''With the Lights Out'' is a

box set A box set or (its original name) boxed set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists and bands ...

by the

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

rock band

Nirvana ( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lampRichard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colombo.' ...

released in November 2004. It contains three CDs and one DVD of previously rare or unreleased material, including

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...

demo Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to: Music and film *Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release * ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes * ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...

s, and rehearsal and live recordings. The title comes from the lyrics of Nirvana's 1991 single "

Smells Like Teen Spirit "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana. It is the opening track and lead single from the band's second album, ''Nevermind'' (1991), released on DGC Records. The unexpected success of the song propelled ''Neve ...

". The box set was planned for release in 2001, but was delayed by a legal battle with

Courtney Love Courtney Michelle Love (née Harrison; born July 9, 1964) is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, and actress. A figure in the alternative and grunge scenes of the 1990s, her career has spanned four decades. She rose to prominence as ...

, the widow of Nirvana singer Kurt Cobain. As of 2016, ''With the Lights Out'' had sold 546,000 copies in the US.Ask Billboard: Rihanna's (Quirky) Record in the Hot 100's Top 10 With 'Needed Me'
billboard.com. Retrieved December 6, 2016.

Background

Rumors of a posthumous Nirvana anthology surfaced in the mid-1990s, not long after the death of singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain in April 1994. It was reported in ''

Kerrang! ''Kerrang!'' is a British weekly magazine devoted to rock, punk and heavy metal music, currently published by Wasted Talent (the same company that owns electronic music publication ''Mixmag''). It was first published on 6 June 1981 as a one- ...

'' in April 1999 that the surviving Nirvana members,

Dave Grohl David Eric Grohl (born January 14, 1969) is an American musician. He is the founder of the rock band Foo Fighters, in which he is the lead singer, guitarist, and principal songwriter. Prior to forming Foo Fighters, he was the drummer of gru ...

and

Krist Novoselic Krist Anthony Novoselic (; ; born May 16, 1965) is an American musician and activist. He was the bassist and co-founder of the rock band Nirvana. Novoselic and Kurt Cobain formed the band Nirvana in 1987 along with drummer Aaron Burckhard, wh ...

, were planning a Nirvana box set to be released in 2000 at the earliest. It was later 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 ''Nevermind'' is the second studio album by the American rock band Nirvana, released on September 24, 1991, by DGC Records. It was Nirvana's first release on a major label and the first to feature drummer Dave Grohl. Produced by Butch Vig, '' ...

'', but it was delayed by a legal battle with Cobain's widow

. Much of the dispute centered on the unreleased song "

You Know You're Right "You Know You're Right" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, written by lead vocalist and guitarist, Kurt Cobain. It is the first song on the band's self-titled greatest hits album, and the last song the band recorded before Cobain's d ...

", recorded in January 1994 during the band's final studio session. Grohl and Novoselic wanted it for the box set, but Love blocked its 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". 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''. In 2002, the legal battle was settled, and "You Know You're Right" appeared on the "best-of" compilation ''

''. This paved the way for what became the ''With the Lights Out'' box set, which arrived in November 2004, over three years after its original release date but with more music than originally promised, including an acoustic demo of "You Know You're Right".

Release

Promotion

Before the release of ''With the Lights Out'', a promotional EP entitled ''Selections from With the Lights Out'' was sent out to radio stations, featuring the songs "White Lace and Strange", "Blandest", "

Lithium Lithium (from el, λίθος, lithos, lit=stone) is a chemical element with the symbol Li and atomic number 3. It is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal. Under standard conditions, it is the least dense metal and the least dense solid el ...

", "

Heart-Shaped Box "Heart-Shaped Box" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist, Kurt Cobain. It appears as the third track on the band's third and final studio album, ''In Utero'', released by DGC Records in September 1993 ...

" and "You Know You're Right" from the box set. "Lithium" was also released as an exclusive

iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...

downloadable single on November 22, 2004. The music video for the original version of "

In Bloom "In Bloom" is a song by American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. It appears as the second track on the band's second album, ''Nevermind'', released by DGC Records in September 1991. The album version is the se ...

", made in 1990 and first released on the ''Sub Pop Video Network Program'' VHS compilation in 1991, was released to

music television Music television is a type of television programming which focuses predominantly on playing music videos from recording artists, usually on dedicated television channels broadcasting on satellite, cable, or Streaming Platforms. Music television ...

to promote the box set. The video appears on the box set's DVD. An online trailer was also released for the box set, featuring footage from the DVD and audio from the three CDs.

