Nirvana

The core of Nirvana formed when Kurt Cobain met Krist (then Chris)
Novoselic through the punk band 'The Melvins'.  Since then, they have
gone through many different drummers and different names.  The name "Nirvana" means 'absolute and total bliss'.

These are the bands that Kurt played under before the formation of Nirvana:

Band Name       Who was in it/what did he play      Where now?
=========       ==============================      ==========
Fecal Matter    Kurt Cobain   - Guitar/Vocals
                Dale Crover   - Bass Guitar         
                Mike Dillard  - Drums
Brown Cow       Buzz Osborne  - Bass Guitar         The Melvins
                Dale Crover   - Drums               The Melvins
                Kurt Cobain   - Guitar/Vocals
Stiff Woodies   Krist         - Vocals              Various Guitar and Bass
                Kurt          - Drums
The Sellouts    Steve Newman - Bass Guitar          
                                                       
                Kurt Cobain  - Drums                Krist        - Guitar/Vocals
???????         Kurt         - Guitar/Vocals
                Krist        - Bass Guitar
                Bob McFadden - Drums   
Skid Row        Aaron Burckhard - Drums                  
                Kurt            - Guitar                
                Krist           - Bass Guitar      
Bliss          
Windowpane     *Kurt Cobain     - Guitar Vocals    Died: 4/5/94
               *Krist Novoselic - Bass             Band - Sweet 75
                Aaron Burckhard - Drums            Band - Attica
                Dave Foster     - Drums            ???
                Chad Channing   - Drums            Band - The Fire Ants
                Jason Everman   - Guitar           Band - Mindfunk
                Danny Peters    - Drums            Band - Mudhoney
               *Dave Grohl      - Drums            Band - Foo Fighters
                John Duncan     - Guitar           Band - The Exploited
               *Pat Smear       - Guitar           Band - Foo Fighters

As of right now, there is no more Nirvana, Kurt Cobain committed suicide
on or around 4/5/94.  Dave Grohl and Pat Smear are in the band Foo Fighters
and Krist Novoselic is in the band Sweet 75

Important dates in Nirvana history:

05-16-65  Krist Anthony Novoselic born to Krist and Maria Novoselic
01-31-67  Chad Channing born to Wayne and Burnyce Channing
02-20-67  Kurt Donald Cobain born to Wendy and Donald Cobain
01-14-69  David Eric Grohl born to James and Virginia Grohl
01-23-88  Nirvana records demo with Dale Crover
11-??-88  First single: Love Buzz/Big Cheese released06-??-89  Bleach released
10-23-89  Nirvana plays first European show, Newcastle, England
12-30-89  Krist and Shelli get married in Tacoma
04-17-91  Nirvana first plays Smells Like Teen Spirit
04-30-91  Nirvana formally signs with Geffen Records
08-??-91  The video for Smells Like Teen Spirit is made
09-20-91  Tour for Nevermind begins in Toronto
09-24-91  Nevermind is released, debuted at #144 on Billboard
10-12-91  Nevermind goes Gold
01-11-92  Nirvana plays Saturday Night Live, Nevermind hits #1
01-??-92  Hormoaning released in Australia and Japan
02-24-92  Kurt Cobain marries Courtney Love in Waikiki, Hawaii
08-18-92  Francis Bean Cobain is born
08-30-92  Nirvana headlines Reading Festival
09-08-92  Nirvana plays Lithium at MTV music awards, wins 2 awards
12-15-92  Incesticide released
09-??-93  Nirvana wins Best Alternative Video award at MTV Video awards
09-21-93  After a week delay, In Utero released in US
11-18-93  Nirvana records Unplugged session for MTV
12-16-93  Nirvana Unplugged airs on MTV
03-01-94  The Final Nirvana show is played in Munich
03-04-94  Kurt Cobain is hospitalized comatose 
03-05-94  Kurt awakens from coma, asks for milkshake
03-08-94  Kurt leaves hospital under his own power
04-07-94  Alt.music.nirvana is created
04-08-94  The body of Kurt Cobain is found.  Kurt committed suicide 3 days ago.
04-10-94  Memorial Service held in Seattle, Courtney reads from suicide note.
09-??-94  Nirvana wins Best Alternative Video for Heart-Shaped Box
11-01-94  Nirvana: Unplugged in New York is released in the US
11-15-94  Nirvana: Live! Tonite! Sold Out! is released in US
07-04-95  Dave Grohl's Foo Fighter's Album released
10-01-96  From the Muddy Banks Of The Wishkah released 

Roots, influences, and similar bands:

Here are some bands that influenced Nirvana:
                                       
   The Beatles, Black Sabbath, Meat Puppets, Pixies, Sonic Youth,
   Melvins, Vaselines, R.E.M.Artists that are similar to Nirvana include:
   Alice in Chains, Babes In Toyland, Breeders, Cheap Trick, Dinosaur Jr.,
   Fastbacks, Husker Du, L7, Minutemen, Bob Mould, Mudhoney, 
   My Bloody Valentine, Pearl Jam, Raincoats, Soundgarden,
   Tad, Teenage Fanclub, Throwing Muses, Fluid, Green River, 
   Half Japanese, Hole, Daniel Johnston, Love Battery, Urge Overkill, 
   P.J. Harvey, Frank Black, The LemonheadsII.