The Melvins are a sludge metal band that formed in Montesano, Washington, U… Read Full Bio ↴The Melvins are a sludge metal band that formed in Montesano, Washington, United States in 1983. The band currently consists of Buzz Osborne (vocals, guitar), Steven Shane McDonald (bass), and Dale Crover (drums). Osborne is the only remaining original member, although Crover has been a member since early in the band's career.

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.

It's Shoved
Melvins Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

For the love maze for me to show you
Look show
Can't even hand write
I got somethin'
You got holy doll
I'm a leather man
Guarantee
Then when we caught a big pack of bad cats

Always raising paws
Always chucking tails
Kiss that little head
Make 'em demohol

Eat some Petromalt
So they see

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Melvins' "It's Shoved" are cryptic and open to interpretation, with abstract imagery and fleeting references that create a sense of disorientation. The opening lines, "For the love maze for me to show you, look show, can't even hand write, I got somethin'," suggest a sense of urgency and desire, with the singer attempting to communicate a message that is difficult to articulate in a traditional sense. The line "You got holy doll, I'm a leather man" creates a juxtaposition between innocence and deviance, with the singer implying a contrast in their own identity.

The next lines shift to a different scenario, with a group of "bad cats" being described as "always raising paws, always chucking tails." This creates a sense of danger and unpredictability, which is contrasted with the image of "kissing that little head" and "making 'em demohol," which could be interpreted as a way to pacify or control the feral cats. Finally, the last line "Eat some Petromalt so they see" is also open to interpretation, but could be interpreted as a reference to a cat laxative that helps promote healthy digestion.

Overall, the lyrics to "It's Shoved" create a surreal and unsettling atmosphere, with jarring shifts in tone and imagery. The song's meaning is left open to interpretation, with the listener left to make sense of the scattered pieces of language.

Line by Line Meaning

For the love maze for me to show you
I want to demonstrate to you, through a complex and intricate path, the love I have for you

Look show
I want you to witness and pay attention

Can't even hand write
I am unable to express myself through traditional means like writing

I got somethin'
I have a special idea or proposal

You got holy doll
You possess something unique and possibly sacred to you

I'm a leather man
I am a tough and resilient individual

Guarantee
I can assure you of something with complete confidence

Then when we caught a big pack of bad cats
If we encounter a group of troublemakers or rebels

Always raising paws
They are always ready for a fight or confrontation

Always chucking tails
They are always on the move or running away

Kiss that little head
I want to show love and affection to someone who may seem weak or vulnerable