http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20120907/LIFESTYLE/309070012/Lewis-Clark-rock-n-roll-play-Missoula-Sunday?nclick_check=1 (http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20120907/LIFESTYLE/309070012/Lewis-Clark-rock-n-roll-play-Missoula-Sunday?nclick_check=1)
When the Melvins decide to do something different, it's not much of a surprise, although it usually is something that has rarely been done or just flat out never attempted.
Coming up on the band's 30th anniversary, the group has not only put together three different albums with three different lineups this year, its decided to attempt to break a touring record by playing all 50 states and Washington, D.C., in 51 straight nights.
The Montana stop is Sunday at the Top Hat in Missoula.
No other band has attempted such a thing, maybe because it's crazy or simply because there's never been a reason to play so many far-reaching gigs in such a compressed time period.
But this is the Melvins, and if it sounds absurd, they're as comfortable as can be.
"We decided before we get too old to do something, we should do the biggest, stupidest thing we could possibly do. That was it," said vocalist Buzz Osborne in an interview with the Tribune from his home in Los Angeles. "That was our point. We're not against doing big publicity stunts. Why not? It draws attention to us."
The tour features some crazy stretches, most notably at the book ends of the tour . They started Wednesday in Anchorage, Alaska, and had a gig the following night in Seattle. The tour also has a hectic end as they play Los Angeles on Oct. 24 and a follow-up show in Hawaii the next evening.
In between those dates, the Melvins will crisscross through the United States, hitting shows as close to each other as possible. When Osborne and his partner-in-crime Dale Crover sat down to map out their rock 'n' roll expedition, it was done with the least stressful stretches in mind.
"We made it as doable as possible. As long as you plan ahead and kind of plan for how it's all gonna work, it's completely fine," Osborne said. "Totally doable. Might be tired at a few shows, but who cares?"
The Melvins have released nearly 20 full-length albums, including a bunch of EPs, so touring has never been a source of stress for the band.
"Us being able to physically do it isn't a problem. What's gonna be a problem is things standing in our way not unlike forest fires. That could be a problem. As far as us being able to do this many shows in a row, that doesn't concern me in the least," Osborne said.
There's one assurance and that's the mileage the group is going to rack up by the end of the tour. Don't think for a second it will be hiring out driving duties to a grizzled trucker. It'll be Melvins behind the wheel each and every day.
"We'll do it all ourselves," Osborne said. "We're not a bunch of old women. We're a bunch of old men. I'm not afraid of driving. I think my record behind the wheel was 16 hours straight (and) there's no 16-hour drives on this trip."
Before you start feeling sorry for the Melvins and the task they've tackled, they ask you to keep it all in perspective.
"You have to remember, we're doing this tour and doing a lot of work but it's compared to what? Compared to other lazy-ass bands? Yes, we work really hard (but) that's assuming those bands work hard, which they don't," Osborne said.
Despite the experience on the road and having toured relentlessly for three decades, the group will play Alaska, Hawaii and New Hampshire for the first time ever on the 50-state blitz.
"We've always hated New Hampshire," a joking Osborne said. "We can't stand it. We vowed never to play there."
The Melvins have played several times in Missoula over the years and they've always been met with packed, sold-out crowds.
"Missoula is a college town so that doesn't surprise me," Osborne said. "Any time you have a college town of any stripe, there's generally an influx of culture that wouldn't be there normally. That usually helps when it comes to weirdo bands coming to town that people are willing to see."
The more common incarnation of the band has five members, including two drummers, but this current lineup is three strong. In addition to Osborne and Crover, there's bassist Trevor Dunn and they've taken to calling themselves Melvins Lite. The smaller group is also advantageous when it comes to pulling off the touring record, according to Osborne.
"That was part of the reason we knew we'd be able to do it," he said.
With that three-piece lineup, the band recently released "Freak Puke." That's in addition to a 5-track EP called "The Bulls and the Bees" featuring the common lineup, in addition to a 4-track EP featuring the original 1983 lineup.
Just call the Melvins the Lewis and Clark of United States rock tour exploration. They'll be providing a journal for Spin magazine but don't expect them to provide a serious recount of their travels.
"I don't think people would listen to us anyway," Osborne said. "(People) don't wanna hear what we think. They don't believe it anyway. They have no interest in doing things the way we do. They think we're nuts. Maybe we are. Might not be far off the mark."