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.
The ANti-Vermin Seed
Melvins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd put them all to sleep
That would not be wrong
For either you
Or what it is we see
Somewhere there's a king
Who keeps his days for forgiving
Everyone
An anti-vermin seed
That I won't ever need
Only for real
Will we all pretend
It's over now?
Over my hand
I remember doll
And what'd it do to them
And when you search your soul
You had better damn well tell green from gold
And when I look for home
If it's in my head
I'd say it's a bargain
The Melvins’s song “The Anti-Vermin Seed” contains lyrics that are both vivid and cryptic. The opening lines, “If I could get the nerve and move, I’d put them all to sleep,” set a dark and ominous tone. The singer seems to suggest that he would be willing to kill in order to achieve his goals. However, he then asks whether it would be wrong, which suggests that there is some internal conflict or moral ambiguity involved.
Later in the song, the singer refers to an “anti-vermin seed” that he would like to hold on to. This phrase is not immediately clear, but it seems to suggest that the singer is searching for some kind of protection or defense against negative forces in his life. He also talks about a “king” who forgives everyone, which could be interpreted in a religious or spiritual context.
Overall, the lyrics to “The Anti-Vermin Seed” are open to interpretation, but they convey a sense of unease and uncertainty. The singer is grappling with complex issues of morality and purpose, while also seeking some kind of refuge or sanctuary.
Line by Line Meaning
If I could get the nerve and move
If I could summon the courage and motivation to act
I'd put them all to sleep
I would render them unconscious, metaphorically or literally
That would not be wrong
It wouldn't be morally unjustifiable
For either you
For anyone or anything
Or what it is we see
Or for the perceptions of reality that we have
Somewhere there's a king
There exists some higher power or authority
Who keeps his days for forgiving
Who reserves their time for offering forgiveness
Everyone
All entities, without exception
If I could hold one thing
If I could possess one item
An anti-vermin seed
A hypothetical object that can eradicate undesirable elements
That I won't ever need
That I hope I'll never have to use
Only for real
Only in the most serious of circumstances
Will we all pretend
In most other situations, we'll likely feign ignorance or disregard
It's over now?
Is the ordeal finally finished?
Over my hand
Passed across my physical being or control
I remember doll
I recall an object, likely a toy or figurine
And what'd it do to them
And how the object affected other people or entities
And when you search your soul
And when you introspect or reflect deeply on your innermost self
You had better damn well tell green from gold
You ought to accurately differentiate between what is valuable and what is not
And when I look for home
And when I search for a sense of belonging or comfort
If it's in my head
If it is only a mental construct or fantasy of mine
I'd say it's a bargain
I would consider it a good deal or worthwhile endeavor
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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