Butch Vig: From Smashing Pumpkins to Nirvana – Alternative Rock’s OG



Butch Vig is a highly respected musician, producer, and engineer, known for his innovative work in the alternative rock genre. He is perhaps best known for his work as the producer of Nirvana’s breakthrough album, “Nevermind,” which is widely considered one of the most influential albums of the 1990s. In addition to his work with Nirvana, Vig has also produced albums for a diverse range of artists, including Smashing Pumpkins, Garbage, and Foo Fighters. With a career spanning several decades, Vig has established himself as one of the most talented and versatile producers in the industry, renowned for his ability to capture the raw energy and emotion of a recording while also pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the studio.

Video Time Stamps:
0:00 The first recording Butch ever did
6:58 First years in the recording studio
14:55 Smashing Pumpkins I
23:05 Drum talk
26:09 Smashing Pumpkins II
28:19 Smashing Pumpkins – I Am One
38:13 Smashing Pumpkins – Daydream
41:44 Kurt Cobain bootlegs himself
45:15 Starting on Nevermind
50:22 Recording Nevermind
56:50 Nirvana – Lithium
1:00:19 Nirvana – In Bloom
1:06:10 Kurt Cobain and The Beatles
1:11:06 Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit I
1:16:49 Nirvana – On A Plain
1:20:27 Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit II
1:24:39 Siamese Dream
1:27:53 Smashing Pumpkins – Cherub Rock
1:32:38 Garbage
1:42:57 Rock will come back to the forefront

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42 thoughts on “Butch Vig: From Smashing Pumpkins to Nirvana – Alternative Rock’s OG”

  1. Sorry to comment on an artist other than Butch but i don’t know (and cannot find) where You have ever spoken of Dan Fogelberg. Maybe you can do a piece on him. So Sorry Butch for butting in on your conversation with Rick. It was unintended but also important.

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  2. What a great interview! I remember the room at Triclops and that Neve 8088 (I think that was the model)…the grand piano there that Lynyrd Skynyrd played on a live album way back. I interned there during the Matchbox20 album and a band named Muse (1995-96). Jon Neilsen took me in at Triclops for about a year until I moved…what an awesome guy. If I had been there a few years earlier I would have been there during the Pumpkins album 🙂

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  3. This was such an interesting interview Rick! I would love to see you interview Brian Eno to hear him talk about his production and solo work. It would also be super fascinating for you to get Jerry Cantrell on. We need to see some Alice in Chains interviews on here! I think it would be fascinating to hear his thoughts on each record and also his solo work (which is amazing).

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  4. Best interview I've seen in a long time.

    As far as songwriting, I tend to think Cobain picked up where Lennon left off with Norwegian Wood. Firey sardonic nihilistic and cheeky.

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  5. Hey Rick, how about doing something of a tribute to the guitar master, Jeff Beck. Showing the evolution and changes in his playing starting with the Yardbirds through to the 70's fusion albums, Blow By Blow and Wired, through to GuitarShop?

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  6. Butch Vig's best work was with Killdozer and The Laughing Hyenas. Just listen to Snakeboy, 12 Point Buck, Life of Crime, You Can't Pray a Lie or Merry-Go-Round. That is how a band should sound on record.

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