The Amplified Come as You Are (Nirvana) by Michael Azerrad

ComeAsYouAre

,: 2025

ComeAsYouAre

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): 1993

This expanded (0:35) version is essentially a book within a book, where Azarod overlays the original (0:39) narrative with hundreds of new essay-like annotations. Benefiting from (0:44) decades of hindsight and journalistic growth, Azarod reconsiders the cultural (0:48) forces of the 1990s, debunks myths, corrects Cobain's youthful exaggerations, (0:53) and offers a deeper analysis of the band, transforming a classic biography into a (0:58) retrospective on tragedy and legacy. Can an author take his career-defining work (1:03) and make it even more essential 30 years on? That's what I'm gonna look at in this (1:07) episode of Loud Lit.

Hey, thanks for checking out the Loud Lit podcast. My name (1:12) is Matt Reno. I'm a big fan of music, and I also love reading artist biographies (1:18) and other books on my favorite genres to get a deeper appreciation of the music I (1:23) enjoy.

I started this show to encourage listeners like you to check out some of (1:28) the books that have helped me find that deeper appreciation. Most of the music I (1:32) listen to is rock, so we're gonna hear a lot of reviews on that genre in this (1:37) podcast. Things like punk, metal, grunge, we'll even go back to the oldies.

I've (1:42) got a Beach Boys book, things like that. I'm also a fan of hip-hop, so we'll have (1:47) reviews on that genre as well. In fact, just last night I started a bio on Tupac (1:52) Shakur, so that review will be forthcoming.

And who knows, maybe I'll (1:56) use this podcast as an excuse to get into other genres of music and books. If (2:02) you ever want to buy a copy of any of the books I talk about on this show, I'll (2:05) always include a link in the show notes to my bookshop.org profile. Bookshop is (2:09) an awesome company.

Its mission is to connect readers with independent (2:12) booksellers all over the world. Every purchase on the site financially (2:16) supports independent bookstores. So when you use the links I provide, not only are (2:21) you supporting this show, but you're also supporting independent booksellers in a (2:26) way that shopping on Amazon does not.

So please check the show notes for that link. (2:30) Alright, on with the review. For this first episode, I'm starting with an (2:34) in-depth bio about one of my all-time favorite bands, Nirvana.

) In: 1993

Longing for fair treatment in the (2:58) press, Kurt Cobain called upon Michael Azerod, who had already written about (3:02) Nirvana for Rolling Stone, to pen an authorized biography of the band. (3:06) Still early in his career, Azerod asked Cobain what exactly he was looking for with this (3:10) book. Cobain's reply? Just tell the truth.

And that's what he did. The initial (3:16) version of Come As You Are presented the Nirvana camp, especially Cobain and his (3:20) wife, Hole singer Courtney Love, as the complicated human beings that they were (3:24) at that time. He doesn't put Cobain on a pedestal.

He doesn't overlook or sugarcoat (3:28) the singer's flaws. The book covered Cobain honestly, talking about his heroin (3:33) addiction and even pointing out some of the less savory aspects of his (3:37) personality, while still drawing attention to the qualities that made him (3:40) likable to many who knew him personally. Same for Love.

Her abrasive personality (3:45) has brought her lots of scorn over the years, and Azerod didn't hide that, but he (3:49) also gave her credit whenever it was due and debunked some of the myths that have (3:54) unfairly dogged her from the Nirvana years on. As much as the original Come As (3:58) You Are stood out for its honesty and integrity, the amplified Come As You Are (4:03) delivers even more of what made its predecessor such a great read. Here, (4:07) Azerod taps into the benefit of hindsight as well as his three decades (4:11) worth of music journalism experience.

The book goes back and forth between the (4:15) original text and Azerod's updates. Despite constantly hopping back and (4:20) forth in time, sometimes in between single paragraphs, it never feels jarring. (4:25) It's a smooth read throughout.

