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Nirvana: National Theatre, Kilburn

Ben Thompson, Independent on Sunday, November 1991

WHEN NIRVANA appeared at the Reading Festival earlier this summer, they were just one more obscure American underground rock trio with a good LP and a low standard of personal hygiene to recommend them. Then their second album Nevermind sold a million copes in sixth weeks, ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ corroded its way onto Top of The Pops – a landmark which Kurt Cobain chose to commemorate by singing it an octave lower than usual (much to the confusion of TOTP presenters who wouldn't know teen spirit if someone dropped it in their tea).

Total word count of piece: 519

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