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.
Operation Blessing
Melvins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is a type of insanity
It's about one whole bunch
Some people who get stamped
I take that as a yes
Give it to me
We gonna stick on your privacy
Slept calm
The lyrics in Melvins's song Operation Blessing seem to be commenting on the idea of using morality as a justification for certain actions. The opening line, "founding on morality is a type of insanity," suggests that relying solely on moral principles to make decisions may not always lead to rational choices. The following lines "it's about one whole bunch / some people who get stamped" could be interpreted as the consequences of collective moral thinking - some people may get "stamped" or marked as wrongdoers because they don't conform to the group's moral standards.
The final lines of the song, "I take that as a yes / give it to me / we gonna stick on your privacy / slept calm," are a bit more cryptic. It could be interpreted as someone requesting permission to invade another's privacy or cross a boundary, and then feeling satisfied or at ease after doing so. Overall, the lyrics in Operation Blessing seem to be questioning the idea of morality as a justification for certain actions, and the potential consequences of group thinking and conformity.
Line by Line Meaning
founding on morality
Basing actions solely on what is considered morally right by society.
is a type of insanity
This behavior may seem crazy or illogical to some people.
it's about one whole bunch
This situation involves a large group of people rather than just one individual.
some people who get stamped
Certain individuals are marked or labeled in a negative way.
I take that as a yes
The artist assumes the response to a previous question was affirmative.
give it to me
The singer demands to be given something.
we gonna stick on your privacy
The singer and others will intrude upon the privacy of the individual or group being addressed.
slept calm
The artist is relaxed and untroubled about the actions being taken.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@joeyjo-joshabadu9636
The moral of the story is no matter how fast you or how slow you are, Melvins will still kick your ass.
@prinznevsky
it's so cool that the melvins started out faster than everyone, and became slower than everyone
@bongeggs
this is one of my top 3 favorite Melvins songs
@shaft9000
This cut invented and remains the sole inhabitant of the Surrealist Hardcore idiom
I still don't know what's going on here 25+ yrs after 1st hearing this, and it's perfect that way
@Gi1BrO
real hardcore punk
@straggletag13
Goddam!!!! They can be viscious when they want to!!!
@criminyjimjims
lol, I now hear where all this Venom influence comes in XD
@shocxxxx
really real real post hardcore pre sludge grunge modern punk nu-metal heavy rock
@grimmcalypso396
Rawk and Rohl!!!
@Msbeforethenight
fuckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!