OMMA Catalogue Number

OMMA-A001

Artist

Nirvana

Title

Love Buzz / Big Cheese

Release Details

Published by Sub Pop in 1988 as a 7-inch single (catalogue number SP23). Pressed in the United States and distributed through mail-order channels.

Edition & Variant Identification

First Press promotional edition tied to the commercial release, corresponding to the Red-Slash Promo variant.

Matrix & Pressing Data

Side A bears the inscription SP-23-A Why Don’t You Trade Those Guitars For Shovels? L-31540 Kdisc.

Side B bears the inscription SP-23-B L-31540X Kdisc.

Physical Description

A 7-inch vinyl single on black vinyl, housed in its original picture sleeve of thin paper stock. Labels correspond to the Sub Pop Red-Slash Promo presentation used for this variant. No inserts accompany the present copy.

Factory-Origin Characteristics

No factory-origin anomalies are observed on the present copy.

Condition Report

The picture sleeve is in Excellent condition, showing minor creasing and light signs of shelf wear consistent with careful handling. The vinyl surface is in Near Mint condition, retaining full original gloss with little evidence of play or handling. The labels are likewise Near Mint, clean and close to flawless, with no spindle marks, writing, stickers, or other intrusions.

Provenance

Kirk Doerfler (photo-matched); subsequently Heritage Auctions; acquired via auction April 19, 2025, (Auction 7414, Lot 26326) by the Origins of Modern Music Archive.

Photomatching & Verification

Photomatching to entry #47 of the Love Buzz Owner List confirms the present copy as the Doerfler specimen. The Heritage Auctions listing further corroborates the item’s identity. A Certificate of Authenticity was issued by Heritage Auctions.

Market Context & Historical Notes

As the earliest commercially issued recording by Nirvana, Love Buzz / Big Cheese occupies a foundational place in the band’s discography and in the documented emergence of the late-1980s Seattle independent rock movement. Sub Pop’s early Singles Club releases are widely regarded as primary artifacts of the label’s formative years, and the Red-Slash Promo variant is one of the most thoroughly documented early Sub Pop pressings. Its limited mail-order distribution and association with Nirvana’s debut make it a central object within the historiography of the band’s origins.

Canonical Status in OMMA

This release is recognized by the Origins of Modern Music Archive as the artist’s canonical debut.

References and Source Documentation

Love Buzz Owner List, entry #47, https://www.lovebuzz7.com/owners-list-marked/#more.

Heritage Auctions, Auction 7414, Lot 26326 (19 April 2025), https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/music-memorabilia/recordings/nirvana-love-buzz-big-cheese-original-pressing-promo-sub-pop-singles-club-1-7-inch-vinyl-record-sp-23-/a/7414-26326.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515.

Certificate of Authenticity: Heritage Auctions.