Paying tribute to Nirvana’s third and final album, the album artwork has been recreated on a pink background. Fans are being encouraged to visit the mural and to leave their messages for the band, honouring the 1993 album.

A mural has been unveiled in Camden to celebrate 30th anniversary of Nirvana’s third and final album, In Utero https://t.co/4JX5whFC8N pic.twitter.com/xQV9QpzHSO

— THE LINE of BEST FIT (@bestfitmusic) November 1, 2023

In Utero was an instant critical and commercial success, debuting at No.1 on the UK Albums Chart and No.1 on the US Billboard 200. The album included iconic tracks such as “Heart-Shaped Box,” “Dumb” and “Rape Me.” To celebrate its 30th anniversary, a special edition reissue of the album was released last week.  

The 30th Anniversary Edition of In Utero is out now! https://t.co/OOTiUVYqsR The Super Deluxe box sets contains 53 unreleased tracks, including two never before released complete concerts from the In Utero tour. Find your preferred format here: https://t.co/OOTiUVYqsR… pic.twitter.com/GtCAIwagvF — Nirvana (@Nirvana) October 27, 2023

Speaking on the album’s impact, Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic said, “When you listen to it, it goes somewhere. It’s dark, it’s beautiful, it’s all points in between. It’s bittersweet. We recorded it in about a week and a few of the songs were the first take. We were well-rehearsed and loved playing together. That was our glue as a band. We played live and it was live to tape.”

Novoselic continued, “It’s amazing what can happen when three people with instruments get together. You could make so much sound in a way that captures the imagination. That’s the beauty of music: you invite people in. The record can be pretty, but it can also be dark. Going back to this record, I was just reminded of our humanity as a group. There were a lot of different statements on there and that’s what you get: the post-’Nevermind’ Nirvana, after becoming a world-famous band.”

The 30th anniversary reissue of In Utero has been released in several formats, including a limited-edition eight LP super deluxe box set, a five CD super deluxe box set and a digital super deluxe edition, amongst others.

Novoselic shared his thoughts on the reissue, saying, “This one’s got a lot of cool things like backstage passes and little things you can hold, like The Who’s ‘Live At Leeds’ record.”

He continued, “I’m excited about the live shows on there, because they used AI. We took the digital audio tapes from the soundboard in Rome, Seattle and Los Angeles, then the AI can separate all the instruments and we got a really good mix out of it.”

The In Utero 30th anniversary reissue is available to purchase in various formats here.

Stream In Utero (30th Anniversary Super Deluxe) below.

Peter Saville’s legendary 1979 cover has been reinterpreted by Music Declares Emergencyhttps://t.co/4royEUrfry

— Rolling Stone UK (@rollingstoneuk) October 15, 2021

Saville originally based the original design of the famous piece of the album artwork on a stacked plot of radio emissions given out by a pulsar, however, in the new design, the emissions have been altered to look flatter, and are accompanied by a poignant, chilling message; “No Music on a Dead Planet”. The mural was created specifically for the campaign group Music Declares Emergency, who, according to the BBC, said that it symbolises; “the eternal silence of a dead planet.”

As previously alluded to, Peter Saville is the original designer of the Unknown Pleasures album artwork and has been involved in the music scene as an artist since 1979. Saville founded Factory Records alongside journalist and radio broadcaster Tony Wilson, actor Alan Erasmus, producer Martin Hannett, and Rob Gretton, the manager of Joy Division and New Order. Saville’s other artistic credits include Joy Division’s second and final album Closer, New Order’s Power, Corruption and Lies, Roxy Music’s Flesh and Blood and My Life In The Bush of Ghosts, a collaborative album between Brian Eno of Roxy Music and David Byrne of The Talking Heads.

Again, according to the BBC, Music Declares Emergency has stated that the mural in Withington is a part of a larger-scale campaign that calls for “urgent action on climate change”. The official title of the campaign is echoed by the mural, “NO MUSIC ON A DEAD PLANET”.

Music Declares Emergency was first launched in July 2019, and they describe themselves as an “independent group with no political party or commercial affiliations”. The group also state on their website that they represent “all areas of the music industry irrespective of genre, role, gender, race or sexuality and is led by individuals united by a deep concern for the climate and ecological emergency we currently face”. MDE has also formed Classical Declares, which is an expansion of the group into the world of classical, opera and choral music, along with a Music Declares Emergency Radio Show, hosted by co-founder Fay Milton and folk singer Sam Lee.

You can find out more about Music Declares Emergency and their current NO MUSIC ON A DEAD PLANET campaign on their website, as well as information on how you can donate to help them out.