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Popularity Not Enough Data Melvins
Biography [show full bio] The self proclaimed "greatest band in the history of music", the Melvins never found and probably never wanted great mainstream success. Maintaining a loyal cult following over the last twenty years, the Melvins had a major impact on everything from grunge to alternative metal and later doom metal and stoner rock.
Attending high school in Montesano, Washington State, the founding members (Buzz Osborne - "King Buzzo" - on guitar, Mike Dillard on drums, and Matt Lukin on bass) ...>> The self proclaimed "greatest band in the history of music", the Melvins never found and probably never wanted great mainstream success. Maintaining a loyal cult following over the last twenty years, the Melvins had a major impact on everything from grunge to alternative metal and later doom metal and stoner rock.
Attending high school in Montesano, Washington State, the founding members (Buzz Osborne - "King Buzzo" - on guitar, Mike Dillard on drums, and Matt Lukin on bass) were all residents of the nearby town of Aberdeen. The band named itself after a grocery clerk at the Montesano Thriftway. Melvin was the most-hated fellow employee and the band members felt it to be an appropriately ridiculous name. Mike Dillard would not last long in the band, his only recordings emerging years later on Mangled Demos from 1983. Dale Crover would be brought in to take over for Mike Dillard in 1984. Crover would also play drums on Kurt Cobain's first ever band, Fecal Matter, in 1985. 1986 saw the release of the band's first material, the Six Songs EP, on C/Z Records (later re-released as part of 10 Songs and 26 Songs). In the December of 1986, the band recorded their first full length album, Gluey Porch Treatments, at Studio D in Sausalito, California. Produced by Mark Deutrom, who would later join the band as their fourth bassist, Gluey Porch Treatments was released in 1987 on Alchemy Records. The band toured locally and soon after they relocated from Aberdeen to San Francisco in 1987. Matt Lukin would stay in Washington to form Mudhoney. Lori Black ("Lorax"), who is Shirley Temple's daughter, replaced Lukin on bass in 1988. May 1989 saw them record Ozma which was released later that year. During 1990 Nirvana was without a drummer so Crover helped out by playing a brief west coast tour behind the kit as the band supported Sonic Youth. Osborne gave Dave Grohl from Scream the phone number of Nirvana's bassist Krist Novoselic, leading to Grohl later becoming the band's full-time drummer. The Melvins would regroup in 1991 to record and release Bullhead. The subsequent tour saw the band touring Europe for the first time. Their January 23, 1991 show in Alzey, Germany was recorded and released as Your Choice Live Series. They quickly followed up with the Eggnog EP. During this time, Buzz Osborne was involved in a relationship with Lori Black, however the relationship broke down and she was fired from the band in 1992. Joe Preston, the band's third bassist, joined in 1992. It was during this year that the Melvins' solo albums; King Buzzo, Dale Crover and Joe Preston; were released. The members wrote and recorded the solo albums independently of each other, with all three being released on the same day in 1992; a nod to Kiss, who did the same thing in 1978. Their 1992 album Lysol, was later officially retitled to Melvins due to legal problems with the registered trademark for the household disinfectant. Joe Preston only appeared on Lysol, his solo album and the "Night Goat" single before being fired by Osborne for his lack of work ethic. Nirvana's Nevermind became an unexpected commercial success in 1992 and the band began championing some of their favourite bands in the music press, including the Melvins. Due to this exposure, the Melvins were quickly signed to Atlantic Records, with an agreement that gave the band full creative control. Their first major label album, Houdini, was released in 1993. Lorax was credited as bassist, but many fans believed she had nothing to do the recording. In fact, Buzzo and Billy Anderson contributed bass. The Melvins soon enjoyed a great deal of success and played on that year's Lollapalooza tour. Mark D joined Melvins as bass guitarist in 1994 and the band released two albums: the major label Stoner Witch and the less successful Prick, on Amphetamine Reptile Records. They began opening for bands like White Zombie and Primus, deliberately trying to annoy the fans of the headlining bands, in the spirit of Prick. Stag was released in 1996, an album that evidently did not meet the expectations of Atlantic Records, who dropped the band in 1997. The Melvins had been keeping relationships with smaller labels during their tenure at Atlantic, with Amphetamine Reptile Records issuing one limited edition (of 800) single per month in 1996. These were later compiled on 1997's double Singles 1-12. Honky was released in 1997, followed by 1998's Alive At the F*cker Club Australia, literally a live album recorded in Richmond, Melbourne on an Australian tour. In late 1998, Mark D was fired from the Melvins with Kevin Rutmanis of the disbanded Cows becoming the band's fifth bassist. Buzzo began work with Mike Patton's new band Fantômas, with the Melvins also signing to Patton's Ipecac label. An ambitious trilogy of albums, The Maggot, The Bootlicker and The Crybaby were released on Ipecac early in the new decade, with the band making each album sound as though it was recorded by a different band. After the trilogy, the Melvins released an album of remixes and cover songs entitled Electroretard on the now defunct Man's Ruin. They made a live album of synthesizer and sampler experimentation Colossus of Destiny that featured Adam Jones from the band Tool. Jones has since been featured on every new Melvins release. The Melvins continued with the electro elements of past discs and also adding a country influence. In the April of 2002 they released Hostile Ambient Takeover. In 2004 the Melvins celebrated their 20th anniversary with the release of Neither Here Nor There; a 228-page coffee table book including art, writings from friends of the band, and a retrospective CD of selected Melvins tracks. During their successful anniversary tour, the band made available a limited number of a hardcover, autographed edition of the book. The band began another new project in 2004; a collaboration with ambient artist Lustmord. The project released the album Pigs of the Roman Empire in August of 2004 on Ipecac. The Melvins also served as former Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra's backing band on 2004's Never Breathe What You Can't See and 2005's Sieg Howdy!. Kevin Rutmanis was kicked out of the Melvins in June 2005, allegedly for drug use. Despite its members being busy with various projects (Osborne with Fantômas and Venomous Concept; Crover with Altamont and Men of Porn) the Melvins have not exhibited any sign of slowing down in the near future, despite existing for over two decades. On January 18 2006, Melvins announced that they will be recruiting both members of Big Business, Jared Warren and Coady Willis, to the group, meaning that Melvins will now feature two full-time drummers in their lineup. discography
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Dec 05MelvinsClub Manufaktur (Schorndorf) 1 going Dec 11State - X New FormsPaard van Troje (Den Haag) 1 going recent discussion
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