Your Melvins History...

[Fishheadphil]

Just curious as to how some of you first came to know and appreciate the Melvins!

As for myself, before I ever heard the Melvins I assumed they were either a classic rock band such as the Yardbirds or some strange electro-rock band from the 80's like Depeche mode or something hilarious. Eventually I got into Mr. Bungle and noticed that the Melvins were associated which surprised me. Unfortunately I am a late Melvins bloomer, so when I searched them on Youtube I found "The Talking Horse" and thus found their Discography worthy of being heard. I listened to each of their albums 5-6 times in chronological order in order for me to be able to comprehend what was happening in my ear vaginas. But I remember it was certain songs at first that stuck  such as: Oven, Let God Be Your Gardener, Claude, Wispy, Pearl Bomb, Skin Horse, Mombius Hibachi, The Bloated Pope, Toadi Acceleratio + plenty plenty more. Not to mention their entire attitude towards life + making music is easy to appreciate. Ever since I first laid ears on the music of the Melvins they've been one of the most inspiring acts in my books.

[Dan_Halen]

I was a Nirvana fan and learned about The Melvins from them. One day in a record store I saw a copy of the With Yo Heart Not Yo Hands 45 and grabbed it. It was cool...4 Letter Woman was the track that really made me like them. Soon after I discovered a mail order catalog for records from a company called vinyl inc. They had a million Melvins titles listed. I was so intimidated and didn't know where to start, so I ordered the self titled one, thinking it was their first album (Not knowing it was called Lysol and they had to change it) The first side of that record totally blew my mind. Soon after I got the rest. I feel lucky that my first full length was Lysol. I was truly blessened!

[Stonergrunge]

I saw the "Hooch" video on Mtv Latino in 1998 in a program called "Mtv Rocks", tried to record it during the rerun of the program but they deleted that particular video and broadcasted something else instead.

Bought "Houdini" on CD in 2000 but I wasn't too ready for their style and thought it was too "different" from all the other bands I was digging back then, even though I was beginning with The Mars Volta during that time.

Bought the "Deep Six" comp on CD in 2004. After listening to those four songs I started to really dig the band. I bought "Bullhead" on CD next year and the rest is history.

[Metalhead Cow]

I started getting into rock music in 1999-2000 when I was like 10 or 11. In 2000 my favorite bands were Metallica and Nirvana and I read a lot about Kurt Cobain and Nirvana. I read Kurt's love for and relationship with the Melvins,  so I decided to check the band out. I bought Stoner Witch at a cd store (my first Melvins record) without ever have hearing any of their music before. I remember one time I was listening to Stoner Witch in my room, and my mom came in while Skweetis was playing. She gave me a wierd look and said, "You paid for this?!" The next records I got were Gluey Porch Treatments, The Crybaby, and Collosus Of Destiny. I immediately liked them and I just kept buying the cd's I could get my hands on, and researching the band online. I was like 12 or 13 when I first started using the internet around 2001 or 2002 and it was an exciting time. I used to  frequently visit the melvins.net and the captain pungent website around that time. Anyone remember the captain pungent website? that was a good one. I remember that site had an article about sex written by Kevin Rutmanis (wierd,  huh). I've been a huge fan for the past 12 years, and it's always been a blast to follow their career. Thanks to youtube since 2006 there has been so much live footage of the band to watch online. It was really exciting to see that happen, because I really hadn't seen a whole lot of live footage of the band in the pre-youtube days.

[GrimReaper]

Melvins opened for Down and I kind of liked them ever since.

[John Schuller]

I went to go see D.R.I. at the Crescent Ballroom in Tacoma Washington in May of 1987. Melvins were the first band on the bill along with Poison Idea. They each wore a different color Star Trek shirt. They blew my mind. Shortly after that I picked up the Deep Six compilation and wore the record out.

[Beard]

Ran across the Deep Six version of Grinding Process on YouTube; I only clicked on it because I thought the title "Grinding Process" was pretty cool Ended up listening to that whole compilation and really loving all the Melvins tracks on there. Bought Houdini a couple days later, and Bullhead about a week after. Ever since then I've been hooked!

[jules]

I was living in Scotland and spending all my time gloriously unemployed and photographing military planes. I was bored shitless with the music I already had, and finding 'new' stuff in Dundee was impossible as the whole city was permanently in 1979.  One day Dominic Dodd, a medical student and punk from nearby St. Andrews and a fellow plane nerd, lent me an LP he'd bought in Manchester at the weekend. It was GPT. Everything changed from that moment on.

[Schnabster]

Was outside "Arena", the big tent on Roskilde in 2004, waiting for the next act, half knowing that the band on stage was called The Melvins. Was drinking beer and chatting with me mate (who was on week bachelor party at the festival for his marrying mate) and me gal and chatting, but got more and more fascinated by the sludgy, mean and Sabbath-like sound that came from the tent. Me and me mate agreed that this was pretty good, but I didnt go into to the tent to watch, just stayed outside to be near the next beer to buy. I didnt think much about it after that, but when I got back I found Hooch on the internet by the orchestra, and got hooked immediately! "Where have you been all my life?" I asked, knowing that this music was IT, this was what I had been looking for in my quest. First time I got to see them live was at KOKO Club at ATP, in 2005 I think it was.

[jules]

knowing that this music was IT, this was what I had been looking for in my quest.

Exactly this!

[MrLuck87]

My sister bought me a subscription to CMJ from about 2000-2003.  Each magazine came with a cd of about 20 songs.  Most of the songs and bands weren't good though.  I remember my brother telling me he hated the Melvins so I listened to the song, Brain Center at Whipples, of out curiosity.  I actually thought it was pretty good, especially the sped up ending, but because of how much my brother seemed to loathe them I just kind of moved on.

In roughly 2004 or 2005 I bought Millennium Monsterwork because I was really into Fantomas.  I was blown away by the Melvins tracks and downloaded the originals off Kazaa.  I also talked my brother into giving me the Melvins cd he bought that he hated, Honky.  Much to my surprise I really loved Honky and proceeded to buy the rest of their albums.

It's a pretty weird way to get into them.  Oh well.  My brother did finally come around to them a little bit once he heard the more rock oriented songs but I doubt he'll ever buy any of their albums or see them live again. 

I remember one time I was listening to Stoner Witch in my room, and my mom came in while Skweetis was playing. She gave me a wierd look and said, "You paid for this?!"

I think a lot of Melvins fans incorrectly think that Stoner Witch is their mainstream album because we're used to albums like CoD and Honky but truthfully it's a pretty weird album.

[black stallion]

in 1994 i went with my dad in this big commercial store...i took a look to the records and i saw Prick,i knew The Melvins only by name through Nirvana...

yes,i'm saying i bought a copy of Prick 

[pinkyslim]

in 1994 i went with my dad in this big commercial store...i took a look to the records and i saw Prick,i knew The Melvins only by name through Nirvana...

yes,i'm saying i bought a copy of Prick 

I am surprised you don't hate MELVINS after PRICK.

[pinkyslim]

Purchased Ozma on cassete after Nirvana plugging in 1991.
Waited anxiously to see em' live and..Gwar/Melvins with Joe on bass.

[Schnabster]

in 1994 i went with my dad in this big commercial store...i took a look to the records and i saw Prick,i knew The Melvins only by name through Nirvana...

yes,i'm saying i bought a copy of Prick