Butch Vig Talks Recording Nirvana's Nevermind

In this clip, Butch Vig talks about the gear, songwriting, and recording process for Nirvana's hit record Nevermind.
Full Video: • Butch Vig: From Smashi...
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[@rickbeato2]

Link To Full Video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4aciX2amZl5oq8si=2FO-ZgQw657Kz396

[@ganjjabarsmedium2347]

The fact that Butch has the original tape that Nirvana sent him, recorded on a boombox, makes it easier for me to sleep at night. Thank you Rick for the amazing questions 🙌

[@jlouis4407]

You can listen to them on the super deluxe nevermind

[@SteveEFoxx-vx9yh]

Hellyeahhh same here, he too!!

[@Scottz504]

That’s worth a lot of money

[@woostep]

He needs to take that over to Pawn Stars

[@Samantha-xc1dp]

@@woostep "$4, and i'm being generous"

[@violinmiata]

Nirvana stories never get old

[@tunnelvision2day]

What a career this guy has had.. He went from producing the world's biggest band.. To being in the new biggest band.. Super talented guy

[@RustedShovelProductions]

What band was he in?

[@pedrolopesribeiro]

@@RustedShovelProductionsGarbage

[@davidhan635]

​@@pedrolopesribeironomen est omen?

[@pedrolopesribeiro]

@@davidhan635 In this case I don’t think so. Excerpt from an article on American Songwriter: “According to the band’s 2017 autobiography, This is the Noise That Keeps Me Awake (via The Badger Herald), the name came from a studio journal Vig kept around the time of the band’s formation. The early creative process had apparently been arduous, and he detailed the band working non-stop “without coming up with anything cool … and when you least expect it, it all falls into place.” The last line of his entry, read, “I hope that all this garbage will become something beautiful!”

[@ryanscottnix]

@@pedrolopesribeiro Thank you for that!

[@rome8180]

Butch's memory for details is crazy. I've listened to a LOT of interviews with audio engineers and producers, and they often don't have nearly as detailed a memory of the recording process as Butch does. He's a pleasure to listen to. And Rick does a good job of steering the conversation but still letting Butch have space to tell his amazing stories.

[@MoPoppins]

💯 well-said!

[@TestMeatDollSteak]

You should listen to some of the interviews that Steve Albini has done re: the In Utero sessions.

[@dsxa918]

As someone with an imperfect short term memory (as a result of a headinjury / caraccident) it tells me that Butch is to production what a musician is to their instrument; that he has sincere interest in the capture of the sounds (songs)...

[@krisfrederick5001]

I mean, that's a pretty memorable recording experience.

[@nickkleiber8636]

I’m sure weekly he gets asked about it lol

[@trippyhippie8630]

will never get tired of hearing Butch talk about recording nevermind… NEVER!

[@pedrov.8087]

mind

[@averyadrian1534]

@@pedrov.8087bra you beat me to it…

[@iamamish]

A good interviewer is amazing - he's the stand-in for the listener and gets to steer the conversation in interesting directions, but understands the star of the show is the person being interviewed. Rick does a tremendous job with this.

[@steelyburt]

The drums are hooks..!🤔 what an awesome perspective! Like the flams at the beginning of Smells Like Teen Spirit, of course!

[@arlingtonhynes]

I love Vig’s Wiscahhnsin accent.

[@inbox4]

Does he have one?

[@arlingtonhynes]

@@inbox4 What would you call it?

[@Eskay_The_Evil_Genius]

That tape is priceless. Never gets old listening to Butch or anyone involved talk about the process they went thru.

[@nicholascolace228]

6 months of hard work that changed music forever, simply incredible and mind blowing

[@Steve_643]

I can’t tell you how much I enjoy Butch talking about recording Nevermind. Dave Grohl made a documentary about Sound City and the Neve mixing deck that’s got a lot cool stuff about Nevermind I highly recommend it.

[@ScentlessSun]

Nirvana’s music ireminds me of high school. I listened to them so much back then. They were the greatest in my generation.

[@SinisterMud]

Same!

[@babyblue4824]

Awesome to hear from legends who still walk amongst us

[@adanarceo9240]

Old age is one of my favorites

[@what-bs7we]

YEAAA!!

[@chrisxishida]

by listening to Butch talk you know he is a true OG he knows his game, great producer

[@johncharles7781]

Madison youth reporting in. Butch and the other members of Spooner were my heroes as a teen. We all thought they would hit it big, especially after the 3.5 star review in Rolling Stone. But it didn't happen. They moved on to Fire Town and then finally earned their due when Shirley Manson showed up and Garbage was formed. Justice served.