This edition expands upon stories from the (4:29) original and corrects inaccuracies Azerod missed initially. He's not afraid to call (4:34) out Kurt's tendencies to exaggerate or distort the truth, whether for the sake (4:38) of personal myth-making or out of fear of losing indie rocker credibility as his (4:43) band's stardom skyrocketed. It's impossible to write at length about Nirvana (4:47) without discussing the salacious personal details, but Azerod avoids doing (4:51) so in a sensationalistic way.

Again, in both the original and the expanded text, (4:56) he tells the truth as he witnessed it. The amplified version corrects some (5:00) statements and clears up misconceptions, but Azerod never dwells on the personal (5:05) details any longer than necessary. He spends plenty of time helping the reader (5:09) get to know bassist Chris Novoselic and drummer Dave Grohl.

The way Cobain became (5:14) an unwitting generational spokesperson, it's easy for some people to consider (5:18) Crist and pre-Foo Fighters Dave as background characters, but Azerod does (5:23) not let that happen. For example, he elaborates on just how (5:27) important Crist was as a bandleader, making sure that readers know what an (5:31) essential part of Nirvana he was. He also elaborates on points he made in 93 (5:35) about Dave being relatively quiet in interviews.

This seems odd now that we (5:41) see Grohl as the Foo Fighters frontman and general rock and roll ambassador, but (5:45) Azerod uses this new edition to detail the band dynamics that caused Dave to (5:49) remain more reserved during the Nirvana years. Azerod also focuses a great deal (5:54) on the music itself. In the original, and even more so in the amplified edition, we (5:59) get a peek into the processes of making each of their studio albums.

We get (6:04) track-by-track looks at the writing, recording, and producing of many Nirvana (6:08) songs, not just the massive hits. This edition includes things that we were not (6:12) meant to see when Come As You Are first hit shelves. It includes portions of a (6:16) spin interview that the magazine edited for the version that went to print.

We (6:20) even see Kurt's lengthy screed against Vanity Fair's Lynn Hirshberg. Kurt wrote (6:25) this in response to the article Hirshberg wrote that led to Kurt and (6:28) Courtney temporarily losing custody of their child. He wanted to include it in (6:33) the incesticide liner notes, but the label deemed it too nasty and probably (6:37) lawsuit-worthy.

With the threat of legal action gone, Azerod felt this letter (6:41) illustrated Kurt's mindset at this turmoil-filled time in his life. The (6:45) deepest and most important pieces of reflection in the amplified edition occur (6:49) when Azerod points out the patterns of depression and addiction that he (6:53) witnessed, but wasn't able to recognize in the moment. He had become friends with (6:57) Kurt over the time he worked on this book, and while reading, you can tell how (7:01) much Kurt's death has weighed on him over the years.

For all that Azerod did his (7:06) best to tell the truth about Nirvana, it's his own personal grief and feelings (7:10) of guilt that feel the most real. Calling Come As You Are, the Amplified Edition, an (7:14) essential read for fans of Nirvana or 90s rock is a no-brainer. This deep dive (7:19) into the band and its music is revealing without feeling exploited.

But I would (7:24) add that this edition is also a solid read for those interested in music (7:28) journalism or biographical writing in general. As Azerod interjects his own (7:32) insight among the original text, he shows the challenges of being a (7:37) biographer. He describes his decision-making process regarding what (7:41) to include and what to leave out.

When writing the original book, he missed some (7:45) things due to his inexperience, but he also faced issues of moral and (7:49) journalistic integrity, causing him to make difficult choices. His reflections (7:53) on those decisions years later offer wisdom to young writers facing their own (7:57) dilemmas, even in a very different media climate. Overall, I consider Come As You (8:02) Are a must-read.

Its original version was excellent, but with its 30-plus years (8:07) worth of hindsight, Amplified Edition is all the more riveting. Thanks for (8:12) listening to this first episode of Loud and Lit. If you're interested in getting (8:14) your own copy of this book, once again, click the bookshop link in the show (8:18) notes.

When you buy through that link, you'll be supporting this show as well (8:22) as independent booksellers. And please rate, review, and subscribe so you can (8:26) keep getting more music book recommendations. My name is Matt, and (8:29) until next time, keep reading, keep rocking.