The Melvins aren't for everyone. Does that mean the duo of Buzz Osborne and Dale Crover – flanked by longtime Red Kross bassist Steven McDonald – haven’t carved out a niche in this world? No way. But if you’re expecting the Melvins to ring in as commercial darlings, you’d be sorely disappointed. Does that mean they care? Not a chance.
“It’s not like we’re trying not to sell records,” Osborne says. “That’s just how it worked out for us. I’ve learned that the world’s not a right place. We don’t bother trying to sell records; we do whatever the fuck we’re doing. And even if that doesn’t work, all is well. It’s better to stick with what you like without letting the perverse thinking of others influence what you do.”
True to form, the Melvins’ latest effort, Bad Mood Rising, is an unholy amalgamation of their diverse influences. Like most of their releases, it’s gloriously uneven, battering listeners’ psyches to within an inch of their patience, only to gleefully shift gears once more.
“It’s just business as usual for us,” Osborne says. “We have no reason for why we do the things we do. The basic song structures are rehearsed, but my solos are whatever I feel at the moment. I’m not interested in following rigid structures.
“But these songs all seemed to fit together; you’ve got a crazy long one like Mr. Dog Is Totally Right, and then probably the catchiest song we’ve ever done, Hammering. And for those who think I hate pop music, Hammering is my favorite. So you all can keep trying to figure us out.”
We’ve never given a shit about what people think. If we did, we wouldn’t operate the way we do
Osborne’s mindset as an anti-conformist warrior within rock and metal is hard-earned through years of battle. With that in mind, listeners just hopping on the bandwagon might be surprised to find out that in the ’90s, the Melvins were Atlantic Records’ answer to their grunge-steeped prayers.
“We thought Atlantic would take one album from us, hate it and be done,” Osborne says. “But they did three, which is still surprising to us. People told us they were surprised, but trust me, no-one was more surprised than us. But it’s not as if we thought we’d sell millions of records. We considered it a sideroad, and we hoped we would come out in a better position than before. It’s hard to say if that is the case or not.”
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In the years since, Osborne and his cohorts have unintentionally done everything in their power to buck the stigma of “grunge”. But it’s a tough sell because new fans seem to be perpetually drawn to Atlantic-era records like 1994’s Stoner Witch, 1993’s Houdini and 1996’s Stag. Tougher still, some seem to have a difficult time digesting challenging records like Bad Mood Rising.
“We’ve never given a shit about what people think,” Osborne says. “If we did, we wouldn’t operate the way we do. We make the music we want to make. People can think whatever they want, right? Lots of people have tons of stupid opinions without having any concept of what we do. That’s okay. I can’t help that. There is no accounting for stupidity. Why the fuck would I try and argue with ignorance?”
Even with a cult fanbase that packs theaters and scoops up their offbeat releases, there’s no denying the Melvins’ road has been more grueling than some of their contemporaries. But if you think the Melvins harbor regrets, Osborne kicks that notion square in the teeth.
“We did not pursue major labels; they pursued us,” he says. “And we still do not pursue labels, so nothing has changed. We’ve dealt with a lot of dumb shit-eating morons in this business. And plenty of bands from that ’90s era begged labels to help them sound commercial and sell records. That was never us.
“Atlantic left us alone; I don’t know why, but fuck, we delivered. I’d sign on for those terms again in a heartbeat. We charted our course, and we’ve followed it from the very beginning.”
People ask how Dale and I have made it work for so long, and that’s simple, too: it comes down to trust and understanding. I don’t trust him, and he doesn’t understand me
With yet another record unleashed unto the masses in Bad Mood Rising, it seems that the Melvins aren’t stopping anytime soon. Moreover, with the band’s 40th anniversary coming up this year, the skinny on metal’s indie darlings seems simple: they’re going to live out their wildest dreams via “weird rock music”.
“People wonder how we’re still here,” Osborne says. “The simple answer is we never stopped. People ask how Dale and I have made it work for so long, and that’s simple, too: it comes down to trust and understanding. I don’t trust him, and he doesn’t understand me.
“But look, we never took a break; we’ve been working the whole time. We didn’t pack it in as most bands did, and we’re dedicated daily to what we do. We’re proud of that. I’m invigorated by the fact that this still works and that I wasn’t wrong in my vision. I’ll stop when I don’t feel like doing it anymore or when no-one cares. You can let us know when that is.”
- Bad Mood Rising is out now via Ipecac.
