The 58-year-old California-born Krist Novoselic, the bass player extraordinaire, rose to fame and fortune in Seattle thanks to the grunge band he co-founded. You may have heard of it. The band is called Nirvana. Fronted by Kurt Cobain, Novoselic was the skyscraper-tall rhythm player backing the handsome blonde singer, with drummer Dave Grohl playing the kit for the trio.
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But fans of Novoselic and his musical exploits may not quite realize just how prolific he has been in his life. Along with his role in Nirvana, Novoselic has helped write a number of songs, including several for side projects and other artists. Below, we dive into four such tracks.
1. “Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip,” Nirvana
Written by Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic
This Nirvana song has led quite the international life. Released in 1993, it was the final song on the European and Mexican versions of Nirvana’s last album, In Utero. The song came in as a secret track some 20 minutes after the listed final track on In Utero, “All Apologies.” “Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip” was also released as a promotional single in the Netherlands and it was a B-side release in the United States, along with the song, “Heart-Shaped Box,” as the A-side. The seven-plus-minute song was written by the three members of the band and on the off-kilter track, Cobain sings,
It hurts when you have to press that dull little thing
That you’re only supposed to use once and then discard
But where do you put it? In the garbage can, my honest friend
My shyness, pet her flow
She’s only been five months late
Even though we haven’t had sex for a week
A meal a day, a meal, I say
And my heart’s made my
2. “Cut Me Some Slack,” Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic, Pat Smear, Paul McCartney
Written by Paul McCartney, Pat Smear, Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic
What do you get when you combine a former member of The Beatles with former members of Nirvana? Well, check out the lyrics in “Cut Me Some Slack” below. This song, which was first released on YouTube in 2012 and then a year later for drummer Dave Grohl’s documentary Sound City (about the Van Nuys recording studio), later won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Song in 2014. Written by Paul McCartney, Pat Smear, Grohl, and Novoselic, this song began as a jam and later turned into a big-hearted rock song. Sings McCartney:
Did your mama, set me free
Oh mama, let me be
Oh mama, watch me run
Mama, I wanna have some fun
Hey mama, don’t let me down
Mama, I want to go to town
If you wanna stick around you gotta cut me some slack
I’m gonna hit the road again and not come back
3. “Sasquatch,” Giants in the Trees
Written by Krist Novoselic, Jillian Raye, Erik Friend, Ray Prestegard
Fans of Novoselic got a surprise some six years ago when the bass player and songwriter announced a new band, Giants in the Trees. That new project debuted its first single, “Sasquatch,” to much acclaim. Since then, the group has toured, played festivals, and released two LPs. Led by singer Jillian Raye, with Novoselic dutifully backing, this song highlights the size and scope of nature (and, by extension, the need to preserve it). It’s also the song that gave the band its name. On the song, Raye sings:
One night
I wandered to the outside
No light, and in disguise
Deep in the tall trees
Echos in the pines
I recognized your melody
Wild man
Where do you sleep?
Invisible between… dimensions directions
And I can hear footsteps following
I can feel eyes watching over me
Hiding in the silence
There’s giants in the trees
4. “Rhythm of the Ride,” 3rd Secret
Written by Krist Novoselic, Jillian Raye, Jennifer Johnson
Another band that features Novoselic and Raye, along with several other grunge greats like drummer Matt Cameron from Soundgarden and Pearl Jam, along with guitarist Kim Thayil of Soundgarden, this song has depth and mood. It’s heavier and more compact than the Giants song above. But it’s just as powerful, with a low-end guttural quality along with Raye’s potent bright vocals. On the acoustic-driven song, she sings:
I had a dream that everyone around me
Knew me right from the start
And I found the secret hidden in the stars
Stay strong, my love
And I used to think that if the world around me
Changed I’d get a brand new start
That if I went South I’d make it happen
Stay strong my love
Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Red Light Management and Live Nation
