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.
Magic Pig Detective
Melvins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Feels only queen
We'll try for for the one for Anglais
Just makes his deal
'Cause I say, "No! You're mine"
And I'll go on for I feel
I got the cross confusing man, yeah!
I got no more me, Uh!
He's got a voice
A wretched voice indeed
Prosthetic you, waiting to disrobe.
True right, try to shock me
Feeling like a seething head
God looks right through me
This is what you do to me
I see you're a choking hot wheel
Seeing opportunity
Guys done wheel to shark me
He's not me!
We're stuck in cartwheels
Feeling like a perfect nuclear
He's a real meat head
Why?
The lyrics of Melvins's song Magic Pig Detective are difficult to interpret and seem to involve a series of disconnected thoughts and images. The opening lines mention Lo-s o, who seems to be a character in the song, and who doesn't need medication and only feels like a queen. The next line talks about trying for the one for Anglais, which could mean trying to find something or someone. The line "just make his deal" suggests some kind of transaction, perhaps a deal with the devil.
The next lines seem to involve a struggle for control, with the singer saying "No! You're mine" and indicating that they have some kind of power over the other person. The reference to a "cross confusing man" could be interpreted in different ways, but it may suggest a person caught between conflicting loyalties or desires. The singer then declares that they have "no more me" and seems to be surrendering to something.
Line by Line Meaning
Lo-s o needs no medic
Lo-s o doesn't require any medication to feel good
Feels only queen
Lo-s o only cares about feeling like royalty
We'll try for for the one for Anglais
We'll attempt to obtain something for someone named Anglais
Just makes his deal
Anglais only makes deals, nothing else
'Cause I say, "No! You're mine"
The artist is asserting their dominance over someone else
And I'll go on for I feel
The singer will continue to pursue what they want because they desire it
I got the cross confusing man, yeah!
The singer is experiencing confusion and frustration
I got no more me, Uh!
The artist has lost sense of themselves or their identity
'Cause I say you're either ready
The artist is establishing a requirement for readiness
He's got a voice
Someone has a voice
A wretched voice indeed
The voice is unpleasant or pathetic
Prosthetic you, waiting to disrobe.
A fake version of yourself is waiting to be revealed
True right, try to shock me
The singer challenges someone to try and shock them
Feeling like a seething head
The singer is feeling like their head is boiling with anger
God looks right through me
The singer feels invisible or unnoticed by a higher power
This is what you do to me
The artist is blaming someone else for how they feel
I see you're a choking hot wheel
The artist sees someone else as a suffocating or overwhelming force
Seeing opportunity
The singer is looking for a chance to take advantage of something
Guys done wheel to shark me
Someone is trying to take advantage of the singer
He's not me!
The artist is distinguishing themselves from another person
We're stuck in cartwheels
The artist feels trapped or stagnant
Feeling like a perfect nuclear
The artist feels extremely powerful or explosive
He's a real meat head
The singer sees someone else as stupid or simple-minded
Why?
The artist is asking why something is happening or being done
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROGER OSBOURNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind