Very Ape

The story behind

With an energy that kicks off immediately, Very Ape presents itself as a whirlwind of just under two minutes. The song mocks the swaggering attitudes sometimes seen in certain alternative rock circles. Curiously, its original title was Perky New Wave Number, suggesting an initial intention different from what was ultimately captured. The foundation of this piece has an interesting history that transcends Nirvana. The main riff of Very Ape was reinterpreted by the British band The Prodigy in their track Voodoo People, included on the 1995 album Music for the Jilted Generation. Instead of being a direct sample, it was guitarist Lance Riddler who recreated the melody. For its part, In Utero, the album where Very Ape is found, was recorded in February 1993 at Pachyderm Studio. The band sought a rawer, more direct sound, moving away from the more polished production of Nevermind, and for this, they trusted producer Steve Albini. The recording was done swiftly, with few studio overdubs, reflecting Kurt Cobain's vision of his personal life and the new stage of fame the band was going through.