The garage still had the leftover buzz from the contract signing the day before when Rory dropped a new stack of papers on the table.
Kurt glanced at the header. "Dead Ram… Publishing?"
Krist squinted. "What, like a roadkill company?"
Rory smirked. "It's a real publishing company, idiots. BMI already approved it this morning."
Kurt blinked. "You did all this before breakfast?"
"Yep."
The manager, who'd been pacing near the amps, chimed in: "This is the final piece. Band's formed, contracts are signed, now we need a publishing entity. Rory here built one."
Krist flipped the first page and let out a low whistle. "Dude… this is legit."
Rory tapped the folder. "Dead Ram Publishing legally holds the songwriting copyrights for everything Nirvana writes while you're in the band."
Kurt's eyebrows rose. "Everything we write?"
"Everything," Rory said. "Fecal Matter songs, future songs, whatever comes next. Publishing royalties, mechanical royalties, performance royalties, sync licensing… all of it routes through Dead Ram."
Krist leaned back, suddenly impressed. "Damn, twelve-year-old mogul strikes again."
Kurt nudged Rory with his elbow. "So… like… we own this thing together?"
Rory nodded. "Yeah. Thirty-three-point-three each. Equal split. Same rule as Nirvana LLC."
Krist looked shocked for a second. "Wait, we get equal ownership of the publishing too? Not just the band?"
"Yep."
Kurt laughed, rubbing his forehead. "Rory, man… you're giving away too much."
"No," Rory said lightly. "I'm giving what's fair. Besides"—he shrugged—"it's our music. We all get a third."
The manager added, "Most bands fight for years about publishing splits. You boys are lucky you've got someone thinking ahead."
Kurt flipped the pages, tracing the lines with his finger, taking it in. "So Dead Ram owns the songs… but we own Dead Ram?"
"That's the idea," Rory said.
Krist grinned. "I like it. Kinda badass."
Kurt smiled too. "Dead Ram Publishing… Nirvana LLC… Fecal Matter EP… we're starting to look like an actual empire or something."
Rory leaned back, arms crossed, quiet pride settling into him.
Good. This timeline needs a better empire.
Kurt held the pen up. "Alright. Where do we sign?"
Rory pointed. "Bottom of the last page."
The three leaned over the folder, scribbled their names, and the moment sealed itself into the future—three signatures forming a publishing house that would one day own the loudest, most culturally explosive catalog of its generation.
Krist shut the folder with a slap. "Dead Ram Publishing, huh?"
Rory grinned. "Trust me. It's gonna age well."
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Nirvana & Dead Ram Publishing
Formation: Dead Ram Publishing (BMI) created by Rory Callahan in October 1985. Formed immediately after Nirvana LLC was finalized and contracts with Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic were signed.
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What Dead Ram Publishing Owns (1985 → onward)
Songwriting & Composition: 100% of songwriting copyrights for every song written by any Nirvana member while in the band. This includes the Fecal Matter EP songs (current catalog).
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Royalties: Performance royalties (radio, live shows, public performance, future streaming).
Mechanical royalties (vinyl, cassette, CD, downloads). Sync licensing rights (film, TV, ads, future digital platforms).
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Ownership Breakdown – Dead Ram Publishing
Applies to all songs currently in the Fecal Matter EP era: Rory Callahan – 33.3%, Kurt Cobain – 33.3%, and Krist Novoselic – 33.3%