[@anthonysclafani3963]

Thank you Rick for doing these interviews. Really means a lot to us trying to replicate iconic stuff. Truly doing an important job preserving these details for historic purposes. Tysm

[@Dancatspoolschool]

Joyous chat. Thank you.

[@fernandoaguilera4418]

This is an amazing interview, great information, Nevermind is a master piece 👌

[@OneHandleToHandleThemAll]

What an amazing video. Such a pleasure hearing Butch talk and Rick just asking the real questions. This is a huge part of music history that otherwise might get forgotten down the line.

[@k.chriscaldwell4141]

Fascinating.

[@MarrafaProjects]

Beautiful!

[@LukeVanGeest]

Absolutely amazing interview Rick!

[@dlvox5222]

Being in the studio is both humbling and exciting

[@1949bug]

This interview is priceless 👌🙏. Really get a flavour of that point where they all knew they were creating something very very special 😊

[@timmg3139]

This is amazing. That band and album are timeless

[@michaellamneck2116]

You've done it again Rick, once I got started listening, it was so good I had to listen to the whole thing. Great interview!

[@ryansmloh3400]

Being in that room listening to 'teen spirit' after a quick mix for the first time must have been like 😮😮😮😮

[@davide.b8027]

Right? How powerful that must have been.

[@jiggeplaya7182]

That’s seriously like an amazing moment nothing in life can come close.

[@IsmiseEireannach]

Rick your interviews are incredible 😊

[@lippi2171]

Hey Rick, I'd be very happy to see Steve Albini on your channel. With Endino and Butch already on, he'd make it the full Nirvana producer circle haha.

[@xv1distort]

I second this. I mean... not possible now 😢 but it would have been great

[@Mike42Butler]

​@@xv1distort😢

[@LoadedMessage]

Absolute class 🤩🤘🏻

[@Bendoverandgrabyourankles]

Could listen to this all day. Thank you.

[@bonzoleum]

Thank you!

[@Reneromero08]

This is gold.

[@KennyEvansUK]

Fascinating talk of serious rock and roll royalty.

[@Armakk]

Great questions from Rick. Keep digging in.

[@fixelheimer3726]

I love these kind of talks,it feels like being there when such vivid memories are being shared❤

[@rome8180]

Butch has a way better memory for these details than most engineers or producers I've listened to.

[@noveltycrusade]

Siamese Dream is something to be proud of ❤

[@crazycatman5928]

Nevermind was the game changer. You always hear how this album changed the atmosphere of music over night..music/culture/fashion/ etc. I hate getting order but I like many got to experience this and it was pretty cool. Been waiting 30 years for another band to do this and the fact it hasn’t happened yet makes me wonder if it ever will.

[@nickdistef1072]

The whole reason i got so into music is because Nevermind made me feel such a way it was almost intoxicating, i went on a crazy hunt trying to find more artists that would make me feel high j by listening to them. 5 years later im a music addict, even tho nothing has come close to nvmd for me

[@georgeleorgebeorge2354]

Nevermind didn’t change anything for my boomer dad. Maybe it’s the same for you - for all you know, the modern equivalent of Nevermind already happened and you don’t know 😅

[@LeNoLi.]

It won't

[@crazycatman5928]

@@georgeleorgebeorge2354 I’m still into “left of the dial” music. I haven’t seen or heard anything remotely close and I’m just some random music lover. I’ve seen many interviews with artists/producers/journalists say the same thing. Nothing has come close.

[@vovahimself]

@@georgeleorgebeorge2354 this.

[@bryansteele832]

I have to believe there will be another musical revolution at some point. The sad things the way the music industry is controlled now, there probably have been several "Nirvanas" over the last 20 years and we never got to hear it.

[@recreatorband]

We’re a New Grunge band bringing back the big early 90’s Grunge sound, check our channel out!

[@kennethsalter9998]

Great interview ...Thank You guys!!

[@thegrimpilgrimusadeanmicha8587]

Eddy of Offord of Yes,fame was raving about this album In1992. Learned about it from him. 😊so that is considered praise. 😊

[@gsmith207]

awesome! Butch is the man. I remember when this came out I was 24 and at 56 still blown away. As a drummer it hit me in the face! love that. going to have to watch that sound city documentary again. thank uou RB

[@sunsty1e]

cool, ive been listening to them lately

[@TempleOfTheMartyrs]

CAN YOU IMAGINE BUTCH PRODUCING OUR NEW ALBUM? WOW

[@finna1002]

No

[@andyhello23]

Like cobain said, dave grohls timing on the drums was perfect Nirvana was last time music was changed by a band, and people involved should be proud people still remember them. Generations of kids since never had that, ie music changing so much in there youth, that shaped who they were Growing up in london as a kid when nirvana came out, we also had prodigy, those two groups shaped 1990s music scenes, and both there albums came out at around the same time.

