The AMN FAQ

Scroll down to see the Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is a "FAQ"?
    A FAQ (pronounced "fack" or "eff-aye-q") is an acronym for Frequently Asked Questions. It is designated to a certain topic/organisation/group and provides answers to the most common questions/problems/concerns people have.

  • What is the point of this FAQ?
    This FAQ is dedicated to providing information on the newsgroup alt.music.nirvana (AMN). It covers some of the common questions that arise in the day to day operation, and some of the more confusing aspects of AMN. It is a great starting point for getting to know how things are run, and who the people are.

  • What is the difference between this and the Nirvana FAQ?
    Quite simply, the     Nirvana FAQ is better. It provides information on everything related to Nirvana, whereas this FAQ pertains only to the questions that arise in the newsgroup, alt.music.nirvana.

  • What is a "troll"?
    A troll is someone who posts (usually under false identities, or fake names) something with the sole purpose of getting a certain reaction (hate mail, love, outrage, gullibility... anything.) If someone posts something like "I've got a copy of Wishkah, autographed by Kurt for sale," they are most likely looking for people to respond saying "Hey stupid, get a clue! Kurt died before Wishkah came out!" or "Hey, I'll buy it. How about $40?" and make the responder look like a fool. Be smart, don't get involved with trolls. Don't try to be "clever," because trolls look for replies of ANY sort. If you reply angrily, cleverly, or any other ways, then all you're doing is feeding them.

  • Why do people post here if they don't like Nirvana?
    People are strange (to quote the Doors). Basically, they want to get a reaction (of any sort) from AMNer's.

  • What is a "flame"?
    A flame is an open insult (usually excessive) of someone or something.

  • What is a "newbie"?
    A newbie is someone who is relatively new to a certain newsgroup/online list/service, etc.

  • What is a "lurker"?
    A lurker is someone who reads but, for the most part, doesn't post to an online group. There are hundreds or thousands of lurkers in any given newsgroup.

  • What is 'Netiquette'?
    This is proper etiquette used in cyberspace (Internet + etiquette = netiquette). You should get the hang of it if you stick around for a while; much of it is common sense - don't post things that will be rude or uncalled for. This AMN FAQ covers a lot of netiquette.

  • Why is there so much porn here?
    A lot of people advertise their webpages, and sometimes they are ones of an adult nature. Most of the time they will e-mail it to you, if they get your address from a post you made. This is why many people use "spamblocks" such as disguising their e-mail address. An example would be: adding "nospam." to an e-mail address like so: "jslade@nospam.netcom.ca", so that the e-mail won't reach you, because the "spammers" more often than not just have "robots" or bots collecting the addresses, therefore can't remove the spamblock. If you have a spamblock, you can just add a line in your     .sig telling anyone who wants to e-mail you to remove the spamblock.

  • Can we do anything about all of the spam in here?
    Unfortunately, we cannot do much. One thing that you can do is forward offending messages to the offenders' system administrators. These messages are usually forged, so you'll have to see where the originator is posting from by looking at the "NNTP Posting-Host" line, and sometimes you'll also have to look at the end of the "Path" line, especially if the NNTP line only has numbers. If you see that the posting-host domain is something like "spam.com," then forward the message, including the complete message header, to postmaster@spam.com and root@spam.com. You might want to disguise your identity because the people who receive your complaint may themselves be spammers, and want to retaliate by putting you on spam e-mail lists. That's just a precaution. You may want to include a general complaint before the forwarding message saying that this offending message was posted in our discussion newsgroup, and politely ask that they do something to teach their users proper netiquette.

  • Why is everyone always fighting?
    It's human nature. People have differing points of view, and express that. Sometimes it may appear as though they are fighting, but sometimes it may just be a debate. It is not recommended to flame, put down or fight with someone, especially if you are new, because you might not know their personality or sense of humour. Wait until you get to know who everyone is. Some people are just moodier than others and more irritable, and some have a different sense of humour.

  • If I say something wrong and everyone makes fun of me, is my rep ruined in the newsgroup?
    Absolutely not. Even the most known and liked members of the newsgroup say stupid things and are made fun of and criticised. Just laugh it off, and aim to make better contributions in the discussion next time.

