Mark Deutrom interview

[bUTTHOLEmAN]

http://www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be/en/interviews/mark-deutrom-clown-alley-the-melvins-2019/

...Victor and you produced their debut «Gluey Porch Treatments” – could you please tell me when you met these guys for the first time and what do you remember about your work on the record ?

Well, actually it was Victor who first saw the band…he had some business interests or connections or friends in Seattle area. Victor would go there and I was never really sure what he did up there.. ( laughs ). He was kind of a mysterious person in many ways. So he went up there in…maybe 1985…and saw a couple of Melvins gigs. He came back and was talking about that. He was very impressed with just what they were doing, and how they were deconstructing the punk and rock thing. As Victor was an artist he’d speak in those kind of terms. Art terms and music terms. I understood what he was talking about anyway. I think he had their tape or record…because they’d made something – single or something like that. So he had that and we listened to it together. I thought it could be really interesting to do. Victor said: “Yes, let’s do this!” and I liked the way it sounded. I thought we could make a good sounding record. They decided to come down to San Francisco to do that. I think, they sent us a tape with what they wanted to record, and they drove all the way down from Seattle, which is a long way ! They were exhausted and it was interesting to meet them. Actually, the picture – the photograph on the back on “Gluey Porch Treatments” album is a picture that I took of them in my house in San Francisco, probably, about an hour after meeting them. They came to my house and I said: “Stand up against the wall” and I took that photograph of them. They had just driven from Seattle and that’s the photograph that’s on «Gluey Porch” album.

[jules]

That's a really interesting read, cheers!

[sadcorps]

Great interview. Love Mark D.

[AxelFoley]

Absolutely, he's such a nice guy. What a legend.

[black stallion]

pure legend, thanks for posting this interview. on a related note, I'm not surprised he wrote half of the Honky material. also nice to hear  the Alchemy guy was Beefheart cousin.

[meezer]

 

[black stallion]

 

[bUTTHOLEmAN]

Q/A with Mark on the melvins facebook:

Benjamin Anderson What’s your favorite childhood toy?

Mark Deutrom Tears.

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Zachary Horn What’s your favourite hat? 🎩 🧢 🤠

Butch Smith I wonder if he still wears his bowler hat? 🧐

Mark Deutrom Chopped Texas hatters custom whiskey color with a pencil roll. Never had a bowler...it's a Derby from The Hat Store in Houston.

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Butch Smith Any stories about working with Greg dark? Any plans for a bellringer tour in the states? Any stories about working with sunn? Open to working with the melvins in the future?

Robyn Yeaman Butch Smith he'll never work with the melvins again. Ever.

Mark Deutrom Can't reveal ANYTHING about GA/SOMA...a blood pact exists. Bellringer just toured the west. Hopefully this fall in the eastern US. What is this Melvins thing people keep mentioning ? 🤡👏🧟‍♀️ I just can't say anything about anything...😘

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Carly Rashelle Allman Spit or swallow.

Mark Deutrom This requires a personal consultation. 💣🤡

Carly Rashelle Allman Mark Deutrom atta girl!

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Justinian Isham there isn't even a question of if. you could just go on his Facebook and ask him questions. he's probably reading this thread.

Mark Deutrom You could, but this is more fun...☠️

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Matt Haug Is it true that Buzz is a furry? And what were sleeping arrangements on the road?

Mark Deutrom Yes, and no sleep. Just speed and magazines.😀

Matt Haug LOL

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David Smith What kind of Rolls did you buy with the profits from Gluey Porch Treatments?

Mark Deutrom Cinnamon rolls (2).😘

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Dan Mathewson Why did you refuse to be interviewed for The Colossus of Destiny?

Ignacio Soto Aravena That's a good one.

Mark Deutrom I didn't refuse...they just failed to talk me into it ! Actually I had a secret agreement with Lori. She didn't want to, so I didn't either. (true) 👎🗿

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Mitchell Haag Who's mark ?

Mark Deutrom I'm calling my therapist right now to get to the bottom of that.😢

Mitchell Haag Mark Deutrom good luck !

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Charles Erickson I seen you a few times with the melvins , amazing shows, any memorys you care to share of the tour with rob zombie?~) /trollbait

Mark Deutrom He seems to be particular about keeping a consistent and uniform tan, and also doesn't like to be viewed from the stage by the opening acts at more than a 35 degree angle. 👍

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Buck Turgidson Why are you the only bassist to also play guitar, would you be tempted to go back to do drums and vocals so you can claim to be the ultimate Melvin (and if you did would you fight Dale if you saw him picking up a guitar in an attempt to prevent your Melvins domination )

Mark Deutrom I AM actually the ultimate Melvin already, in order of duties : 1. Photographer 2. Label Boss 3. Producer 4. FOH sound engineer 5. Driver 6. Settler/Handler 7. Bass player 8. Rhythm guitarist 9. Lead guitarist 10. Songwriter 11. Co- producer 12. Mix engineer. I also had supper with Ornette Coleman once. I could never fight Dale. He's a pussycat. 🐱

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Matt DeSanti What's your biggest musical influence?

Samuel Smithers
🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

Matt DeSanti why sam what was YOUR question? Do you like Cool Whip Mark? sorry, i guess I'm just not as witty and comedic as you are

Mark Deutrom Theme songs to Captain Scarlet and Stingray. Also Morton Feldman....anything that contains the words cool and whip HAS to be good. 👩‍🚀

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Ted Ransom Ever used a SanSamp on anything?

Mark Deutrom It's great on everything. All my answers to these vexing questions are going through one right now just to smooth out the edges ! 💋

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Ted Ransom Phonetic pronunciation of Deutrom plz

Mark Deutrom Dew'-trum. Thanks for asking Ted !

Ted Ransom thanks. that solves about half the problems rattling around in my Neanderthal brain!

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Guillermo Andrés Love the bass tone in Stoner witch and Stag. What gear did you use? I know it was a long time ago.

Mark Deutrom Thank you Guillermo ! Fender P Bass/Roger Mayer Voodoo Bass/DOD Meatbox/Boss Bass Synth/Ampeg amplification/Hoyo De Monterrey Epicure #2 cigars.

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Nick Faught What’s the mother fuckin atomic mass of this mother fuckin deuteron?

Mark Deutrom I have no idea...buy my record. 💜

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Dayton Cantley Do you think you could talk Steven out of using that goofy bass phaser/flanger thing that he uses live to ruin half of the Melvins songs I love?

Mark Deutrom Who ? 😊💜

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[meezer]

The one about COD is yuge.

[meezer]

[Chief Ten Beers]

pure legend, thanks for posting this interview. on a related note, I'm not surprised he wrote half of the Honky material. also nice to hear  the Alchemy guy was Beefheart cousin.

Yep, Victor was in the Beefheart camp during Trout Mask Replica era. He's in the group photo on that album, and is featured on some of the talkback between songs.