On This Day in 1996, Nirvana Released a Live Album That Showed the Band’s Musical Evolution Through the Years

On this day (October 1) in 1996, Nirvana released From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah. It was the second live album the band released after the 1994 death of Kurt Cobain. The album features a compilation of live performances recorded between 1989 and 1994. As a result, it shows fans how the band evolved over the few years they were active.

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From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah isn’t just a retrospective of Nirvana’s sound. It was also originally meant to show the other side of the band after the release of the MTV Unplugged album. The album’s tracklist showcases the group’s heavier songs. “Polly” is the only song that appears on both releases. However, a heavier electric version appears on Muddy Banks. The two renditions of the song perfectly highlight the difference between the performances captured for MTV and what fans saw at most of their concerts.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1991, Kurt Cobain Proved Why He Was the Creative Mastermind Behind Nirvana]

From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, giving the band their fourth consecutive No. 1 album. It was their second to top the chart after Cobain’s death.

Nirvana Performances Used on From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah

From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah contains performances from 10 concerts. The earliest is their concert at the London Astoria, recorded on December 3, 1989. The latest was their concert at the Seattle Center Arena, recorded on January 7, 1994, months before Kurt Cobain died.

The album also features former drummer Chad Channing on three tracks, “Intro,” “Polly,” and “Breed.” He left the band in 1990 and was replaced by Dave Grohl.

List of Concerts Used:

• London Astoria (December 3, 1989)
• Paramount Theatre (October 31, 1991)
• Teatro Castello (November 19, 1991)
• Paradiso (November 25, 1991)
• Del Mar Fairgrounds (December 28, 1991)
• Reading Festival (August 30, 1992)
• Springfield Civic Center (November 10, 1993)
• MTV Live & Loud (December 13, 1993)
• The Forum (December 30, 1993)
• Seattle Center Arena (January 7, 1994)

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