♪ (punk rock music) ♪
♪ (Nirvana, "Smells Like Teen Spirit") ♪
- This song sounds familiar.
- I've heard the song before.
- It's Nirvana.
- Is this Nirvana?
- Who doesn't love Nirvana?
♪ (imitating song's punk melody) ♪
♪ (music mellows) ♪
- ♪ Load up on guns ♪
- (singing along) ♪ Bring your friends ♪
♪ It's fun to lose and to pretend ♪
- I love this song, but I've never actually watched the video.
- I love him... so much.
- Takes forever to understand what he's saying.
- (singing along) ♪ Hello, hello, hello, how low? ♪
- ♪ Hello, hello ♪
- I love it so much.
♪ With the lights out, it's less dangerous ♪
- ♪ Here we are now, entertain us ♪
♪ I feel stupid and contagious ♪
- When music videos used to be normal.
There's nobody stripping in this one.
♪ (guitar solo) ♪
- (mouths along) - ♪ Yay ♪
- ♪ I found it hard ♪
- But I just like how it goes from, like, "Yeah!"
to, like, mellow and, like, "Yeah."
- I could never go to a rock concert. I'd be, like, trampled on.
- ♪ Here we are now, entertain us ♪
- Hey, they used this in that one song by Jay Z. They stole that.
- ♪ An albino ♪
- Only if music was this good now.
Like, some of the new music is so just like trash.
- ♪ A denial! A denial! ♪ - Their most typical song.
- ♪ (holding note) ♪
- Looks like the Joker at the end. (giggling) What the heck?
♪ (mellow guitar intro) ♪
- "Heart-Shaped Box"? Ha!
- ♪ She eyes me... ♪
- What? (snickering)
Why is he in a meadow in only his underwear?
- ♪ ...I am weak ♪
- I'm pretty bomb at this on Guitar Hero.
- ♪ I wish I could eat your cancer... ♪
- Oh no, is that Jesus?
- ♪ ...you turn back ♪
♪ (music builds) ♪
♪ Hey! Wait! ♪
♪ I've got a new complaint ♪
- (scoffs) What is this?
- ♪ ...your priceless advice ♪
♪ Hey! Wait! ♪ - (laughing)
- I love all this vivid imagery that they have.
- I don't know what I'm watching.
♪ (punk instrumental) ♪
- It looks like the people--
like, the Titans from Attack on Titan.
- 'Kay.
- KKK?
- ♪ I've been drawn into your... ♪ - Mm, he's so attractive.
- He was, like, really attractive.
That's really creepy 'cause he's dead.
♪ (music builds) ♪
- ♪ Hey! Wait! ♪
♪ I've got a new complaint ♪
- What is with the KKK kids?
- ♪ Forever in debt to your priceless advice ♪
- What is that? I'm so confused.
- Was this actually put on TV? Were they actually showing this?
- Did I miss something out of that?
Like, am I supposed to be like, "Wow, that was so profound"?
- I've never been more confused from a music video in my life.
- ♪ I need an easy friend ♪
- I love this song too. These are all freaking kickass songs.
- I love this song!
- ♪ I do think you fit this shoe ♪
♪ I do ♪
♪ Won't you have a clue? ♪ - It's such a shame.
- (singing along) ♪ I'll take advantage while ♪
♪ Do-do-do ♪
- I like how his voice is kind of raspy.
- ♪ But I can't see you every night ♪
♪ Free ♪
- They sound the same when they're live.
- ♪ ...night ♪
- (chuckles) Dave Grohl and his ponytail.
- ♪ Free ♪
♪ I do ♪ (cheers and applause)
- So that was Nirvana.
- I enjoyed that.
- I actually like old music like that.
♪ (punk rock music) ♪
- (Finebros) So have you heard of Nirvana? - Yes.
- Of course I've heard of Nirvana.
- You always see the shirts
where it's like, "Nirvana," and smiley faces.
Everyone's heard of Nirvana!
- (Finebros) Do you like the band?
- They sound good but maybe not for me.
- I'm leaning towards no.
- I wouldn't sit there and listen to it for hours.
- Yeah, I like Nirvana.
- All-time favorite for me.
- Yeah, I do,
even though it's kinda like yelling, but it's still relaxing.
- They really give you what they are
instead of what anyone else wants.
- I love rock and I love-- I don't know, I just-- I love him.
It's sad that he's not here with us today.
- (Finebros) In school, when you meet someone
who says they love Nirvana,
what type of person typically are they?
- They don't wash their hair.
- Like, hipster.
- Skater.
- Long hair and wears black T-shirts.
- Gothic or artsy.
Even though I've met many people who enjoy Nirvana
that have been really, like, preppy people.
- It's actually a wide range.
- Just, like, an alternative kid
that I would most likely hang out with 'cause he likes Nirvana.
- (Finebros) So the first video for "Smells Like Teen Spirit."
What did you think of the music video? - I liked it!
- I want to go to a party like that.
- Watch out, school, 'cause I'm gonna plan
a Nirvana-styled party in the gym.
