With the Lights Out

With the Lights Out is a box set, containing 3 CDs and 1 DVD, from the American grunge band, Nirvana. It was released in November 2004.

Significance

Rumours of a posthumous Nirvana box set, or anthology, first surfaced in the mid-1990s, not long after the death of the band's singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain in April 1994. It was eventually 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, but a legal battle between Cobain's widow, Courtney Love, and surviving Nirvana members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, precluded this from happening.

The dispute - or much of it - centred around "You Know You're Right," a song recorded in January 1994 during the band's final studio session. Grohl and Novoselic had wanted it for the box set, but Love maintained that it would be better suited to a more commercial, single-disc compilation instead. In 2002, the legal battle was settled, and "You Know You're Right" appeared on the "best-of" compilation, Nirvana. This paved the way for what became With the Lights Out, which arrived two years later with far more music than had originally been promised.

With the Lights Out received a lukewarm reception from music critics, many of whom saw it as a valuable glimpse into the band's musical evolution, but also believed it contained too much second-rate material never intended for official release. It was generally well-received by fans, marking the first time they had heard such legendary recordings as the band's cover of Leadbelly's "Ain't It a Shame," the studio versions of "Verse Chorus Verse" and "Old Age," and any recording of Cobain's final song, "Do Re Mi." It also contained a handful of surprises, such as a rehearsal demo of the previously-unknown "Mrs. Butterworth," a solo Cobain rendition of Leadbelly's "They Hung Him on a Cross," and an acoustic demo of "You Know You're Right."

With the Lights Out opened at #19 on the Billboard 200, setting a box set record for units sold during a single week with 105,760.

Liner note inaccuracies

Most of Nirvana's posthumous releases have contained inaccuracies in their liner notes. With the Lights Out is no exception.

• "Vendetagainst" is listed as "Help Me I'm Hungry." The latter title was invented by bootleggers, since the song's real name was unknown at the time.

• "Mrs. Butterworth" is listed as being from 1988, and as featuring Dale Crover on drums. Producer Jack Endino, who helped compile the box set, later said the recording more likely dates back to the Summer of 1987, and features Aaron Burckhard on drums. According to Endino, the original information was based on a "wild guess" on the part of someone at Nirvana's management company. He also said the song's true title is unknown, and was therefore renamed for release.

• "Aneurysm" is listed as being from 1990. It was recorded on January 1, 1991.

Trivia

• The title of With the Lights Out was chosen by Courtney Love, and comes from the chorus of Nirvana's biggest hit, "Smells Like Teen Spirit."

Track listing

CD 1

• From Nirvana's first show (March, 1987 in Raymond, WA)

1. "Heartbreaker" (Bonham, Jones, Page, Plant; Led Zeppelin cover) (2:59)

• From Nirvana's first radio session (April 17, 1987 at KAOS-FM in Olympia, WA)

2. "Anorexorcist" (2:44)

3. "White Lace And Strange" (Bond; Thunder and Roses cover) (2:09)

4. "Help Me, I'm Hungry" (2:41)

• From a boombox-recorded demo tape (Summer 1987 in WA)

5. "Mrs. Butterworth" (4:05)

• From Nirvana's first studio session (January 23, 1988 at Reciprocal Recording Studios in Seattle, WA. Producer: Jack Endino)

6. "If You Must" (4:01)

7. "Pen Cap Chew" (3:02)

• From a live performance (January 23, 1988 at the Community World Theatre in Tacoma, WA)

8. "Downer" (1:43)

9. "Floyd the Barber" (2:33)

10. "Raunchola"/ "Moby Dick" ("Moby Dick" - Bonham, Jones, Page; Led Zeppelin cover) (6:24)

• Cobain's 4-track home recordings (1987 and/or 1988 in Aberdeen, WA)

11. "Beans" (1:32)

12. "Don't Want It All" (2:26)

13. "Clean Up Before She Comes" (3:12)

14. "Polly" (2:30) (demo)

15. "About A Girl" (2:44)(demo)

• From the studio session which yielded the Bleach recordings of "Love Buzz" and "Big Cheese" (June-September 1988 at Reciprocal Recording Studios in Seattle, WA. Producer: Jack Endino)

16. "Blandest" (3:56)

• From Nirvana's first 24-track studio session (Spring 1989 at the Evergreen State College Audio Studio in Olympia, WA. Producer: Greg Babior)

17. "Dive" (4:50)(demo)

• From a studio session for "the Jury," a Leadbelly cover band featuring members of Nirvana and the Screaming Trees (August 20, 28 at Reciprocal Recording Studios in Seattle, WA. Producer: Jack Endino)

18. "They Hung Him on a Cross" (Ledbetter, Huddie) (1:57)

19. "Grey Goose" (Ledbetter, Huddie) (4:36)

20. "Ain't It a Shame" (Ledbetter, Huddie) (2:01)

• From the studio session which yielded the Blew EP versions of "Been a Son" and "Stain" (September, 1989 at Music Source Studios in Seattle, WA. Producer: Steve Fisk)

21. "Token Eastern Song" (3:21)(demo)

22. "Even in His Youth" (3:12)(demo)

23. "Polly" (2:36) (demo)

CD 2

• From Cobain's acoustic performance at a college radio show (September 25, 1990 at KAOS-FM in Olympia, WA)

1. "Opinion" (1:34)

2. "Lithium" (1:49)

3. "Been A Son" (1:12)

• Cobain's boombox-recorded home demos (1990 in Olympia, WA)

4. "Sliver" (2:09)

5. "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" (Ledbetter, Huddie) (2:31)

• From the studio session which yielded the Nevermind version of "Polly" (April 2-6, 1990 at Smart Studios, Madison, WI. Producer: Butch Vig)

