Categories: News

Kurt Cobain Pre-Fame Mixtape 'Montage Of Heck' Unearthed

Kurt Cobain created a mixtape in the late 80s that’s been rediscovered on the Internet with fans stating that it gives a deeper look into the Nirvana frontman’s psyche.

Kurt Cobain 'Montage Of Heck'

Cobain's "Montage of Heck" has found some new life online over the past few days. It contains snippets from his personal record collection and the radio, band demos that wound up on Nirvana albums as well as sounds Cobain recorded and/or created – including urinating into a toilet and the toilet's flush. It also includes bits of dialogue from vintage TV shows and movies, as well as from conversations with his friends.

There's an 8-minute mono version of the mixtape, as well as a 36-minute full-length version.

Kurt Cobain's "Montage Of Heck" from SpaceEcho on Vimeo.

Tracy Marander On The Mixtape

While most reports claim that Cobain created the mixtape in 1988 on a 4-track cassette recorder, Tracy Marander, an ex-girlfriend of the musician who was dating him when he made it, disagrees. She said he made it in 1987 on a two-track recorder when he was going through a bored spell.

“I don’t think he had a 4-track until 1988 or so,” Marander told the U.K. Guardian. “I think he just did it because he was bored. He started doing it, and just kept going. It was a project."

Marander added, “I love Montage of Heck. He made it using records, some TV, and random sounds he recorded. It was all made in Aberdeen, I believe. It took him quite a while. He used to like to make TV montage VHS tapes too. The TV ones are a mix of 60s to 80s TV shows, old movies, bad movies, bits of commercials and late night infomercials.”

Kurt Cobain and Nirvana went on to release their debut LP, Bleach, in 1989.

Montage of Heck Track List:

“The Men In My Little Girl’s Life” by Mike Douglas
“The Sounds of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel
“Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!” by The Beatles
“A Day In The Life” by The Beatles
“Eruption” by Van Halen
“Hot Pants” by James Brown
“Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves” by Cher
“Go Away Little Girl” by Donny Osmond
“Rocky Mountain High” by John Denver
“Everybody Loves Somebody” by Dean Martin
“The Candy Man” by Sammy Davis, Jr.
“In A Gadda Da Vida” by Iron Butterfly
“Wild Thing” by William Shatner
“Taxman” by The Beatles
“I Think I Love You” by The Partridge Family
“Are You a Boy or Are You a Girl?” by The Barbarians
“Queen Of The Reich” by Queensryche
“Last Caress/Green Hell” covered by Metallica
“Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin
“Get Down, Make Love” by Queen
“ABC” by The Jackson Five
“I Want Your Sex” by George Michael
“Run to the Hills” by Iron Maiden
“Eye Of The Chicken” by Butthole Surfers
“Dance of the Cobra” by Butthole Surfers
“The Shah Sleeps in Lee Harvey’s Grave” by Butthole Surfers
“New Age” by The Velvet Underground
“Love Buzz” by Shocking Blue
Orchestral music from 200 Motels by Frank Zappa
“Help I’m A Rock” / “It Can’t Happen Here” by Frank Zappa
“Call Any Vegetable” by Frank Zappa
“The Day We Fall In Love” by The Monkees
“Sweet Leaf” by Black Sabbath (intro)
Theme from The Andy Griffith Show
Mike Love (of The Beach Boys) talking about “Transcendental Meditation”
Excerpts of Jimi Hendrix speaking at the Monterey Pop Festival
Excerpts of Paul Stanley from KISS’ Alive!
Excerpts of Daniel Johnston screaming about Satan
Excerpts from sound effects records
Various children’s records (Curious George, Sesame Street, The Flintstones, Star Wars)

Chelsea Regan

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