Come As You Aren't

TITLE: "Come As The Eighties:
ARTIST: RIAA (Nirvana Vs. Killing Joke)

Here's a bit of ancient history. By now, anyone who cared about the arguable pilferage of the riff of Nirvana's "Come As You Are" (1991) from Killing Joke's "Eighties" (1984) has long since made their peace with it (band members included). Legend has it that when Dave Grohl was recruited to bang the tubs on the `Joke's eponymous 2003 album (the one with the inane clown cover), he went out for a drunken evening with Jaz Coleman (pictured at left -- notice placement of boot) first and confessed his shame over the theft. Someone also suggested that "Monkey Wrench" by the Foo Fighters is about the incident, but whatever. At the end of the day, The Damned used the riff in question prior to Killing Joke on "Life Goes On" (1982) from the Strawberries album (the one with the inane pig cover). If I have my facts right, the original basis for the riff is from "Baby Come Back" (1966) by the Equals, Eddie "Electric Avenue" Grant's band (who also wrote "Police On My Back" by ye olde Clash). History lesson over.

In any case, someone passed this link onto me on the Gathering, offering a "mash-up" (is anyone else as sick of this term -- let alone this phenomenon -- as I am?) of "Come as You Are" and "Eighties" spliced together in a not-exactly-seamless manner. In 2008, it's a little late in the day to shake one's fist at poor ol' Kurt Cobain for lifting the riff. Was Cobain a genuine fan of Killing Joke? He might've been. I'd sooner suggest that said influence was Grohl's and Novoselic's, being that Kurt seemed otherwise enthralled with the yawnsome, wet-blanket piffle of proto-twee bands like The Raincoats, Beat Happening, Captain America, Sebadoh et al. Then again, I'm incredibly biased and strenuously opinionated.

As Urb.com correctly asserts, a lawsuit ensued over the track. Killing Joke tastefully dropped the suit after Kurt put a gun to his head. So, again, it's ancient history. But here it is anyway.

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ADDENDUM: If this sort of "controversy" floats your boat, chew on this one: LCD Soundsystem's "Losing My Edge" lifted the bass line from Killing Joke's "Change" which, in turn, lifted its bass line from War's "Me & Baby Brother."

Comments

[Tim B.]

Its a little bit of a stretch to trace the riff back to the Equals (great video! love the casually grooving 60's chicks) but the rhythm is certainly similar.

[MEK]

Everything is derivative of everything. Nirvana even owned up to copying The Pixies riffs for their "seminal" 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'. You can go back to day one of music history and find lots of riffs. So, are you a Nirvana fan or not?

[Alex in NYC]

At the end of the day, Nirvana were a fine little band who made a couple of nice little records (however unoriginal). The adulation they enjoy, however, is entirely unwarranted.

[MEK]

I agree..I just wanted to clarify if you liked them or hated on them. I agree the "fawning" of the Kurt and the band is ridiculous. Just look at all those "top 100" band lists and they are always in the top ten..? top ten? Maybe in the top 1000 if that. But that's what sells the papers..

[Jill]

This song totally confused my husband who kept coming in the room saying "why is it so fast" and "what happened to that song." The concept of putting 2 songs together was one he just couldn't wrap his mind around. And now, thank you very much, he's whistling it while hammering away at the drywall. Rock on.

[kevin]

I believe that the above comment by Jill proves that most people are NOT sick of mashups - most people haven't heard 'em and are quite freaked out when they do!

Their anarchistic anti-music industry stance is also to be commended. Not to mention their ability to annoy "hipsters" (not that anyone around here fits that description!)

Anyway, the Damned connection is a thin one - it's in the same key, but it's not nearly as obvious as the Killing Joke-Nirvana connection.