The Landmark Performance That Never Was: How PJ Harvey Nearly Fronted Nirvana

PJ Harvey very nearly collaborated with the remaining members of Nirvana, for a special one-off performance of the band’s song ‘Milk It,’ earlier this year. In an interview with NME, Dave Grohl, now the frontman of Foo Fighters, revealed that he asked the British songwriter to perform with him and Krist Novoselic because she was of Kurt Cobain’s favourite songwriters. Kurt was the singer and guitarist of Nirvana until he took his own life in 1994.

The performance in question would have taken place on February 19, Grohl revealed. He was planning for a concert with the Sound City Players and realised that Stevie Nicks and John Fogerty weren’t going to be able to make it, so started to think about alternative additions to the evening’s performance. “Someone came up with the idea of doing a Nirvana song with PJ Harvey. Kurt loved her and we love her and we thought, 'Yeah, what would we do?' I said: 'God, what if we were to do 'Milk It' from 'In Utero' with Polly singing?' We all looked at each other like, 'Woah, that would be amazing…' and then she couldn't do it!"

It’s been 19 years since Kurt’s death and the remaining members of Nirvana have never performed any of the band’s songs in public, since. “It's sacred ground,” said Grohl. If we were ever to do something like that it would have to be right because you want to pay tribute. There's a reason Foo Fighters don't do Nirvana songs, and it's a good reason." If the PJ Harvey collaboration had come off, it would have been a momentous occasion for fans of the band.

PJ Harvey... missed an opportunity to play with surviving members of Nirvana