Packaging

''With the Lights Out'' is packaged in heat-sensitive material which changes color when touched, revealing images of recording session tapes. Each of the three CDs loosely represents the rare recordings from three periods in Nirvana's history, in line with the band's three studio albums, '' Bleach'', ''

'' and ''

In Utero ''In Utero'' is the third and final studio album by American rock band Nirvana. It was released on September 21, 1993, by DGC Records. After breaking into the mainstream with their second album, ''Nevermind'' (1991), Nirvana hired Steve Albin ...

'', which were released in 1989, 1991 and 1993 respectively. The DVD contains rare live performances and rehearsals from throughout the band's career. It includes a 60-page booklet which contains

liner notes Liner notes (also sleeve notes or album notes) are the writings found on the sleeves of LP record albums and in booklets that come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for cassettes. Origin Liner notes are desce ...

Thurston Moore Thurston Joseph Moore (born July 25, 1958) is an American musician best known as a member of Sonic Youth. He has also participated in many solo and group collaborations outside Sonic Youth, as well as running the Ecstatic Peace! record label. Mo ...

of the American rock band

Sonic Youth Sonic Youth was an American rock band based in New York City, formed in 1981. Founding members Thurston Moore (guitar, vocals), Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar) and Lee Ranaldo (guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of the b ...

and journalist

Neil Strauss Neil Darrow Strauss, also known by the pen names Style and Chris Powles, is an American author, journalist and ghostwriter. He is best known for his book '' The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists'', in which he describes his ...

, as well as photographs and a chronological catalog of the band's recording history, including studio sessions, television and radio appearances, live performances and home demo recordings sessions. The band's May 6, 1987 radio session at KAOS 89.3 FM in Olympia,

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

is mislabeled as being from April 17, 1987.

Reception

''With the Lights Out'' received generally positive reviews from music critics, many of whom saw it as a valuable glimpse into the band's evolution. Julian Marshall of the ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'' called it "a humanising, comprehensive and often heartbreaking document of a man who, in five years, changed the face of music, almost by accident". John Jeremiah Sullivan of ''

New York Magazine ''New York'' is an American biweekly magazine concerned with life, culture, politics, and style generally, and with a particular emphasis on New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to ''The New Yorker' ...

'' called it "an appropriately eccentric testament to Cobain's talent". However, several critics felt it contained too much second-rate material never intended for release. Mark Richardson of ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...

'' wrote, "Those hoping for a trove of overlooked gems will be disappointed ... Simply put, there's enough good stuff here for a solid single disc." Tim O'Neil of ''

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...

'' wrote, "The majority of the material presented here will appeal only to a select group of hardcore fans, music historians and critics."

Track listing

All songs written by Kurt Cobain, except where noted.

Disc one

*March 7, 1987 show in

Raymond, Washington Raymond is a city in Pacific County, Washington, United States. The population was 2,882 at the 2010 census. The 2020 census showed the population of 3,081, an increase of 6.4%. The town's economy has traditionally been based on logging and fish ...

. (Nirvana's first show) #"

Heartbreaker Heartbreaker(s) or The Heart Breaker(s) may refer to: Film and television *''The Heart Breakers'', a 1916 film starring Andrew Arbuckle *''The Heart Breaker'', a 1925 film directed by Benjamin Stoloff * ''Heartbreaker'' (1983 film), an American f ...

" (

John Bonham John Henry Bonham (31 May 1948 – 25 September 1980) was an English musician, best known as the drummer for the rock band Led Zeppelin. Esteemed for his speed, power, fast single-footed kick drumming, distinctive sound, and feel for groove,J ...

John Paul Jones John Paul Jones (born John Paul; July 6, 1747 July 18, 1792) was a Scottish-American naval captain who was the United States' first well-known naval commander in the American Revolutionary War. He made many friends among U.S political elites ( ...

/ Jimmy Page/ Robert Plant) – 2:59 *May 6, 1987 radio session at KAOS 89.3 FM,

Olympia, Washington Olympia is the capital of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat and largest city of Thurston County. It is southwest of the state's most populous city, Seattle, and is a cultural center of the southern Puget Sound region. Europea ...

