Michael Azerrad Unveils “The Amplified Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana” Deluxe Edition

Renowned rock journalist Michael Azerrad has unveiled The Amplified Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana, a deluxe new hardcover edition “amplifying” his iconic 1993 bestseller, Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana. A thoroughly original book re-examining and illuminating Azerrad’s original reportage while also providing essential glosses on Nirvana’s musical, cultural, and historical contexts.

The Amplified Come as You Are will be published by Harper One on Tuesday, October 24. Pre-orders are available now. In addition, Nirvana: The Amplifications, an official audiobook narrated by Azerrad collecting the new annotations, arrives the same day at all leading audiobook platforms.

In 1993, Michael Azerrad published what stands as the definitive biography of Nirvana and its star-crossed leader, Kurt Cobain. Written with the band’s complete cooperation, Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana proved to be a critically acclaimed massive international bestseller lauded by Cobain himself, stating that it was “the best rock book I’ve ever read.”

Sadly, in April 1994, just seven months after the book’s original publication, Cobain committed suicide, and the world has been mourning since. Cobain’s tragic death established Come as You Are as the only book about Nirvana to feature original interviews with Cobain, bassist Krist Novoselic, and drummer Dave Grohl. Azerrad has now revisited and reconsidered his original text with exclusive new content exploring the personal and cultural forces that inspired the music, his friendship with Cobain, and why multiple generations remain fascinated today by pop cultural upheaval kickstarted by Nirvana and their landmark 1991 album, Nevermind.

Michael Azerrad ‘The Amplified Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana’ book cover