I Just Read About That…

[ATTENDED: September 21, 2023] Melvins 

Despite everything in the world indicating that I should be a Melvins fan, I have never really gotten into them.  I mean, I’ve loved thigns about them for decades.  I loved that they put out three “solo” albums that looked just like the Kiss solo albums.  I love that Boris got their name from one of their songs.

And yet, for whatever reason, I just never followed them. They may just be a little too much in every way for me.   Love them in theory nut not in reality.

So I’ve never wanted to see them live.  And when this dual bill with Boris was announced, it made sense, but I wasn’t that excited about it.  I actually thought that if Melvins were headlining, I might leave to get home early.  Although, honestly, how could I leave without at least laying eyes on Buzz Osbourne in the flesh.

So Melvins were playing their Bullhead album in its entirety.  I didn’t know it. I don’t know if it’s special in any way in their catalog.  But it does contain the song “Boris” so….

A few days before the tour was supposed to start, longtime drummer Dale Crover was sidelined with an injury.  But rather than cancelling or postponing, Coady Willis played.  Turns out for the a few years Melvins had two drummers (Crover and Willis) so this wasn’t a huge stretch.

Willis was amazing up there.  I don’t know if Crover is as intense as Willis, but Willis was like a lead instrument up there.  He must have been exhausted at the end of the set-he broke a stick on the third song.  It was only a shame that I couldn’t see him all that well and that the lighting was so unfortunate (more of that red/purple that plagued Mr Phlyzzz).

I also had no idea that Melvins go through bassists like water.  They’ve had like a half dozen over the years and the current bassist is Steven Shane McDonald who was one of the main dudes in Redd Kross, a band I have never gotten into.

But McDonald was a ton of fun to watch.  Despite Melvins being a heavy punk band, McDonald acts like a massive hippie, which is really fun.  He also plays his bass in a great way–lots of reverb and pedals and often playing high on the neck creating a sound that doesn’t seem to fit what I think of the Melvins’ sound, but which worked really well.  He even had a few solos (nice fuzzy, grooving solos)

And then there was Buzz Osbourne (King Buzzo).  He was on the far side of the stage so I couldn’t see him all that well. He was wearing what I guess was a caftan with interesting symbols all over it (eyes mostly).  He looked like a wizard, but with his giant head of hair instead of a beard.

He sounded great and after a couple of songs, everything about the band won me over.

Turns out they played a bunch of songs from Bullhead and then played a couple of other songs (none more recent than 2006, before McDonald had joined them).  McDonald sang the lead vocals on “A History of Bad Men,” and that let Buzz stomp around the stage and come over to our side briefly.

I really enjoyed the sound of Buzz’s guitar and a few times he played some wicked solos.

After a few more songs from the Bullhead era [and for whatever reason they don’t seem to be playing “If I Had an Exorcism” from Bullhead], they started playing “Boris.”  Despite this being the song that Boris got their name from, it’s not a song I know very well.  It is probably the Melvins song I know best, so it was fun hearing them play it.   It’s 8 minutes long, the riff doesn’t change much and it was pretty spectacular.   I was especially delighted to be able to watch Buzz clearly as he sang “Boris knows and Boris likes it all.”

Half way through the song, both Coady and Stephen left the song while Buzz kept playing the guitar riff.  And then Buzz played the end of the song quietly while he whisper sang the final words.

When he left the stage, he stopped a few times as he walked across to pause and bow to the folks who couldn’t see him that well.  And then they were gone.

I’m not sure if I need to see them again, but I’m glad I did.

1. Ligature ψ
2. Your Blessened ψ
3. It’s Shoved ψ
4. Anaconda ψ
5. Zodiac ψ
6. Cow ψ
7. A History of Bad Men Æ
8. Honey Bucket Θ
9. Revolve ∀
10. Night Goat Θ
11. Boris ψ

ψ Bullhead (1991)
Θ Houdini (1993)
Æ A Senile Animal (2006)
∀ Stoner Witch (1994)