​Basses loaded with the Melvins

Roger “Buzz” Osborne, lovingly known to his fans as “King Buzzo,” is no stranger to the music scene. Performing since the early 1980s, Buzz is best known for being a founding members, lead vocalist and guitarist, of influential rock band the Melvins, which would go on to inspire a wide variety of musical acts, such as seminal grunge act Nirvana. He was personal friends with their lead vocalist, Kurt Cobain. Buzz has performed for acts as varied as Cows, Tool, Fantomas, and Venomous Concept.

The man has left an indelible mark on the American rock scene and still continues to prolifically release music. On August 10 the Melvins will be performing at the Aquarium in Fargo as part of a tour to promote their twenty-fourth LP (not to mention EPs and other releases) called Basses Loaded, which was released on June 3 of this year through Ipecac Recordings (founded by Fantomas and Faith No More frontman Mike Patton). The studio album features six bass players throughout its tracks and perhaps as a happy coincidence sends everything off with a cover of baseball anthem “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”

Fortunately Buzz was willing to take time out of his busy schedule to conduct an interview with us regarding the new album, its supporting tour, and his music. This is hardly the first time that he has performed in Fargo, North Dakota, even though he doesn’t necessarily come here to perform every year. However, he said, “When we do we always have a great time,” and that, “People there have always been nice to us.” He said that this tour would mark at least the Melvins’ fifth or sixth time to visit this city.

Buzz grew up with a wide variety of musical influences in his hometown of Montesano, Washington. Major ones were David Bowie, Flipper, and Black Flag. He said he fell into the music scene later than many, not realizing his passion until his late teens or early 20s, going on to form the Melvins in 1983. He quickly showed his talent for music and by age twenty-five he was already making a living from it. When asked about the inspiration for his often eclectic output with the Melvins and his other associated acts, he said, “I’m inspired by as many things as you run across in a day. Sometimes they come out of thin air.”

I knew that it was during these early years of the band that Buzz would go on to influence Nirvana, so afraid of stepping on toes, I still decided to ask him how he felt that some of the acts he inspired, such as Nirvana, would go on to become household names whereas the Melvins, though still doubtlessly having a strong following, didn’t seem to achieve that. With a down-to-earth attitude, Buzz said, “That’s just the way it goes. I don’t decide how many records we sell.” Obviously that was no obstacle to working with former band members of Nirvana, given the bass lineup for his newest album.

Basses Loaded, as mentioned before, has six different bass players on its docket. The Melvins have been no strangers to shifting lineups. When I asked him what gave him the idea to make an album with so many bass players he said, “It was accidental. We worked on different things and the next thing you knew we had six bass players. That’s the truth.”

The lineup includes Steve McDonald from Redd Kross, Krist Novoselic from Nirvana, Jeff Pinkus from Butthole Surfers, Trevor Dunn from Mr. Bungle and Fantomas, Jared Warren from Big Business, and the Melvins’ very own long-time drummer Dale Crover. Out of that roster, Dale and Steve are the currently touring members. How has the new album gone over? Buzz said, “You have the people who don’t like the music,” but the overall reaction has been positive.

Doubtless his upcoming concert in Fargo will see a large number of long-time fans and repeat attendees of his concerts, but since there may be those who are not too familiar with the band’s output I thought I would ask the man himself which Melvins albums he would recommend as a starting point for a new listener.

Buzz listed “Stoner Witch,” “Colossus of Destiny,” “Basses Loaded,” “Bullhead,” and “Freak Puke.”

Given his hearty endorsement of the new album, the upcoming concert sounds like a great time for both returning fans and a good opportunity for curious new listeners to check out what has practically become an American musical institution.

IF YOU GO

The Melvins

Wednesday, August 10, 9pm

The Aquarium (Dempsey’s Upstairs), 226 Broadway, Fargo