Melvins
American rock band, pioneers of sludge metal and grunge influence.
The Melvins got their start in 1983 in Montesano, Washington. Their sound blends heavy, slow riffs with experimental styles, and they are considered founders of sludge metal while also shaping alternative metal and grunge. Since 1984, the core duo has been singer/guitarist Buzz Osborne and drummer Dale Crover.
Quick Facts
- Also known as
- The Melvins
- Origin
- Montesano, Washington, U.S.
- Genre
- Sludge metal
- experimental rock
- alternative metal
- grunge
- hardcore punk (early)
- Years active
- 1983–present
- Spinoffs
- Fecal Matter • Nirvana
- Label
- C/Z
- Alchemy
- Boner
- Atlantic
- Amphetamine Reptile
- Man's Ruin
- Ipecac
- Your Choice
- Alternative Tentacles
- Slap-a-Ham
- Current members
- Buzz Osborne
- Dale Crover
- Steven Shane McDonald
- Coady Willis
- Past members
- Mike Dillard
- Matt Lukin
- Lori Black
- Joe Preston
- Mark Deutrom
- Kevin Rutmanis
- Jared Warren
- Trevor Dunn
- Jeff Pinkus
Facts from the source article.
History
The Melvins were formed in early 1983 by Buzz Osborne (guitar, vocals), Matt Lukin (bass), and Mike Dillard (drums), all students at Montesano Jr./Sr. High School. The band took its name from a disliked supervisor at a Thriftway where Osborne worked. Initially playing covers of Jimi Hendrix and the Who, they also began performing fast hardcore punk. Dillard left in 1984 and was replaced by Dale Crover, with rehearsals moving to Crover's parents' house in Aberdeen, Washington. The band then started playing slower, heavier music. In 1985, C/Z Records released Deep Six, featuring four Melvins songs. Their debut EP, Six Songs, was recorded live to two-track at Ironwood Studio in Seattle on February 8, 1986, and released in 1986. Their first full-length album, Gluey Porch Treatments, was recorded at Studio D in Sausalito, California, in October 1986 and released in 1987 on Alchemy Records. Crover played drums with Nirvana on a ten-song demo on January 23, 1988, and later that year Osborne and Crover relocated to San Francisco. Lukin stayed and formed Mudhoney. Lori "Lorax" Black replaced Lukin on bass. The band recorded Ozma in May 1989, produced by Mark Deutrom, who later joined on bass.
Musical style and influences
The Melvins have been described as sludge metal, grunge, experimental rock, alternative metal, and alternative rock, also exploring noise rock, stoner rock, doom metal, dark ambient, noise, jazz-rock, avant-garde music, electroacoustic music, and punk country. Starting as a hardcore punk act, their sound incorporated influences from Flipper, Black Flag, Gang of Four, David Bowie, Roxy Music, the Fugs, Swans, Public Image Ltd, Meat Puppets, Venom, Miles Davis, and the Who. Since the 1990s, they have occasionally touched on electronic music, as on Prick (1994), Colossus of Destiny (1998), Pigs of the Roman Empire (2004) with Lustmord, and Throbbing Jazz Gristle Funk Hits (2023). Though often compared to Black Sabbath, Buzz Osborne has stated his guitar playing is more influenced by Black Flag.
Legacy
The Melvins' sludgy sound influenced grunge music, including Nirvana, Soundgarden, Green River, and many other Seattle bands. They have also influenced artists outside grunge, such as Tool, Mike Patton, Boris (who took their name from a Melvins song), Pig Destroyer, Helmet, Full of Hell, Corey Taylor, Sleep, Earth, Sunn O))), Lamb of God, Mastodon, Neurosis, High on Fire, Baroness, Eyehategod, and Isis. AllMusic wrote that their combination of punk with Black Sabbath influence impacted grunge, alternative metal, doom metal, and stoner rock. In 2017, Metal Injection ranked them number 2 on their list of "10 Heaviest Grunge Bands". In 2025, Jeff Mezydlo of Yardbarker included the band in his list of "20 underrated bands from the 1990s who are worth rediscovering".
Frequently Asked Questions
Which record labels has Melvins released music on?
Melvins has released music on C/Z, Alchemy, Boner, Atlantic, Amphetamine Reptile, Man's Ruin and others.
Who are the current members of Melvins?
The current members of Melvins are listed as Buzz Osborne, Dale Crover, Steven Shane McDonald and Coady Willis.
More in Amphetamine Reptile Records Artists
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