From an interview Nardwuar conducted with Rush bassist Geddy Lee in 1998:
"N: Well, I just see that you guys had that punk feel, because you had the Melvins open for you guys. Do you think the Melvins were the best band ever to open for Rush, Geddy?
G: Uh, no. I think--Melvins were a pretty interesting band. Unfortunately, they really didn't fare very well in front of our audience.
N: What happened?
G: Well, they weren't very well thought of. (laughs)
N: How about the other bands you've had? Like, you had that band Wrabbit. Do you remember them? W-R-A-B-B-I-T?
G: I can barely remember them.
N: Or Chalk Circle? Didn't the Melvins do as well as Chalk Circle?
G: No, actually Chalk Circle did better."
Ouch.
well look at the crowd theyd be playing to... same thing happened with Primus opening for Rush. UNFORTUNATELY the same thing also happened when the Melvins opened for Tool, hehe...
Yesterday I was reading an old interview with Buzz and Kim from Soundgarden - which is available via the interviews section I believe - and Buzz mentioned how he was totally into ZZ Top and would love to do a tour with them but that he was sure their audience would never get the Melvins.
It's unfortunate that some feel the need for shows to be so homogenised.
I cant blame their fans. When i have top sit through some crap opening act to see the band I wanna see, it stinks.
Of course when the opening act isnt crap and is, oh say, the Locust or Trevor Dunn's band. That's different.
NOt to say the Melvins are crap of course.
And Rush rules.