Fecal Matter Demo FAQ (originally by Mike Zeigler)
Wooden Jesus
Originally maintained by Mike Ziegler, then Chris Hickman, and now me, Obik
Anti. The latest version of this FAQ will always be available (well, I hope
it will) at http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/feces.html.
Introduction
This FAQ has just been rewritten, so there are probably some mistakes. Email
me if you see any.
The purpose of this document is to collect all the available information on
the Fecal Matter demo. For those who haven't been active in the Nirvana
community, or haven't read Come As You Are (marked as CAYA from here on), by
Michael Azzerad, Fecal
Matter was Kurt Cobain's first band, and his first major effort at recording
a demo. Fecal Matter was the name of Kurt's makeshift band, with Kurt Cobain
on vocals and guitar, Dale Crover (of the Melvins) on bass and Greg Hokanson
on drums.
Fecal Matter is the first Cobain band to be DOCUMENTED, the Organized
Confusion demo from 1982 received no mention in CAYA, and the only source of
information from it comes from Kurt's aunt Mari. Recordings from neither
Fecal Matter nor Organized Confusion are circulating, and chances are that
any recordings claiming to be them are fakes.
Fecal Matter formed in the winter of 1985, practiced hard and played several
shows supporting the Melvins. In December of 1985 Kurt decided to record a
demo, but Hokanson had already left the band, so Dale Crover played drums on
the demo
(fudge, my Babel fished version of the FAQ mentions Matt Lukin accompanying
Kurt and Dale, but not what he played. Anyone know?). The demo was recorded
on in Seattle on a TEAC 4-track recorder belonging to Kurt's aunt Mari.
Fudge again, there's a quote from CAYA about the Fecal Matter demo in the
original FAQ, but mine is badly mangled. Anyone want to send me the quote?
The gist of it is that Kurt was really pissed off sounding, surprising Mari
with his aggression. It also
says that seven songs were recorded, with titles like Sound Of Dentage,
Bambi Slaughter and Laminated Effect, which apparently sounds like a cross
between Stay Away/Pay to Play and the old MTV theme.
Almost all of the information in this FAQ came from Mike Ziegler, the ONLY
person who we know has heard the Fecal Matter demo.
The Fecal Matter demo
The real Fecal Matter demo doesn't match all the descriptions given in CAYA,
it's fifteen songs long and Downer most definitely does have vocals. Only
Kurt and Dale played on the demo, Kurt on guitar and vocals, Dale playing
drums doing some backup singing.
the Fecal Matter track list:
1.Sound Of Dentage
2.commercials
3.Bambi Slaughter
4.Made Not Born (Laminated Effect?)
5.Unknown song 1
6.Unknown song 2
7.Unknown song 3
8.Unknown song 4
9.Unknown song 5
10.Spank Thru
11.Unknown song 6
12.Buffy's Pregnant
13.Unknown song 7
14.Downer
15.Unknown song 3, instrumental
16.Turnaround (original version)
17.riffs
1) Sound Of Dentage (3:29)
she says she's changed
she says she's cured
she says she's mine
bull... bull...
come over here for a second
I want you to see something
why is this happening to me?
why is this real?
the sound of dentage and i know
the sound of dentage and i see
it's come to get me and i hope
the sound of ????????? is mine
she says she's changed
she says she's cured
she says she's mine
bull... bull...
come over here for a second
i want you to see something
why is this happening to me?
why is this real?
the sound of dentage and i know
the sound of dentage and i see
it's come to get me and i hope
the crafty ????????????? is mine
had to throw up all day
like to make experiments
like to go and stock thee boiled carcass on my ????
listen to me, to me
listen to me, to me
listen to me, to me
come over here for a second
i want you to see something
why is this happening to me?
why is this real?
the sound of vengeance and i know
the sound of dentage and i see
it's come to get me and i know
the sound vengeance is mine
is mine... is mine... is mine...
is mine...
2) Commercials (1:15)
Very similar to Montage of Heck, but it's just commercials
3) Bambi Slaughter (3:33)
It is not the Bambi Slaughter that is on the acoustic 1988 demo (the song
which appears in the bootleg Dressed For Success). This is the authentic
one. It has a very Melvins style guitar riff.
