With the Lights Out

Background

Rumors of a posthumous Nirvana anthology emerged in the mid-1990s after Kurt Cobain's death in April 1994. In April 1999, Kerrang! reported that surviving members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic planned a box set for release no earlier than 2000. A 45-track box set was later announced for September 2001 to mark the 10th anniversary of Nevermind, but a legal battle with Cobain's widow Courtney Love delayed it. The dispute centered on the unreleased song "You Know You're Right", recorded in January 1994.

Grohl and Novoselic wanted it included; Love blocked its release and sued for control of Nirvana's legacy, arguing the song would be "wasted" on a box set and belonged on a single-disc compilation like the Beatles' 1. The lawsuit was settled in 2002, and "You Know You're Right" appeared on the best-of compilation Nirvana, clearing the way for With the Lights Out, which arrived in November 2004 with more music than originally promised, including an acoustic demo of the song.

Release

A promotional EP, Selections from With the Lights Out, was sent to radio stations before the box set's release, featuring five tracks. "Lithium" was released as an exclusive iTunes downloadable single on November 22, 2004. The original 1990 music video for "In Bloom", previously released on the Sub Pop Video Network Program VHS compilation in 1991, was released to music television to promote the box set and appears on its DVD. An online trailer featured footage from the DVD and audio from the CDs.

The box set is packaged in heat-sensitive material that changes color when touched, revealing images of recording session tapes. The three CDs loosely represent rare recordings from periods corresponding to Nirvana's three studio albums: Bleach, Nevermind, and In Utero. The DVD contains rare live performances and rehearsals. A 60-page booklet includes liner notes by Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth and journalist Neil Strauss, along with photographs and a chronological catalog of the band's recording history. The May 6, 1987 radio session at KAOS 89.3 FM in Olympia, Washington, is mislabeled as being from April 17, 1987.

Track listing

All songs were written by Kurt Cobain except where noted. The set includes a July 1987 show in Raymond, Washington, featuring "Heartbreaker" (by John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant). A May 6, 1987 radio session at KAOS 89.3 FM in Olympia, Washington (Nirvana's first radio session) contains "Anorexorcist", "White Lace and Strange" (by Chris Bond), and "Help Me, I'm Hungry". A summer 1987 band rehearsal in Aberdeen, Washington, includes "Mrs. Butterworth".

A January 23, 1988 studio session at Reciprocal Recording Studios in Seattle, Washington, produced by Jack Endino (Nirvana's first studio session), features "If You Must" and "Pen Cap Chew". A January 23, 1988 show at the Community World Theatre in Tacoma, Washington, includes "Downer", "Floyd the Barber", and "Raunchola"/"Moby Dick" ("Moby Dick" by Bonham, Jones, Page). 1987–1988 solo 4-track home recordings from Aberdeen, Washington, include "Beans", "Don't Want It All", "Clean Up Before She Comes", "Polly", and "About a Girl".

A June 11, 1988 studio session at Reciprocal Recording Studios, produced by Jack Endino, includes "Blandest". A spring 1989 studio session at The Evergreen State College Audio Studio in Olympia, Washington, produced by Greg Babior, includes "Dive" (by Cobain and Krist Novoselic). August 20 and 28, 1989 studio sessions at Reciprocal Recording Studios, produced by Jack Endino (for "the Jury", a Lead Belly cover band featuring members of Nirvana and the Screaming Trees), include "They Hung Him on a Cross", "Grey Goose", and "Ain't It a Shame" (all by Huddie Ledbetter).

A September 1989 studio session at Music Source Studios in Seattle, Washington, produced by Steve Fisk, includes "Token Eastern Song", "Even in His Youth", and "Polly". A September 25, 1990 solo radio session on Boy Meets Girl at KAOS 89.3 FM, hosted by Calvin Johnson, includes "Opinion", "Lithium", and "Been a Son". 1990 boombox-recorded home demos from Olympia, Washington, include "Sliver" and "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" (traditional). An April 2–6, 1990 studio session at Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin, produced by Butch Vig, includes "Pay to Play" (early version of "Stay Away", previously released on DGC Rarities: Volume 1 in 1994) and "Here She Comes Now" (by John Cale, Sterling Morrison, Lou Reed, previously released on a split-single with the Melvins in 1991).

Sliver: The Best of the Box

Sliver: The Best of the Box, a compilation by Nirvana, came out in November 2005. The album pulls together 19 songs from the band’s 2004 rarities set With the Lights Out, plus three tracks that had never been released before: “Spank Thru,” taken from the 1985 Fecal Matter demo; a studio version of “Sappy” recorded in 1990; and a boombox demo of “Come as You Are” from 1991. It debuted at number 21 on the Billboard 200. By 2016, Nielsen SoundScan reported U.S. sales of 376,000 copies.

Rolling Stone noted that Frances Bean, Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love’s daughter, picked both the title and the cover photo. That image shows a cardboard box packed with Nirvana and Cobain tapes—among them a copy of the Fecal Matter demo—with some tapes scattered on the floor. The track list includes “Spank Thru” (March 1986 Fecal Matter demo), “Heartbreaker” (July 1987 show in Raymond, Washington), “Mrs. Butterworth” (summer 1987 band demo), “Floyd the Barber” (January 23, 1988 show in Tacoma, WA), “Clean Up Before She Comes” (1988 home demo), “About a Girl” (1988 home demo), “Blandest” (June 11, 1988 studio session in Seattle, Washington, produced by Jack Endino), “Ain’t It a Shame” (August 1989 studio session in Seattle, WA), “Sappy” (January 1990 studio session in Seattle, Washington, produced by Jack Endino), “Opinion” (September 25, 1990 KAOS radio show), “Lithium” (September 25, 1990 KAOS radio show), “Sliver” (1990 home demo), “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (March 1991 boombox demo), “Come as You Are” (March 1991 boombox demo), “Old Age” (May 1991 studio session for Nevermind), “Oh, the Guilt” (April 1992 studio session in Seattle, WA), “Rape Me” (May 1991 solo acoustic home demo), “Rape Me” (October 1992 studio session in Seattle, WA), “Heart-Shaped Box” (January 1993 studio session in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), “Do Re Mi” (1994 boombox demo solo acoustic), “You Know You’re Right” (1994 boombox demo solo acoustic), and “All Apologies” (undated boombox demo solo acoustic, circa 1992).