- It's a metaphor of how crazy a teenager's life is.
They were partying at the same time,
but they were destroying stuff. Like, I guess that inner chaos.
- (Finebros) And what about the second music video?
That was for a song called "Heart-Shaped Box."
- Um, I liked that one too. That was really trippy.
- I feel like you're supposed to be on acid or something
before watching it.
- One of those powerful music videos
that enhances the sound of the music.
- I saw a Ku Klux Klan member! We don't like those people!
What the fudge?
- (Finebros) The last video was from an Unplugged special
they did for MTV.
But unlike other bands who were doing it at that time,
Nirvana chose not to play almost any of their actual hits.
- Well, I mean, it's unique.
But, I mean, people want to watch you on TV,
and they want to hear their favorite song playing.
- They more are for a love of music instead of making money.
- That song though, the one they played,
is now one of the most popular songs that they have now
because they did that.
- (Finebros) How would you say their music
compares to the rock music of today?
- Oh now, like, I don't even know any good rock bands anymore.
- What is considered modern rock today? I have no idea.
- There's not really much out there
with that same sound and vibe.
- Rock and roll's splitting completely--
pop rock and then hardcore heavy metal.
In the future, like, near future, there's gonna be that band
that's gonna just tie all rock and roll together.
- (Finebros) Do you know what subgenre of rock music
Nirvana was considered?
- No. (buzzer)
- I have no idea. (buzzer)
- Is it alternative? (buzzer)
- Grunge.
- It's grunge.
- Grunge music.
(simultaneous chimes)
- (Finebros) They were referred to as "grunge music."
- They don't look grungy.
Well, I mean, they could cut their hair.
- Sounds a lot like "grudge."
- What does that mean? Is there a definition?
- (Finebros) And what do you think about their lead singer?
- I love him as a musician and an artist.
- He definitely gets into the music.
- He was pretty cute. He was a really good singer.
- You just kind of see that he was kind of a tortured soul.
- I think he's a rad dude.
It's such a shame that those issues overwhelmed him
and he had to take his own life.
- (Finebros) Do you know what happened to Nirvana's lead singer,
Kurt Cobain? - I do not.
- He left Nirvana and then became a drummer?
But that might be somebody else.
- Did he pass away?
- Didn't he O.D.?
- He killed himself.
- (Finebros) 20 years ago next month,
Kurt Cobain committed suicide. - Why?
- Oh no.
- I did not know it was suicide.
Why, 'cause they were so successful?
Oh, my heart. It hurts.
- I sound like an ass[bleep] saying this,
but I can kind of understand,
just from the place he was coming from, to make that music.
- That makes me feel bad about what's going on these days.
Like, I know a lot of people hate on Justin Bieber.
On his birthday, I saw a trend going on: "Kill yourself, Bieber."
Like, if something happens to him like that,
what are we gonna say afterwards?
- I'm still crushed about it.
Like, one of the greatest bands in history.
Never in my life am I ever gonna be able to see them play live.
- (Finebros) The one reason talked about most often
about what might have led to this was this level of fame,
that he really was not comfortable being that famous.
All this anti-mainstream music became the mainstream.
- It's like that one Batman quote.
"You either die the hero
or live long enough to see yourself become the villain."
- (Finebros) And what do you think about that struggle
of you became the thing that you did not want to be?
- That's just sad because people--
like, they just need to shut up and let him do his thing.
(sighs) Why is it like this?
- That makes sense.
He's like, "Oh, I'm gonna do something for this purpose."
And then it's interpreted for a whole 'nother purpose,
and you end up being the opposite of what you wanted.
- In Kurt's sense, I feel like that's really stupid thing to do,
to make music in hopes that it doesn't become big.
- Shows how messed up society is.
Like, this guy just wants to make music,
and you're pushing him to the point where he shot himself.
- One of the goals of an artist is to become that mainstream.
But the fact that he kind of rejected that is really interesting.
Once you've reached that level,
that maybe it's not the best for a person.
- (Finebros) And what are your thoughts that, even today,
your generation listens to Nirvana and relates to the music
in the same way that teenagers 20 years ago listened to Nirvana?
- Because young people always go through the same [bleep].
We have the same angst and problems and inner struggles
that the kids 50 years ago had.
- (Finebros) So Nirvana only made three studio albums
yet are considered to have huge influence on rock music.
What is it about them that has led to them
being such an influence? - They're so awesome.
- I have more respect for them now.
The fact that they only had three albums
and they're still so popular--
it just shows how great of a band they are.
- The suicide.
People want to listen to it more because of him.
- It really influenced a lot of bands of the '90s
and today still.
- It's been 20 years now.
His music lived on.
It still touches so many people.
So his life never went to waste.
- That brings us to the end of another episode of Teens React.
- Let us know in the comments what band we should react to next.
- If you liked what you saw in the main episode,
keep on watching and click on the bonus video.
- Seeing as how it's been 20 years, do yourself a favor
and play a Nirvana song right now. See you guys.
♪ (punk rock music) ♪