  • How can I become accepted in your clique?
    Although it is hardly a clique, at times it may seem like it is. It can be tough for new readers of the newsgroup, but everyone was new at one point. The best advice I can give is to be yourself, try to act sensible, and don't be an "asshole". Don't act like the others, until you have earned some respect, or know how the others act. It is recommended that you read for a while before posting (2 weeks is the general rule of thumb) and learn the personalities of the others. Then, just start casually joining the conversation, asking questions, answering questions, and just overall being fairly intelligent, and you'll be respected in no time.

  • What is a .sig and how long should it be?
    A .sig is a portion of text that automatically appears at the bottom of a message you wish to send. It can include your homepage address, a favourite quote, contact information, or anything else. It is not recommended to have an excessively large .sig file, but it doesn't make a huge difference if you do or not. Try to limit it to a few (less than 8 or so) lines.

  • Can I post some cool sound and picture files here?
    Please don't. A.M.N is a discussion group, it is not a binary newsgroup. Please post binary files in other appropriate newsgroups and post a short note in A.M.N telling us all where we can find the files you've posted, giving the appropriate information. Some examples of binary groups to post sounds are: alt.binaries.images, alt.binaries.mpeg, alt.binaries.misc, alt.binaries.multimedia, alt.binaries.music, alt.binaries.rock-n-roll, alt.binaries.sounds.midi, alt.binaries.sounds.midi.alternative, alt.binaries.sounds.midi.rock, alt.binaries.sounds.mods, alt.binaries.sounds.mp3, alt.binaries.sounds.mp3.bootlegs, alt.binaries.sounds.music, alt.music.midi & alt.music.mods

  • Can I post messages in the newsgroup advertising my Nirvana web page?
    Certainly, but please don't post too many times, because when people keep coming across messages about the same web pages, it turns a lot of us off. Aside from putting your URL in your .sig, you shouldn't post messages about your web page more than once a month or so.

  • Well, what should/shouldn't I post on AMN?
    Here are some basic do's and don't of AMN/UseNet in general.
    Do:
    quote (relevant portions of) previous messages (no need for excessive quoting); keep flaming/insults to a minimum; crosspost to relevant newsgroups only; try to stay somewhat on topic (I realise sometimes the topic shifts, but try to remember we're here to discuss Nirvana); read this FAQ; try to act intelligent; submit any suggestions you have; send me your money.

    Don't:
    crosspost to irrelevant newsgroups; flame and insult everyone right, left and centre; be a jerk; act like a fool; stop reading this FAQ; forget proper netiquette when reading/posting; leave this site until you've read everything and signed the guestbook.

  • Where can I find...?
    What? Recording Sessions Guide? Tabs? Pictures? Bootlegs? Concert Guides? Lyrics? Songs? MIDI? Check the Links page. There are links to all kinds of informative pages. If you're looking for Nirvana stuff, try David Perle's page (linked in the link page) as he has links to (most) of the useful Nirvana sites on the web, but I should have most of the major FAQ's/archives on the links page.

  • I'm really interested in Kurt's equipment, but I can't seem to find a good source for information on it. I'm ready to give up, but I thought I'd ask...is there anywhere on the net that can help me?
    Go to the links page and select Chris Lawrence's excellent equipment FAQ. (recommended by 9.5/10 AMNers!)

  • Where was Kurt buried?
    He was cremated, and his remains have yet to be buried in a public place.

  • Was Kurt murdered?
    I honestly don't know. There is strong evidence for both sides. I suggest reading     http://www.tomgrantpi.com and drawing your own conclusions. There is also a movie out, titled "Kurt & Courtney" by Nick Broomfield, and several books, most notable "Who Killed Kurt Cobain?" by Canadian writers Max Wallace and Ian Halperin which deal with the suicide/murder debate.

  • Who are the Foo Fighters?
    The Foo Fighters are an alternative band featuring former Nirvana drummer, Dave Grohl. Pat Smear, 2nd guitarist for Nirvana on the In Utero tours, was also in the Foo Fighters for a while, until leaving in September '97.

  • Who are Sweet 75, and have they broken up?
    Sweet 75 is the band featuring former Nirvana bassist, Krist Novoselic. They temporarily broke up in early 1998, but have since gotten back together. They have released one self titled record, and an Australian released single thus far. During the 4-5 month hiatus, Krist was supposedly in/playing with the band Sky Cries Mary, and Sweet 75 lead singer Yva Las Vegas was in the band Didi7.

