The Melvins w/ Helms Alee

The Melvins are an American band that formed in 1983. They usually perform as a trio, but in recent years have performed as a four piece with two drummers. Since 1984, singer and guitarist Buzz Osborne (also known as King Buzzo) and drummer Dale Crover have been the band’s ongoing members. The band was named after a supervisor at a Thriftway in Montesano, Washington, where Osborne also worked as a clerk. “Melvin” was despised by other employees, and the band’s members felt it to be an appropriately ridiculous name.HistoryEarly daysThe Melvins were formed in early 1983 by Buzz Osborne, Matt Lukin and Mike Dillard who all went to Montesano Jr./Sr. High School in Montesano, Washington.

In the beginning they played Cream and Jimi Hendrix covers, and also began playing fast hardcore punk. When Dillard left the band, Dale Crover took his place, and the band’s rehearsals moved to a back room of Crover’s parents house in Aberdeen, Washington. Soon afterward, they started to play songs slower and “heavier” than nearly anyone else at the time.In 1985, C/Z Records was created to document the Washington music scene, the label released Deep Six, featuring four songs by the Melvins. In 1986 the band released their debut, the Six Songs EP, on C/Z Records . The album was recorded live to a two track at the now closed Ironwood Studio in Seattle on February 8, 1986.