Is Nirvana an overrated band? (and other ones)

[Aktivator]

Not Overrated!
Right time, clever hooks and timely lyrics for the youth. Other bands at the time had a chance to make the next leap but they didn't simplify, tone down the metal and add some pop and punk. It's about the mix.

For those who state they are big because of Kurt's suicide I will state they were big prior to his death. Could that have gone away with a bad album or two maybe but they did already have a powerful following prior.

In regards to the music yeah they are no (enter your favorite band) but they did have something going and would have been interested what would have come. They aren't a top 75 band for me but they did have a statement for the time period.

 

[Khor1255]

You are definitely right about that. They were absolutely the next big thing all the way up till Cobain's death. Unless they dropped a real turkey on their next album or took too many years to produce another they were going to be probably much bigger had Cobain not died,

 

[Lynch]

Interestingly enough, the most talented guy in Nirvana was the drummer.

 

[Khor1255]

Nah. But he is good at what he does and seems to have more of a spectrum than Cobain did as far as deviating from one form and dabbling in other stuff. I like his stuff pretty much but I really believe had Cobain lived Nirvana would have put out some really cool stuff eventually. It sometimes takes a band a few albums to find their real groove and I don't think Nirvana was at all done.

 

[Lynch]

Cobain was a simpleton on the guitar. Lyrically, I think it wrote mostly jibberish and "woah is me" lyrics. Obviously those "I hate my life" lyrics spoke to a specific generation of kids. A couple of good riffs here and there, but overall, there's NOTHING special about anything Kurt did (in my opinion).


To me, putting the band and specifically Kurt into some sort of legendary category based on "what if they had done this, that and the other thing", is ridiculous. Again, just my opinion... no more or less legitimate than anyone else's on the topic.

 

[Riff Raff]

Whilst I loved and still do like Nirvana the people who say Cobain was incredibly talented are kidding themselves. Vocally his screams were ****ing terrible and threw me off a little bit. People who put musicians on a pedestal because of being deceased sicken me.

 

[Khor1255]

Cobain was a simpleton on the guitar.

Why? Because no shredding?

Lyrically, I think it wrote mostly jibberish and "woah is me" lyrics. Obviously those "I hate my life" lyrics spoke to a specific generation of kids.

Rock lyrics are full of gibberish. Ditto for blues based lyrics of any form. When done well they are sort of like good abstract art. I'm no big fan of Cobain's lyrics either but there is a demented eloquence that is hard to deny. Just my opinion as well and I'm not really all that much a Nirvana fan but coming out of the vacuum for hard rock of the 80s I can easily see why they were as popular and well regarded as they are. Music doesn't do well in a vacuum.

A couple of good riffs here and there, but overall, there's NOTHING special about anything Kurt did (in my opinion).

Actually a lot of great songs consist of just a couple of good riffs here and there. Just sayin. A truly good riff isn't as easy to come by as it is to recreate.

To me, putting the band and specifically Kurt into some sort of legendary category based on "what if they had done this, that and the other thing", is ridiculous. Again, just my opinion... no more or less legitimate than anyone else's on the topic.

I don't think that's why they are so well regarded. Again, in the few years they were popular they were huge! Not just MTV idol huge but actually very influential etc.

The only thing that really sickens me about the whole affair was the 'suicide as noble gesture' nonsense that came shortly after his demise. That was creepy and cheesy all rolled into one.

 

[Vehicle]

I mean, if you listen to Kiss you may like them, but if you improve your rock you'll see that there are more bands very much more deep than Kiss.

Improve your rock? I didn't know you could do that.

Personally, I don't think I've ever improved my musical tastes.

I have, however, always added to them.

A generation of young folk have decided they were the Beatles of their time so nothing I say will change their minds.

That's the key. That generation decides.

We chose Zep, Floyd, Aero, etc., to be our heroes and legends.

That was our era and our music and our right to choose who we would elevate to the mythical status.

The kids from the grunge generation haven't done anything different or unique. They are us, only in a different time.

If we don't understand why Nirvana is held so high, that's cool. The grungers know why, and they couldn't care less what we think.

I would still invite the people who think that Nirvana were The Beatles of their generation to choose 5 songs that will become classics and instantly recognisable for generations to come in the true sense of the word.

A band's worth and impact are an individual's choice. Period.

Generations don't have to prove anything to anyone.

I'd be hard pressed to get my Mom to think Zep was anything more than noise. Not her generation.

I think there's two separate aspects to look at here: Nirvana's cultural impact, and Nirvana's musical output.

Nirvana's cultural impact isn't overrated much.

I think there is some truth to the Beatles/Nirvana comparison, culturally.

Both bands were like nothing else out there when they showed up. I won't say they were completely original, because everybody comes from somewhere.

But they were unique in the way they translated their influences into their music.

They delivered music in a fresh perspective. Lightning in a bottle.

As far as "grunge" being a genre, it most definitely is a genre

True. I don't know who named it, or why they named it grunge, but there's no denying it grew to point that it has it's own general overall essence.

I couldn't describe it, though. You'd have to ask someone from that generation.

 

[Fever]

Weird Al's parody Smells Like Nirvana is better than Smells Like Teen Spirit

 

[Riff Raff]

The first thing I want to say is that I don't want to create a flame post, I want to know your opinion about some topic.

The second thing I want to say is that I listen Nirvana. Not as much as another bands, they're not my favourites, but there are some songs of them that I like a lot and I enjoy to listen, dance, etc.

I think Nirvana was a very musically limited band. They may represent a social and musical revolution, but musically I see them very poor in relation with the meaning that young people give them.

What's ypur point on that?

For me there is another band that is overly overrated, and this is KISS, but this is something personal

I mean, I like Strutter and maybe one or two songs more, but I can't follow Kiss as a great band, they say nothing to me, musically.

At least in Spain I think there's a fever on some bands but I think that most of people just dindn't taste all the music. I mean, if you listen to Kiss you may like them, but if you improve your rock you'll see that there are more bands very much more deep than Kiss.

I remember you that this is my opinion and I RESPECT these bands and the people that listen to them. Music is for fun and for enjoying oneself. I'n just talking about whats society makes with that music.

See the bolded statement can easily rub people the wrong way. No one needs to ''improve' their rock taste or musical taste. People can enjoy Kiss if they want to. Now I can't stand Kiss but I would not say Kiss fans need to improve their rock or music taste. lol