"TEEN SPIRIT" TURNS 30

"Smells Like Teen Spirit," the epochal single by Nirvana that blasted through the dominance of Aqua-Net metal and reset the course of rock for at least a decade, dropped on this date in 1991. We return to this fabulous anecdote in which HITS' own Ted Volk launched what would prove to be a historic radio campaign.

"I had the good fortune to be with the band in Boston the day Nevermind came out," Ted remembers. "It was a time that I will never forget. I remember asking Kurt why the band chose to be on DGC Records. He said, 'If we could be as popular as [DGC band] Sonic Youth, that would be cool.' 'Yeah, that would be pretty cool for sure,' I replied."

On that day, Ted (then a fresh-faced promo guy at Geffen) rousted the scruffy trio from their beds and dragged them to a morning meet at WBRU Providence. MD Dexter Schwartz thought to himself that these young ragamuffins must be pretty excited to meet a famous radio guy like him, while Kurt resumed his slumber against the surprisingly comfy wall. Afterward, Ted resumed his paper route. Now, of course, Nirvana are in the hall of fame, while Ted is in the halls of HITS. If he'd known it would work out like this, he might've let the guys sleep in.