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.
Goggles /Sweet Willy Rollbar
Melvins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like I sold your way
You make a mold of me
Shake it, like it yesterday
Life without your smile I can free your tail right?
I got a motor ready so ready I
I got a motive so that I don't.
The lyrics of Melvins's song Sweet Willy Rollbar are quite cryptic and open to various interpretations. The opening lines "Seeing ready chee like I sold your way" possibly depict a situation where the singer sees a person they sold something to and feel like they got the better end of the deal. "You make a mold of me, shake it like it yesterday" might denote the idea of someone trying to imitate or copy the singer, but failing miserably since they are shaking the mold. Tellingly, there's a reference to a smile that the singer misses - "Life without your smile I can free your tail right?" - which suggests a sense of loss or longing for someone dearly missed.
Line by Line Meaning
Seeing ready chee
Looking at someone who is ready to go, ready to take action
Like I sold your way
Like I convinced you to do something my way
You make a mold of me
You try to shape me into something you want me to be
Shake it, like it yesterday
Expose it, show it off like it's from yesterday
Life without your smile I can free your tail right?
If you're not happy, I can help you get away from your problems
I got a motor ready so ready I
I have a powerful force that's ready to go
I got a motive so that I don't.
I have a reason for my actions, so I don't act impulsively
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROGER OSBOURNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Melvin VR
RIP Bud
Stravell Wood
Holy shitballs! Bambino and Melvins. Epic beyond anything and everything. The genius mind that combined this footage with Sweet Willy Rollbar thundering along with it, should be recognized and applauded. I can't stop watching this!
purorock y agüita
I make and uploaded this video 9 years ago and they don't have any Dislike
IUKC
never thought I'd see this crossover. Absolute perfection 👌
ma_cosa_ne_so
This is a masterpiece
fabio saccoccia
grande bud spencer con la musica dei melvins, geniale ottimo montaggio!
Youreallygotmenow !
This is pure genius!
Yan
jajajaja... buenísimo... a mi también a veces me dan ganas de hacer eso XD
xfremenx
Love it!
Chris Herbeck
Best vid ever!!! I love the fake shakey cam effect!!