. (Nirvana's first radio session) #

"Anorexorcist" (a.k.a. "Annorexorcist") – 2:44 #"White Lace and Strange" (Chris Bond) – 2:09 #"Help Me, I'm Hungry" (a.k.a. "Vendetagainst") – 2:41 *1987 band rehearsal in

Aberdeen, Washington Aberdeen () is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. The population was 17,013 at the 2020 census. The city is the economic center of Grays Harbor County, bordering the cities of Hoquiam and Cosmopolis. Aberdeen is occasi ...

. #

"Mrs. Butterworth" (a.k.a. "Unknown #2") – 4:05 *January 23, 1988 studio session at Reciprocal Recording Studios,

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...

. Producer:

Jack Endino Jack Endino (born Michael M. Giacondino; 1964) is an American producer and musician based in Seattle, Washington. Long associated with Seattle label Sub Pop and the grunge movement, Endino worked on seminal albums from bands including Mudhoney, ...

. (Nirvana's first studio session) #

"If You Must" – 4:01 #"Pen Cap Chew" – 4:02 *January 23, 1988 show at the Community World Theatre,

Tacoma, Washington Tacoma ( ) is the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. A port city, it is situated along Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, Washington, Olympia, and northwest of Mount ...

. #

"Downer" – 1:43 #"Floyd the Barber" – 2:33 #"Raunchola" (a.k.a. "Erectum")/"

Moby Dick ''Moby-Dick; or, The Whale'' is an 1851 novel by American writer Herman Melville. The book is the sailor Ishmael's narrative of the obsessive quest of Ahab, captain of the whaling ship ''Pequod'', for revenge against Moby Dick, the giant whit ...

" ("Moby Dick" –

/John Paul Jones/Jimmy Page) – 6:24 *1987–1988 solo 4-track home recordings, Aberdeen, Washington. #

"Beans" – 1:32 #"Don't Want It All" (a.k.a. "Seed") – 2:26 #"Clean Up Before She Comes" – 3:12 #"

Polly Polly is a given name, most often feminine, which originated as a variant of Molly (name), Molly (a diminutive of Mary (name), Mary). Polly may also be a short form of names such as Polina (given name), Polina, Polona (given name), Polona, Paula (g ...

" – 2:30 #" About a Girl" – 2:44 *June 6, 1988 studio session at Reciprocal Recording Studios, Seattle, Washington. Producer: Jack Endino #

"Blandest" – 3:56 *Spring 1989 studio session at

The Evergreen State College The Evergreen State College is a public liberal arts college in Olympia, Washington. Founded in 1967, it offers a non-traditional undergraduate curriculum in which students have the option to design their own study towards a degree or follow a p ...

Audio Studio, Olympia, Washington. Producer: Greg Babior. #

Dive Diving most often refers to: * Diving (sport), the sport of jumping into deep water * Underwater diving, human activity underwater for recreational or occupational purposes Diving or Dive may also refer to: Sports * Dive (American football), a ...

" ( Kurt Cobain/

) – 4:50 *August 20 and 28, 1989 studio session at Reciprocal Recording Studios, Seattle, Washington. Producer: Jack Endino. (Studio session for "the Jury", a

Lead Belly Huddie William Ledbetter (; January 20, 1888 – December 6, 1949), better known by the stage name Lead Belly, was an American folk music, folk and blues singer notable for his strong vocals, Virtuoso, virtuosity on the twelve-string guita ...

cover band featuring members of Nirvana and the Screaming Trees) #

" They Hung Him on a Cross" (

Huddie Ledbetter Huddie William Ledbetter (; January 20, 1888 – December 6, 1949), better known by the stage name Lead Belly, was an American folk music, folk and blues singer notable for his strong vocals, Virtuoso, virtuosity on the twelve-string guita ...

) – 1:57 #"

Grey Goose The waterfowl genus ''Anser'' includes the grey geese and the white geese. It belongs to the true geese and swan subfamily (Anserinae). The genus has a Holarctic distribution, with at least one species breeding in any open, wet habitats in th ...

" (Huddie Ledbetter) – 4:36 #"Ain't It a Shame" (Huddie Ledbetter) – 2:01 *September 1989 studio session at Music Source Studios, Seattle, Washington. Producer:

Steve Fisk Steve Fisk is an American, Washington-based audio engineer, record producer and musician. As a musician, he has been in bands such as the instrumental alternative/indie rock band Pell Mell and the electronic band Pigeonhed. He has long been as ...

