When Sub Pop releases the 20th anniversary edition of Nirvana's 'Bleach,' fans needn't worry that the band's lauded debut will sound very different. The record's producer, Jack Endino, knows better than to tinker with the iconic band's original work. "I would never hear the end of it," Endino exclaims to Spinner with a chuckle. The Seattle scene veteran wasn't just bowing to fan pressure though; he says the record didn't need any dressing up, just a little dusting off.

"It wasn't like it was broken and we needed to fix it," says Endino. "We didn't remix it. We remastered it to make it sound better. The technical means to make it sound good are considerably further along than they were in the late '80s. Some of the CDs that came out in the late '80s are half as loud and not very good sounding compared with CDs that come out now. People complain that CDs now are too squashed sounding, though. It's too hard to make CDs loud. Metallica got into a lot of trouble with that. It was important to bring the CD up to date without squashing anything. It was important to show respect to the master, we couldn't really change it."

Working closely with Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic, Endino brought in George Marino for the remastering because he liked his work on some of Led Zeppelin's reissues, which stayed true to the original sound and spirit. "I wanted to get someone who understood. George got that. I didn't even have to explain it. We like it, it's good. It's very pleasing to me that a record I did early in my career still sounds okay," Endino says. "'Cause I've got to live with it."

The 'Bleach' reissue will be released Nov. 2.