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.
Heater Moves & Eyes
Melvins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You were the best thing in my life and now
Heater moves much more than my heart
And stops without a word
Mouths full of your face and truth
And I've been waiting for a pin like you
I waited and seated a year of truce
Your scowl was allowed
But you are in love
The lyrics to Melvins’s song Heater Moves & Eyes is a melancholic reflection on love and what happens when it fails. The opening lines “Problem mines burning holes through my walls” sets the mood, with the singer feeling as though they are under attack from all angles. The song touches on the idea that love can be both the best thing and the most painful thing in someone’s life, and how the absence of that love can cause a sort of internal destruction.
The line “Heater moves much more than my heart/ And stops without a word” can be interpreted as the lack of warmth and passion in the singer's life. It also speaks to the sudden and abrupt ending of a once-burning love. Additionally, the phrase “Mouths full of your face and truth” implies that there is a level of vulnerability and honesty in their feelings, which makes the loss of that love even harder. The lyric “Your scowl was allowed/ You were in love/ But you are in love” suggests that the singer has moved on and, in hindsight, can see the flaws in the relationship they once cherished.
Overall, the song seems to be conveying the idea that love and loss can change a person, whether for better or for worse, and it’s up to them to decide how to move forward. It's a beautiful yet haunting observation on the human condition, with all its complexities and contradictions.
Line by Line Meaning
Problem mines burnin' holes through my walls
I'm dealing with significant issues that are affecting me and my surroundings.
You were the best thing in my life and now
You were once the most valuable person to me, but not anymore.
Heater moves much more than my heart
The heater in my room is more active and lively than my emotions.
And stops without a word
My feelings come to a halt without any explanation or notice.
Mouths full of your face and truth
I have a lot to say about you, both good and bad.
And I've been waiting for a pin like you
I've been waiting for someone like you to come along.
I waited and seated a year of truce
I waited patiently in a time of peace.
Your scowl was allowed
Even your frown was acceptable and appreciated.
You were in love
You were once in love with someone or something.
But you are in love
You are currently in love with someone or something.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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