Watch Post Malone Cover 15 Nirvana Songs While Locked Down
Last night, rapper and Ozzy Osbourne collaborator Post Malone got together with some friends and became a Nirvana tribute band while raising money for the United Nations Foundation’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the World Health Organization.
The 75-minute set opened with "Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle" and was a collection of obscurities and hits, although neither "Smells Like Teen Spirit" nor "All Apologies" was played. Malone admitted that this was probably "my first performance without auto-tune… Everyone knows I can’t sing for shit, but I’m trying to sing my heart out for ya’ll tonight.”
He was joined by Travis Barker of Blink-182 on drums, Nick Mack on guitar and Brian Lee on bass, who earned a shoutout from the man who recorded the part. “Oh yes!!! 'Lounge Act' — hats off to bassist,” Krist Novoselic tweeted.
Malone's decision to play a night's worth of Nirvana tunes had the endorsement of Kurt Cobain's widow, Courtney Love. Upon hearing of his plans, she wrote on Instagram, “Thank you, mighty KC, for writing these songs with your elegant and monkeyed hands that the kids still want to sing and play and hear and use to fight and hunt and cure and heal and eradicate this fucking covid-19 virus. I approve the usage. Good luck Mr. Malone.”
After the performance, she posted, "GOOSEBUMPS! FUCK YES. Go have a margarita @postmalone. Nothing but love from here."
According to NME, there were as many as 200,000 people watching the livestream at one point, and it's been seen by more than 2.7 million people on YouTube. Google pledge to match donations at a 2:1 ratio, and as of press time, they've raised more than $2.75 million for the United Nations' coronavirus relief efforts.
Post Malone's Nirvana Tribute Set List
1. "Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle"
2. "Drain You"
3. "Come as You Are"
4. "Lounge Act"
5. "School"
6. "Heart Shaped Box"
7. "Something in the Way"
8. "About a Girl"
9. "Stay Away"
10. "Lithium"
11. "Breed"
12. "On a Plane"
13. "Very Ape"
14. "Territorial Pissings"
15. "In Bloom"