Since seeing the Melvins as a three piece (and two piece) again on Friday night, I've been thinking a lot about the band and it's past few years. Specifically the bass player. Immediately after seeing the show at Webster Hall all I could think of was "why they hell didn't they hire Trevor Dunn after they fired Kevin?" It seemed like the obvious thing to do. That show was amazing, one of the top 3 Melvins shows I've seen, and I think I'm at about 16 or 17 Melvins shows at this point.
After a couple days I realized that going with Big Business made total sense. The Melvins are a band who have looked for new and different things to do. Big Business is a kick ass band. The first time I saw them, they opened for Pelican and I must say they blew Pelican off the stage. While I was watching them, all I could think was "wow, that drummer is as good as Dale." I couldn't believe my eyes or ears. They're damn good. Within a year of that show, Big Business melted into the Melvins, I never could have imagined it. The first tour they did was great. I'd go as far to say that the second time I saw them on the first tour was also one of my top 3 Melvins shows. Big Business opening, Dale coming out for a few songs on guitar, then getting behind the drums, then Buzz joining, and all seamlessly transitioning into a 4 piece band and opening the set with "Another 4th of July...Ruined". It was brutal, like the end of the world was coming. Just plain awesome. The last tour did not disappoint, but it did have a slight tinge of going through the motions to it.
I do not listen to the last two albums as much as others. Granted, I listen to NWB and ASA more than say Prick or Jelvins, but not nearly as much as almost all others. It's not that I don't like the new stuff, actually I do. I know they are good albums. I think A History of Bad Men is one of the Melvins best songs.
I feel like the current line up is a very different band than any line up in the past. Of course with each changing member, the band changes, but it seems much more drastic with this line up. And, the change is not in the direction that drew me to the band at the beginning. The first time I had heard the Melvins was in concert, it changed my life, I had never seen anything like that before and I haven't been able to get enough since. When they went from a three piece to a four piece, things tightened up a lot. A lot of the weirdness and noise went away. All of the atmosphere did as well. Dare I say it went from high art to commercial art. Warhol rules, but he can't hold a candle to Caravaggio. It's kind of hard to say without sounding like I'm complaining, because I do not mean to complain. This band is the best band on Earth, no matter what the line up. But, when I saw them last Friday, sans Big Business again for the first time in a few years, it was just better. The weird noises were back, they were heavier and scarier at times, they played looser when it was needed (BB Melvins does not really do loose) and it was just beautiful. I've always liked Hag Me. Liked. They opened the Houdini set with that song and I haven't been able to get it out of my mind since. It was totally fucking brutal. It really set the mood for the rest of the show, which was well, as Meatwad once said: "remove the chain, cause this is off it." It was incredible. I like Jared's vocals in The Melvins. His voice is a great compliment to Buzz's. But, I did not miss them Friday night. Trevor screaming his parts on Joan of Arc, along side Buzz couldn't have been more awesome.
Where am I going with this? I don't know. I feel like I'm a teenager with relationship issues trying to explain shit to my girlfriend and really having no idea what I'm trying to say. :lol: Bottom line is, I think it's time to move on baby. We can still be friends.
Quote from: Pelican on May 20, 2009, 12:00:56 AM
"why they hell didn't they hire Trevor Dunn after they fired Kevin?"
I think it has mostly to do with location. Dunn lives in New York whereas Big Business now live in LA. I could imagine there would be quite a bit of logistical problems if Dunn was the full time bassist. I like that they're starting to do these one-off shows with Dunn, Melvins '84 and as a duo in addition to the f0ur piece. It gives everyone the opportunity to hear different aspects of the band's sound.
As far as the current line-up goes, I really am enjoying this direction they've taken but I certainly wouldn't want them to churn out 10 more albums that sound like NWB and ASA, it would get boring. I think you should stick with this version of the Melvins until the next album. I remember an interview with Buzz where he said the next album is going to sound completely different. Maybe it'll be more suited to your tastes. I just hope that Toshi takes a different approach to his engineering if he does the next album. He's definitely a knowledgeable engineer but I think his sound is a bit flat.
i prefer them as a trio too,especially for the drum,which in my opinion sounds a lot better as a single drum,with Dale only.anyway,i can't say i don't like the new line up,BB added their attitude which is absolutely far from the weirdness many fans would like to see.i think another album with BB would be the right thing before the return of Mark Deutrom :shock:.jokes apart,Trevor lives in New York and is involved in too many projects to be a permanent member,especially thinking how many shows they use to do.
and last thing,i agree 100% with Nick about Toshi,i always thought that,but we all know they are like a big family now :D
They should have hired Pinkus.
if it were any other drummer on the planet than dale crover I'd say adding another drummer is a great idea. coady has all the cred in the world. but dale is dale. no man can touch him.
Quote from: Pelican on May 20, 2009, 12:00:56 AM
Since seeing the Melvins as a three piece (and two piece) again on Friday night, I've been thinking a lot about the band and it's past few years. Specifically the bass player. Immediately after seeing the show at Webster Hall all I could think of was "why they hell didn't they hire Trevor Dunn after they fired Kevin?" It seemed like the obvious thing to do. That show was amazing, one of the top 3 Melvins shows I've seen, and I think I'm at about 16 or 17 Melvins shows at this point.
After a couple days I realized that going with Big Business made total sense. The Melvins are a band who have looked for new and different things to do. Big Business is a kick ass band. The first time I saw them, they opened for Pelican and I must say they blew Pelican off the stage. While I was watching them, all I could think was "wow, that drummer is as good as Dale." I couldn't believe my eyes or ears. They're damn good. Within a year of that show, Big Business melted into the Melvins, I never could have imagined it. The first tour they did was great. I'd go as far to say that the second time I saw them on the first tour was also one of my top 3 Melvins shows. Big Business opening, Dale coming out for a few songs on guitar, then getting behind the drums, then Buzz joining, and all seamlessly transitioning into a 4 piece band and opening the set with "Another 4th of July...Ruined". It was brutal, like the end of the world was coming. Just plain awesome. The last tour did not disappoint, but it did have a slight tinge of going through the motions to it.
I do not listen to the last two albums as much as others. Granted, I listen to NWB and ASA more than say Prick or Jelvins, but not nearly as much as almost all others. It's not that I don't like the new stuff, actually I do. I know they are good albums. I think A History of Bad Men is one of the Melvins best songs.
I feel like the current line up is a very different band than any line up in the past. Of course with each changing member, the band changes, but it seems much more drastic with this line up. And, the change is not in the direction that drew me to the band at the beginning. The first time I had heard the Melvins was in concert, it changed my life, I had never seen anything like that before and I haven't been able to get enough since. When they went from a three piece to a four piece, things tightened up a lot. A lot of the weirdness and noise went away. All of the atmosphere did as well. Dare I say it went from high art to commercial art. Warhol rules, but he can't hold a candle to Caravaggio. It's kind of hard to say without sounding like I'm complaining, because I do not mean to complain. This band is the best band on Earth, no matter what the line up. But, when I saw them last Friday, sans Big Business again for the first time in a few years, it was just better. The weird noises were back, they were heavier and scarier at times, they played looser when it was needed (BB Melvins does not really do loose) and it was just beautiful. I've always liked Hag Me. Liked. They opened the Houdini set with that song and I haven't been able to get it out of my mind since. It was totally fucking brutal. It really set the mood for the rest of the show, which was well, as Meatwad once said: "remove the chain, cause this is off it." It was incredible. I like Jared's vocals in The Melvins. His voice is a great compliment to Buzz's. But, I did not miss them Friday night. Trevor screaming his parts on Joan of Arc, along side Buzz couldn't have been more awesome.
Where am I going with this? I don't know. I feel like I'm a teenager with relationship issues trying to explain shit to my girlfriend and really having no idea what I'm trying to say. :lol: Bottom line is, I think it's time to move on baby. We can still be friends.
I can totally understand what you`re saying, and I wholeheartedly agree.
Yeah, next time y'all see Buzz at a show, why don't you tell him that you think he's taking his band in the wrong direction.......please.