. #

"Token Eastern Song" – 3:21 #" Even in His Youth" – 3:12 #"Polly" – 2:36

Disc two

*September 25, 1990 solo radio session on ''The Boy Meets Girls Show'', KAOS 89.3 FM, Olympia, Washington. Host:

Calvin Johnson Calvin Johnson Jr., (born September 29, 1985) is an American former football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons with the Detroit Lions. He played college football at Georgia Tech, where he twice ...

. #"

Opinion An opinion is a judgment, viewpoint, or statement that is not conclusive, rather than facts, which are true statements. Definition A given opinion may deal with subjective matters in which there is no conclusive finding, or it may deal with f ...

" – 1:34 #"

" – 1:49 #" Been a Son" – 1:12 *1990

boombox A boombox is a transistorized portable music player featuring one or two cassette tape recorder/players and AM/FM radio, generally with a carrying handle. Beginning in the mid 1980s, a CD player was often included. Sound is delivered through ...

-recorded home demos, Olympia, Washington. #

Sliver Sliver may refer to: Entertainment *Sliver (novel), ''Sliver'' (novel), a 1991 novel by Ira Levin **Sliver (film), ''Sliver'' (film), a 1993 film adaptation of the novel **Sliver (soundtrack), ''Sliver'' (soundtrack), the soundtrack to the 1993 fi ...

" – 2:09 #"

Where Did You Sleep Last Night "In the Pines", also known as "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?", "My Girl" and "Black Girl", is a traditional American folk song originating from two songs, "In the Pines" and "The Longest Train", both of whose authorship is unknown and date back ...

" (traditional) – 2:31 *April 2–6, 1990 studio session at

Smart Studios Smart Studios was a recording studio located in Madison, Wisconsin. It was set up in 1983 by Butch Vig and Steve Marker to produce local bands. The studio produced bands such as Killdozer, The Smashing Pumpkins, L7, Tad, and Nirvana. After in ...

Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the county seat of Dane County and the capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census the population was 269,840, making it the second-largest city in Wisconsin by population, after Milwaukee, and the 80th-lar ...

. Producer:

Butch Vig Bryan David "Butch" Vig (born August 2, 1955) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known as the drummer and co-producer of the alternative rock band Garbage and the producer of the diamond-selling Nirvana album ''Neve ...

. #

"Pay to Play" (early version of "Stay Away") (previously released on '' DGC Rarities: Volume 1'' in 1994) – 3:29 #"

Here She Comes Now "Here She Comes Now" is a song released by the American rock band the Velvet Underground in January 1968, from their second studio album ''White Light/White Heat''. As the shortest song on the album, the performance and mix of the song are both c ...

" ( John Cale/

Sterling Morrison Holmes Sterling Morrison Jr. (August 29, 1942 – August 30, 1995) was an American guitarist, best known as one of the founding members of the rock group the Velvet Underground, usually playing electric guitar, occasionally bass guitar, a ...

Lou Reed Lewis Allan Reed (March 2, 1942October 27, 2013) was an American musician, songwriter, and poet. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. ...

) (previously released on split-single with

the Melvins ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

in 1991) – 5:01 *April 1991 4-track demo,

San Francisco, California San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...

. Features Dale Crover on

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

and

on bass. #

Drain You "Drain You" is a song by American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist, Kurt Cobain. It is the eighth track on their second album, ''Nevermind'', released in September 1991. The song was released as a promotional single in late 1 ...

" – 2:38 *January 1, 1991 studio session at Music Source Studios, Seattle, Washington. Producer:

Craig Montgomery Craig Montgomery is a fictional character on the CBS soap opera ''As the World Turns''. He has been portrayed by Scott Bryce from 1982 to 1991, 1993 to 1994 and 2007 to 2008, Hunt Block from 2000 to 2005, Jeffrey Meek from 2006 to 2007, and Jon ...

Aneurysm An aneurysm is an outward bulging, likened to a bubble or balloon, caused by a localized, abnormal, weak spot on a blood vessel wall. Aneurysms may be a result of a hereditary condition or an acquired disease. Aneurysms can also be a nidus (s ...

" (Kurt Cobain/Dave Grohl/Krist Novoselic) (previously released on "

" single in 1991) – 4:47 *March 1991 band rehearsal, Tacoma, Washington. #

" (Kurt Cobain/Dave Grohl/Krist Novoselic) – 5:40 *May–June 1991 studio session at

Sound City Studios Sound City Studios is a recording studio in Los Angeles, California, known as one of the most successful in popular music. The complex opened in 1969 in the Van Nuys neighborhood of Los Angeles. The facility had previously been a production facto ...

