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.
Lovely Butterflies
Melvins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Have you cut with all three knives?
Sing light for empty sweet
Lovely butterflies
Have you ever only eaten what's alive?
Cut the thing down for meat?
Skin cooked up for the hive
I have a belly full of pride
Crawling through my intestine
Gristle thick and pork chop rot time
The lovely butterflies
The lyrics of Melvins' song "Lovely Butterflies" are filled with vivid and disturbing imagery. The song seems to be a commentary on the brutal and violent nature of human beings who mercilessly kill animals for meat. The opening lines suggest the viciousness of human nature when it comes to killing animals for food. The "three knives" reference refers to different ways of slaughtering animals. This portrays a cruel and inhumane way of killing, highlighting our violent tendencies. The next line speaks of singing light for empty sweet and referring to butterfiles in a sarcastic tone which could be interpreted as mocking the idea of humans being gentle or caring with nature.
The following lines elaborate on the gruesome process that takes place when an animal is killed and skinned, and the meat is cooked on the inside. The rawness of the lyrics creates a visceral experience for the listener, as the imagery depicted is very graphic.
Line by Line Meaning
Nasty nature for meat
Do you have the cruel intention of killing animals only for their meat?
Have you cut with all three knives?
Have you thoroughly dissected and prepared the meat for consumption?
Sing light for empty sweet
Do you fake the joy of consuming empty, unhealthy food and justify it with songs of happiness?
Lovely butterflies
Refers to the misleading and attractive facade of unhealthy food, which is compared here with the beautiful appearance of butterflies.
Have you ever only eaten what's alive?
Have you ever had the chance to consume fresh and alive food instead of dead meat?
Cut the thing down for meat?
Did you have the remorseful feeling of killing a living being to satisfy your hunger?
Skin cooked up for the hive
Refers to the colonization of our tastes by the food industry who shapes our desires to their liking.
Cooked on the inside
Refers to the false notion that cooked meat carries less bacteria, while in reality, cooking only kills surface bacteria, leaving the inside still riddled with germs.
I have a belly full of pride
Refers to the feeling of superiority some people have due to their dietary choices and the associated self-esteem boost.
Crawling through my intestine
Refers to the fact that unhealthy food can have adverse effects on our digestive system, leading to discomfort and disgust.
Gristle thick and pork chop rot time
Refers to the negative consequences of consuming too much unhealthy food, including weight gain, increased cholesterol, and other illnesses.
The lovely butterflies
Reiterates the deceptive and cunning nature of the unhealthy food industry.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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