Like a dog’s jaw clamping down determinedly on a small, dead animal and refusing to let go, the Melvins continue to solidify their reputation as sludge-metal gods.
The band’s latest, The Bride Screamed Murder, features more of the weird, dirty grit and experimentation that has come to typify the 25-year-old outfit, but this time around, it comes with a marching chant, whistling, a cappela harmonies, and a take on The Who‘s “My Generation.”
Singer / guitarist / resident weirdo Buzz Osborne recently answered a few queries about the band and the new album, which came out earlier this month on Ipecac.
How is this album different from your last one, Nude with Boots? What was the recording process like? After 25 years or so together, do things get any easier or is it even harder?
Different? Who knows. I like both records and think they are some of our best stuff ever. I know everyone always says that, but for once, I’m not telling a bullshit story. Well, maybe sort of a bullshit story.
Believe it or not, that’s kind of a hard question, and I wish you had asked me something different, but I don’t always get what I want. It’s not that it’s a bad question; it’s just a little difficult for me to answer.
Things were never easy in the songwriting or recording process, and I spend a large amount of time just thinking about what sort of stuff I want to do with the Melvins. We had a good time recording it, though, and we worked at a steady pace for most of the tracking and mixing.
How does having Jared and Coady (of Big Business) in the band change the Melvins’ sound? Jared has said he really likes the way his bass sounds on this record. I notice that it is farther up in the mix than what I’ve noticed on past Melvins records. Was this a conscious decision?
Jared and Coady are good players, so that part is easy. We let the sound develop with them instead of trying to make them bend to our will. I tend to think that this makes the music better. Jared is happy with his bass sound on this one? Well, that’s good to know.
As for us intentionally mixing his bass louder for this record…that would be a no. We mixed it how we thought best.
The material on The Bride Screamed Murder seems a bit more “friendly” than most other Melvins records. Do you agree with that? If so, are you hoping to maybe draw in people who wouldn’t normally be interested in such a style of weird heavy-metal music?
I suppose it’s more friendly sounding, but who knows? Imagine it on the iPod of a typical young music fan and compare it to what they normally listen to…and I think you might see it as nothing that will attract too many normies into our musical realm. I’ve always thought our stuff should sell tens of millions of records, and it was the general public who disagreed. So be it.
I’ve heard you say that you rarely listen to records after recording them. If this is off the mark, feel free to put me in my place. If not, have you listened to the new record, and have any songs — or bits of songs — jumped out at you? What did you like or didn’t like?
I can usually listen to one of our albums from the time we record it until the day it comes out. By then, I’m ready to move on with new stuff. I like almost all the stuff we’ve recorded in the past, but I don’t spend a lot of time listening to it.
That would be a bit creepy for me and not a whole lot of fun. As for what I liked or disliked on The Bride Screamed Murder…well, I like the first song, “The Water Glass,” the most.
What is with the kid’s voice, counting out numbers, on the last track? I have to say, I never in a million years thought I’d hear (even part of) a Melvins song that sounds remotely like Boards of Canada. This one (in parts) does. How did you conceive of this strange track?
I’ve never heard the Boards of Canada, so I will take your word for it sounding like that. Basically, we just thought it was a nice way of ending the album — counting. I believe it is in fact a code as well, but letting you in on the secret would be giving out way too much information.
What the hell is with that guy on FOX News who seems to be a Melvins super fan? He seems tolerable and genuinely into good music.
Greg Gutfeld, you mean. He likes the Melvins, which is refreshing coming from a news show. Greg is a smart guy and really funny, and I’m really glad they let me go on Red Eye. It’s a blast, and I get to crack jokes and talk about the Melvins — on national television. What could be better?