Van Nuys, California Van Nuys () is a neighborhood in the central San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Home to Van Nuys Airport and the Valley Municipal Building, it is the most populous neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley. History In 1909, ...

. Producer: Butch Vig. (Studio session for ''

'') #

"Breed" (Butch Vig rough mix) – 3:07 #"Verse Chorus Verse" – 3:17 #"

Old Age Old age refers to ages nearing or surpassing the life expectancy of human beings, and is thus the end of the human life cycle. Terms and euphemisms for people at this age include old people, the elderly (worldwide usage), OAPs (British usage ...

" – 4:20 *September 3, 1991 radio session at

Maida Vale Studios Maida Vale Studios is a complex of seven BBC sound studios, of which five are in regular use, in Delaware Road, Maida Vale, west London. It has been used to record thousands of classical music, popular music and drama sessions for BBC Radio 1 ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. (

John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...

session) #

" Endless, Nameless" – 8:47 #" Dumb" – 2:35 *October 21, 1990 radio session at Maida Vale Studios, London, England. (John Peel session) #

"D-7" (

Greg Sage Greg Sage (born October 21, 1951) is an American songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist, regarded as an important influence on many punk rock and post-punk artists. Sage is best known as the principal songwriter and vocalist/guitarist of the infl ...

) (previously released on "

" single in 1992) – 3:46 *April 7, 1992 studio session at Laundry Room Studios, Seattle, Washington. Producer:

Barrett Jones Barrett A. Jones (born May 25, 1990) is a former American football guard. He played college football at Alabama, and was drafted by the Rams in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Early years Jones was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He atte ...

. #

" Oh, the Guilt" (alternate mix of previously released song on split-single with

the Jesus Lizard The Jesus Lizard is an American rock band formed in 1987 in Austin, Texas and based in Chicago, Illinois. They were "a leading noise rock band in the American independent underground… hoturned out a series of independent records filled with ...

in 1992) – 3:25 #"

Curmudgeon Curmudgeon may refer to: * '' Dyskolos'', sometimes translated ''The Curmudgeon'', an ancient Greek comic play by Menander * ''Curmudgeons'' (film), a 2016 short film See also * '' I, Curmudgeon'', a 2004 documentary film by Alan Zweig * The Co ...

" (alternate mix of previously released song on "

" single in 1992) – 3:03 #" Return of the Rat" (Greg Sage) (alternate mix of previously released song on ''

Eight Songs for Greg Sage and the Wipers ''Eight Songs for Greg Sage and the Wipers'' is a Wipers tribute album released on Tim/Kerr in 1992. The album was first released as a box set of 4 colored 7-inch records in a run of 10,000. It helped to raise the profile of the independent label ...

'' in 1993) – 3:09 *May–June 1991 studio session at Sound City Studios, Van Nuys, California. Producer: Butch Vig. (Studio session for ''Nevermind'') #

"Smells Like Teen Spirit" (Kurt Cobain/Dave Grohl/Krist Novoselic) (Butch Vig mix) – 4:59

Disc three

*May 1991 solo boombox-recorded home demo,

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

. #

Rape Me "Rape Me" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. It is the fourth song on the band's third and final studio album, ''In Utero'', released in September 1993. "Rape Me" was released as the alb ...

" – 3:23 *October 25–26, 1992 studio session at Word of Mouth Studios (former Reciprocal Recording Studios), Seattle, Washington. Producer: Jack Endino. #

"Rape Me" – 3:01 *Winter 1992 band rehearsal, Seattle, Washington. #

Scentless Apprentice "Scentless Apprentice" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain, drummer Dave Grohl, and bassist Krist Novoselic. It is the second track on their third and final studio album ''In Utero'', released ...

" (Kurt Cobain/Dave Grohl/Krist Novoselic) – 9:32 *January 19–21, 1993 studio session at Ariola Ltda BMG, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Producer: Craig Montgomery. #

" – 5:31 #"

I Hate Myself and Want to Die I, or i, is the ninth letter and the third vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''i'' (pronounced ), plural ...