  • What is Melvana?
    Melvana is a group featuring members of Nirvana and the Melvins. They played once, on 01/15/92. They played as many as 5 songs, but only 2 are available, 2 Flipper covers, "Sacrifice" & "Way of The World."

  • What's up with all these different names for songs? Which ones are right?
    Well, the single most debated song title is without a doubt "You've Got No Right". YGNR IS the correct name, but because it was thought for years and years to be "On the Mountain", that name has sort of stuck with many people. However, since this topic has been discussed to death, and we're all VERY sick of hearing about it, here's a basic rundown:
    On October 23rd, 1993, Nirvana played the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago. Towards the end of Nirvana's set (before the encore), Dave announced what he believed was to be the last song, All Apologies. However, before the band had a chance to tune down to Drop-D, Kurt sprung a riff on them that prompted an unexpected performance of the now infamous "You've Got No Right". The band is known to have been working on it at various soundchecks, and even recorded it in late January. This recording is unreleased, however. Before the song, Dave says "This is our last song, it's called All Apologies", but many misinterpreted it as "...it's called On the Mountain". So now, we have a billion people referring to it as "On The Mountain", or, even crazier, "Autopilot". Neither name is correct. Hole performed this song on their Unplugged show, and called it "You've Got No Right", which Courtney has referred to it as several other times. Nirvana's guitar tech, Earnie Bailey, also referred to it as such. It is safe to say that this is the definite name, though it may change if it's released. However, the name was never "On the Mountain". Please do not debate this. News: A fan recently spoke with Dave Grohl at his hotel following a Foo Fighters gig, and asked him about the title of this song. Dave said that they never had a title for it.
    For more title/rare song information, I suggest going to Rob Holme's page,     http://www.kersur.net/~holmes/ and selecting the Rare Song FAQ.

  • What is "Fecal Matter"?
    Fecal Matter (in the Nirvana-related sense) is a demo Kurt made at his Aunt Mary's house in the mid-late 80's, with one or two others. It is considered the "holy grail" of Nirvana collectibles. There is a CD titled "Fecal Matters." It is not (I repeat not) the real thing. It is just some Bleach era studio stuff. Recently, the Fecal Matter Quest (FMQ; an online group hoping to find 'rare' recordings, including this one) found what some believe to be the Fecal Matter demo. It is the hot topic of discussion on the HSMB, AMN, and I'm sure people's inboxes. I don't know if it's real or not. David Perle has added an excellent section to the     Nirvana FAQ which details important points of the debate.

  • What is "Organised Confusion"?
    Organised Confusion is similar to Fecal Matter, except it was recorded a year or two before Fecal Matter. Some think that the "fecal matter" being distributed on the Internet is actually OC. Again, I don't know if there's any truth to it.

  • What's the deal with this crazy 'Beans' song? That can't be Kurt, can it?
    Yes it can! And it is. Chad Channing, Nirvana drummer extraordinaire, circa 1988-1990, says so himself! Check out his new band's page at:     http://www.aa.net/~pandora/index.html

  • Who wrote "Old Age"?
    I cannot say for sure. There is a recording of Kurt, supposedly from March 1991, where he is playing this song. Courtney Love, his wife, later released this song, with no credit to Kurt, and many claim she is stealing his song. But she has recognised the fact that is was written by Kurt at many live shows, most notably the Hole Unplugged performance from 02/14/95, and the song was released while he was alive, so it is probable that Kurt 'gave' the song to Courtney and didn't want any credit for it. There was a big story about it in the Seattle magazine, "The Stranger." It can be found in the links section of this page.

  • Hey, why isn't anybody stopping Courtney from ripping off Kurt's line "use once and destroy" and using it as the title for a song on her new album, "Celebrity Skin"?
    Actually, this slogan apparently originally appeared on a Hole shirt in 1991. Courtney let Kurt use the quote, much like Kurt probably let Courtney use Old Age, etc. They collaborated and shared.

  • Hey, I was watching the Teen Spirit video the other day and I noticed Chaka written all over Dave's drum kit -- what's the deal with that?
    Apparently there was some infamous graffiti artist in L.A. who tagged everything as "Chaka", and after he was caught and sentenced with community service, he was told not to tag anything else. However, after he left the building, they checked the elevator to discover that he had in fact written 'Chaka' inside. (note - i have no idea if the last part is true).

