The Amplified Come As You Are

A downright revolutionary 30th-anniversary deluxe edition of the iconic bestselling biography of Nirvana, updated with exclusive new content exploring the personal and cultural forces that inspired the music, the author’s friendship with Kurt Cobain and why multiple generations remain fascinated by the 1990s.

“Just tell the truth. That’ll be better than anything else that's been written about me.” - Kurt Cobain to author Michael Azerrad

It has been three decades since Nirvana upended the pop cultural landscape with Nevermind, the landmark album that became the soundtrack of Generation X, capturing its confusion, frustration, and passion. In 1993, Michael Azerrad published what stands as the definitive biography of this revolutionary band and its star-crossed leader Kurt Cobain. Written with the band’s complete cooperation, Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana became a massive bestseller and was, in the words of Cobain, "the best rock book I’ve ever read.”

Seven months after the book’s original publication, Cobain was dead by suicide, making Come as You Are the only book about Nirvana that features original interviews with Cobain, bassist Krist Novoselic, and drummer Dave Grohl.

Now, Azerrad has revisited and reconsidered his original text. The result is this “amplified” version - a truly unique book-within-a-book featuring hundreds of extensive new essay-like annotations that deepen our understanding of this legendary band and the time in which it existed. Azerrad reconsiders the key players and their cultural context; ruminates on topics such as punk rock, selling out, and Generation X; and offers insights into the inner life and creative mind of one of the most significant songwriters and musicians in rock history a haunting and haunted artist whose influence continues powerfully to the present day.

It all comes down to a search for the answer to the question: Why was this music so extraordinarily powerful

Vivid, evocative, and thought-provoking, this gorgeous hardcover book featuring 100 photos and ephemera is an essential document not just for Nirvana fans but for anyone interested in the cultural legacy of the 1990s.

About the Author

Michael Azerrad is a rock journalist, author and drummer. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Mojo, Spin and the New Yorker. He frequently appears on television as a commentator on rock music and was most recently the editor-in-chief of the Talkhouse. He is the author of the books Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana and Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981-1991.