In Nirvana, there was never any question about who led the creative charge. Kurt Cobain wasn’t just the frontman—he was the soul of the band. Despite his modest grasp of traditional music theory and limited chord vocabulary, Cobain’s raw, emotional songwriting birthed era-defining anthems like “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “In Bloom.” His ability to tap into teenage angst and vulnerability made him a generational icon, and there was no real competition within the band when it came to writing music.
While Cobain occasionally welcomed collaboration, he was also clear when a song didn’t meet his standards. This was especially true with drummer Dave Grohl, who had been quietly writing his own material even before joining Nirvana. During downtime in the studio, Grohl would work on his songs with friend Barrett Jones, using leftover tape from recording sessions to capture his ideas. But despite his growing catalog, Grohl never seriously considered bringing his songs into Nirvana’s writing sessions.
Speaking with Metallica’s Lars Ulrich, Grohl once joked, “Our songwriter was pretty kickass. And what’s the last thing a drummer says before getting kicked out of the band? ‘Hey guys, I have a song I think we should play.’”
Instead, Grohl released his early work under the pseudonym Late! through his demo project Pocketwatch. But he did manage to slip into Nirvana’s official writing credits with “Scentless Apprentice” from the In Utero album—one of the only songs credited to all three members of the band. The track was born from a jam session where Grohl brought in the main guitar riff. Initially, Cobain was skeptical.
“Dave’s riff was such a cliché grunge Tad riff,” Cobain admitted in Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana. “I was reluctant to even jam on it. But I decided to write a song with it just to make him feel better. And it turned out really cool.”
Although Grohl initiated the music, Cobain believed his own additions gave the track its bite. “I think most of the reason that song sounds good is because of the singing style and the guitar parts I do over the top,” he said. Inspired by the novel Perfume, Cobain crafted a haunting atmosphere, culminating in his iconic, tormented cries of “GO AWAY”—a chilling reflection of the pressure and isolation he felt as Nirvana’s fame soared.
Grohl’s creative voice wasn’t entirely sidelined. One of his solo efforts from the Pocketwatch sessions, “Marigold,” was later included as the B-side to “Heart-Shaped Box.” It remains the only Nirvana song with Grohl on lead vocals. After Cobain’s death, Grohl’s talent would come fully into focus with the formation of Foo Fighters—many of the band’s early songs were originally ideas he had considered for Nirvana.
Though Cobain steered Nirvana’s direction with unmistakable vision, Grohl’s contributions showed early glimpses of the songwriting powerhouse he would become.
