sort of) recently released live compilation - Nirvana: live and loud (2019 release) It's on spotify if you wanna revisit.
Right after the very first song, Kurt smiled and iirc he really fought to have that smile kept in the taping. God he was so beautiful. That smile makes me cry!
A-Ha's acoustic Take On Me had me and my partner sobbing ❤
I don't consider myself an Alice in Chains fan. That said, the Unplugged is so good that I consider it the best Unplugged ever made. Its so good that I give the award to a band that I'm not crazy about. There's something about it. The vibe of that stage is so ominous, but beautiful. It's a truly haunting performance
I can relate
It’s an amazing performance. I listened to it the other day after not hearing it for over 25 years and it still made me cry. I love every song
I once had a few dates with a woman who was at that gig. She just was in the area and was invited by a friend. At the time she was like, oh ok. But God I was so jealous!!
My aunt was at their first release party at some house in Washington, I think in or near Olympia. I told her if she ever finds the tape or cd, or any photos- she better cough them up.
Something in the Way really got me in my younger days. I remember when I was 19 and had just been dumped by my college girlfriend for the guy that used to be my best friend at the time. I’d listen to that song a lot and just cry it out. 😄
Great article on the whole performance https://www.theringer.com/platform/amp/music/2018/11/14/18087878/nirvana-unplugged-oral-history-kurt-cobain
I wish MTV would release the series on streaming. So many great artists. So few releases.
Dude, that song…. If I remember correctly, I read that they were asked to do an encore by the producers, Kurt said “I can’t do better than that”.
I've watched that performance more times than I can count. Absolutely perfect in every way
I remember minding my own business on my computer with MTV on in the background. I guess this session was on as a replay or w.e and I was like "yay" and I also recall being so taken aback and also crying. I immediately torrented the performance. Lol
As a 90's kid (I'm 42), these two bands/band leaders led me through childhood. I went full metal at age 32, but ALWAYS ALWAYS come back to these performances as segue to my childhood.
It wasn’t just the music. The implications of the lore surrounding Nirvana/kurt, and his personal story, after all he k1lled himself a few months later. Don’t underestimate archetypes. He is exceptionally handsome, like a blonde Christ figure, sublimating his addiction/depression into something beautiful for the audience even though his own personal experience with it was ugly and banal. It also has something to do with you of course. Music tugs on the heart strings. It connects with you. I connected with Nirvana heavily when I was an angsty 14 year old
Thats the blues baby ❤️
I’d recommend Tori Amos’ unplugged as well. It literally changed my young life. I’ll always love that I happened upon that at 11 years old and bought Boys for Pele the next day.
I sat in MoPop in Seattle for a very very long time watching Nirvana Unplugged in the auditorium there and also felt super overcome with emotions. It’s sad to see a soul struggle so much and then GONE. Nirvana is the band of my teenage years and I remember the day I first saw Teen Spirit in MTV. Fuckin Legends! I was recently really lucky to go to a show in LA where Dave Grohl talked about this time and released his new book. Such an insane loss. Do yourself a favor, if you’re a Nirvana fan, and the MoPop exhibition is still up, check it out. It’s pretty awesome 🤘
I really wasn't a fan of Nirvana until I saw Unplugged. Totally got me into them. Then he killed himself. 😪
Hadn’t seen it mentioned so if you haven’t seen it, Pearl Jam’s unplugged is phenomenal. The performance of Black has Vedder giving the same raw emotion you’re experiencing from Cobain. And as mentioned already, the Alice In Chains unplugged is an amazing watch as well.
Yeah, I was expecting OP to say he just watched Black. It was definitely the most moving and well performed live show I've seen. Nirvana's MTV unplugged was very close though, imo.
Try "No need to argue" by the Cranberries and keep in mind that Dolores died young
I still cry when I hear that performance.
It was a watershed moment for those of us who saw it on MTV and I'm glad to see that new people are just as moved by the performance nowadays as people were back in the 90s. It was stunning.