  • Hey, I want my money back! I bought the Teen Spirit single and it said Even in His Youth is 4:20, but it's actually a lot shorter! I've been robbed!
    No, no you haven't. You've just overlooked a clever marijuana reference.

  • What's this song I keep hearing about called "Endless, Nameless"?
    Endless, Nameless is a hidden song on the CD Nevermind. It is hidden, and not mentioned on the CD anywhere. It appears approximately 10 minutes after the end of the 12th song, "Something In The Way", on some copies of the CD. It is also available on the "Come As You Are" single, as a b-side, but it is a slightly different version.

  • I have Nevermind w/o Endless, Nameless. Is it worth anything?
    Yeah, $5. Unless you have one of the first 50 000 (chances are you don't), you just have a regular copy of Nevermind. Some came with, some without, Endless, Nameless. It all depended on where the discs were made, where they were going, and when they were made.

  • Hey, I was listening to that excellent tune 'I Hate Myself and Want to Die' yesterday, and I noticed a faint voice mumbling something indecipherable low in the mix. What's up with that?
    That's just Kurt (I think) reciting a Jack Handey 'Deep Thought' from Saturday Night Live: Most people don't realise that two pieces of coral, painted brown and attached to the skull by common wood screws can make a child look like a deer.

  • What's all this talk about a secret song on some 'No Alternative' complilation?
    There is an uncredited Nirvana song on the 1993 compilation "No Alternative." The song is called "Verse Chorus Verse," and is also known as "Sappy." It is a very old Nirvana song, and has been recorded at almost every studio session.

  • Who is that woman (?) on the In Utero CD? Is it Steve Albini?
    Well, it's actually not even a woman. It's Michael Dewitt (aka Cali), Kurt & Courtney's nanny for a period of time.

  • What's this I hear of a song called Gallons Of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through The Strip? It's not on my In Utero CD.
    This was included on non-US/Canadian versions of In Utero, as a secret track. For more information, check the Nirvana FAQ, and the Nirvana discography, in this page's links section.

  • What's this I hear about a Pennyroyal Tea single? I didn't even know it existed!
    The Pennyroyal Tea single contains 3 tracks: Scott Litt's remix of the title track, which contains louder backing vocals and more guitar at the coda, as well as "I Hate Myself And Want To Die" and "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?" (the latter being from Unplugged). This was released to coincide with Nirvana's European tour, but circumstances ultimately canceled the tour and the singles were recalled. It's estimated that 5000 or so are still out there, and it may be as few as 20, but who knows?

  • Hey, I thought I heard Kurt playing the Jimi Hendrix song 'All Along The Watchtower' on LTSO! Is that what it was?
    It is a Bob Dylan song, not a Jimi Hendrix one (Hendrix covered it though), and Kurt is not playing it on LTSO, contrary to (very) popular belief.

  • Hey, in that picture inside of Wishkah, what's it say on Kurt's shoe? It looks like "Fuhgawz" or something.
    Yeah, something like that. Some tend to think that it's a Fugazi reference, while others think it's nonsense.

  • The live recordings on Wishkah weren't enough for me. Where can I get more?
    Many people trade bootlegs. For a description of what a bootleg is, try     here. To find people who trade bootlegs, try the Bootleg Traders section, or the links section. A large amount of good traders can be found here as well.

  • Does anyone have a sound file or sound clip of Along the Watchover, Crisco (Rock Whore) or Determined? I have every other rare song and I really would like to hear these.
    These are not the names of Nirvana songs. They are fakes. So your answer is, "no, you can't have the soundfiles", since they don't exist.

  • What's this I hear about a Nirvana BOXSET coming out in 2000?
    There are many rumours, and Krist and Dave are on record as saying, that there will be a boxset or something similar of Nirvana stuff, in the next couple of years. It may contain anything, and will supposedly have stuff that even the bootleggers haven't heard. All of the talk is either speculation, or vague quotes from the band members, however.

    So, anything else you want to know? Anything I missed? E-mail me and let me know. You'll get credit for anything you submit. Feel free to ask questions, and your resident expert(s) will provide some answers ASAP.

    E-mail me