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.
Up The Dumper
Melvins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I won't deny
I won't let that heart mend me
It won't be long now
I'm still wanting you all
I can't believe
In love and bad dead guys
Holding me high
It won't be long till I'm holding you more distant
And I've got the first of all
Of your medic kill
Time for the bell
And your faulty star milieu
Give you my heart
Cross lines with a file on you
It won't be long till I'm holding you more distant
And I've got the first of all
Of your medic kill
The lyrics to Melvins' song "Up The Dumper" seem to revolve around the themes of love and heartbreak. The opening lines, "At least then I'm all rested, I won't deny," suggest that the singer has taken some time to rest and recover from a broken heart. However, the line "I won't let that heart mend me" implies that they are not quite ready to move on from their previous love.
The song goes on to describe the singer's continued desire for their former lover, "I'm still wanting you all, I can't believe," and the pain they feel when they see them laughing with others. Despite this, the singer seems resigned to the idea that they will never be able to fully have their love returned, "It won't be long till I'm holding you more distant."
The final lines of the song are somewhat ambiguous, "And I've got the first of all, of your medic kill." This could either suggest that the singer has come to terms with the end of the relationship and is moving on, or that they are using their former love's pain to fuel their own revenge.
Overall, the lyrics to "Up The Dumper" are somewhat cryptic and can be interpreted in a few different ways, but they seem to showcase some of the raw emotions that come with a difficult breakup.
Line by Line Meaning
At least then I'm all rested
I'm at peace, at least for now.
I won't deny
I admit that I still love and want you.
I won't let that heart mend me
I won't let my broken heart recover and move on from you.
It won't be long now
I know that it's only a matter of time until we're separated.
I'm still wanting you all
I still want and need you completely.
I can't believe
I can't accept the fact that you won't be mine forever.
In love and bad dead guys
In all the love and tragedy I've experienced, I'm still hung up on you.
Holding me high
I'm still on a pedestal, being held up by my feelings for you.
You stand there all laughing
You're oblivious to my heartache, unaffected and uncaring.
It won't be long till I'm holding you more distant
Soon, I'll be forced to push you away and distance myself from you.
And I've got the first of all
I'm the one in control, making the first move.
Of your medic kill
I'm taking your words and actions as medicine, a form of permanent separation.
Time for the bell
It's time for this relationship to end, to move on from this toxicity.
And your faulty star milieu
Your negative influence and aura have been toxic to me and my life.
Give you my heart
I gave you everything, yet you still left me broken and alone.
Cross lines with a file on you
I'm cutting off all ties and lines that connect me to you.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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