With the Lights Out

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With the Lights Out

Box set by Nirvana
Released	November 23, 2004
Recorded	March 1987-March 1994
Genre	Alternative rock, Grunge
Length	5:15:25
Label	Geffen
Producer(s)	Jack Endino, Greg Babior, Steve Fisk, Butch Vig, Craig Montgomery, Steve Albini, Lance Bangs
All Music Guide link Rolling Stone link
Nirvana chronology
Nirvana (2002)	With the Lights Out (2004)	Sliver: The Best of the Box (2005)

With the Lights Out is a box set, containing 3 CDs and 1 DVD, from the American grunge band Nirvana. It was released in November 2004. The title refers to the line "with the lights out, it's less dangerous" from the hugely successful Smells Like Teen Spirit single.

1 Significance
2 Liner note inaccuracies
3 Miscellanea
4 Track listing
5 Chart positions
6 Sales
7 References
8 External links

[edit] Significance

Rumors of a posthumous Nirvana box set, or anthology, first surfaced in the mid-1990s, not long after the death of the band's singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain in April 1994. It was eventually announced that a 45-track box set would be released in September 2001, to mark the 10th anniversary of the band's breakthrough album, Nevermind, but a legal battle between Cobain's widow, Courtney Love, and surviving Nirvana members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, precluded this from happening.

The dispute - or much of it - centred around "You Know You're Right", a song recorded in January 1994 during the band's final studio session. Grohl and Novoselic had wanted it for the box set, but Love blocked the song's release, and sued them for control of Nirvana's legacy. Love's lawsuit asserted that "the parties have fundamentally different concepts of how to manage the musical and artistic legacy of Kurt Cobain", which resulted "in a stalemate of decision making." [1] She believed that "You Know You're Right" would be "wasted" on a box set, and instead belonged on a single-disc compilation similar to the Beatles' 1. [2]

In 2002, the legal battle was settled, and "You Know You're Right" appeared on the "best-of" compilation, Nirvana. This paved the way for what became With the Lights Out, which arrived in November 2004, over three years after its original release date but with far more music than had first been promised.

With the Lights Out received a lukewarm reception from music critics, many of whom saw it as a valuable glimpse into the band's musical evolution, but also believed it contained too much second-rate material never intended for official release. [3] It was generally well-received by fans, marking the first time they had heard such legendary recordings as Kurt and Mark Lanegan's cover of Lead Belly's "Ain't It a Shame", the studio versions of "Verse Chorus Verse" and "Old Age", and a recording of Cobain's last known song, "Do Re Mi." It also contained a handful of surprises, such as a rehearsal demo of the previously-unknown "Mrs. Butterworth", as well as a solo Cobain rendition of Lead Belly's "They Hung Him on a Cross", and an acoustic demo of "You Know You're Right".

With the Lights Out opened at #19 on the Billboard 200, setting a box set record for units sold during a single week with 105,760, and is now the highest selling box-set of all time.

[edit] Liner note inaccuracies

Many of Nirvana's posthumous releases have contained inaccuracies in their liner notes. With the Lights Out is no exception.

The order of the songs given in the track list of the Fecal Matter demo Illiteracy Will Prevail does not match the list of the first seven songs that can be seen on the tape's artwork printed next to it. It is in question whenever the booklet lists the correct song order.

The proper name for the song listed as "Help Me, I'm Hungry" is believed to be "Vendetagainst." [4] The former title may have been invented by bootleggers.

"Mrs. Butterworth" is listed as being from 1988, and as featuring Dale Crover on drums. Producer Jack Endino, who was consulted during the compling of the box set, later said the recording more likely dates back to the Summer of 1987, and features Aaron Burckhard on drums. According to Endino, the original information was based on a "wild guess" on the part of someone at Nirvana's management company. He also said the song's true title is unknown, and was therefore renamed for release. [5]

Some of the songs listed as being acoustic, such as "Clean Up Before She Comes", were performed on an electric guitar.

The listing of songs on the DVD varies from the tracklist, in that In Bloom and Sappy are reversed. (see tracklisting below)

"Aneurysm" is listed as being from 1990 on the back tracklist. It was recorded on January 1, 1991. The correct date is listed in the booklet.

[edit] Miscellanea

The title of With the Lights Out was chosen by Courtney Love. It is the first line in the chorus of Nirvana's biggest hit, "Smells Like Teen Spirit".
Additional music is featured in the DVD menus; specifically, a working rough mix of Lounge Act recorded during the Nevermind sessions, a jam recorded at the October 1992 session which yielded Rape Me from Disc 3 of the boxset, two separate portions of a 20-minute jam recorded at Nirvana's final recording session on January 30, 1994 at Robert Lang's Studios in Washington, a sped-up version of the acoustic demo of All Apologies from Disc 3 of the boxset, and the audio from a short jam featured in the 1988 rehearsal on the DVD.
Additional video is also included in the DVD menus and credits, specifically, pre-Nirvana footage Cobain made of himself, the band travelling on the road, home video recorded by Cobain of his art, the band playing an October 1990 concert in the UK, outtakes from the video shoots for "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Come as You Are", and footage of a January 1992 photo shoot of the band.
"Easter eggs" are hidden throughout the DVD with even more video footage.