" – 4:03 (mislabelled as the "b-side" version) #"Milk It" – 4:34 #"Moist Vagina" (a.k.a. "MV") – 1:56 #" Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip" (Kurt Cobain/Dave Grohl/Krist Novoselic) (previously released on non-U.S. versions of ''

'', 1993) – 7:33 #"The Other Improv" – 6:24 *Fall or Winter 1992 solo boombox-recorded home demos, Seattle, Washington. #

Serve the Servants "Serve the Servants" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist, Kurt Cobain. It is the first track on their third and final studio album ''In Utero'', released in September 1993. The song has frequently been ...

" – 1:36 #"Very Ape" – 1:52 *1993 solo boombox-recorded home demo, Seattle, Washington. #

Pennyroyal Tea "Pennyroyal Tea" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. It is the ninth track on the band's third and final studio album, ''In Utero'', released in 1993. The song was due to be released as th ...

" – 3:30 *February 12–26, 1993 studio session at

Pachyderm Studios Pachyderm Recording Studio is a residential music recording studio located in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, United States, 35.8 mi (57.6 km) southeast of Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport. It is located in a secluded old-growth f ...

, Cannon Falls, Minnesota. Producer: Steve Albini. (Studio session for ''

'') #

" Marigold" (

) (previously released on "

" single in 1993) – 2:34 #" Sappy" (previously released as "Verse Chorus Verse" on ''

No Alternative ''No Alternative'' is an alternative rock compilation album produced by Paul Heck and Chris Mundy. It was released in 1993 to benefit AIDS relief. The album features original tracks and cover versions from bands who went on to define the altern ...

'' in 1993) – 3:26 *February 5, 1994 band rehearsal at Pavilhão Dramático,

Cascais Cascais () is a town and municipality in the Lisbon District of Portugal, located on the Portuguese Riviera. The municipality has a total of 214,158 inhabitants in an area of 97.40 km2. Cascais is an important tourism in Portugal, tourist de ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

. #

Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam" is a song originally recorded by the Scottish alternative band the Vaselines. It was later covered by American rock band Nirvana in 1993 who renamed it "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam". History "Jesus Wants ...

" (

Eugene Kelly Eugene Kelly (born 9 August 1965) Eugene Kelly allmusic biography. is a Scottish musician who is a member of the group The Vaselines, a founding member of the now disbanded Eugenius and has had a number of solo releases. Eugene Kelly formed The ...

Frances McKee Frances McKee (born 1966) is a Scottish singer and songwriter known best for her work in the Scottish indie band The Vaselines. Background McKee's involvement with music began as a teenager in the early 1980s when she met Duglas T. Stewa ...

) – 3:57 *1994 solo boombox-recorded home demo, Seattle, Washington. #

" Do Re Mi" – 4:24 *1993 or 1994 solo boombox-recorded home demo, Seattle, Washington. #

" – 2:30 *1991 or 1992 solo boombox-recorded home demo, Olympia, Washington, or Seattle, Washington. #

All Apologies "All Apologies" is a song by American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist, Kurt Cobain. It appears as the 12th track on the band's third and final studio album, '' In Utero'', released by DGC Records in September 1993. The song ...

" – 3:33 *For a limited time, the US iTunes store included ''

Nevermind It's an Interview ''Nevermind, It's an Interview'' is the only officially released interview CD of American grunge band Nirvana. It was only a promotional release and was never commercially available. Released in limited-edition form worldwide in 1992 by Geffen R ...

'' as bonus tracks.

DVD

*1988 band rehearsal, residence of

bassist A bassist (also known as a bass player or bass guitarist) is a musician who plays a Bass (instrument), bass instrument such as a double bass (upright bass, contrabass, wood bass), bass guitar (electric bass, acoustic bass), synthbass, keyboar ...

Krist Novoselic's mother, Aberdeen, Washington. #

Love Buzz "Love Buzz" is a song by Dutch rock band Shocking Blue. It was written by Robbie van Leeuwen and first released on the group's 1969 album '' At Home''. The song was covered by Nirvana, released as their debut single in 1988. Nirvana cover versio ...

" (

Robbie van Leeuwen Robbie van Leeuwen (born 29 October 1944) is a Dutch musician who was a guitarist, sitarist, background vocalist and main songwriter for Dutch bands, including The Motions and Shocking Blue. In 1967 he played guitar on the only single ever rel ...

) – 2:32 #"Scoff" – 0:47 #"About a Girl" – 3:05 #"Big Long Now" – 4:22 #"

Immigrant Song "Immigrant Song" is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. It is built upon a repeating riff and features lyrical references to Norse mythology, with singer Robert Plant's howling vocals mentioning war-making and Valhalla. The song was ...