The last two albums & tour were some of the best I've seen or heard....and I've seen a dozen+ shows with the band as a three piece. Mark D was their best single bass player,but the new BB-Melvins is by far the best lineup.... & the vocals have never been better. :D
I personally like what they've done with the new line-up, even if Nude With Boots isn't one of my favorites. Senile Animal IS, though!
Plus I personally think The Melvins are the only band who could pull this off and really make it work so well.
Quote from: >>>JZS<<< on May 20, 2009, 08:37:39 AM
Yeah, next time y'all see Buzz at a show, why don't you tell him that you think he's taking his band in the wrong direction.......please.
Calm down there chief. I was just expressing my thoughts on a band's fan board, that's all. Like I said in the initial post, I'm not complaining, just thinking out loud, and I never said the band was going in the wrong direction. I think I was more than complimentary about BB. btw, I've never hesitated to tell
anyone what was on my mind, in person. This however does not bother me enough to mention it to anyone other than a bunch of other Melvins fans and I think it is a worthy topic of discussion/debate, on a Melvins fan board. That is why I brought it up.
Also, the title is "What I
do and do not like about BB Melvins" in case you missed it.
if i ever find out jared and coady are no longer a part of the melvins, that will be a very sad day for me. although when I found out mark and then kevin were no longer in the bad, that was also a bummer. that being said, buzz/dale/jared/coady are all incredible musicians with great capacity for writing excellent material and the notion of them getting stagnant seems highly unlikely, and I'd like to think that they'd be the first to notice it. buzz and dale mixing it up as much as they have over their lengthy existence has been unquantifiably integral to their ability to maintain/grow their audience.
This consistent evolution of the band, not only in lineup but also in sound, has in my opinion fostered a general 'antsiness' in the bands fans, who have begun to expect drastic change every so often.
Quote from: >>>JZS<<< on May 20, 2009, 08:37:39 AM
Yeah, next time y'all see Buzz at a show, why don't you tell him that you think he's taking his band in the wrong direction.......please.
take it easy jonathon. no one wants to hurt you here.
:)
Quote from: black stallion on May 20, 2009, 04:25:56 AM
BB added their attitude which is absolutely far from the weirdness many fans would like to see.
I think Jared and Coady have a really great sense of humor that fits in well with the band. Buzz and Dale are always joking around (Buzz laughs like he's totally mental) and the BB guys are pretty good at clowning. I guess I know what you mean about the weirdness but the music is kicking ass, they work out really well with Buzz and Dale, and I like those guys. I think Buzz has always done right with the direction of the band and the next album will be different than NWB and ASA I am sure. Shit it's all great to me, I am still blown away every time I see them play. Can't wait to see them play with Trevor, I am also in the camp that listens to the older heavier weirder stuff more often than ASA and NWB, but I am with Pelican, I love both of those albums so what the hell. I am a sucker for Dale's weird time changes and such and Buzz's guitar tone on the older stuff.
agreed, to various extents.
big biz brought a youthful/mischeivous sense of humor to MELVINS that didn't show through before. plus I think adding another drummer was an attempt by MELVINS to continue their experimental/trailblazing ways. its worked... to some extent.
the probs I have are: the MELVINS/Big Business combo is still feeling each other out. seems like they are just now getting that spontaneous feel. tje last 3 years has had (live show at least) a very predetermined and mechanical feel. also, I'm thinking if Big Biz had joined immediately after mark D it would have jived a whole lot better. trying to live in a post-kevin world leaves you with a somewhat hollow feeling. kevin brought something to the table. something special. too bad he fucked it up.
in summary: The Trilogy and HAT are better albums than (A)SA or Nude With Boots.
Quote from: Smellis on May 20, 2009, 10:55:51 AM
Quote from: black stallion on May 20, 2009, 04:25:56 AM
BB added their attitude which is absolutely far from the weirdness many fans would like to see.
