September 13th will mark the 20th anniversary of the release of what would be Nirvana’s final album, In Utero, and it’s easy to forget just how important it was at the time. The group were arguably the biggest band on the planet, the reluctant leaders of the “alternative” music scene that completely changed the landscape. And that’s not to mention the various controversies surrounding the LP, from the artwork to the recording process itself, which found the band working with famed independent engineer Steve Albini (and fans should check his recent interview with Vish Khanna about the making of the album, and what exactly went down in the studio—it’s a must listen). And then, there was that music video…
“Heart Shaped Box” was the first single for the album, and the band dropped a button pushing spot—conceived by Kurt Cobain—that featured an old dude climbing a cross, fetuses hanging from tress and an old woman in a body suit among other things. While we all know the video that aired relentlessly on MTV, director Anton Corbijn (“Control,” “The American“) created an alternate cut that has long only been available on the DVD “The Work Of Director Anton Corbijn.” Well, with a massive In Utero reissue coming to stores on September 24th, Corbijn’s cut—which is included in that forthcoming set—has now made its way online.
It’s not drastically different, but does feature different edits and imagery, and is certainly worth a spin. After that, there are a couple of recent bonus videos: Rory Culkin starring in the new spot for Spiritualized‘s “I Am What I Am” and Terry Crews and Nick Kroll in Major Lazer‘s “Scare Me.” [EW/Pitchfork]
