Post Malone joined the surviving members of Nirvana recently, performing ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ on Saturday Night Live, leaving Nirvana fans with mixed reactions.
SNL celebrated their 50th anniversary on Friday night (14 Feb), with the special episode SNL50: The Homecoming Concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
Adam Sandler, who was an SNL cast member from 1990 to 1995, introduced the band, saying, “These next guys played while my cast was there, and it was an explosive moment for all of us. It changed it all.”
He continued, “Three guys rockin' out in a way no one had ever seen before, led by a young badass who we will never forget. But the music will live on forever. Ladies and gentlemen… Post Nirvana!”
The band and Malone took the stage, ripping into ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit,’ with Malone performing gruff vocals and guitar while the surviving Nirvana members teared up their respective parts.
As you’d expect, fans online have some very mixed reactions about the performance.
Some fans loved it. One person online reckons Malone “was born to play Nirvana songs”, while another wrote, “Post Malone + Nirvana + SNL 50th….Jesus Christ what a performance…un fucking real.”
Others weren’t so keen on the rendition, with one person commenting, “Garbage. Unadulterated trash,” and another writing “who the F is Post Malone anyway.”
And then there’s the Switzerlanders of the internet who didn’t hate the performance, but didn’t necessarily love it either. One X user noted Kurt Cobain was “a brilliant songwriter who made era-defining records, yes, but he was never a great live singer.
“Nirvana onstage was all about chaotic energy. I think Post did fine.”
While a reddit user wrote, “Considering the other members of the band would know better than anyone how Kurt would feel about Post Malone let alone anyone else standing in for him in a reunion gig, I think a lot of the commenters around the Internet need to chill lol.”
It isn't Malone's first time singing Nirvana. Anyone remember back in lockdown when he performed Nirvana covers on a live stream to raise funds for covid relief?
Whether you loved the performance or hated it - personally, I reckon it’s pretty cool to see the surviving Nirvana members back onstage having a good ol’ time.