6. "Pay To Play" (early version of "Stay Away") (3:29)

7. "Here She Comes Now" (Cale, Morrison, Reed, Tucker; The Velvet Underground cover) (5:01)

• From a 4-track demo (April 1991 in San Francisco, California)

8 "Drain You" (2:38) (demo version)

• From the studio session which also yielded the "Smells Like Teen Spirit" single version of "Even in His Youth" (January 1, 1991 at Music Source Studios, Seattle, WA. Producer: Craig Montgomery)(demo)

9 "Aneurysm" (4:47)(demo)

• From a boombox-recorded rehearsal demo (March 1991 in Tacoma, WA)

10 "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (5:40)

• From the studio session for Nevermind (May-June 1991 at Sound City Studios, Van Nuys, CA. Producer: Butch Vig)

11. "Breed" (Butch Vig mix) (3:07)

12. "Verse Chorus Verse" (3:17)

13. "Old Age" (4:20)

• From a John Peel radio session (September 3, 1991 at Maida Vale Studios, London, England)

14 "Endless, Nameless" (8:47)

15 "Dumb" (2:35)

• From a John Peel radio session (October 21, 1990 at Maida Vale Studios, London, England)

16 "D-7" (Sage; The Wipers cover) (3:46)

• From Nirvana's first post-Nevermind studio session (April 7, 1992 at Laundry Room Studios, Seattle, WA. Producer: Barrett Jones)

17 "Oh, the Guilt" (3:25)

18 "Curmudgeon" (3:03)

19 "Return of the Rat" (Sage; The Wipers cover) (3:09)

• From the studio session for Nevermind (May-June 1991 at Sound City Studios, Van Nuys, CA. Producer: Butch Vig)

20 "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (Butch Vig mix) (4:59)

CD 3

1. "Rape Me" (solo acoustic home demo) (3:23)
2. "Rape Me" (demo version) (3:01)
3. "Scentless Apprentice" (rehearsal demo) (9:32)
4. "Heart-Shaped Box" (demo version) (5:31)
5. "I Hate Myself and Want to Die" (demo version) (4:03)
6. "Milk It" (demo version) (4:34)
7. "Moist Vagina" (demo version a.k.a. "MV") (1:56)
8. "Gallons Of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through The Strip" (7:33)
9. "The Other Improv" (6:24)
10. "Serve The Servants" (solo acoustic home demo) (1:36)
11. "Very Ape" (solo acoustic home demo) (1:52)
12. "Pennyroyal Tea" (solo acoustic home demo) (3:30)
13. "Marigold" (Grohl) (2:34)
14. "Sappy" (3:26)
15. "Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam" (rehearsal demo) (Kelly/ McKee; The Vaselines cover) (3:57)
16. "Do Re Mi" (solo acoustic home demo) (4:24)
17. "You Know You're Right" (solo acoustic home demo) (2:30)
18. "All Apologies" (solo acoustic home demo) (3:33)

DVD

1. "Love Buzz" (2:32) (Tracks 1 to 9 a rehearsal at bass player Krist Novoselic's mother's house, Aberdeen, Washington in 1988.)
2. "Scoff" (:47)
3. "About a Girl" (3:05)
4. "Big Long Now" (4:22)
5. "Immigrant Song" (Led Zeppelin cover) (1:57)
6. "Spank Thru" (3:03)
7. "Hairspray Queen" (3:37)
8. "School" (2:53)
9. "Mr. Moustache" (3:47)
10. "Big Cheese" (23 June 1989, Rhino Records, Los Angeles, California) (3:13)
11. "Sappy" (16 February 1990, Bogarts, Long Beach, California) (4:27) [mislisted as track 12 on the cover]
12. "In Bloom" (Early version of song/early music video, while on SubPop records) (4:28) [mislisted as track 11 on the cover]
13. "School" (22 September 1990, the Motor Sports International Garage, Seattle, Washington) (2:33)
14. "Love Buzz" (Shocking Blue cover) (11 October 1990, North Shore Surf Club, Seattle, Washington) (3:40)
15. "Pennyroyal Tea" (First performance) (17 April 1991, OK Hotel, Seattle, Washington) (1:55)
16. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (First ever performance of this song) (17 April 1991, OK Hotel, Seattle, Washington) (6:16)
17. "Territorial Pissings" (17 April 1991, OK Hotel, Seattle, Washington) (2:45)
18. "Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam" (The Vaselines cover) (31 October 1991, Paramount Theatre, Seattle, Washington) (3:32)
19. "Talk To Me" (4 October 1992, The Crocodile Cafe, Seattle Washington) (3:35)
20. "Seasons In The Sun" (Terry Jacks cover) (22 January 1993 BMG Ariola Studios, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) (3:22)

Chart positions

Year	Chart	Position
2004	Top Canadian Albums	No. 10
2004	Official Japanese Albums Chart	No. 16
2004	Top Internet Albums	No. 19
2004	Billboard Top 200	No. 19
2004	Official French Albums Chart	No. 20
2004	Official Italian Albums Chart	No. 21
2004	Official Irish Albums Chart	No. 23
2004	Official Switzerland Albums Chart	No. 28
2004	Official Belgium Albums Chart	No. 29
2004	Official Norwegian Albums Chart	No. 31
2004	Official Austrian Albums Chart	No. 34
2004	Official Spanish Albums Chart	No. 39
2004	Official German Albums Chart	No. 48
2004	Official UK Albums Chart	No. 56

Sales

Japanese sales 5 December 2004, 9 weeks, 54,823.

External links

• Nirvana Live Guide - Comprehensive guide to Nirvana's live performances and recordings
• nirvanabox.com - The official site promoting the box set release