When it came time to record the follow-up to Nevermind, Nirvana—well, it was Kurt, really—decided that the band needed to get back to its punk rock roots by making a record that was a lot more raw in texture and tone. For that, they hired producer Steve Albini and traveled to Pachyderm Studios about 60 kilometres outside of Minneapolis.
The place was quiet, isolated, and a place where the band could work without being hassled by the media or drug dealers. Albini booked the group under the name “The Simon Ritchie Band” to throw anyone off the scent. By the way, he chose that name because that’s the real name of Sid Vicious of The Sex Pistols.
No one at the studio—not even the owners—knew who had booked the place until all the gear showed up with the name “Nirvana” stenciled on the sides.