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Written by brian

Created: 09 March 2015

Great news, you now have the opportunity to help the highly anticipated documentary The Colossus Of Destiny - A Melvins Tale come to fruition! They're offering tons of great rewards for supporting their Kickstarter, and I can tell you that the folks behind this thing are huge Melvins fans, are incredibly dedicated to this project, and that it's going to be a proper testament to the amazing career that Buzz and Dale along with their collaborators have put together. Check out the details below or at melvinsmovie.com, and please visit their Kickstarter to back the project!

"How comes no one has ever made a film about The Melvins?"

Well, no one has ever tried or thought it even possible.....until now that is. The Colossus Of Destiny - A Melvins Tale is a film about a band who have defied all the rules, for over 32 years and counting, and still managed to succeed and do it their own way. The journey of band members King Buzzo and Dale Crover leads us from the backwards-waters of the Chehalis River in Washington State, down through the Golden Gate of Northern California, and finally settling into the Los Angeles River Basin of Southern California. With the rest of the world thrown in along the way. You will witness first hand the beliefs and attitudes, values and obscenities, slows and fasts, triumphs and toils, loves and hates, wits and giggles of a hugely talented and influential band.  And you will also come away with a lesson in how to survive in the wicked world of the music biz without taking yourself too damn seriously.

Hear what the countless number of peers, collaborators, understudies, admirers, even haters, have to say about their encounters with The Melvins over the past 3 decades and more in our exclusive interviews. And get to feast your eyes on a huge collection of never before seen Live Footage, Photos, Art, Animation and Extracurricular Activities of The Melvins.

 About The Funding
The filmmakers are asking you for help with the funding process to finish this project they both individually started and self-funded over the last 5 years or so, and collectively worked on together the past 13 months. 95% of the filming process has been done over this time. But the major financial tasks at hand are now upon them with costs for - Editing....and the momentous Caffeine Consumption that goes with it - Animation - Picture Quality Mixing - Sound Mixing....in Dobly of course - Music and Video and Image Licensing/Bribery - And a few more really interesting interviews that need to happen.

The final goal is to bring you the best looking and sounding film that is possible to go along with the already amazing story that is in position. The figure of $75,000 is what we feel is the minimum amount we need to achieve that goal. All of the funds made available to us will be spent solely on the production costs of the film making process.                                 

* Please note that this funding process is of the filmmakers doing and nothing to do with the band.

The Rewards  
The Rewards on offer are exclusive to this Kickstarter project.  

They include: specially donated artwork by our good friends Haze XXL, Brian Walsby, Arik Roper, Skinner and the fabulous Mackie Osbourne. Live recordings donated by Vinny Palese. Production help by Revolve Merchandise. And extra special one of a kind products and experiences with the help of the band members themselves.  

It is hoped that there is something for everyone in all different price brackets. And the filmmakers are hugely grateful in any help that you can provide to make this project be completed.

Poster Art by Skinner

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Written by brian

Created: 27 January 2015

Buzz & Dale played an in-store date on Jan. 4th at Permanent Records in Los Angeles, so many people showed up that they actually decided to play two sets to accommodate the overflowing crowd! At the show they released the brand spanking new limited Art edition of Bride Screamed Murder which was limited to 100 copies and sold out quickly between the show and online sales through the AmRep shop, though rumor has it there is another edition of 50 in the works for later this year. These are amazing pieces of art, check out the details on it along with some clips from the show below.

From AmRep: There's an unbelievable amount of printing methods on this one set. Starting off with the cover that has a hand-printed HAZE XXL linocut print on paper with torn edges & methodically glued to the front with rubber stamped text. Next up on the gatefold are a pair of silk screened crow prints also designed by Haze. Now we get to the back of the sleeve with a letterpressed print by Mackie Osborne that's shows the edition number plus a rubber stamped Amphetamine Reptile logo.
But there's more, how does two hand-printed HAZE XXL relief cuts on the b-side to each record sound? That's right, you get 2 x 12"- one-sided records (A & B-sides of "The Bride Screamed Murder"), each hand-printed relief cuts on the blank b-sides of each Coke bottle green clear vinyl. Of course this is still a record set so all the songs from the original Melvins record are on there as well.
We haven't done the math, but we're guessing at this price we'll be likely making below minimum wage per hour when you add up all the carving, printing, stamping, glueing and packing!

While on the topic of AmRep releases, the final piece of the Sugar Daddy split series puzzle will be up for sale on their site within the next couple weeks. This split is with Karp and includes Bacon Industry and Rowdy. It's been a long ride, the series has been trickling out since 2012! Keep an eye on the AmRep Facebook page for all on-sale announcements.