Shit it's all great to me, I am still blown away every time I see them play.
oh,same here buddy!i've never been disappointed with this band,what i meant before was if people actually are expecting something in the line of their weirdest and noisy stuff,i think that's a bit hard to get with those guys.personally i'm not a dreamer and we all know how their songwriting works with this line up,they rock in the simple and best sense of the word.i'm sure the next album will be different,but i wouldn't be surprised if it will be even more pop than NWB,especially listening to the last BB,which i'm pretty sure Buzz considers as a fantastic album.
Everybody is making great points, I especially like what Smellis just posted, and I agree 100%.
You know, the more I think about this, the more I don't think I even have an opinion one way or the other. :lol: I think what it is, is that I was just so blown away by Friday night's show. I mean, it totally blew my mind. I have never seen a bad Melvins show, not even a mediocre one. But, when something happens like it did Friday night, it was just magic, and I want more, more, more! Being the first time seeing the band as a three piece in a quite a while, going back to the weirder, heavier, looser stuff they can do in a live setting that I kind of forgot about.
I just remembered something I know I mentioned in the past, as far as what would be the ultimate Melvins show, at least in my head. Big Business opens. Big Melvins plays a set. Then, Melvins 3 piece plays a set. That would be my wildest dream come true.
Quote from: I am the Sun on May 20, 2009, 01:36:06 AM
Quote from: Pelican on May 20, 2009, 12:00:56 AM
"why they hell didn't they hire Trevor Dunn after they fired Kevin?"
I think it has mostly to do with location. Dunn lives in New York whereas Big Business now live in LA. I could imagine there would be quite a bit of logistical problems if Dunn was the full time bassist. I like that they're starting to do these one-off shows with Dunn, Melvins '84 and as a duo in addition to the f0ur piece. It gives everyone the opportunity to hear different aspects of the band's sound.
I think they wanted to have Trevor, but the reality of his schedule was more of a hurdle than location. Between Trio Convulsant, Mad Love, John Zorn, Fantomas, and the various other Jazz gigs he does, he doesn't have time to be in the Melvins.
Quote from: Pelican on May 20, 2009, 12:00:56 AM
As far as the current line-up goes, I really am enjoying this direction they've taken but I certainly wouldn't want them to churn out 10 more albums that sound like NWB and ASA, it would get boring. I think you should stick with this version of the Melvins until the next album. I remember an interview with Buzz where he said the next album is going to sound completely different. Maybe it'll be more suited to your tastes. I just hope that Toshi takes a different approach to his engineering if he does the next album. He's definitely a knowledgeable engineer but I think his sound is a bit flat.
Agreed. The drums don't sound as big and boomy on any of the recent records as say Lysol...
Quote from: glen on May 20, 2009, 11:14:05 AM
agreed, to various extents.
big biz brought a youthful/mischeivous sense of humor to MELVINS that didn't show through before. plus I think adding another drummer was an attempt by MELVINS to continue their experimental/trailblazing ways. its worked... to some extent.
the probs I have are: the MELVINS/Big Business combo is still feeling each other out. seems like they are just now getting that spontaneous feel. tje last 3 years has had (live show at least) a very predetermined and mechanical feel. also, I'm thinking if Big Biz had joined immediately after mark D it would have jived a whole lot better. trying to live in a post-kevin world leaves you with a somewhat hollow feeling. kevin brought something to the table. something special. too bad he fucked it up.
in summary: The Trilogy and HAT are better albums than (A)SA or Nude With Boots.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
I also think that the main reason they don't sound as spontaneous and loose in a live setting is that with two drummers everything HAS to be planned out down to the last hi-hat beat so they stay in perfect synch.
Quote from: glen on May 20, 2009, 11:14:05 AM
agreed, to various extents.
big biz brought a youthful/mischeivous sense of humor to MELVINS that didn't show through before. plus I think adding another drummer was an attempt by MELVINS to continue their experimental/trailblazing ways. its worked... to some extent.
the probs I have are: the MELVINS/Big Business combo is still feeling each other out. seems like they are just now getting that spontaneous feel. tje last 3 years has had (live show at least) a very predetermined and mechanical feel. also, I'm thinking if Big Biz had joined immediately after mark D it would have jived a whole lot better. trying to live in a post-kevin world leaves you with a somewhat hollow feeling. kevin brought something to the table. something special. too bad he fucked it up.
in summary: The Trilogy and HAT are better albums than (A)SA or Nude With Boots.
