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Krist Novoselic's Flying Bass

November 20, 2008 3:29 PM

Photo: Micelotta/Getty

Remember the 1992 MTV VMAs where Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic tossed his bass way the eff up in the air only to have it come crashing down on his head?

Sad. Funny.

In his column in Seattle Weekly, Krist relives that fateful day.

A few nugglets:

-- Axl Rose was annoyed when Courtney Love, sitting with Kurt Cobain and baby daughter Frances, called out to him as he walked by, telling him that he "is the godfather" of the baby. Axl went up to Kurt and told him to "keep his woman in line." (Hence the incessant "Hi, Axl!" shouts from Dave Grohl after the song.)

-- MTV reps did not want Nirvana to play "Rape Me," which is the only song Kurt wanted to play. A compromise was made, and the band played the first few bars of "Rape Me" and went into "Lithium" after that.

-- Krist threw the bass guitar partly due to the horrendous sound coming form the shitty amp he was using, partly because it's a pretty cool stage trick, but also out of pure frustration.

-- Turns out he was faking the whole injury. He wasn't in much pain, and he was acting when he stumbled off stage. In his words, "I faked like I was knocked out, perhaps expressing my inner torment over a taxing evening."

-- A few minutes later, donning a small bandage, Novoselic was sipping champagne with Queen guitarist Brian May.

Here's video from the carnage.