[edit] Track listing

[edit] Disc 1

From Nirvana's first show (March 7, 1987 in Raymond, WA)

1. "Heartbreaker" (Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant; Led Zeppelin cover) – 2:59

From Nirvana's first radio session (April 17, 1987 at KAOS-FM in Olympia, WA)

2. "Anorexorcist" – 2:44

3. "White Lace and Strange" (Bond; Thunder and Roses cover) – 2:09

4. "Help Me, I'm Hungry" – 2:41

From a boombox-recorded band practice demo tape (Summer 1987 in WA)

5. "Mrs. Butterworth" – 4:05

From Nirvana's first studio session (January 23, 1988 at Reciprocal Recording Studios in Seattle, WA. Producer: Jack Endino)

6. "If You Must" – 4:01

7. "Pen Cap Chew" – 3:02

From a live performance (January 23, 1988 at the Community World Theatre in Tacoma, WA)

8. "Downer" – 1:43

9. "Floyd the Barber" – 2:33

10. "Raunchola"/ "Moby Dick" ("Moby Dick" - Bonham, Jones, Page; Led Zeppelin cover) – 6:24

Cobain's 4-track home recordings (1987 and/or 1988 in Aberdeen, WA)

11. "Beans" – 1:32

12. "Don't Want It All" – 2:26

13. "Clean Up Before She Comes" – 3:12

14. "Polly" – 2:30

15. "About a Girl" – 2:44

From the studio session which yielded the Bleach recordings of "Love Buzz" and "Big Cheese" (June 6, 1988 at Reciprocal Recording Studios in Seattle, WA. Producer: Jack Endino)

16. "Blandest" – 3:56

From Nirvana's first 24-track studio session (Spring 1989 at the Evergreen State College Audio Studio in Olympia, WA. Producer: Greg Babior)

17. "Dive" – 4:50

From a studio session for "the Jury", a Lead Belly cover band featuring members of Nirvana and the Screaming Trees (August 20, 28 at Reciprocal Recording Studios in Seattle, WA. Producer: Jack Endino)

18. "They Hung Him on a Cross" (Ledbetter, Huddie) – 1:57

19. "Grey Goose" (Ledbetter, Huddie) – 4:36

20. "Ain't It a Shame" (Ledbetter, Huddie) – 2:01

From the studio session which yielded the Blew EP versions of "Been a Son" and "Stain" (September, 1989 at Music Source Studios in Seattle, WA. Producer: Steve Fisk)

21. "Token Eastern Song" – 3:21

22. "Even in His Youth" – 3:12

23. "Polly" – 2:36

[edit] Disc 2

From Cobain's acoustic performance on Calvin Johnson's college radio show (September 25, 1990 at KAOS-FM in Olympia, WA)

1. "Opinion" – 1:34

2. "Lithium" – 1:49

3. "Been a Son" – 1:12

Cobain's boombox-recorded home demos (1990 in Olympia, WA)

4. "Sliver" – 2:09

5. "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" (Ledbetter, Huddie) – 2:31

From the studio session which yielded the Nevermind version of "Polly" (April 2-6, 1990 at Smart Studios, Madison, WI. Producer: Butch Vig)

6. "Pay to Play" (early version of "Stay Away") – 3:29

7. "Here She Comes Now" (Cale, Morrison, Reed, Tucker; The Velvet Underground cover) – 5:01

From a 4-track demo (April 1991 in San Francisco, California). Features Dale Crover on drums and Dave Grohl on bass.

8. "Drain You" – 2:38

From the studio session which also yielded the "Smells Like Teen Spirit" single version of "Even in His Youth" (January 1, 1991 at Music Source Studios, Seattle, WA. Producer: Craig Montgomery)

9. "Aneurysm" (Smells Like Teen Spirit single b-side) – 4:47

From a boombox-recorded rehearsal demo (March 1991 in Tacoma, WA)

10. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" – 5:40

From the studio session for Nevermind (May-June 1991 at Sound City Studios, Van Nuys, CA. Producer: Butch Vig)

11. "Breed" (Butch Vig mix) – 3:07

12. "Verse Chorus Verse" – 3:17

13. "Old Age" – 4:20

From a John Peel radio session (September 3, 1991 at Maida Vale Studios, London, England)

14. "Endless, Nameless" – 8:47

15. "Dumb" – 2:35

From a John Peel radio session (October 21, 1990 at Maida Vale Studios, London, England)

16. "D-7" (Sage; Wipers cover) – 3:46

From Nirvana's first post-Nevermind studio session (April 7, 1992 at Laundry Room Studios, Seattle, WA. Producer: Barrett Jones)

17. "Oh, the Guilt" – 3:25

18. "Curmudgeon" (Lithium single b-side) – 3:03

19. "Return of the Rat" (Sage; The Wipers cover) – 3:09

From the studio session for Nevermind (May-June 1991 at Sound City Studios, Van Nuys, CA. Producer: Butch Vig)

20. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (Butch Vig mix) – 4:59

[edit] Disc 3

Cobain's boombox-recorded home demo (May 1991 in Oakwood, CA?)