" (Jimmy Page/Robert Plant) – 1:57 #"

Spank Thru "Spank Thru" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. It appears on the compilation album '' Sub Pop 200'', released in December 1988. Though rarely performed live beyond the first few years of t ...

" – 3:10 #"Hairspray Queen" – 3:37 #"School" – 2:53 #"Mr. Moustache" – 3:47 *June 23, 1989 show at

Rhino Records A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species ...

, Los Angeles, California. #

"Big Cheese" (Kurt Cobain/Krist Novoselic) – 3:13 *February 16, 1990 show at Bogarts,

Long Beach, California Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California. Incorporate ...

. #

"Sappy" – 4:27 (mislabeled as track 12 on the cover) *1990 Sub Pop

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...

. Director: Steve Brown. #

" – 4:28 (mislabeled as track 11 on the cover) (Pre-''Nevermind'' version, featuring

Chad Channing Chad Channing (born January 31, 1967) is an American musician who is best known as the drummer of the grunge band Nirvana from 1988 until 1990, during which time they recorded and released their debut album ''Bleach''; he also appears on "Polly ...

on drums, recorded April 1990 at Smart Studios, Madison, Wisconsin. Producer: Butch Vig) *September 22, 1990 show at the Motor Sports International Garage, Seattle, Washington. #

"School" – 2:33 *October 11, 1990 show at North Shore Surf Club, Olympia, Washington. (Drummer Dave Grohl's first show) #

"Love Buzz" – 3:40 *April 17, 1991 show at

OK Hotel The OK Hotel was an American bar and music venue located at 212 Alaskan Way South in Seattle's Pioneer Square district. The club's 15-year-plus life span came to an end with the Nisqually earthquake of February 28, 2001, which damaged numerous ...

, Seattle, Washington. #

"Pennyroyal Tea" (first live performance) – 1:55 #"Smells Like Teen Spirit" (Kurt Cobain/Dave Grohl/Krist Novoselic) (first live performance) – 6:16 #"Territorial Pissings" – 2:45 *October 31, 1991 show at the Paramount Theatre, Seattle, Washington. #

" (

) – 3:32 *October 4, 1992 show at the Crocodile Cafe, Seattle Washington. #

" Talk to Me" – 3:35 *January 22, 1993 studio session at BMG Ariola Studios, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Producer: Craig Montgomery. #

Seasons in the Sun "Seasons in the Sun" is an English-language adaptation of the 1961 Belgian song "Le Moribond" (in English "The Dying Man") by singer-songwriter Jacques Brel with lyrics rewritten in 1963 by American singer-poet Rod McKuen, portraying a dying ...

" (

Terry Jacks Terrence Ross Jacks (born March 29, 1944) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer and environmentalist, best known for his 1974 hit song " Seasons in the Sun". Early life Terry Jacks was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. His fa ...

) – 3:40

Personnel

Nirvana * Kurt Cobain – lead vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, bass and percussion on "Don't Want It All", drums on "Seasons in the Sun" *

– bass, accordion on "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam" (rehearsal), guitar on "Seasons in the Sun" *

– drums, backing vocals, lead vocals and guitar on "Marigold", bass on "Drain You" and "Seasons in the Sun" * Aaron Burckhard – drums on tracks 1-4 (disc one) * Dale Crover – drums on tracks 5-10 (disc one) and track 8 (disc two) *

– drums on tracks 16, 17, 21-23 (disc one), tracks 6, 7 (disc two) and tracks 1-12 (DVD) *

Dan Peters Daniel Joe Peters (born August 18, 1967) is the drummer for Mudhoney, having played with them since their formation in 1988. Prior to Mudhoney, he joined Bundle of Hiss when he was fifteen years old. He was also briefly the drummer for Nirva ...

– drums on track 13 (DVD) *

Jason Everman Jason Mark Everman (born October 16, 1967) is an American musician and soldier who played guitar with Nirvana and Mind Funk, and bass in Soundgarden and OLD. He later served tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan with the U.S. Army as an Army Ra ...

– 2nd guitar on track 17 (disc one) and track 10 (DVD) *

Pat Smear Georg Albert Ruthenberg (born August 5, 1959), better known by his stage name Pat Smear, is an American musician. He is best known for being the lead guitarist and co-founder of Los Angeles-based punk band The Germs and for being a rhythm guita ...

