Fecal Matter (band)

Lore & Background

Fecal Matter formed in early 1985 after Cobain dropped out of Aberdeen High School. One of several joke bands from the Melvins' circle, it initially included Cobain on vocals and guitar, Dale Crover on bass, and Greg Hokanson on drums. The band rehearsed original material and covers by The Ramones, Led Zeppelin, and Jimi Hendrix for several months. In the SeaTac home of Cobain's aunt, Mari Earl, Cobain and Crover recorded the Illiteracy Will Prevail demo on a 4-track recorder. The date of the session is disputed: Michael Azerrad's 1993 biography dates it to December 1985, while Gillian Gaar's 2012 biography contends Easter break (late March) 1986 is more likely. Crover played both bass and drums, and the two recorded 13 original songs, which Cobain later recalled as a totally abrasive batch reflecting his dual interest in Black Sabbath and Black Flag. Crover dismissed the demo as amateurish, but Melvins frontman Buzz Osborne recalled a certain magic in the simple but effective recording.

Later in 1986, Osborne and former Melvins drummer Mike Dillard joined on bass and drums respectively. This incarnation rehearsed briefly; Cobain grew frustrated with Osborne for not taking the band seriously enough to buy a bass amplifier. The only live performance of this era occurred on May 3, 1986, in Olympia under the name Brown Towel (sometimes reported as Brown Cow). Fecal Matter disbanded that year while the Melvins supported their debut EP, Six Songs.

Reader's Guide

Fecal Matter's legacy lies primarily in its demo tape, Illiteracy Will Prevail, which is the earliest documentation of Kurt Cobain's songwriting in circulation. After the band disbanded, Cobain passed the demo to friends and peers. His acquaintance Krist Novoselic heard the tape and particularly liked the song 'Spank Thru', leading the two to form a band that eventually became Nirvana. Nirvana reused the Fecal Matter songs 'Downer', 'Anorexorcist', and 'Spank Thru'. 'Spank Thru' is considered the first Nirvana song and the earliest example of the band's signature combination of punk energy, noise, and pop melodies. It was recorded by Nirvana on three occasions and appeared on several official releases. 'Downer' was re-recorded and added to Nirvana's Bleach album starting with its 1990 CD reissue. The demo remained highly sought-after by collectors and notorious for forged versions. The first known copy to be publicly shared, though incomplete and poor-quality, leaked in March 2006. In August 2015, anonymous leakers shared the full tape in mp3 and lossless format. The demo helped Cobain establish himself as a composer and performer among his peers in the emerging grunge scene in Washington State.

Did You Know?

• The song 'Spank Thru' from the Fecal Matter demo is considered the first Nirvana song and was performed live numerous times early in Nirvana's career.
• The Illiteracy Will Prevail demo was recorded on a TEAC A-2340 four-track recorder in the SeaTac home of Cobain's aunt, Mari Earl.
• The first known copy of the demo to be publicly shared was an incomplete, poor-quality version leaked in March 2006.