10 Nirvana Covers Better Than The Original
5. Return Of The Rat
Of all the bands Kurt Cobain admired and spoke of in interviews, there may have been none that he loved more than Wipers. The enormously influential group, hailing like Nirvana from the Pacific Northwest, were namechecked in interviews for Cobain’s whole career, and to that end it’s almost surprising he plucked up the courage to cover their music.
When they did, though, they did an incredible job (no doubt a labour of love for the band). In tackling “Return Of The Rat” from Wipers’ debut, Nirvana for once cut a cover that was less abrasive and cutting than the original.
They slow down a little from Wipers’ version, with the guitars thicker and less snarling than on display in Wipers’ wiry, cutting music. Throughout the track they oscillate between attempting a religiously faithful reproduction, starting the guitar solo on a note-for-note basis before going their own way.
Ultimately it’s a matter of taste which version you prefer, but Nirvana’s cover is a looser, downright fun take on the paranoid classic, and the band’s efforts pay off.