You're just pissed 'cause they keep playing Civilized Worm over and over HA HA!! :D
Quote from: Like Stee on May 20, 2009, 12:13:40 PM
I also think that the main reason they don't sound as spontaneous and loose in a live setting is that with two drummers everything HAS to be planned out down to the last hi-hat beat so they stay in perfect synch.
here is my next question: why, oh why do the drummers have to be in perfect synch at all times?
why can't they play off each other? why can't they do change-offs, etc.?
why? I'll tell you why and you better listen good.
becuase when you've only played with someone for a brief time you don't quite have a grip on their tendencies. you need to know what the other guy is going to do and be able to anticipate how he's going to react to what you're doing. dale and coady need to spend more time jamming.
and here, in turn, is my next question, SMELLIS! since you're so smart:
if the day comes that big business parts ways with MELVINS will we never ever again hear "civilized worm" like we will never again hear "the fool, the meddling idiot" post-kevin?
:D
Then you better enjoy the worm while we still have it he he!! Jared could fuck himself up on smack at any moment!!! The man is this close to becoming a raging fiend I tell 'ya............ :shock: :shock: :^o
Quote from: glen on May 20, 2009, 12:54:15 PM
if the day comes that big business parts ways with MELVINS will we never ever again hear "civilized worm" like we will never again hear "the fool, the meddling idiot" post-kevin?
:D
This is the other thing that I've been wondering about, and actually does bother me some. Why has the Kevin-era of the band been all but ignored for the past few years? I know they've played Let It All Be and Boated Pope, but not much more. There is so much good material from when Kevin was in the band, I don't know why they aren't interested in playing that material. I think the current line up playing everything off The Maggot would be totally insane.
did I read something about BIG BIZ not being a weird band? are we talking about the same band??
Quote from: Pelican on May 20, 2009, 01:40:05 PM
Quote from: glen on May 20, 2009, 12:54:15 PM
if the day comes that big business parts ways with MELVINS will we never ever again hear "civilized worm" like we will never again hear "the fool, the meddling idiot" post-kevin?
:D
This is the other thing that I've been wondering about, and actually does bother me some. Why has the Kevin-era of the band been all but ignored for the past few years?
i think there is a problem with that stuff,it's called bass
Also, as far as POTRE songs go, it's probably pretty tough to translate those songs to a live setting due to the extensive use of electronics and production techniques.
I do hope there comes a day where they play the whole thing live though
Quote from: black stallion on May 20, 2009, 01:57:56 PMi think there is a problem with that stuff,it's called bass
That makes sense for some of HAT, but what about The Maggot? I'm no bass player, but I'd think Jared could more than hold his own with the material on that album.
Quote from: Pelican on May 20, 2009, 02:06:22 PM
Quote from: black stallion on May 20, 2009, 01:57:56 PMi think there is a problem with that stuff,it's called bass
That makes sense for some of HAT, but what about The Maggot? I'm no bass player, but I'd think Jared could more than hold his own with the material on that album.
oops,you're right!i was speaking forgetting the trilogy.who knows why they don't use to play that stuff?maybe on the next tour they will play See How Pretty,See How Smart,or Manky [-o<
Hey! Didn't you just say you weren't a dreamer? ;)
dunno
Quote from: black stallion on May 20, 2009, 02:10:34 PM
oops,you're right!i was speaking forgetting the trilogy.who knows why they don't use to play that stuff?maybe on the next tour they will play See How Pretty,See How Smart,or Manky [-o<
I'm praying! (actually I'm not, but I'm really hoping) It would be sick.
I also thought it was strange that the Kevin-era was totally ignored last Friday, in what seemed to otherwise be almost a greatest hits/retrospective of their entire career. I'd say (guess) that Trevor is more than capable of playing any of Kevin's work, which makes this whole ignoring of that period and body of work even more peculiar. I hope it is just a coincidence and some day that work will be played again.
