Nirvana: Never Before Seen Photos Of Kurt Cobain Accidentally Released On Twitter
Nirvana photos from their first-ever concert have emerged on the internet through a completely unexpected source – a teenager from Seattle who recently tweeted rare photos of Kurt Cobain and her dad jamming together in her father’s previous house.
Pictures of my dad and Kurt Cobain playing together back in the day? pic.twitter.com/y7lXh6acVn
— Maggs? (@mjpoukkula) July 16, 2015
@mjpoukkula These photos are from Nirvana's first ever concert in March/April 1987. Do you have any more??
— Toolism One (@Toolism1) July 16, 2015
@Toolism1 I'm not sure. I was have to ask my dad
— Maggs? (@mjpoukkula) July 16, 2015
@mjpoukkula You totally should. Those are historic and outstanding.
— Toolism One (@Toolism1) July 16, 2015
Maggie Poukkula, 19, could not have imagined the value of pop-culture gold she had stumbled across while leisurely scanning through an old Kurt Cobain biography owned by her father, Tony Poukkula. What the oblivious teen considered to be photos of an in-house gig by Nirvana have actually turned out to be singular artifacts from Nirvana’s debut concert – played in March 1987 at Poukkula’s Redmond, Washington home – according to Alternative Nation.
Speaking to Rolling Stone, a stunned Maggie conceded she did not anticipate the attention the photos would receive at the time of posting them online.
“I had no idea that those were during Nirvana’s first concert. My dad never mentioned what was going on in the photos. I found out because of all the articles. I didn’t realize it was such a historical thing. I thought they were just cool pictures of my dad and Kurt jamming together.”
In 1987, Nirvana consisted of Kurt Cobain, bassist Krist Novoselic and drummer Aaraon Burckhard. Tony Poukkula, who had grown up with Kurt Cobain, was part of the boy band Black Ice. That night, the four of them got together to perform some Led Zeppelin covers, along with versions of “Aero Zeppelin,” “Mexican Seafood,” “Pen Cap Chew,” “Hairspray Queen,” “Spank Thru,” and “If You Must.”
According to King5, the Tony Poukkula remembers the night distinctly. The conversation he had with his band’s manager (who was also managing Nirvana at the time) is still fresh in his mind.
“He said, ‘Do you mind if they [Nirvana] come down to one of your parties just to get their feet wet?’ I said, ‘Sure, anytime.’ He said, ‘What about Friday?’ I said, ‘Bring them on down, we’re always there.'”
Tony Poukkula was also cited in Nick Soulsby’s unofficial memoir of Nirvana’s early days, titled “I Found My Friends: The Oral History of Nirvana.” According to People, Nick Soulsby spoke of Poukkula’s association with Nirvana.
“I enjoyed recounting the story of Nirvana’s first show entirely through their then manager Ryan Aigner plus Tony Poukkula and Duke Harner from the band Black Ice, who lived in the house in Redmond where it took place. They made it really personal – this sense of Nirvana having to be railroaded into playing, then being jumpy and nervous performing.”
By all accounts, then, Tony Poukkula’s relationship with Nirvana goes way back, something Maggie didn’t realize until the overwhelming response to her twitter post. Now she knows her father hung out with rock legends when he was her age.
[Photo: Flickr]
