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.
Flex With You
Melvins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Its rifle down my back
It lives around my bones
Cast awaits the will
Infiltrate the soul
It keeps me feeling small
The lyrics of Melvins' song "Flex With You" are open to interpretation, but one possible explanation is that the air is a metaphor for the pressures of society, constantly weighing down on the singer's back and affecting their spirit. The phrase "rifle down my back" could suggest a sense of being hunted or persecuted, while "cast" and "infiltrate" could refer to the ways in which society molds and shapes us to fit certain expectations. The line "it keeps me feeling small" suggests a sense of powerlessness or insignificance in the face of these pressures.
Another possible interpretation is that the song is about addiction or dependency. The "rifle" could represent the substance (or behavior) that the singer is addicted to, while "cast" and "infiltrate" could represent the way in which addiction takes over one's life and identity. The line "it keeps me feeling small" could reflect a sense of shame or inadequacy that often accompanies addiction. Overall, the lyrics suggest a struggle with external and internal forces that threaten to overwhelm the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
The air will promise me
The environment gives me a sense of expectation
Its rifle down my back
I feel like I'm being hunted or chased
It lives around my bones
The feeling is deeply ingrained in my body
Cast awaits the will
I must decide what direction to take
Infiltrate the soul
The feeling affects my entire being, not just my body
It keeps me feeling small
The feeling makes me feel insignificant and powerless
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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