Who Remembers 'the Word'

[BUTTERBALL]

Great late night TV on channel 4 presented by Terry Christian with co-hosts Amanda De Cadenet, Mark Lamarr, Danni Behr and Katie Puckrick.

It had everything and there was NEVER a dull moment in this barely organised chaos.

Some fantastic indie bands made their live tv debuts on this show such as the Charlatans and Oasis (there was no miming - great stuff).

People eating buckets of worms on tv, fit 18 year old lasses snogging 87 year old men, L7 stripping off and trashing the studio after they had played live, Terry Chritian walking out halfway through a show leaving a stunned audience to take over.....I could go on - the list is endless!

The critics hated it but for me it was ESSENTIAL viewing.

 

[Beach Hut]

If memory serves me correct Nirvana played their first live performance on this show.

Was a great program, just as good as the Tube.

 

[BUTTERBALL]

Absolutely right Beach Hut, this show was a cut above anything else before or after as far as bands who played were concerned:

1991 November: Nirvana appear on British youth show The Word. Cobain dedicates the performance to Courtney Love, 'The greatest f*** in the world.' 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' is issued in the UK

 

[Beach Hut]

I do miss a great band like Nirvana - they were fookin' unbelievable, also a mega fan of Pearl Jam.

 

[BUTTERBALL]

Alas, it was all downhill from there:

1993 6 December: 'All Apologies'/'Rape Me', Nirvana's final single, is released.

1994 February: Nirvana's projected spring UK dates sell out in a day. Nirvana's final European gig is in Marino, Italy.

1994 1 March: Nirvana play their last show.

1994 4 March: Cobain goes into a coma for 20 hours after overdosing on Rohypnol and champagne.

1994 26 March: Cobain is reported to be 'restored to full health and looking forward to touring the UK'. Nirvana promise to 'give their British fans the show of their lives.'

1994 8 April: Kurt Cobain found dead from a self-inflicted shotgun wound in his Seattle home by electrician Gary Smith. A suicide note was recovered nearby. He was 27.

 

[Beach Hut]

Absolute tragedy his death - I am quite sure he would have made a massive contribution to the music industry.

 

[BUTTERBALL]

Agreed. He was a one-off. Nrivana's appearance on the Word was their British TV debut so it was very influential in that respecty.

I also seem to remember Blur making their Debut on The Word as well.