The Melvins Go “Stag” - King Buzzo: Grunge Godfather

by Brett Dupree

The earth rumbles like you're sitting at a stoplight next to a Harley-Davidson, and feedback blisters your eardrums with the pitch of a screaming infant. A guttural voice rises above the volcanic rhythms as if possessed by the tortured souls of the undead. You are listening to the new Melvins record.

“Stag” is the third offering from the heavy trio on Atlantic Records. Few would have ever believed this band would land on a major label, but the move has produced some of the greatest sounding albums in their long career, and they're quite happy to be there. However, The Melvins have taken their share of criticism for leaving the cool land of indie labels. Buzz Osborne (a.k.a. King Buzzo) retorts, "I like being on a major label, I like putting records out on a major label, and I've never understood people bitching about major labels. I've only ever been ripped off by an independent label. Majors have a different set of problems, but they pay their bills. The major label goes, 'Here's tens of thousands of dollars to make a record, Buzz.' Why on earth would I want to go back to an independent and hear, 'Well, we'll pay whatever it is you're making your record for, but make sure it's as cheap as possible.' That's bullshit. I want to spend a lot of money on records, and a lot of money for a Melvins record, in the grand scheme of major label records, isn't that much. For us to spend $40,000 on a record is an enormous amount of money, you know. If people judge their music by what label its own, then they are absolutely total morons that I have nothing to do with. I have nothing in common with them, and want nothing to do with them."

The Melvins have long been associated with the Seattle sound, and although they have friends among those bands, Buzz says, "I've never really felt part of any 'scene' like the Seattle thing. I'd rather be viewed on my own merits, however I would be a fool to say that the whole Seattle thing hasn't helped us. I like that. I think that people who think we have anything in common with those bands haven't listened to our albums or theirs. Well, they've probably listened to theirs, but they certainly haven't listened to ours. All they've done is read press clippings." What the Melvins did mean to the early Seattle scene was a great deal of influence, as part-time producer on “Houdini” Kurt Cobain readily admitted.

The other two Atlantic offerings by The Melvins have been sludge masterpieces, with the sonic consistency of molasses, a Guinness Extra Stout or better yet, a stiff shot of Jagermeister. “Stag” is comparable to those in spots, but goes down more like a shot of Everclear. It burns really bad, but the after-effect is great. Everything was thrown into the mix on “Stag.” On "The Bit" which opens the record, "that's an actual sitar that our drummer Dale was playing. He was messing around with it in the studio and figured out how to do it," says Osborne. All the songs were run together to give some sort of twisted continuity that Buzzo used to hear on his own favorite records. He expounds, "You know how when you listen to Queen's “Sheer Heart Attack,” how it runs together? I really admire that. That's like the real way of doing it, and ours is the punk rock way."

This summer, The Melvins will be along with the highly criticized Lollapalooza festival. According to Buzz, the band is "always willing to try anything, especially for the weirdness factor alone." With Stone Temple Pilots off the KISS reunion tour, it appears as though The Melvins may get the nod as opener, but they haven't received confirmation yet on the gig. Quite frankly, they're not looking to write the next pop anthem. Buzz says, "I think it's up to these bands now that have sold a lot of records to start pushing the envelope, really doing something that's wacked. Now you've got a nice little nest egg, let's see what else you can do. F*ck it up a bit. I think its their job to do that. I think it's my job to do that. I don't care what people think." That is exactly what makes them The Melvins.