NIRVANA: TAKING PUNK TO THE MASSES
Museum Of Pop Culture
Curated by Jacob McMurray
Music by Steve Fisk
Nirvana
PROJECT MUSIC BRIEF
"Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Masses" is a running exhibit at the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) that delves into the story of Nirvana, the band that brought punk rock and 'grunge' into the mainstream and instigated a profound shift in American music. The exhibit's immersive soundtrack was composed by Steve Fisk, renowned for his work with early Nirvana and Soundgarden.
The exhibit explores Nirvana's roots in the Pacific Northwest's punk scene, its swift rise to global fame, and its enduring influence that extends far beyond its early-'90s peak. Among the rare artifacts on display are Kurt Cobain's 'Fender Mustang' guitar, handwritten lyrics, and original album art.
NOTES ON THE MUSIC (by Steve Fisk)
The main Gallery Soundtrack is composed for a 16 channel speaker array - eight in the air, eight on the floor. The sounds-mellotron, analog synthesizer, guitar feedback, piano, organ and manipulated environmental recordings, serve as sonic icons for the organic growth and progressions of the underground music infrastructure that paved the way for Nirvana and many of the groups of that time. The position and trajectory of the speaker array of these elements is just as important as the sounds they make. The where is as essential as the why and when, which is only fitting for an exhibition dealing with the impact of and on a region that spawned a planetary musical and cultural phenomenon.
