Nirvana

In 1992, Nirvana's breakthrough anthem, "Smells Like Teen Spirit," introduced a new underground sound to America's mainstream music scene. The record-breaking sales and global recognition that followed should have been a welcomed payoff for the hard-working punk band. Instead, bright optimism quickly faded into bitter dissatisfaction, as the famous trio became conflicted about their unexpected success, and about having an audience that was the epitome of everything they had attempted to rebel against.

Indeed, the band's sonic catapult from obscurity to international stardom, and their chart-topping overnight success, effectively changed the face of rock music worldwide. Nirvana: The Chosen Rejects cites a wealth of sources, including personal interviews with band members Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, and Dave Grohl, in order to reconstruct Nirvana's meteoric rise—and the subsequent fall of Cobain, their deeply troubled lead singer. The books offers much insight on the musical influences that helped nurture Nirvana's seminal sound, the stories behind the creation of their albums, and the ideas that shaped their songs. It also contains a comprehensive discography and an A-Z listing of every Nirvana song that has been officially released.

Kurt St. Thomas is a former radio programmer and an award-winning filmmaker who runs his a film production company. He lives in New York City.

Troy Smith works in the radio industry and lives in Cape Cod.