While nearly all conceivable Nirvana recordings have been released in the 20 years since the tragic death of Kurt Cobain, a new gem has surfaced on the sad-anniversary year: a very strange mixtape compiled by Cobain himself.
Yes, a Kurt Cobain mixtape. No, this isn’t a hipster euphemism for suicide by cassette. Dangerous Minds reveals that a mixtape created by Cobain back in 1988 has been unearthed, a 36-minute collection entitled Montage of Heck. Compiled a year before the band’s Bleach album was released, the mix includes an assortment of standalone sounds, clips from radio shows, abrasive distortion and a long, eclectic mix of artists including The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, Butthole Surfers, Queen, The Velvet Underground and so much more. He goes from James Brown to Cher in one move. “ABC” by The Jackson Five leads right into George Michael’s “I Want Your Sex”.
Cobain reportedly created the mix on a four-track cassette recorder, and the results are a mystifyingly creepy and bewildering tour through the artistic mind of one of rock’s most iconic antiheroes. Check out the mixtape below.
Montage of Heck Mixtape Tracklist:
“The Men In My Little Girl’s Life” by Mike Douglas
“The Sounds of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel
“Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!” by The Beatles
“A Day In The Life” by The Beatles
“Eruption” by Van Halen
“Hot Pants” by James Brown
“Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves” by Cher
“Go Away Little Girl” by Donny Osmond
“Rocky Mountain High” by John Denver
“Everybody Loves Somebody” by Dean Martin
“The Candy Man” by Sammy Davis, Jr.
“In A Gadda Da Vida” by Iron Butterfly
“Wild Thing” by William Shatner
“Taxman” by The Beatles
“I Think I Love You” by The Partridge Family
“Are You a Boy or Are You a Girl?” by The Barbarians
“Queen Of The Reich” by Queensryche
“Last Caress/Green Hell” covered by Metallica
“Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin
“Get Down, Make Love” by Queen
“ABC” by The Jackson Five
“I Want Your Sex” by George Michael
“Run to the Hills” by Iron Maiden
“Eye Of The Chicken” by Butthole Surfers
“Dance of the Cobra” by Butthole Surfers
“The Shah Sleeps in Lee Harvey’s Grave” by Butthole Surfers
“New Age” by The Velvet Underground
“Love Buzz” by Shocking Blue
Orchestral music from 200 Motels by Frank Zappa
“Help I’m A Rock” / “It Can’t Happen Here” by Frank Zappa
“Call Any Vegetable” by Frank Zappa
“The Day We Fall In Love” by The Monkees
“Sweet Leaf” by Black Sabbath (intro)
Theme from The Andy Griffith Show
Mike Love (of The Beach Boys) talking about “Transcendental Meditation”
Excerpts of Jimi Hendrix speaking at the Monterey Pop Festival
Excerpts of Paul Stanley from KISS’ Alive!
Excerpts of Daniel Johnston screaming about Satan
Excerpts from sound effects records
Various children’s records (Curious George, Sesame Street, The Flintstones, Star Wars)