Update 2/13: The band is doing a Friday the 13th sale for the next 13 days. A number of their shirts are on sale for only $13! Check out their store at merchaye-revolve.com/the-melvins

Joyful Noise announced that an unreleased track from Buzz will be a part of their monthly 2015 Flexi Disc Series along with Lee Ranaldo and a host of other bands. You might remember that a Melvins track was a part of their 2013 flexi series.

Speaking of Joyful Noise, they released a highly limited Lathe-Cut Flexi of a Brothers Collateral track with Buzz on vocals last spring. The song is now available to stream: J.R. Richard. Jarred Warren's vocals also appear on an interpretation of the UFO song "Love To Love". The album artwork alone makes it worth the purchase.

• This album was recorded and produced by the nimble fingers and sharp tongue of the brilliant and handsome Toshi Kasai. The dudes in Brothers Collateral were also able to keep King Buzzo of (the) Melvins off tour for long enough to record vocals for their song "J.R. Richard". The next time you see him give him $5 for a real life "King Buzzo Sentence"!

MTVIggy has a great interview with Buzz where he discusses his top 5 film scores, it's a great list!

Melvins visited Chile for the first time in December. Someone posted video of the entire Rockout Festival set, Trevor Dunn on bass! Fantômas was also there!

Gearphoria featured Buzz in their most recent magazine where he details his road gear setup.

You can now stream the Melvins/Hard-Ons split 7" through the We Empty Rooms bandcamp site. Rumor has it this 7" will be released sometime later this year for those of you that might have missed out on a chance to order it!

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Written by brian

Created: 02 December 2014

Boner Records will be reissuing double albums of Ozma/Bullhead & Eggnog/'Lice-All' in all their remastered/gatefold packaging glory on January 20th of next year! (Check out more info on the Boner reissues below)

That's not all the vinyl news trickling out at this moment. Hold It In is now scheduled to be released on vinyl December 15th, and SSGmusic recently did a great interview with the band and among other things they mentioned that Third Man is planning on doing a re-release of the Atlantic era albums on vinyl in 2015 as well. Buzz said: "We’re re-releasing the vinyl [from] Atlantic Records on Third Man. The guy from Third Man got the masters from Atlantic for the Stag record, he goes, “What are these two songs on here that aren’t on the record?” … “I dunno.” He tells us [the names] and I don’t remember what those are." 

In addition to all that, Buzz was also interviewed in October by Highlight Media where at the very end of the interview he talks about re-releasing both Electroretard and the Bulls & the Bees on one record so we'll have to be on the lookout for that as well in 2015!

The LPs have been remastered and are back in print on vinyl for the first time in 15 years. The new gatefold packaging includes never-before-seen vintage photos, as well as the original artwork and insert, all tidied up and ready to meet Mom and Dad.

Ozma/Bullhead
This double-LP package combines two of the earliest releases from the often imitated but never duplicated Melvins. Formed in the early-’80s in the scenic wonderland known as Aberdeen, WA, the band took inspiration from Black Flag, Black Sabbath, Venom, Flipper, Stooges and other floggers of high-energy, low-velocity plod. Today, more than 30 years later, they might be more popular than ever. Slow and steady wins the race.

Disc one is Ozma, from 1989, which was recorded soon after their move from Washington to San Francisco, and was their first release to include the diminutive yet mighty Lorax (Lori Temple Black) on bass. In fact, the first sound one hears at the album’s opening is Lori standing on her tiptoes to switch on her amp, thereby warning the listener of the onslaught to come. Distorted, down-tuned doom riffs start, stop, lurch sideways with no warning, and seem to end before they start. Buzz Osborne adds extraneous guitar static and vocal squeals. Drummer Dale Crover plays as if he’s inside a barrel going over Niagara Falls; the long, slow fall allows the space between beats to grow and grow until he crashes into the water with the vessel blasting apart in an explosion of drum rolls. The classic Melvins heavy grind is set up and broken up by assorted odd sidetracks: “Revulsion / We Reach” flows forward slower and slower until it eventually melts into a gooey feedback drone. “Raise a Paw” is a superball paddled against one’s head by a grinning village idiot. “Love Thing” enlists in the Kiss Army before getting dishonorably discharged. 