– 2nd guitar on track 15 (disc three) Additional personnel * Mark Lanegan – guitar on tracks 19, 20 (disc one) *

Mark Pickerel Mark Pickerel is an American musician best known as the original drummer for the alternative rock band Screaming Trees. He is also an active session musician and has released several solo albums as a singer/guitarist. Biography Originally fro ...

– drums on tracks 19, 20 (disc one) *

Melora Creager Melora Creager (born March 25, 1966) is an American cello, cellist, singer-songwriter, performing artist and founder of the rock band Rasputina (band), Rasputina. Early life, beginnings and Rasputina Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas City, M ...

– cello on track 15 (disc three)

''Sliver: The Best of the Box''

Recording and release

''Sliver: The Best of the Box'' is a compilation album by the American rock band,

, released in November 2005. It contains 19 tracks from the band's 2004 rarities box set, ''With the Lights Out'', as well as three previously unreleased recordings: "Spank Thru", from the 1985 "

Fecal Matter Feces ( or faeces), known colloquially and in slang as poo and poop, are the solid or semi-solid remains of food that was not digested in the small intestine, and has been broken down by bacteria in the large intestine. Feces contain a relati ...

, a 1990 studio recording of " Sappy", and a 1991

demo of " Come as You Are". ''Sliver: The Best of the Box'' opened at number 21 on the ''Billboard'' 200. Nielson Soundscan reported that as of 2016, ''Sliver: The Best of the Box'' has sold 376,000 copies in the U.S.

Artwork

According to ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'', the title and

cover photograph Cover art is a type of artwork presented as an illustration or photograph on the outside of a published product such as a book (often on a dust jacket), magazine, newspaper ( tabloid), comic book, video game (box art), music album (album art ...

for ''Sliver: The Best of the Box'' were chosen by Frances Bean, the daughter of Cobain and

. The cover photograph depicts a cardboard box filled with Nirvana and Cobain tapes, including a copy of the Fecal Matter demo. Some of the tapes have spilled out of the box and are strewn across the floor.

Track listing

" (December 1985

demo) – 3:45 #"

" (March 1987 show in Raymond, Washington) – 2:59 #"Mrs. Butterworth" (Summer 1987 band demo) – 4:05 #"Floyd the Barber" (January 23, 1988 show in Tacoma, WA) – 2:33 #"Clean Up Before She Comes" (1988 home demo) – 3:12 #" About a Girl" (1988 home demo) – 2:44 #"Blandest" (June 6, 1988 studio session in Seattle, Washington. Produced by Jack Endino) – 3:56 #"Ain't It a Shame" (August 1989 studio session in Seattle, WA) – 2:02 #" Sappy" (January 1990 studio session in Seattle, Washington. Produced by Jack Endino) – 3:33 #"

" (September 25, 1990 KAOS radio show) – 1:35 #"

" (September 25, 1990 KAOS radio show) – 1:49 #"

" (1990 home demo) – 2:10 #"

" (March 1991 boombox demo) – 5:40 #" Come as You Are" (March 1991 boombox demo) – 4:10 #"

" (May 1991 studio session for

) – 4:21 #" Oh, the Guilt" (April 1992 studio session in Seattle, WA) – 3:25 #"

" (May 1991 solo acoustic home demo) – 3:23 #"Rape Me" (October 1992 studio session in Seattle, WA) – 3:03 #"

" (January 1993 studio session in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) – 5:32 #" Do Re Mi" (1994 boombox demo solo acoustic) – 4:24 #"

" (1994 boombox demo solo acoustic) – 2:30 #"

" (undated boombox demo solo acoustic, circa 1992) – 3:33

Charts

''With the Lights Out''

Year-end charts

''Sliver: The Best of the Box''

Certifications

References

External links

''With the Lights Out''
at

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

(streamed copy where licensed)
Nirvanabox.com
– The official site promoting the release of ''With the Lights Out''.

September 30, 2002 * * {{Authority control Albums produced by Steve Fisk Peel Sessions recordings Compilation albums published posthumously Nirvana (band) video albums Nirvana (band) live albums Nirvana (band) compilation albums 2004 live albums 2004 compilation albums Live video albums Geffen Records compilation albums Geffen Records live albums Geffen Records video albums Universal Records compilation albums Universal Records live albums Universal Records video albums Albums produced by Steve Albini Video albums published posthumously Live albums published posthumously 2005 compilation albums Albums produced by Jack Endino B-side compilation albums