Three major-label albums of Nirvana–”Nevermind, “In Utero” and “MTV Unplugged”–are being reissued this year on 180-gram, audiophile-quality vinyl for the first time. All three records are scheduled for a 2009 release, with “Nevermind” coming first, according to a Billboard report. However, no official release date has been confirmed.
The three-album catalog, remastered by Bernie Grubman, is being released by Original Recordings Group, a vinyl imprint that got its start reissuing old jazz and classical albums. Last year, ORG launched a “Classic Alternative” division with the release of Beck’s “Odelay” and TV on the Radio’s “Return To Cookie Mountain.” Other ORG albums include Diana Krall’s “The Look of Love” and “John Coltrane’s “Live At The Village Vanguard.”
Though ORG has the North American rights to the vinyl releases of the three Nirvana albums, the band’s first album, “Bleach,” is currently being manufactured for vinyl release by Sub Pop.
ORG founder Monti Olson said he pitched the idea of releasing the bulk of the Nirvana catalog on vinyl to Universal Music and the band’s management, Michael Meisel and John Silva, who approved the deal.
The vinyl business is growing, according to Olson. “The bulk of the vinyl in the retail space goes through independent stores–the Amoebas and the Waterloos of the world that have always been in the vinyl business,” Olson told Billboard. “But what’s happening is more and more people are coming in with a curiosity about buying record albums.”
Olson also said he has some new accounts that are experimenting with vinyl, like Best Buy. “I don’t know how strong their initiative is, but they’ve allotted a little bit of floor space for vinyl.”
He said the label plans to release more classic alternative music from the ’80s and ’90s on 180-gram vinyl. “They’re the best sounding records on the market,” he said.