Disc two is Bullhead, from 1991. The songs are longer, the mood is calmer, yet more menacing. “Boris” (which gave the Japanese group their name) is a long, slow, low death march of addiction and self-abuse. “Zodiac” is a frantic punk rock machine gun blasting away at Buzz’s demons (both inner and outer). “Cow” is a happy baboon bashing away at the best drum solo of his life. “It’s Shoved” is a groovy beat for the cast of Shindig to bop along to, until their carefree performances of The Pony, The Mashed Potato, and The Watusi are horribly interrupted by the soundstage tilting up and sliding them all into a mangled heap of screaming dancers, broken cameras and flaming electronic equipment at the bottom.

Eggnog/'Lice-All'
Disc one is Eggnog, from 1991. Originally released as a 10-inch, Eggnog is a wild ride into the outer limits of Melvins-dom. The first side cuts loose with three quick blasts. “Wispy” has the Lorax (Lori Temple Black) on bass and Dale Crover on drums, pounding one note in unison while Buzz Osborne bellows and whispers and turns his guitar on and off. “Antitoxidote” is a rabid horse galloping off into the desert, with yet more stops and starts and feedback detonations. “Hog Leg” sounds like a syphillitic Jimmy Swaggert trying to mimic Dio while being backed by a drunken ZZ Top cover band. Side Two features the side-long epic “Charmicarmicat,” with seasick waves of guitar and slow-motion madness bringing communicable disease and poisonous jellyfish ashore, stinging and infecting the unsuspecting sunbathers before gently washing out to sea again. 

Disc two is Lice-All, from 1992, previously known as self-titled, and also previously known as something else we’re all not gonna talk about, thank you very much. This was their last release before signing their Atlantic deal, and features the introduction of new bass player Joe Preston (previously of Earth, currently of Thrones). It’s one long, slow, loud blob of drones, moans and fuzztones. The opening endless power chord shimmer influenced Sleep, Sunn O))), and countless other sludge metal drone freaks for years to come.

Melvins were featured on Last Call w/ Carson Daly for the second time recently, they featured two songs from their new album Hold It in: Sesame Street Meat & Onions Make the Milk Taste Bad both from their October 23rd performance at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. UPDATE: I had to move the two video clips to the "Read More" section of this article due to slow loading times from NBC.

Read More to view the two clips.

SFWeekly talked to Buzz about Hold It In and the experience of collaborating with Jeff & Paul: "I've always been a huge Butthole Surfers fan. The first time I saw them was in the early '80s when all they had out was their first EP. I thought they were amazing. They've always been a huge influence and one of my all-time favorite bands. So from a long time ago, I always thought it would be great to work with Paul Leary. I always thought he was a great guitar player. He's one of my guitar-playing heroes for sure. I loved their sensibility about everything. Then we got to be friends with Jeff and it kind of just went from there. Things fell into place. I don't understand why more people don't hire Paul to play guitar for them." - Buzz

Seattle Passive Aggressive posted an interview and some photos after their show in Seattle last month: While we were recording, the album title came from him(Paul Leary) saying that he stopped taking LSD because it gave him so much gas. He got tired of walking around “holding it in.”  - Buzz

Buzz was recently interviewed by the Broward/Palm Beach New Times: "I was actually on a plane flying home. But I like when people make up stories. In fact, let's say that the moment that GWAR show was going on, I was in a straitjacket because I had gone crazy, and I was being pumped full of Thorazine. I was in a Miami mental institution for about six months. I got out and went to Wisconsin and fed baby ducks for the next two years. Dale did all the recording, and he got a Buzz lookalike to go on tour. So, I've been in and out of mental institutions... Yeah." - Buzz

Brian Walsby has a new Melvins shirt design available for purchase just in time for the holidays, it's a play on Van Halen's Fair Warning album art.

Secret Serpents has a ton of amazing Melvins show posters for sale and right now they are offering free domestic shipping on orders of $50 or more. All poster orders of $100 or more will get an additional poster as a bonus (in the same genre if possible). Offer ends December 20th. Coupon code: FREESHIPPING

Today Is The Day covered Zodiac on their outstanding new album Animal Mother. 

Buzz & Dale will be doing an in-store performance in January at Permanent Records in L.A. Poster Art by HAZE XXL

Here's two new teasers from the crew at melvinsmove.com!

Read more: Boner to reissue classic Melvins albums on vinyl in 2015

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Written by brian

Created: 14 October 2014

It's time to stagger your way on down to the local sound peddler and pick up your copy of the latest Melvins masterpiece collaboration with JD Pinkus and Paul Leary, Hold It In officially hits record store shelves today thanks to our good friends at Ipecac!

