Ten from the vaults: the unseen works of Kurt Cobain and Nirvana

The Landlord is a Piece of Sh** from Hell

The Burckhard Era: Skid Row

Settling down at 1000 ½ E Street, Aberdeen for seven months from September 1986, Cobain rapidly commenced work on what would grow to become Nirvana. First with drummer Bob McFadden, then with Aaron Burckhard, Cobain and his loyal friend Chris Novoselic rehearsed regularly for months before their band’s first performance as Skid Row. Burckhard informed me during interviews for the book I Found My Friends that he recalls recording the song known as ‘Mrs. Butterworth’ in this one room shack apartment in 1987 – a shed-like building now demolished leaving just a track streaked piece of waste ground as I saw on a visit to the town in 2013.

Nirvana expert Gillian G. Gaar stated at the time of 2004’s With the Lights Out box-set that two songs from the same practices that spring remain unreleased; a thirty second rip, then a longer slower song. Neither has been discussed since but they are hinted at via the brief slivers of unknown songs wedged into the thirty minute long ‘Montage of Heck’ sound collage that Cobain created. Novoselic contributes a poignant, emotional and heart-wrenching one line sentiment that gives one extract its title ‘The Landlord is a Piece of Sh** from Hell’.

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