The Mindset That The Melvins Did A Lot Of Great Stuff Before 1993,

[(the) Razor]

The stuff he does on Disco Volante. 

[black stallion]

Dr Mule >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Going Blind, Set Me Straight, Sky Pup, Joan of Arc, Teet, Copache, Pearl Bomb, Spread Eagle Beagle

Agreed, except I love Sky Pup and especially Pearl Bomb.

you guys don't like Joan of Arc? 

[John Schuller]

on the subject of bassist, all they're bassist are good... but Trevor Dunn is beyond good. he's better at bass than anybody I've ever heard playing that type of music. Trevor is so good he allows buzz to do literally anything and pull it off. IMHO Trevor Dunn should be THE bass player and the rest are stand ins when he's not available. but that won happen.

all in all, I'm really glad I've gotten to see jared, Trevor, jd, and dale play bass. hopefully someday I'll get to see rutmanis play too!

to me rutmanis and Trevor are the two that added a new layer of experiment to the melvins which wouldn't be tree without them.

anyone CAN play like mark or Lori or even jared (though Jared's definitely got an edge) but only Kevin and do Kevin and only Trevor can do Trevor and both have taken the melvins to brand new places never before reached

Bass player here. Here are my thoughts on their bass players and their role within the band:

Matt Lukin: The first! Plays on my personal favorite Melvins album ever!!!! My friend owns the rig Lukin used to record Gluey Porch Treatments. He says Matt Lukin is hilarious and a really nice guy. I love his bass playing because it is so punk rock, metal and blues rock all at the same time!

Lori Black: My least favorite bass player in the Melvins. Her tone on Ozma is atrocious - it sounds like someone put some brand new strings on the bass the morning of the recording session. Technically gets the job done, but doesn't really add anything for me.  Eggnog fucking rules though! Same with Bullhead. Come to think of it - she really does get the job done.

Joe Preston: Bombastic. Wish I could have seen him play with the Melvins. How did I miss those shows? Love his sound, love his tone. (Personal note: Met him once, he was nice. I don;t think he wants to talk about Melvins anymore).

Mark Deutrom: I don't think any other bass player in the history of the Melvins had as much influence on the sound of the Melvins that Mark D. Just look at the song credits and listen to his solo albums. The guy KNOWS music - he went to school for it and shit. He brought a style of bass playing not seen before or since as he is primarily a guitarist - kind of like Noel Redding. Plus - he plays all kinds of guitar on Stoner Witch. (Have conversed with him over email - really great guy)

Kevin Rutmanis: Perhaps my favorite Melvin? No one can do that retard dance while playing the bass like he can. Killer tone, great use of effects and slide. I miss Kevin being in the band more than any other member. His playing reminds me of someone taking a Motown session guy and slipping him some LSD. (I have met Kevin once, real nice. See him walking around my neighborhood with his little son in a stroller - melvins dad!)

Jared Warren: What can I say about Jared? The single best bass tone to ever grace the Melvins. And the guy can SING like a bad ass. Born and bred on the Melvins, Jared UNDERSTANDS Melvins more than most. Seriously though - the BEST bass tone in the Melvins ever. (Personal note: I have met him. He is a total sweetheart, really nice guy, funny as hell).

J.D. Pinkus: I am a bit underwhelmed by Pinkus. He has a great look, great stage presence, can play like a mofo - but.....I am going to say it - I HATE HIS BASS TONE. His bass tone just sounds weak to me. He doesn't play with a pick which is cool and very unique when it comes to the Melvins. But man - give me some P-Bass played with a Pick in my Melvins!!! (Personal note: I have not met him, I think he would be one of the coolest dudes to ever smoke a bowl with).

Trevor Dunn: This man is a bass genius. The most skilled musician to have ever played in the Melvins. This guy knows everything about music including theory, how to read etc. etc. Can play upright bass and electric bass. Can play in a jazz band and can play in the most shreddingest metal band. He has all bases covered. Great tone, great technique - truly a musician's musician. (Personal note: I have met him, he loves KISS - a lot! Super nice fucking guy)

Dale Crover: Not the real 1983 bass player! He is an imposter!!!! Get's the job done for a poser!  I wish that Lukin could still play bass and was on good enough terms with Buzz and Dale to have played bass in Melvins 1983. Oh well - it still rules!! (Personal note: I have met him, really fucking nice guy.)

[(PAUL)]

Personal note: I actually read all of that! Nice to hear from a bassist on bassists.

[meezer]

I'm a bassist on the weekends, and that bassist has his bases covered, regarding Melvins bassists! 

[(the) Razor]

I'm a guitarist, so I can easily play bass and can confirm it is a good post.


( )

[black stallion]

Jared best bass tone ever?    i politely disagree.

[immoraliste]

The bassist discussion is interesting in that it always relates to a particular period for the melvins. Do people prefer the bass sound/style or that particular melvins period?

[John Schuller]

I'm a guitarist, so I can easily play bass and can confirm it is a good post.


( )

Best post ever!!! 

[John Schuller]

Jared best bass tone ever?    i politely disagree.

Let's set up a duel between the best Melvins bassist tones!!!!!

(I probably shouldn't have said "EVER" - I meant it in a purely Melvins related sense.)

[John Schuller]

I honestly haven't got a clue on the bassists or who sounds best or is most creative or anything. Personally i hardly EVER hear a bass player in the music i listen to. It all just blends together for me and i usually only really hear or focus upon guitar and drums. Perhaps i have bad hearing or im just not familiar with what a bass sounds like?!? I think the only bands i can think of where i can distinctly pick out the bass in the mix and tell what it's doing are Om and Shellac. Om because there is only bass present and Shellac because Albini's guitar isn't low end sounding and is pretty distinctive. In fact i think that's one of the really cool things about Shellac is that there is no leading instrument. Bass, drums and guitar all take turns or are as prominent as each other. As for Melvins, i haven't a clue.

In my opinion, this means the bassists are doing their job correct!!! I usually find if the bass is standing out too much in rock music, they need to simmer down and support the music.

[John Schuller]

The bassist discussion is interesting in that it always relates to a particular period for the melvins. Do people prefer the bass sound/style or that particular melvins period?

Great question.

Jared is my favorite Melvins bassist as far as tone/sound/vocals, yet plays on my least favorite Melvins albums.
Mark D is my favorite bassist as far as choice notes, classic P-Bass with a pick sound, and plays on some of my favorite albums.
Lori is my least favorite Melvins bassist, and plays on Ozma, Bullhead and Eggnog which are in my top favorite Melvins albums ever (and I HATE her bass tone on Ozma).

[LuckMach3]

Dr Mule >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Going Blind, Set Me Straight, Sky Pup, Joan of Arc, Teet, Copache, Pearl Bomb, Spread Eagle Beagle

Agreed, except I love Sky Pup and especially Pearl Bomb.

you guys don't like Joan of Arc? 

Neither of us said that. 

[LuckMach3]

Personally i hardly EVER hear a bass player in the music i listen to. It all just blends together for me and i usually only really hear or focus upon guitar and drums. Perhaps i have bad hearing or im just not familiar with what a bass sounds like?!?

It wouldn't sound nearly as good without bass.  Go back and listen to The Fool, The Meddling Idiot.  The entire 2min intro the bass is the stand out instrument doing the high pitched screeching sound you hear.

[meezer]

I can relate to what Ian is saying. I've heard J Mascis say in interviews that he makes his demos with himself on drums and works meticulously with Murph on the drum parts. He says on the other hand, he doesn't care at all about the bass, that he "doesn't even hear it". Ian's in good company, I say. And he's also crazy.