In the early days of their career their dark, heavy, oppressively slow sound made them innovators of genres like sludge, grunge, and doom metal. The Melvins' music is influenced by Flipper, Black Flag's My War-era hardcore punk and Black Sabbath-style heavy metal, but their idiosyncratic approach, bizarre sense of humor, and experimentation make neat categorization difficult. Singer/guitarist Buzz Osborne (aka "King Buzzo") and drummer Dale Crover are constant members while several bass guitarists have cycled through the group. The Melvins usually performed as a trio until 2006 when two members of Big Business became permanent members of the band.
The band was named after a grocery clerk at the Thriftway in Montesano, Washington where Osborne was employed. Melvin was the most-hated fellow employee and the band felt it to be an appropriate name. Like SF noisenik predecessors Flipper, their love of slow tempos and sludgy sound were a strong influence on grunge music, especially Nirvana and many other bands from Seattle. Their protegés, however, tended to use more conventional musical structures with this sound.
Though the group has received mostly positive critical notice, Crover's drumming has been especially praised; Patrick Kennedy describes his work as "astonishing, powerful, and daring."
While never finding and most likely never even seeking great mainstream success, the Melvins maintain an impressive schedule of new albums and tours, including a collaboration with Fantômas in The Fantômas Melvins Big Band, two releases with former Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra, and in 2004 the Melvins collaborated with ambient artist Lustmord for Pigs of the Roman Empire. In appreciation of their devoted fans, the Melvins have released various collectables through the years that have included two-headed dolls, an eight-track tape, and a plastic fetus in a jar.
Fellow Aberdeen resident Kurt Cobain (a good friend of Crover) was a huge Melvins fan and helped them transport their equipment to a few shows. Cobain also auditioned to join the band on bass, but he didn't make it, reportedly because he was so nervous that he forgot all the songs. Cobain maintained his relation with the band. Later he produced and played on some songs (guitar on "Sky Pup", percussion on "Spread Eagle Beagle") on the band's major label debut, Houdini. Dale Crover is also attributed as playing on the Nirvana debut album, Bleach, and on "Incesticide". In addition, Dave Grohl (ex-drummer for Nirvana) co-wrote and played drums for Isabella on Buzzo's Melvins solo album, King Buzzo.
Cranky Messiah
Melvins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Its prophecy sealed
Wafer wise come dancing
Caged and small in its cavity
But I can feel your heart beat
Its shape in my hand
Pounded air patterns convey messages
You're the brother sent to the brother soul yet
The lyrics of Melvins' song Cranky Messiah depict a sense of confinement and restriction, as represented by the image of a caged and small cavity, possibly indicating the struggle of being trapped and limited within circumstances beyond one's control. However, despite this restriction, the song conveys a sense of hope and connectivity through the lines "pounded air patterns convey messages" and "you're the brother sent to the brother soul yet". These suggest that even in the face of isolation, there is still a possibility of communication and reaching out to others. The lyrics also touch on the theme of emotional pain, particularly with the line "but my wounds don't heal", further emphasizing the struggle of dealing with inner turmoil and trauma.
Overall, Cranky Messiah conveys a sense of tension and a desire for release from emotional and physical confinement. Through its poetic lyrics, the song expresses a sense of emotional depth and introspection, highlighting the complexities of human experience and the search for connection and healing.
Line by Line Meaning
Lip tight
The person is keeping their lips tightly shut, possibly indicating a sense of secrecy or holding back from speaking.
Its prophecy sealed
The prediction or message is kept hidden or secret and cannot be accessed.
Wafer wise come dancing
The message or prediction, represented by a wafer (a thin, crispy cake or bread), is moving or dancing in a graceful manner.
Caged and small in its cavity
The message or prediction is constrained like a bird in a cage, and its space or location is limited.
But I can feel your heart beat
Despite the hidden message, the person still has a sense of connection or empathy with the messenger, possibly indicating a strong emotional bond.
Its shape in my hand
The message or prediction is tangible and held or possessed by the person.
Pounded air patterns convey messages
Sound waves or vibrations (air patterns) carry the message or prediction to the person, possibly indicating a sense of mystery or supernatural communication.
You're the brother sent to the brother soul yet
The messenger is described as a brother sent to someone with a similar soul or disposition, indicating a sense of familiarity or similarity.
But my wounds don't heal
Despite the message, the person is still suffering or wounded, possibly indicating a sense of desperation or unfulfilled hope.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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