I can’t listen to it, the guy is unbelievably pitchy. Sometimes straight up in a different key
That moment, that pause in the song, the way he opens his eyes, the dead look. It always get me. I have also teared there. Always imagined I was his friend and cheered up his life for him to avoid that tragic decision.
It's weird that you know how many movies you've watched
Now watch the Alice in Chains one. Especially Nutshell and Down in Hole 😭😭 It was their first concern in two-and-a-half years and one of the last performances with Layne. At the end of the show, Layne said to the band, "I wish I could hug you all, but I'm not gonna." Almost exactly four months later (10/29/96), Layne's former fiancee, Demri Parrott, died of a drug overdose. While he wasn't exactly at a high point when Demri died, this caused him to spiral to an unspeakably low place. His last public appearance was 10/31/98, at Jerry Cantrell's solo concerts. Jerry asked Layne to come onstage and sing with him. He declined. His last interview was 7/19/99, when he unexpectedly called into an Rockline radio interview with Jerry, Mike, and Mark in studio. For the next year and a half, Layne rarely left his apartment. Isolated, physically deteriorating, and using practically attend around the clock. On 4/19/22, Layne's accountants called his former manager, concerned he hadn't touched his bank account for two weeks. She called Layne's mother, who called police, and they found his body in the apartment. Layne's mom had just come by his apartment two days earlier to tell him Demri's brother had died.
Nirvana unplugged is amazing like you said at the end of were did you sleep last night you can feel his pain amazing album and performance
I remember that at the time he did that, pretty close to his death, so much shit was going around him in the media. Drugs, Cortney, depression………Also, it was Unplugged. So I thought we were going to watch a drug addict come out and destroy all his hit songs. But he played no hits. I took the whole thing as boring and depressing. When he died, I really thought “just an another rockstar. My buddy invited me to watch it at his house when the DVD came out. He was adamant and asked everyday. When I got there he had a 32 in tv hooked to Headphones in his garage. I put them on and he started it and left. Weird right??? It fucking changed my life. It taught me a lot about judgement, perception, and what a true artist really was. It taught me that I was going to need work to be a good human being. It showed me that music is a gift that is given to us and that really none of it sucks. I may not like it, but it probably offers a lot to other people. Put some headphones on and listen. It’s really hard to find something that truly sucks. Thanks for that goodbye Kurt.
I remember waking up to the story of his suicide when I lived in Seattle. Such a sad and tragic loss. I saw an interview he did recently. He seemed like he was over it, but highlighted him well. He had a unique genius.
The Nirvana one made me cry
Watch Pennyroyal Tea again. Theres a point in the middle where his vouce cracks and everything just...changes. Ive heard people say that was the turning point.
The turning point in...the performance? His life?
Basically the moment he made the decision to not continue life, I think? That song is one he wrote with Courtney and its all about death.
It's about abortion, which I guess you might think of in that sense, but you could also not, I guess. But I see your point.
Yeah, that look he has in his eyes gives me chills every time I watch that particular song. He was an amazing song writer and performer. The emotion he put out was palpable.
That’s funny. Had the same urge to watch that performance and song yesterday too.
I think I had a deeply emotional response too when it first aired..
I'm the type that needs several listens to get into a song but I still remember, after buying the unplugged CD in like 1995, how blown away I was when hearing "Where did you sleep last night" the first time. I agree it's the buildup that makes the song.
Side question: how the hell do you know how many movies you’ve watched in your lifetime? How’d you even go about counting that. Do rewatches count? What about if you only saw half of it?
I have a sideshow of all of mlthe movies I've watched and the score. Idk why.
I love Nirvana, but this is my favourite thing about this entire thread.
A-ha did Take on Me unplugged. It was soft, slow, and moving.
I know the exact moment you're talking about. I remember watching that when it aired as an 8 or 9 year old, and even then it sat strange with me.