4) Made Not Born (Laminated Effect?) (2:17)
This is the firs song on the demo that really sounds like Nirvana. Dale
Crover says he thinks the song's name is "Made Not Born", but matches the
description of "Laminated Effect" in CAYA.
(partially transcribed lyrics)
johnny was a homo
kept his body clean
moved to san francisco
caught a big disease
raped by his daddy
tony was ???
living like a habit?
???
lucy was a lesbain ...
5) Unknown #1 (2:36)
No description or lyrics available.
6) Unknown #2 (3:55)
Has Nirvana's style, but the lyrics and the way he plays are hilarious.
Towards the end it has a very Butthole Surfers sounding solo.
i was sitting here
in a preppy shirt
and you and my best friend and you came over to me and said
and said ... said hey jerk
i've got this good thing going here
i thought that i would share with you
it's a real neat thing to examine
everybody's doing it and i thought that we should follow the trend
but i'm afraid.
what'll my parents say
now i know no need to explain that's okay
you get your clothes full of holes
you spray-paint your hair, and then you become a punk...
i'm a punk rocker
i'm...i'm a punk rocker
my attitude ... is fuck you
i want to go home
my mind must be
be washed with bleach
i feel safer alone
i'm a punk rocker
but i'm afraid.
what'll my parents say
now i know no need to explain that's okay
you get your clothes full of holes
you spray-paint you hair, and then you become a punk...
i'm a punk rocker
i'm...i'm a punk rocker
but i'm afraid.
what'll my parents say
i want to go home
my mind must be
be washed in bleach
i feel safer alone
?????? (mumbling)
?????? (mumbling)
?????? (mumbling)
7) Unknown #3 (2:05)
Dale does some backing vocals in this song. Dale remembers that Kurt wasn't
patient enough when recording the demo. During the song you can hear Kurt
cough for a few seconds
8) Unknown #4 (8:54)
This song is interesting because it contains the same verse and chorus of
the song we know as Anorexorcist, but has a totally different intro and
outro. It lasts about 9 minutes so it may be 2 songs mixed onto one
track.(Anorexorcist + ???)
9) Unknown #5 (4:48)
This song begins with Kurt and Dale doing a tacky intro going "Buzza Buzza
Bees Biz". Dale does some backing vocals. This song has a typical punk-rock
sound.
10) Spank Thru (3:49)
Sounds extremely like the version on the 4/17/87 KAOS show. Kurt seems to be
ridiculing the subject of the song. On this version of Spank Thru you can
understand everything Kurt is saying.
11) Unknown #6 (1:28)
Jesus Christ , if you heard this song you'd have no clue it was Kurt
singing. I cannot even think of a way to describe Kurt's vocals.
12) Buffy's Pregnant (4:15)
Perhaps the best song on the demo. Classic Nirvana style and lyrics.
(partial transcribed lyrics)
boy would i like to do her
i'd like to jump her bones
???
??? hoping she gives me a hand-job
i got so wasted late Saturday night
drank a whole half gallon
got really sick
puked
it was great though
me and my break dancing friends went out and beat up some punk-rock faggots
buffy's pregnant
plan a future
we'll fit the class
go debate on who's got the nicest ass
spread her mind games
with ??? words
they're all the same
???
clone... clone... clone... clone...
13) Unknown #7 (2:21)
No description or lyrics yet.
14) Downer (3:04)
Slower than the version on the 4/17/87 KAOS tape. Contrary to the
description in Come as You Are, this version has lyrics and is not
instrumental.
15) Unknown #3, instrumental (1:39)
An instrumental version of track 7 (Unknown #3)
16) Devo - Turnaround (1:15)
The original Devo version. Perhaps Kurt put it on the tape in hopes of
covering it someday.
17-27) Guitar riffs
The guitar riffs of nearly all of the songs on the tape. Dale himself does
not know why Kurt did this. Reasons why are probably:
a. personal reference
b. to try to remember the songs (isn't that "personal reference?")
c. so whoever got the tape could learn how to play any of the songs
The fake Fecal Matter demos
The Fecal Matter demo has not surfaced and is not circulating. Several fakes
are, and in time I'll put info about them here. For now you should check out
the Nirvana Fakes Guide
This document was originally copyrighted by Mike Ziegler (no date
available), and all additions are copyright 2001 Obik Anti, so don't go
swiping this shit without giving credit. Or something.