Before Dave Grohl joined Nirvana and the band took over the world with the Nevermind album, Chad Channing was sitting behind the drum set for the grunge legends. Channing was part of the band’s lineup alongside Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic from 1988 to 1990, recording Nirvana’s debut album Bleach. Following the release of the album, Chad Channing left the band due to creative and artistic differences, and Grohl stepped in. The rest is pretty much history.
KAOS TV recently sat down with Chad Channing for an interview and asked the drummer whether he regrets leaving just before Nirvana achieved mainstream success.
“I have no regrets because I always thought that things just sort of fall in place for a reason,” Channing said. “For example, I was that perfect puzzle piece for the band at the time, and then they needed another piece to do other things and stuff. Our differences were strictly on a musical level. We always stayed friends. In fact, I remember the first time I saw them with Dave [Grohl] at this place called the OK Hotel. It was the first time I’d seen the guys in probably a year or so, and it was really good to see them. It was like, ‘Hey, how’s it going?’ It was very friendly.”
“I have no regrets. I look back at those days and I think, ‘Wow, I played a small part in something.’ So I’m happy with that,” he added.
You can check out the full interview below.
Although Channing left before the final recordings for Nevermind, he provided drum parts for the version of “Polly” that made it on the album. He was also the drummer on songs “Big Long Now,” “Stain” and “Dive,” all of which were included on Nirvana’s B sides compilation from 1992, Incesticide.
After leaving Nirvana, Chad Channing worked with several bands including Fire Ants, The Methodists, and Before Cars. Currently, he is touring with Nirvana’s tribute band The Nirvana Experience.