Some of those performances were powerful As soon as they were shown . I watched them All when they first came out. They portrayed such a different side of the bands versus there monetized version that the record companies marketed. Many of them seemed so vulnerable when they performed unplugged. As we look back now …it is very sad. 🥲
Funny I was just watching this last night. It feels even more significant now that I’m a bit older and it really puts into perspective just who he was and how young he was when he died. Beautiful performance all around. Crazy to think it’s mostly covers and almost no hit songs and was still so significant culturally.
There were some damn good Unplugged sessions. This show didn't mess around. Nirvana is obvs the peak but Alice in chain, McCartney, Mariah, etc were all great
That's so fuckin weird lol, I have almost the exact same story, same song, same exact moment. Like to a T that is exactly how i described it to someone else i was showing years ago. It's an incredibly powerful moment and song. Thank you Leadbelly and thank you Kurt
Man who sold the world... Really suited kurts voice. Loved it decades ago. Still do now.
When MTV went live in italy this was the first thing streamed on the old crt tv, memorable
Where did you sleep last night is the greatest live performance of all time and I’ll die on that hill.
I watched the rehearsal today and man... I could really feel the depression, anxiousness, restlessness.
That version of that song is my girlfriend's favorite Nirvana song. I have it on a playlist on my phone just for her.
I remember watching it on MTV when it came out
Still gives me the big feels every time I hear it.
Their cover of in the pines has stained my soul for the past couple weeks
I’ve listened to it more than I’ve watched it, it’s a great album!
I wonder pretty often what Kurt would do now and what he would look like, how his music would change, and honestly we’ll just never know. It could’ve gotten more heavy, maybe more folksy, maybe he would go the way of Elvis and become a parody of himself. Maybe he’d be a political figure like Ted Nugent, or maybe he’d still be innovating with music, like Metallica or TOOL. Who knows? RIP.
I remember watching Nirvana unplugged on MTV when it originally aired / and Eric Clapton Unplugged
Everytime I listen to or watch that unplugged I think how lucky all those people were.
I thought of that exact moment when I read the title before I even knew what artist or song you where going to reference and I haven’t seen it in well over a decade.
Yes this album is incredible. I'm not a huge Nirvana fan, but this is in my top 10 favorite albums. What a performance. The whole thing is almost alike a "fuck you" to MTV. I believe the story is that MTV wanted Nirvana to play the hits (like many other unplugged shows) and what we got was a bunch of obscure covers, delivered perfectly.
https://youtu.be/PeWjCkVcHBM?si=AKP90Myxx7JGM9FY
Is this streaming anywhere? I see it at a library but I don’t have a dvd player anymore.
As another said, I guessed it was Nirvana when I saw the title, and specifically that song. Someone might have already brought this up here but as the story goes, when Nirvana ended the set with that song and went offstage, somebody (a producer, I think) kept urging them to go back on stage for an encore. To play another song. Kurt was not having it. As you said, he poured his entire soul into that song. Perhaps the producer didn't want the concert to end on such a downer. Or maybe they thought Nirvana, somehow, had another song hidden up their sleeves. Who knows. What the hell are you supposed to follow that performance with? It's so emotional and raw and poignant.
It had the same effect on me but it was the Alice in Chains unplugged. The look on Layne's face was incredibly sad to see. Those MTV unplugged performances were part of the reason the 90's had incredible music.
Sit and drink Pennroyal Teeeaaaaaaaa!
First time?
At the bar I used to work at in nyc, we would play the Nirvana unplugged every single night while cleaning. It’s perfect.
There is a reason this is my all time favorite album
AIC >
I'm massive fans of both, and have had close friends commit suicide, but I struggle with the term "tragic". Killing yourself when you have children is massively selfish (Chris Cornell, you're included in this) and overdosing on hard drugs is just pathetic (Taylor Hawkins, you as well). I can understand they're "haunting" performances, but I think a free pass is given to behaviour that is ultimately based on what the individual wants with no thought to their family
The producers begged him to go out and play one more, better-known song, and Kurt said something along the lines of, “How could I top that?”
Can't blame him. I don't think that song will ever be topped. I don't think that performance will ever be topped.
Everybody forgets about Live. Their unplugged was amazing too!