6 things that make Krist Novoselic the most underrated member of Nirvana
It's understandable why Novoselic's contributions within the group have been overlooked, but here are 6 aspects that define Krist Novoselic's underrated brilliance
This week I’m looking at Nirvana’s very own BFG, Krist Novoselic, the band’s master of low-end and the unsung hero of the grunge trio. Despite Novoselic’s impressive stature (he stands at around 6ft 7), he’s often overshadowed, somewhat understandably, by bandmates Kurt Cobain and Dave Grohl. This tendency, however, underplays his musical contributions and unique creative approach. And so with that in mind, here are 6 things that make Novoselic the most underappreciated member of the group.
(1) It was Novoselic’s idea to cover Love Buzz
Nirvana’s first ever single, a cover of the psych-rock band Shocking Blue (who also penned the original version of pop banger Venus), was originally suggested by Novoselic after he discovered the Dutch group’s album while crate digging. While Krist had always had a penchant for psychedelia, Cobain at that time was listening to bands like Scratch Acid and Butthole Surfers. Kurt eventually embraced Love Buzz and made it their signature tune, adding a welcome psych element to Nirvana’s debut record Bleach – a testament to the oft seen meme ‘People who show you new music are important’.
(2) The melodic bass movement within Lithium and Lounge Act
“While the kickdrum is your boss”, stated Krist in a recent interview, “you don’t have to follow the guitar player”. This philosophy is no more apparent than the track Lithium, where Novoselic can be heard providing a contrapuntal bassline in the 2nd verse that provides a complimentary descending part to the guitar’s ascending chord progression (also known as ‘contrary motion’), all working to create a rich melodic landscape for Cobain’s expressive vocals to soar over.
With Lounge Act, the title of which coming from the fact that Nirvana thought the bass line sounded like something an easy-listening restaurant band would play, Novoselic’s contribution not only gives the piece greater movement but also provides an additional ‘hook’, further imbuing the song with a distinct and memorable sonic identity1.
(3) His use of 3rds and 5ths
Ever humble about his creative contributions, Novoselic claims that he used the same musical techniques in Nirvana over and over again, comparing this to a hack magician who only has one trick. This modesty, however, minimises Novoselic’s input, and in truth his artistic involvement was much more sophisticated and nuanced than he’d care to admit.
In his own words, Krist would often listen to Kurt’s vocal melody and then ‘triangulate’ between that and the rest of the music, ever mindful not to mimic the guitar part too closely. He’d also experiment with the use of 3rds and 5ths, with the former heard most clearly in the solo section of the track Dive. As a preface to the song’s guitar break, Novoselic can be heard harmonising the main guitar riff up a major 3rd, with Cobain then doubling this for the solo. In the chorus, Krist can also be heard employing the interval of a 5th to great effect, and this technique can also be found in tracks like Smells Like Teen Spirit (where in the post-chorus the note of C is played against Cobain’s F power chord), as well as in the chorus to On A Plain (where an F note can be heard underneath the Bb of the guitar). Novoselic also claimed that, especially when employing the 5th, you could achieve ‘a bigger sound’ within the context of a trio. A one trick pony? I think not.
(4) He’s an accordionist
Owing to his Croatian heritage, Novoselic’s first instrument was actually accordion, which you can hear on Nirvana’s cover of The Vaselines’ Jesus Doesn’t Want Me For A Sunbeam on the MTV Unplugged in New York album. Krist also provided accordion and bass for the Foo Fighters’ song I Should Have Known on their album Wasting Light.
(5) He’d often buy left-handed guitars from pawn shops for Cobain
Given Nirvana’s destructive live sets, Krist would regularly keep a lookout for cheap left-handed guitars to replace the latest casualty of the band’s wild concerts. More importantly, however, was that Krist also knew that a new guitar could inspire Kurt and be the impetus for a fresh batch of songs and material. Sadly, this is a somewhat bittersweet memory for Novoselic, as for years after Cobain’s death, he’d continue stopping at pawn shops:
“I'm thinking: 'Hey Kurt, I found this guitar for you; it'll work, we'll restring it.' Then I'm like, Oh – I don't need to do that any more.”
(6) He was the funniest member of the group
Whether it’s the ironic singing of The Youngbloods’ Get Together in the intro to Territorial Pissings, the multiple humorous quips he’s made during interviews, or the fact he nearly knocked himself out at the 1992 VMA awards after launching his bass into the air and failing to catch it, he was probably the most entertaining and wittiest member of Nirvana. The band’s VHS Live! Tonight! Sold Out!! is another fine example of his comedic talents and general affability.
Incidentally, the track Smells Like Teen Spirit is the only song on Nevermind where all 3 members of the band are credited as songwriters, which given the unique bass hook in Lounge Act, feels somewhat off.