I keep telling my self that I liked things better before BB, but I find my self listening to ASA a lot. NWB just hasn't grown on me as a whole. Oh, and Buzz saying the next album will be different than the last one is a "duh". What album hasn't been?
Exactly, and what song hasn't been? It's always different with the Melvins, always... something... except for some riffs here and there off the last, let's say, two albums.
The Melvins are getting older, but man, so do we.
Quote from: I am the Sun on May 20, 2009, 02:03:14 PM
Also, as far as POTRE songs go, it's probably pretty tough to translate those songs to a live setting due to the extensive use of electronics and production techniques.
I do hope there comes a day where they play the whole thing live though
Weren't the MELVINS in the middle of the POTRE tour playing all that stuff live when Kevin dropped out? I never got to see it they were headed in my direction when that happened and never made it. It was history from there :cry:
Quote from: norecess on May 20, 2009, 02:13:33 PM
Hey! Didn't you just say you weren't a dreamer? ;)
#-o :bs:
But they're playing as a three piece... and a two piece... right now. I mean, it's actually happening. You get the best of both worlds.
Quote from: Justafilthylurker on May 20, 2009, 03:16:13 PM
But they're playing as a three piece... and a two piece... right now. I mean, it's actually happening. You get the best of both worlds.
a fine point.
Quote from: Pelican on May 20, 2009, 09:21:12 AM
Quote from: >>>JZS<<< on May 20, 2009, 08:37:39 AM
Yeah, next time y'all see Buzz at a show, why don't you tell him that you think he's taking his band in the wrong direction.......please.
Calm down there chief. I was just expressing my thoughts on a band's fan board, that's all. Like I said in the initial post, I'm not complaining, just thinking out loud, and I never said the band was going in the wrong direction. I think I was more than complimentary about BB. btw, I've never hesitated to tell anyone what was on my mind, in person. This however does not bother me enough to mention it to anyone other than a bunch of other Melvins fans and I think it is a worthy topic of discussion/debate, on a Melvins fan board. That is why I brought it up.
Also, the title is "What I do and do not like about BB Melvins" in case you missed it.
That wasn't aimed at you directly. Of coarse your opinion is valid. I've just seen so much Big Biz criticism on the board lately, most of it about their new album, I just had a knee jerk reaction. The Melvins have been awesome in all of their incarnations & I'm sure they will continue to be with or without The Biz. :D
That's cool, and I totally agree. Until they die, they will be most awesomest, no matter what form they take. 8)
I really like the new BB album. Again, the whole going in a new direction thing, it might take a bit for some to get used to. I know I needed about two runs all the way through before I began to appreciate what was going on.
There was a 16 year old piano virtuoso on dutch tv tonight, a natural. he explained it quite well i thought. he was asked about mozart, and answered how mozart was not a virtuoso, that there were other composers who played much more complex and technical, and that young piano players learn how to play by playing pieces by mozart at a very young age. what makes mozart so special, is that there is so much feeling in his music, the drama, emotions, it's relatively simple, also to play, but when the boy was asked if he started to understand this deeper layer underneath mozart's music better as he got older, he answered that he understood it less, that he learned that it got much more complicated, because he's not longer sure 'how' to play those 'simple' notes anymore.
Ok maybe this is something else. Definitely maybe.
Quote from: I am the Sun on May 20, 2009, 01:36:06 AM
Quote from: Pelican on May 20, 2009, 12:00:56 AM
"why they hell didn't they hire Trevor Dunn after they fired Kevin?"
I think it has mostly to do with location. Dunn lives in New York whereas Big Business now live in LA. I could imagine there would be quite a bit of logistical problems if Dunn was the full time bassist.
Mark lived in London so I don't it would be that much of a problem....
I think its more that Trevor just has too much of this own stuff he's workin'.
I don't care what they do, as long as they keep doin' it.
