iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

On this, the 35th anniversary of Nirvana's _Nevermind_, I will now shamelessly plug my book _The Amplified Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana_. Read about _Nevermind_'s infamous bio and why it backfired, and the surprising cultural depth of the intro of "Territorial Pissings."

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Nirvana's final album _In Utero_ was released this month in 1993. My book _The Amplified Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana_ reveals the fascinating and deeply poignant meaning of the 21 mysterious little pictograms on the back cover.

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

I'm going to interview the acclaimed composer Tyondai Braxton about his excellent new album _Splayed Werks_ (out Friday on the venerable Erased Tapes label) at Record Grouch in Brooklyn on Thursday, August 20th. Stop by if you're in town!

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

I'll take "Amazing and Surreal Career Highlights" for $800, Alex! On Friday night, one of my books was an answer on @jeopardyofficial.bsky.social!

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

For those who asked, here's what I played for my DJ set at the sold-out opening show of Sugar's reunion tour, May 2nd 2026, at Webster Hall in NYC. And good grief, what a ferocious, intense show they played. Catch it if you can.

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

I try to ignore this stuff but there's a new round of the perennial "Kurt was murdered" meme. It's just wrong. He tried it twice before he succeeded. Here's a painful passage from my book _The Amplified Come as You Are_ that sheds additional light.

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

Looks like Anderson Cooper is going for a _Nightfly_ vibe.

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

A very happy 55th birthday to one of the more perfect albums, Carole King's _Tapestry_. Such great songs, such impeccable musicianship. And what a fitting title for a collection of music that's woven itself so deeply into the fabric of popular music.

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 21/12/2025

As yesterday's _New York Times_ "Connection" puzzle so compellingly demonstrates, the B-52s' legacy is deep and abiding.

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 18/12/2025

Happy 82nd birthday to Keith Richards, who has been struggling to be free ever since.

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

Today is the 32nd anniversary of Nirvana's epochal appearance on "Unplugged." Here's one of the passages about that show from my book _The Amplified Come as You Are_.

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 13/11/2025

It is truly a testament to the integrity of Joyful Noise Recordings that their beautiful new Daniel Johnston _In the 20th Century_ cassette box set is actually a box. (It's 16 albums, mastered by longtime collaborator Kramer, in a limited edition of 999.)

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

Today is the 35th anniversary of the release of My Bloody Valentine's _Loveless_, which is as good a reason as any to spin one of the 20th century's greatest works of art in any genre.

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

It's the 34th anniversary of Nirvana's triumphant homecoming show at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle. Here's a passage about it from _The Amplified Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana_, a new, vastly expanded edition of _Come as You Are_.

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 14/10/2025

This tends to become an observation car — for some reason, passengers tear the roof off the sucker.

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

It's John Coltrane's birthday so here's a super-cool 1960 photo of him with a Robert Motherwell painting at the Guggenheim Museum. You can hear Coltrane's life-affirming music all day long on Columbia U.'s beloved WKCR here: www.cc-seas.columbia.edu/wkcr/ (Photo: William Claxton)

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

You know those 21 little symbols on the back of _In Utero_? They actually mean something. I revealed their fascinating secret in _The Amplified Come as You Are_, the deeply annotated version of _Come as You Are: the Story of Nirvana_.

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 01/09/2025

Well, since it's Labor Day, you're probably looking for some funky-kinetic West African music to play at your barbecue. May I recommend _African Scream Contest: Raw and Psychedelic Afro Sounds from Benin and Togo '70s_. (Note: there is very little actual screaming on this album.)

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

Nominate Minutemen singer-guitarist D. Boon for the 2026 Woody Guthrie Prize: it just makes a whole lot of sense.

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 21/07/2025

One of the more aptly titled albums in pop music history.

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

I hereby plug _Gabba Gabba We Accept You: The Wondrous Tale of Joey Ramone_ (Drag City), a children's book about the trials and tribulations of young Joey and the lessons punk can teach about being your own person. Charming text: Jay Ruttenberg, lovely illustrations: Lucinda Schreiber.

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

From punk legend Legs McNeil, the author of the quintessential _Please Kill Me_, this is the best piece of writing advice I ever received. He told it to me in person but also declared it in an interview — I just have this stray clipping and don't know where it appeared or who JS is.

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

RIP the Youngbloods' Jesse Colin Young, who sang the hit version of "Get Together," the '60s hippie anthem that Krist Novoselic later lampooned on the intro to _Nevermind_'s "Territorial Pissings." Here's the annotation about the song in _The Amplified Come as You Are_.

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

It's Kurt Cobain's birthday. He would have been 58. Kurt loved Chim-Chim from _Speed Racer_ so here's a Chim-Chim in his honor.

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 14/02/2025

I don’t give a hoot about people’s ranked lists but this, from the excellent Tom Scharpling of @bestshow4life.bsky.social is interesting: _Lulu_ is #8. Quite a leap up from its early scorn. Maybe @davidbowiereal.bsky.social will be proven correct: _Lulu_ will be rated among Lou Reed's greatest work.

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

The Brooklyn band Bodega explains why they called their catchy and provocative new-ish album _Our Brand Could Be Yr Life_.

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

Just came across this again. It's profound. It's why "our band could be your life."

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 04/01/2025

This project just got a lot more real and I bet it's gonna be good: Psycher, featuring Cait O'Riordan (the Pogues), Linda Pitmon (the Minus 5, the Baseball Project), Brix Smith (the Fall, Adult Net), and Kathy Valentine (some band called the Go-Go's).

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 03/01/2025

The wait is finally over: the Czech translation of _The Amplified Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana_ has arrived!

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 25/12/2024

A peaceful and joyous Noel to all who celebrate.

A photo of Jimi Hendrix bassist Noel Redding by Baron Wolman

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

Thurston, Lee and Steve from Sonic Youth played the Stone tonight; it was magical. Bob Dylan once said that a great thing about rock is that you can hear one second out of a passing car and know who it is. Only four people on the planet can make that SY sound. It was beautiful, even moving.

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Michael Azerrad @michaelazerrad.bsky.social · 24/11/2024

Close! The zine was called _Op_ and in fact was founded by the visionary KAOS music director and Calvin Johnson mentor John Foster. It eventually became the legendary _Option_, a national magazine that exclusively covered indie music. Here's the relevant passage from _Our Band Could Be Your Life_.

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