Fall 1985 Kurt meets Krist. They play in several bands together, including Stiff Woodies.
December 1987 Kurt, Krist and drummer Aaron Burckhard form the original lineup of Nirvana in Aberdeen, Washington.
January 23, 1988 Nirvana records a 10-song demo with the “Godfather of Grunge,” legendary Seattle producer Jack Endino. Sub Pop co-honcho Jonathan Poneman hears the tape and offers to put out a Nirvana single. The band accepts.
October 30, 1988 Kurt smashes his first guitar.
June 1989 Bleach is released on Sub Pop. Nirvana embarks on a month-long U.S. tour.
September 25, 1990 Dave Grohl, former drummer for Washinton, D.C.’s Scream, joins Nirvana.
October 1990 Nirvana briefly tours England with L7.
Winter 1991 Nirvana signs with DGC Records.
August 1991 Nirvana opens for Sonic Youth on a European festival tour, which includes a landmark performance at the Reading Festival. The tour is documented in the film 1991: The Year Punk Broke.
September 24, 1991 Nevermind is released.
October 12, 1991 Nevermind is certified a gold album.
November 1991 The band starts a six-week European tour as Nirvanamania sweeps the United States. MTV airs “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video constantly; the song is hailed as an anthem for a generation.
January 11, 1992 Nevermind hits No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
January/February 1992 Nirvana tours Australia, Japan and Hawaii.
April 1992 Nirvana appears on the cover of Rolling Stone.
June/July 1992 Nirvana tours Europe.
December 15, 1992 Incesticide, a collection of B-sides and rarities, is released. It goes gold the following spring.
April 9, 1993 Nirvana plays a concert at San Francisco’s Cow Palace to raise awareness of and generate aid for rape survivors in Bosnia-Herzegovina. L7, the Breeders and Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy are also on the bill.
September 21, 1993 In Utero is released.
October 18, 1993 Nirvana starts a three-month tour of North America.
November 19, 1993 Nirvana tapes an all-acoustic show for “MTV Unplugged” at Sony Studios in New York. Cris and Curt Kirkwood of the Meat Puppets sit in on three Meat Puppets songs.
December 16, 1993 MTV airs Nirvana’s “Unplugged” show.
January 7, 1994 Nirvana plays the Seattle Arena. It will be the band’s last U.S. show.
February 6, 1994 Nirvana embarks on a tour of Europe.