They have only done two albums so far. Both of them are great albums, but I don't think they are going to stick with this 70's rock/sludge sound. I look at this group and I see potential awesomeness. The kind of awesome we have come to expect from the brain of Buzz. To have a bass player like Jared who I also think is a killer singer and an additional powerhouse drummer like Coady, I think its a very good chance for them to put out even better albums than the Melvins did as a trio. I think they are still getting comfortable with this line-up, making the kind of music they are fans of. Give it some more time.
I get excited just thinking about the dynamics this lineup could mess around with.
Quote from: Idlehanz on May 20, 2009, 08:58:29 PM
I don't care what they do, as long as they keep doin' it.
WORD
my mind switches back and forth. right now I'm focussed on the three piece. specifically how those shows with Kevin used to feel.
when I heard BB wasn't on this tour I was a little bummed at first. when Dunn took the stage, I couldn't be more thrilled that they weren't there.
I've enjoyed the BB shows and the albums (a little less-so), but getting to see Dale play how he always used to...instead of teaching a drumming master course...was nice.
and it def. felt harder, darker...better than it has with BB.
it could also be a question of the material they have been playing. Boris still was amazing with BB...so perhaps if they choose some Maggot material on the next tour we'll see more devil horns.
Quote from: brian on May 20, 2009, 09:40:42 AM
This consistent evolution of the band, not only in lineup but also in sound, has in my opinion fostered a general 'antsiness' in the bands fans, who have begun to expect drastic change every so often.
I agree with this. I can't imagine being half as obsessed with the melvins as I am if Lukin were still on bass.
Case in point: I think that by incorporating Big Business into the band, the melvins achieved something of an apotheosis of its decades-long habit of constant change. Adding a second drummer was cool but I thought somewhat gimmicky. But what floored me when I first heard A Senile Animal was the completely new dimension to the overall sound that was gained by harmonizing Jared's vocals with Buzz's. It almost sounded like an entirely new (and awesome) band. It was like the phoenix being reborn from the ashes of its former self: the same creature but at the same time a completely different bird.
What will the next inevitable lineup change look like? Will the melvins ever go back to being a trio? If so, can they ever be as sonically powerful as Big Melvins? Should they even try to be?
Such are the questions that keep me guessing and keep me interested in the melvins. For a band that's been around for a quarter of a century, such dynamism is, I'm pretty sure, unprecedented. Buzz's afro is now an ashy gray, but I get the sense that underneath that he's still a spastic 20-year-old who just wants to FUCKING ROCK.
Just a few comments:
yes, Melvins with Dunn was incredible (I was at the Chicago Show).
Yes, POTRE is largely doable and sounds great live. I saw the tour for it (in Chapel Hill). There was a lot of noise going on (even an odd strobe light in sync with some of it). Kevin was all over the place, at times doing a Yowish microphone deep throat. He seemed to sweat profusely, generally looked pretty rough, but still kicked ass. There were points where it was hard to tell if he was just being Kevin, or was being off. One or two times I decide it was being sloppy. Still, much of the album was done, and was awesome.
One thing I liked about the sans BB show recently was that Buzz seemed to use much more of his vocal range throughout. With BB the different singers tend to stay in their "slots" in a way that makes you miss all the great voices that Buzz pulls out. There was more atmospheric vocals, more variety, and less shouty. I'll leave it up to you if this is due to the line up, the material, or a combination.
Quote from: dead mike on May 22, 2009, 11:48:16 AMWill the melvins ever go back to being a trio? If so, can they ever be as sonically powerful as Big Melvins? Should they even try to be?
After last night's show I would say that my memory of pre-biz Melvins was correct. They're heavier as a trio. Big Melvins is cool, but it has limiting qualities.
the next BigBiz/Melvins album is coming,as Coady said in a recent interview :wink:
Quote from: dead mike on May 22, 2009, 11:48:16 AM
What will the next inevitable lineup change look like? Will the melvins ever go back to being a trio? If so, can they ever be as sonically powerful as Big Melvins? Should they even try to be?
That question was answered about 30 seconds into the Houdini set for me. The answer was yes. :lol:
These are two of my favorite Melvins videos, which also provide a nice comparison and should help answer that question as well.