[@Fifer1758]

i'd say Korn changed music as well, but after that it was a slow generic death for rock while producer created cookie cutter pop with autotune started slowly taking over.

[@jamesscott8705]

Korn?? Wtf. Maybe Radiohead with OK Computer or Kid A? Jesus Christ not Korn. Holy sheez that's an awful take.

[@Fifer1758]

@@jamesscott8705 if you don't think Korn changed music then I don't really know what to tell you. Korn became the biggest band in the world and created a genre that sold millions of albums. If you don't think Korn was a huge deal then I invite you to watch them before Blind at Woodstock 99 and watch the crowd.

[@chriseggroll]

i love hearing the details of the recording process haha

[@eddysgaming9868]

This is a great interview. Having a similar background as an artist and producer makes you an excellent interviewer. I know my suggestion here would require more editing, etc. But, as a casual listener I'd appreciate seeing a visual example onscreen of some of the recording equipment and instruments mentioned here.

[@Rll440]

Amazing people and amazing album.

[@kitrichardson2165]

One of the all-time great producers. Butch managed to bring out the best in Nirvana. He didn’t overproduce it he didn’t make it “his“, he just let the band blossom, and he knew the tones and the mics and the mixes that would really draw people in. He’s up there with Matt Lange George Martin, and very limited number of other producers

[@OtterPup_]

From Bleach to Nevermind is hard to wrap my head around. The band really put in the work over those 6months+ a really creative group and Kurt the catalyst

[@TestMeatDollSteak]

The guitar that Kurt played and smashed during the recording of Endless, Nameless was a black, lefty Strat with a white pick guard, not a Mosrite. There’s a somewhat well known photo of the destroyed guitar in question laying across the Neve console in Sound City after that track was recorded. Butch’s memory of the session is probably just a little fuzzy after thirty years.

[@nimitz1739]

I just put this in the comment section then came across your comment😂

[@rome8180]

His memory of these sessions is WAY better than almost any engineer or producer I've ever listened to. And I listen producer interviews religiously. Most of them are maddeningly vague about old sessions. He may have a few minor details wrong, but who ultimately cares what guitar it was? That's not the point of the story.

[@johnnypaps2834]

There’s some pages from his journals that mention the mosrite being stolen along with a few other things. Someone came forward saying they bought it at a pawnshop and later sold it to someone for dirt cheap then that person figured out what it was and sold it for a fortune. It’s floated around a few different museums so yeah it was probably that black strat with the chrome humbucker ring & tune-o-matic bridge in the famous pic. I read an interview with butch mentioning the mosrite being smashed, it seems like he’s sticking to that story lol

[@TestMeatDollSteak]

@@johnnypaps2834 - There’s a black humbucker in the bridge position, and it appears to be slightly offset/diagonal (closer to the bridge towards the lesser horn/high-E string end of the guitar as compared to the greater horn/low-E string end). I can’t personally make out what kind of bridge is on the guitar from the photo, but the aforementioned black humbucker is the only conspicuous aspect of the guitar that sticks out as an obvious modification, to my untrained eye. The neck was completely snapped off the body at the joint, but the rosewood fretboard and length of the neck appear in tact, Fender logo on the headstock, white single coils in the neck and middle positions, white pick guard…looks like a fairly standard Strat. I first saw that photo reprinted in Michael Azerrad’s 1993 Nirvana bio “Come As You Are: the Story of Nirvana”, which came out about two years after Nevermind was released, and the author interview Vig for the book, so I’m assuming that the photo is genuine and that Vig’s memory of the guitar in question has changed over the intervening three decades, which is understandable.

[@jeremydunn5012]

No, I’m pretty sure he remembers it. A lot better than you fucking Nirvana geeks

[@PDXDrumr]

This is great.

[@davidsummerville351]

Love this series! 😎🤓

[@catloverextreme]

Awesome.

[@xammai9679]

Butch playing the tape machine and punching in on time intuitively like that is some real goated shit

[@nimitz1739]

There’s photos of the guitar Kurt smashed while recording endless nameless. Because it’s sitting on the board Dave bought. Pretty famous photo. It was a black fender Stratocaster with a humbucker in the bridge

[@filipdemeyst8842]

Thank u Rick for archiving all this music history!

[@dornelli1]

the snare drum in this album is off the hook, made by tama and to this day, never replicated

[@finna1002]

No

[@MadnessInTheMoonlight]

Amazing interview, amazing engineer. 🤟

[@TheDantheman9001]

beato 🙏

[@wokeamerica1230]

If you look, there's an interview out there where Butch is sitting at the board and he demonstrates the layers of the instruments and vocals...

