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.
Happy Grey or Black
Melvins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You took your fears away
Never inside
You're black
Join, join, join, join the reins
Never inside
Touch gray or black
Your eyes bulge, your lips swell
Gaze into my open soul
Lick it clean, lick
And feel
Your
interpretation of "Happy Gray Or Black" is that it is an expression of darkness, fear, and uncertainty. The lyrics "We're black" and "You're black" suggest that the singer and the subject are in a state of darkness, which may symbolize depression, sadness, or emptiness. The repetition of "Never inside" suggests that they are trying to escape something within them that they cannot face.
The lyrics "Touch gray or black and feel" may mean that they are trying to confront their fear and uncertainty, but the experience is overwhelming. The imagery of "eyes bulge, your lips swell" and "Gaze into my open soul" suggests the intense discomfort and vulnerability that comes with facing one's deepest fears. The lines "Lick it clean, lick and feel" may suggest that the singer is encouraging the subject to fully embrace their darkness and not shy away from their deepest feelings.
Overall, "Happy Gray Or Black" seems to be a commentary on the struggles of confronting one's own darkness and the anxiety and fear that come with that process.
Line by Line Meaning
We're black
We embrace the darkness and all that it represents
You took your fears away
You have overcome your fears and gained the strength to face the darkness
Never inside
We have never been confined by societal norms or expectations
You're black
You have also embraced the darkness and all that it represents
Join, join, join, join the reins
Come and join us in taking control of our own destiny
Never inside
We have always been true to ourselves and our dark nature
Touch gray or black
Experience the darkness for yourself
And feel
Open yourself up to the sensations it brings
Your eyes bulge, your lips swell
The intensity of the experience is overwhelming
Gaze into my open soul
Look deep within yourself and embrace the darkness within
Lick it clean, lick
Cleanse yourself of any resistance or denial by fully embracing the darkness
And feel
Allow yourself to fully feel the sensations it brings
Your tongue tingle, your heart race
The physical and emotional response to embracing the darkness is intense
Become one with the darkness
Fully embrace the darkness and let it become a part of who you are
Touch gray or black
Experience the darkness for yourself
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Wenander
What great setlist, really fun I never heard any of these covers
G. Matthews
Look at the lineups for those shows. Holy cats.
bongeggs
Dale was a senior in HS
sorlag110
And a pioneer too, with his caveman-esque beating of the drums yet extremely skillfull fills and rhythms he laid the blueprint of what drums sounds like in what later became known as sludge
Skeevy Steve
And already among the elite of his craft....incredible
OGGOAT_ _
GRUNGE
O0
Buzz with mustache