3pc:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vuo3AMXpwN0
4pc:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31rrOeERb0c&feature=related
Both performances are awesome, but if I was given a choice between seeing one over the other, it would take a split second for me to decide.
i think more members..
i like the yow idea, david lynch would be interesting to, even if he's just sitting on a chair in front of the drum kit watching.
plus they should add tim moss, cisneros and hakius and why not matt pike as well.
get that stage filled up yknow.
and of consequence they'll have loads of support bands when they tour, mini new melvins festival hitting your city.
I'd like to see a tour that incorporates all of the most recent incarnations of the Melvins, plus a few side projects for opening acts. It would be a Melvins variety show, of sorts.
Just picture it:
Men of Porn followed by
that Moss/Crover/Willis/Kasai noise thing they did on the last tour then
Melvins 83
Melvins Duo
Big Business
Melvins/Big Business
Melvins Trio playing selections from Houdini, Lysol, and Eggnog
It's not going to happen, but I can dream
Quote from: sinuendo on May 20, 2009, 05:05:13 AM
They should have hired Pinkus.
AGREEDED! And Pinkus seems down to do it.
Quote from: I am the Sun on May 24, 2009, 04:17:54 PM
I'd like to see a tour that incorporates all of the most recent incarnations of the Melvins, plus a few side projects for opening acts. It would be a Melvins variety show, of sorts.
Just picture it:
Men of Porn followed by
that Moss/Crover/Willis/Kasai noise thing they did on the last tour then
Melvins 83
Melvins Duo
Big Business
Melvins/Big Business
Melvins Trio playing selections from Houdini, Lysol, and Eggnog
It's not going to happen, but I can dream
I can picture this pretty easily...since most of it (sans eggnog) happened within a year or so for a lot of people...
I think the last time they did Eggnog was 2007 in SF with Lysol too.
They did Lysol/Eggnog in 2007 SF and LA with Dunn and then they did another show as a duo a week later in LA. I imagine that it wouldn't take Dunn too long to relearn those songs, so I could see them pulling out songs from those albums.
Hell, reduce it down to a 1 piece and just have Dale beat the shit out of his kit for an hour. I'd watch.
agreed!
yes!
What is BB Melvins anyway? They are the Melvins.
Quote from: Flavius Joesephus Deutromius on May 25, 2009, 11:09:58 AM
What is BB Melvins anyway? They are the Melvins.
Big Business Melvins. So as to be distinguished from any other era of the Melvins. The whole point for this thread.
the main problem I have with with the bb melvins is the production of the last two albums.
The guitars sound awful and the drums have no guts!
I made an alternative equalizer uhh..setting for ASA just now. If you use winamp or have a graphic eq on your stereo try this:
Pull the fader halfway down at 3K and a little bit more down at 170 . Pull it halfway up at 310 and maybe add something above 12k.
It's a totally different listening, much more pleasant to my ears at least.
Quote from: Idlehanz on May 20, 2009, 08:58:29 PM
I don't care what they do, as long as they keep doin' it.
my thoughts exactly!!
Quote from: BeerNinja on June 25, 2009, 06:26:34 PM
the main problem I have with with the bb melvins is the production of the last two albums.
The guitars sound awful and the drums have no guts!
I made an alternative equalizer uhh..setting for ASA just now. If you use winamp or have a graphic eq on your stereo try this:
Pull the fader halfway down at 3K and a little bit more down at 170 . Pull it halfway up at 310 and maybe add something above 12k.
It's a totally different listening, much more pleasant to my ears at least.
I agree, the guitar tone on ASA is dreadful. It fits a couple of songs, but for the rest of the album it is terrible.
When I got my first "real job", back in 1994, I had to fill out a goal sheet. My 25 year goal was this exactly: "Hopefully I'll still be listening to the Melvins." It hasn't quite been 25 years since that time, but so far I'm on target. I have enjoyed the adventure and changes up to the most recent. The drums, the vocals . . . I'm speechless, to me they sound for themselves. I never got any feedback from my manager, but got plenty from the band!