Corporate Grunge Still Sucks? Post by: MMMusic 23 March, 2009 - 7:46 AM

Does grunge still sell? Pearl Jam will find out this week when they re-release four different versions of their classic 1991 debut album, Ten.

So what’s singer Eddie Vedder thinking? Seems he’s still a little irked by comments that his former rival, Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain, made about Pearl Jam way back when, calling them corporate whores playing a corporate version of grunge. “If Kurt were around today, I know he’d say to me, ‘Well, you turned out okay’,” Vedder has said in a rare interview this week.

Well, maybe Cobain was just plain jealous. Turns out a publishing company paid Cobain’s uber sexy widow, puffy Courtney Love, something like US$50 million in 2006 for a 50 per cent stake in Cobain’s music publishing rights. The basic idea was to go out and whore the hell out of his songs. But there haven’t been too many takers.

In the years since coughing up all that dosh, the publishing company has only been able to generate about US$2 million worth of sales from the makers of TV shows, video games, ads and movies.

Maybe everyone will have better luck making some cash from upcoming re-releases of three Nirvana albums on vinyl – Nevermind, In Utero and MTV Unplugged. Or maybe not ...

Are all bands corporate whores? What was the last album you bought on vinyl?

Leave your comment

• Warnesie says

  While I am a huge Nirvana fan, I'm honest enough to admit that the end was nigh for them. Even if Kurt lived on, they would have been toast in a year or so.

  Pearl Jam however have transcended styles, kept current and kept producing entertaining albums. No-one can say that Nirvana's "In Utero" is a pleasant listen, while Pearl Jam continue to produce.

  In a nutshell, why no repackage their 1991 classic "Ten". Other less successful and talented bands do it?

  if the fans want it, it is up to the artist to deliver - and Pearl Jam ALWAYS deliver.

  Posted Wednesday 25 March, 2009 2:30 PM
• ryan says

  I also was into Nirvana, but as a person Kurt could be a spiteful prick and had a little too much to say about other people and their music.
  

  Nirvana are no comparison to Pearl NJam, and let's remember Kurt found the easy way out, he is no hero.

  EMOs are the worst, they got nothing to be down about SO F**KING CHEER UP!

  Posted Monday 13 April, 2009 7:29 AM
• Phil Ritchie says

  In Utero was an excellent album so really Warnesie, you shouldn't be calling yourself a "huge Nirvana fan".

  Every big band has their glory period of mass sales and sellout tours, then as the years go rolling by only the hardcore fans buy the later releases.
  

  U2, R.H.C.P haven't done anything decent in years, some bands should really show some decency and call it a day but the ego of a rock star can be a fragile thing that just won't let go of the past......

  Posted Sunday 8 November, 2009 1:20 AM
• ashley says

  Kurt Cobain was a genius.

  Eddie Vedder is a twat.

  If Kurt were still alive anything he put out would be a hundred times better than anything Pearl Jam could produce.

  Posted Tuesday 18 May, 2010 11:46 PM
• deegz says

  warnsie you're an idiot. In Utero is their second best album behind Bleach. You're just a mainstream fan that only listens to Smells Like Teen Spirit and Litihum.

  Posted Wednesday 25 May, 2011 6:18 PM