"Hold It In's with the Butthole Surfers guys. It's completely different than what it would have been without those guys and it's a new step forward for us. I'm very happy about that. It's a dream come true." - Buzz

Tons of positive reviews have been coming out about the album. Simon Chandler of Tiny Mix Tapes had this to say in part: "...it’s with these infectious yet implicitly caustic outbursts that The Melvins, as well as Leary and Pinkus, re-situate themselves within the no-man’s land they’ve nearly always inhabited, where they’re too wily for straight-ahead rock and too knowingly brutal for straight-ahead pop. And even within this seamy hinterland, they can’t remain in any one place for too long, for fear of being pinned down and typecast. This means that in addition to the crushing psych-metal of “Sesame Street Meat” and the bubblegum steamrolling of “Brass Cupcake,” there’s also the swirly “Barcelonian Horseshoe Pit” and its ambient-cum-shoegazy hallucinations, as well as the barn-dancing psychobilly of “I Get Along (Hollow Moon),” in which reverb’d guitars and bit-dispersing electronics usher Leary’s half-drunken tale of perseverance in the face of adversity. It’s conceivable that with such a pathological fear of being identified as either X or Y The Melvins-Leary/Pinkus Connection would fall foul of tokenism and superficiality in their rush around various sub-genres, but it’s a testament to their chops that pretty much all the tracks on Hold It In hold interest in their own right, and not solely because they’re sandwiched between contrasts."

Guitar World recently did an interview with Buzz and Paul Leary: "It's a good cross-section of a lot of things we've done as well as some things we've never done. It's the first Melvins record I played on where I didn't write a majority of the material. That was a little different than what we normally do. Paul is also one of my favorite guitar players, and I've thought about doing something like this with him for a long time." - Buzz on Hold It In

A lot more good news about the long-rumored documentary about the Melvins has come to light recently! it's going to be titled The Colossus of Destiny - A Melvins Tale and they now have a website at melvinsmovie.com Apparently they'll be doing a crowdfunding thing soon to get their project over the finish line so keep your eye on their site and facebook page for all the details! Check out their first teaser below:

Dale appeared on the Terrible Tuesday Radio Show on Radio Valencia to talk about Hold It In amongst other things. They also played some tracks off the new album. Along with Dale, Ryan and Bob the co-directors of The Collossus of Destiny were also on the show to talk about the project. You can download the podcast at radiovalencia.fm or iTunes.

According to Golf Digest Buzz ranked 57th in the music industry with a 13.6 handicap, he's got Justin Bieber and Fred Durst beat, but apparently Alice Cooper has the advantage. Buzz also gave the Echo LA some golfing tips earlier this year.

Poster Art by Nathaniel Deas

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Written by brian

Created: 24 September 2014

The Quietus has premiered 'Sesame Street Meat' from Hold It In which is due to be released in just under a few weeks! (October 14th to be exact)  Dale Crover said this of Sesame Street Meat... "This track is one of the first songs we recorded together. I love Jeff's slinky little bass line that comes in around the third measure! Then the whole band kicks in and just crushes you like a bug! One of my faves! I can't wait to play it live!"

It looks like both the vinyl and CD will be available on that date through Ipecac. The vinyl from Ipecac will be one 12", and since all the songs from the album won't fit so AmRep will be releasing a Bride of Crankenstein 10" with the final track House of Gasoline tacking up the entire b-side of that release. The 10" should be available in time for the U.S. tour that'll be getting underway in a few weeks.

Bride of Crankenstein art by HAZE XXL

Speaking of Amphetame Reptile Records and Tom Hazelmeyer... The Color of Noise a new documentary about the legendary label is in the midst of touring the United States. Tom is appearing at many of the dates selling his art and some rare AmRep releases. Check out The Color of Noise FB for all the details. Noisey also posted a good interview with the director recently.

Make sure to sign up for the We Empty Rooms mailing list so that you can be notified of opportunities to order the Melvins/Hard-Ons split 7" Some may be available on the tour, but quantities are unknown at this point.  The Melvins side of this split is a cover of Glen Matlock's song Ambition.

Poster art by Craig Horky

GOING COMMANDO WITH JIM MORRISON'S GOLDEN SET OF PIPES: Buzz's final tour diary installment for Noisey was posted... 
"Dave and I ate at a pretty nice place just down the street with a surly waitress who mumbled that we were early so some of the specials weren't available yet.
As she turned to stomp off she dropped her order book and when she bent over to pick it up I noticed her pants were split the entire length of her ass crack...
And she wasn't wearing underwear...
It was like staring into the sun." - Buzz Baltimore, MD

Brian Walsby's latest Melvins T-shirt is ace and he still has some sizes left. It's a tribute to Love's Forever Changes album art.