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Sliver (song)

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"Sliver"
Song
B-side"Dive"

"Sliver" is a song by American grunge band Nirvana. It was originally released as a single in 1990 by Sub Pop. DGC re-released the song to radio to support the release of Incesticide in 1992, resulting in significant airplay. A live performance is included on the 1992 "In Bloom" single, another live performance can be seen on the 1994 home video Live! Tonight! Sold Out!!, and a third live performance was included on the live album From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah in 1996. Sliver also appeared on Nirvana's self titled greatest hits album Nirvana in 2002. An early acoustic version would later appear on the 2004 box set With the Lights Out as well as on Sliver: The Best of the Box released in 2005. Another live version appears on Live at Reading released in 2009.

Recording and composition

"Sliver" features drummer Dan Peters of Mudhoney. The b-sides "Dive" and the live tracks feature drummer Chad Channing.

Nirvana members Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic wrote the music to "Sliver" with temporary drummer Dan Peters during a practice session.[1] Jonathan Poneman of Sub Pop had requested that Nirvana release another single. While the band selected the previously recorded "Dive" as the b-side, Cobain wanted to take advantage of a studio break by the group TAD in July 1990 to record the a-side. TAD frontman Tad Doyle disliked the idea, but producer Jack Endino talked him into it. During a one hour period, Nirvana recorded the basic tracks for "Sliver" using TAD's equipment.[2] Cobain completed writing the song's lyrics just before it was recorded.[1] The previous statement seems to contradict with the fact that there is a solo acoustic version of Sliver on the With The Lights Out box set, dated 1989, albeit with slightly different lyrics.

Release and reception

Sliver was released as a single in 1990 making the top 100 in the UK. Retail singles were not re-released for Incesticide, however the song charted in Ireland two years after release, shortly after the success of Nevermind.

Nirvana biographer Everett True wrote a favorable review for Melody Maker—"Sure, the vocals are lazily throat splitting, the guitars belligerently grungy, the bass up and out of place . . . but check the melodies, damn fools, check the melodies. The only reason this isn't 'Single Of The Week' is because three even mightier singles were released this week."[3]

Music video

A music video was made for "Sliver" as promotion for Incesticide in March 1993. Directed by Kevin Kerslake, the video starts with Kurt Cobain's daughter Frances Bean Cobain (who was an infant at the time) dancing to the opening bassline and the band in a small, dark, cramped room, playing their instruments. Kurt sings to the camera and his movements change with the music, with Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl in the background of the room. In between shots there are scenes of the baby and a Chim-Chim toy which had been given to Kurt by Shonen Knife as a present.[4] The video ends with Krist Novoselic destroying objects in the room.

Track listing

  1. "Sliver" (Cobain, Novoselic)
  2. "Dive" (Cobain, Novoselic)
  3. "About a Girl" (live February 9, 1990 at the Pine Street Theatre, Portland, OR) [on 12" and CD versions only] (a remix by Jack Endino is a bonus track on 2009 re-release of Bleach)
  4. "Spank Thru" (live February 9, 1990 at the Pine Street Theatre, Portland, OR) [on CD versions only] (a remix by Jack Endino is a bonus track on 2009 re-release of Bleach)

Chart performance

Year Chart Peak position
1991 UK Singles Chart[5] 90
1992 Irish Singles Chart[6] 23
1993 U.S. Modern Rock Tracks 19

References

  • Azerrad, Michael. Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana. Doubleday, 1994. ISBN 0-385-47199-8

Notes

  1. ^ a b Azerrad, p. 145
  2. ^ Azerrad, p. 142
  3. ^ True, Everett (2007). Nirvana: The Biography. Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0-306-81554-6. p. 203.
  4. ^ Cross, Charles. Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain. Hyperion, 2001. ISBN 0-7868-8402-9. p.233
  5. ^ [1]
  6. ^ "Search the Charts". IrishCharts.ie. Retrieved 2010-06-23.
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