1. "Rape Me" – 3:23

From Nirvana's second post-Nevermind studio session (October 25-25, 1992 at Word of Mouth Studios [former Reciprocal Recording Studios], Seattle, WA. Producer: Jack Endino).

2. "Rape Me" – 3:01

From a band practice demo tape (Winter 1992 in Seattle, WA)

3. "Scentless Apprentice" (rehearsal demo) – 9:32

From Nirvana's final pre-In Utero studio session (January 19-21, 1993 at Ariola Ltda BMG, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Producer: Craig Montgomery)

4. "Heart-Shaped Box" – 5:31

5. "I Hate Myself and Want to Die" – 4:03

6. "Milk It" – 4:34

7. "Moist Vagina" (a.k.a. "MV") – 1:56

8. "Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip" – 7:33

9. "The Other Improv" – 6:24

Cobain's boombox-recorded home demos (Fall or Winter 1992 in Seattle, WA)

10. "Serve the Servants" – 1:36

11. "Very Ape" – 1:52

Cobain's boombox-recorded home demo (1993 in Seattle, WA)

12. "Pennyroyal Tea" – 3:30

From the studio session for In Utero (February 12-26, 1993 at Pachyderm Studios, Cannon Falls, Minnesota. Producer: Steve Albini)

13. "Marigold" (Grohl, Heart-Shaped Box single b-side) – 2:34

14. "Sappy" – 3:26

From a band practice demo tape (February 5, 1994 at Pavilhao Dramatico, Cascais, Portugal)

15. "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam" (Kelly, McKee; The Vaselines cover) – 3:57

Cobain's boombox-recorded home demo (1994 in Seattle, WA)

16. "Do Re Mi" – 4:24

Cobain's boombox-recorded home demo (1993 or 1994 in Seattle, WA)

17. "You Know You're Right" – 2:30

Cobain's boombox-recorded home demo (1991 or 1992 in Olympia, WA or Los Angeles, California?)

18. "All Apologies" – 3:33

[edit] Disc 4: DVD

Rehearsal at bass player Krist Novoselic's mother's house, Aberdeen, Washington in 1988.

1. "Love Buzz" – 2:32

2. "Scoff" – :47

3. "About a Girl" – 3:05

4. "Big Long Now" – 4:22

5. "Immigrant Song" [Led Zeppelin cover] – 1:57

6. "Spank Thru" – 3:03

7. "Hairspray Queen" – 3:37

8. "School" – 2:53

9. "Mr. Moustache" – 3:47

23 June 1989 Rhino Records, Los Angeles, California

10. "Big Cheese" – 3:13

16 February 1990, Bogarts, Long Beach, California

11. "Sappy" – 4:27 [mislisted as track 12 on the cover]

Early version of song/early music video, while on SubPop records

12. "In Bloom" – 4:28 [mislisted as track 11 on the cover]

22 September 1990, the Motor Sports International Garage, Seattle, Washington

13. "School" – 2:33

11 October 1990, North Shore Surf Club, Seattle, Washington

14. "Love Buzz" [Shocking Blue cover] – 3:40

17 April 1991, OK Hotel, Seattle, Washington

15. "Pennyroyal Tea" [First ever performance] – 1:55

16. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" [First ever performance] – 6:16

17. "Territorial Pissings" – 2:45

31 October 1991, Paramount Theatre, Seattle, Washington

18. "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam" [The Vaselines cover] – 3:32

4 October 1992, The Crocodile Cafe, Seattle Washington

19. "Talk to Me" – 3:35

22 January 1993 BMG Ariola Studios, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

20. "Seasons in the Sun" [Terry Jacks cover] – 3:40

Alternate versions of "Lounge Act" and "All Apologies" are also featured on the DVD menus.

[edit] Chart positions

Year	Chart	Position
2004	Top Canadian Albums	No. 10
2004	Official Japanese Albums Chart	No. 16
2004	Top Internet Albums	No. 19
2004	Billboard Top 200	No. 19
2004	Official French Albums Chart	No. 20
2004	Official Italian Albums Chart	No. 21
2004	Official Irish Albums Chart	No. 23
2004	Official Switzerland Albums Chart	No. 28
2004	Official Belgium Albums Chart	No. 29
2004	Official Norwegian Albums Chart	No. 31
2004	Official Austrian Albums Chart	No. 34
2004	Official Spanish Albums Chart	No. 39
2004	Official New Zealand Albums Chart	No. 39
2004	Official German Albums Chart	No. 48
2004	Official UK Albums Chart	No. 56