Nirvana filmed ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ video 35 years ago

On August 17, 1991, the band Nirvana filmed the music video for ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ at GMT Studios in Culver City, California. The production, which cost less than $50,000, served as the lead single for their major label debut album, ‘Nevermind’.

Frontman Kurt Cobain meticulously storyboarded the shoot, drawing inspiration from the films ‘Over the Edge’ and ‘Rock 'n' Roll High School’. The concept featured a chaotic, anarchic pep rally. To populate the video, flyers were distributed at The Roxy in Los Angeles seeking extras aged 18 to 25 to portray various high school personas, such as jocks, punks, and nerds.

Directed by Samuel Bayer, who was a recent graduate of the School of Visual Arts, the shoot involved approximately 150 fans. The video captured genuine chaos as Cobain encouraged the crowd to move from the bleachers to mosh around the band, creating the high-energy atmosphere seen in the final version.