King Buzzo Ding Dong Melbourne review

[jules]

From 15th August show:

Buzz Osborne aka King Buzzo is what many in the music industry might call a "lifer". With 30 years plus as leader of the seminal avant-sludge band the Melvins, countless releases and an almost constant slew of tour dates, (including one world record) he has a fervent and loyal worldwide fan base.

His work over the years has always challenged expectations, releasing some of the world's heaviest records (The Maggot, Lysol) to some of the strangest music of all time (Collosus of Destiny, Honky). But nobody expected Buzz to dispense with his Melvins bandmates (including long-time collaborator and drum powerhouse Dale Crover) to go solo for the first time since 1992's 'King Buzzo' album. And this time with an acoustic guitar!

As part of his seemingly never-ending touring schedule, Buzz has embarked on a solo acoustic tour in support of his latest album "This Machine Kills Artists", an album whilst hushed due to it's pared-back orchestration, still drips with Melvins sneer.

He began his show at Melbourne's Ding Dong lounge ten minutes early, in a typically no-bullshit manner, by down-tuning his acoustic steel string and ripping straight into "Boris". The stark nature of the acoustic guitar/vocal combo allowed a kind of dynamic playfulness rarely seen with the high decibel double-drum maelstrom the Melvins have become.

The set was peppered with anecdotes and musings on touring, fame and marriage, as well as several newer songs from This Machine... including the memorably-titled 'Getting Used to the Way Things Are'.

He announced his penultimate number, slamming into a neatly-segued medley of 90's Melvins classics 'Hooch' and 'Revolve' - then packed up and left abruptly via the stage door.

Straight and to the point from a true legend of modern music.

Reviewer: Angus Leslie

http://www.take40.com/news/47640/live-review:-king-buzzo,-ding-dong-lounge,-august-15-2014

Hopefully The Fool can add to that when he's back in the real world!

[jules]

....and this from the 16th:

In the game of thrones that is pop culture, crowns don't come cheap, and Buzz Osborne has certainly put in the hard yards to earn his. King Buzzo founded the Melvins way back in the early eighties and has managed to keep the flame alive the whole time, with the release of their nineteenth studio album Tres Cabrones put out through Ipecac Recordings just last year. Reputed to have introduced Dave Grohl to Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic, an instance of the butterfly effect if there ever was one, King Buzzo is unquestionably a player in said game. Guitarist with Mike Patton's Fantomas, producer of the Offspring's album Americana, sampled by Beck, hooking up with Tool for their Ænema tour, the list goes on... King Buzzo is no stranger to the aristocrats of the underground.

This goes some way to explain the thinking behind his debut solo, acoustic album This Machine Kills Artists, a play on the legendary inscription on folk revolutionary Woody Guthrie's guitar 'This machine kills fascists'. King Buzzo is renowned for his caustic perspectives on rock and roll royalty and his live shows are interlaced with anecdotes of the high and mighty from back when they were still down and dirty. At the Ding Dong Lounge on Saturday night "Courtney Love, Hole are touring here now too", rated a mention, with a no holds barred appraisal of her recent book Girl with the Most Cake.

This second sold out show here in Melbourne was not all talk though, King Buzzo delivers. Having written many of the Melvins' songs on an acoustic guitar, this new venture exposes this underbelly of his sound, stripped naked songs marching unashamedly at the head of a parade of one. With nothing to hide behind, not even the hair that Sideshow Bob probably stole from him, King Buzzo gives you all he's got. And what he's got is an obstinately percussive approach to guitar and vocals that peaks and troughs with abandon; this guy really feels his way through each rendition, you can see his mind working overtime in the quiet patches, hunting inexorably for the novelty hidden in iteration. I have no doubt that this regent of rock bags something new in every show. Every now and then though, I must confess, in the more prolonged tension seeking moments, not attention seeking moments mind you, I was tempted to call out; "It's behind you! It's behind you!"

What really struck me with this show were the profuse random glimpses of other artist's sounds, from Screaming J Hawkins to Nick Cave, that haunt his performance, without ever betraying its authenticity by being derivative. King Buzzo carves out his own path, uncompromising to the point of excess at times; the set was more like a showcase of his influence, rather than his influences. Buzz Osborne is the court jester made king who has kept his sense of humour despite the bitterness that must come with having seen so many show ponies cash in with stadium style commodification of what was once called alternative.

'I cut my milk teeth musically on smaller shows. A much more intimate basis. That's the lessons I learned from punk rock that I never forgot. That extends to today.'

I couldn't agree more, it does extend to today. Kudos must go to all those involved in supporting the continuation of these kinds of shows against all odds. With all the Lollapalooza extravaganzas corporatizing culture today it warms the cockles of our hearts (...maybe below the cockles, maybe in the sub-cockle area, maybe in the liver, maybe in the kidneys, maybe even in the colon, we don't know...) to see where it all began.

A special mention must go out to our very own King Dick, Peter Black, (soz bro couldn't resist in the context) you know...Blackie from the Hard Ons. Also performing solo and acoustic his performance was at times unquestionably beautiful and always engaging, quite a departure from the Hard Ons sensational bubblegum blitzkrieg that I cut my milk teeth on. Funnily enough it was our man Blackie who let rip with the riposte of the night, something along the lines of; "For those blokes talking in the front, this next song's in C minor, it'd be nice if we were in the same key..."

Reviewer: Keith Ford


http://www.melbartsfash.com/93219

[GiveMe45]

Awesome reviews!  And I hate to be a dick but WAYYY better than the Adelaide review.

[jules]

Awesome reviews!  And I hate to be a dick but WAYYY better than the Adelaide review.

The Fool was at both shows and posted great reviews next door:

http://bored.amphetaminereptile.com/index.php?topic=3468.msg40423;topicseen#msg40423

[deatheats]

...producer of the Offspring's album Americana...

Thoroughly debunked by the king himself!  I had to look this up but it was produced by Dave Jerden.

[jules]

...producer of the Offspring's album Americana...

Thoroughly debunked by the king himself!

Yeah, so Wikipedia's around about 50% factual sometimes!

[deatheats]

Looks like that particular comment is no longer on his wikipedia page...some intrepid soul must have fixed that for us.