[@stevecochrane5376]

Wow that was a great interview. Butch is such a , cool guy. Thanks for that one ,Rick.

[@djpoopypants4741]

Beato!!!!

[@nickkraft1370]

Great content, conversation, and hair from these fellas

[@tomcoryell]

Hey Butch, far and away the best recordings of Nirvana. You did great buddy!

[@blown572hemi]

Mr Vig reminds me of Ted Templeton. Just genius with awesome ears.

[@JunipersStarExperiment]

I ❤ BUTCH VIG

[@cheneyrobert]

This is brilliant 👏👏👏😎🥂

[@JawsHLL]

That’s fire

[@edwardl.492]

great story..

[@wallacelovecraft8942]

Good talk.

[@patriotic80]

One part of this work of art and ground breaking music that often doesnt get enough credit was butch on the console.kurt dave , krist and butch made a timeless work of art. Without one of those factors it would not have been what it became. An album is always a group effort especially all the ones that are timeless.

[@CorkElectric40]

YES......yes Yes....and.... Yes

[@PROGNOSTIC4TOR]

Butch is so cool

[@Metalexander-po3xj]

I'd really like to know how he did the solo in In Bloom. There's nothing like it to this day, the strings are just screaming like scratching g.i sheets. Its like uncontrolled feedback yet at the same time melodic and angry

[@moaningpheromones]

ew

[@nathanwalsh3028]

All great producers no one thing. How to get the most out of the band and capture what they truly sound like live.

[@Pepsolman]

You have to break hearts to get greatness.

[@leandrobego154]

We need a Nirvana today !!

[@GeorgeToledo]

I wish someone would ask him about the guitar solo on In Bloom.

[@davide.b8027]

Why?

[@MusickopatH]

I ❤Nirvana More because of The fact that their 4 studio albums, sound and are different sides of The band also. Like movies or paintings Different

[@rolanbc]

Butch please make another Grbage band or produce more bands we need that sound of the 90´s

[@rhinohoudini3320]

new Garbage album coming this year confirmed...they just finished recording it

[@GothBoi]

Butch also has Full Raw OG 1 version of Nevermind never been released or leaked some snippets are played on the nev counsel during nevermind classic albums doc where butch plays the raw tracks with certain takes & overlays isolated while describing the sessions, that’s the version of nevermind i want leaked the most. Its basically an unreleased reel 1 of the whole album mix.

[@oliverb.3898]

Its been released since ages, its the devonshire mixes

[@foofghtr]

I knew the clean stuff was an AC-30, the fact that Kurt used Mesa for the hard stuff is impressive. Now I’m not so sure I wanna use my Marshall’s anymore for heavy stuff. I’m gonna buy a 1/2 stack of Mesa either double or triple rectifier 100 watt. Metallica uses Mesa too, so I was leaning towards the change. I always knew this about Mesa, what ever list price is you have to pay, the music store can’t lower it or they will lose their distribution rights. That was my only turnoff to the new product, but oh well, I’m just gonna pay it.

[@billk9799]

Kurt's Mesa was a Mesa Boogie Studio preamp, 99% sure he was sticking his Boss DS2 and Tech 21 SansAmp Classic for distortion in the clean channel.

[@rguizar10]

When you’re in the studio and the engineer asks you to play to a click after a couple takes it’s definitely a dagger in the heart 😂

[@OTownReview]

The magic and mystery in the creation of pop/rock music, the kinda stuff they describe here, is completely gone nowadays.

[@sbac00]

Not surprised Butch produced wasting light, such a badass album

[@thomasrenia]

Top years

[@Songwriterbehindthecurtain]

🤩

[@dylancooper3690]

Why didn't "Even In His Youth" make it onto the album?

[@jhamler1]

The gear talk, frankly, goes over my head but, as a drummer, I enjoyed this interview immensely. So glad to hear that Grohl didn't play to a click because I loathe it myself.

[@jennifersun2638]

butch is a COOL dude

[@allwaizeright9705]

I have a Fender Bassman head - Driving a 2x12 - It sounds AMAZING...

[@DamienjPolleyp-in9dk]

And Kurt had pulsonic vintage greenbacks as speakers that's why it sounds so rich and full,there is a good KZbin video of nirvana's studio tone where he totally finds the exact speakers Kurt used

[@all_invite_0hm]

I've seen it. VERY interesting video!

[@mccloysong]

Butch's transparent producing doesn't bring attention to itself. Like great film directing: you don't notice it. But it's the rudder.

[@smokeymcpot6707]

What a treasure. Thank You!

[@bryanp8010]

Butch, I want you to record my band. Trust me, it’s worth your time

[@danielallan8310]

Whats your band name? Any music in YT?

[@efx245precor3]

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