SCRAPING GENUIS OFF THE WHEEL: THE “MIND YOUR MELVINS” EDITION
Honestly, it didn’t start off this way, but pretty early on in handcrafting my latest installment of Scraping Genius Off The Wheel I realized that I was heavy on the Melvins-related content. So I said to myself, “Self, you should go all Osbourne-Crover on these pliable blog-suckling rubes! It’ll be like Six Degrees Of Kevin Bacon, except skip the part about movies and just start cookin’ with fatback on the griddle! Full English Breakfast!!!” I concurred that the idea was “brilliant” and then gave myself a sensual massage that went too far. So, out of the pan and into the fire, here’s your Melvins news.
A Senile Reissue
Though Ipecac tends to put out the “proper” Melvins albums these days, this arrangement doesn’t preclude the four-headed beast from nuzzling up to other labels. Unlike the infrequent, viciously scarce Amphetamine Reptile releases, Hydra Head Records just announced a tentative release date for the long-awaited 4xLP of A Senile Animal (October 7) as well as a limited-to-300-copies collector’s edition (September 27) that will include a comic book and a belt buckle(Photos here.). Neither of these are on sale yet (despite what some unscrupulous hucksters have attempted) but the standard edition should cost $50 or less. Keep your eyes on the shop so that you don’t miss out.
Touched By An Angel? Tweaked By A Melvin!
Now available is Reservations the seven-track debut album from Tweak Bird, a pleasantly weird slab of sludgy psychedlic noise rock. If that description sounds suspiciously Melvinseque to you, you might as well know that the album was co-produced by the inimitable Mister Crover and freshly hazed Big Business management trainee Toshi Kasai, both of whom are part of Altamont. But don’t take my word for it. Download a free MP3 of “Whorses” or visit the Volcom Entertainment website to stream the whole damn record and gaze on the unsettling album cover. These guys are on tour right now, with a bunch of dates alongside Valient Thorr and Black Tusk coming up in October. As Dethklok’s Toki Wartooth might say: “Woweee!” (Props to Crustcake for the head’s up!)
Caught Merz-turbating To Porn
If the presence of Crover on a record isn’t enough to get you to whip out the black AmEx in these tough economic times, then what would you say if I threw in Merzbow for free? Fresh from the ovens of new Southern Records imprint Truth Cult, And The Devil Makes Three is the new collaborative album from sleazy Melvins side-project Porn and Japanese noise god Masami Akita. Those of you who’ve picked up any of the Boris/Merzbow releases or the latest SYR release from Sonic Youth know that Akita plays very well with rock n roll kids.
OK Smartass, What Are The Melvins Doing Right Now?
Well, you silly goose, they’re currently rocking the living fuck out of Europe in support of their latest opus Nude With Boots. To be completely candid, I haven’t been as into the last two Melvins albums (despite my love of Big Business) as I was with their early-to-mid 90s output, though their setlist on this tour will satisfy just about anyone who has ever identified himself as a fan.
Until next time, I’ll be sitting here with a cold beer watching my Fantomas/Melvins Big Band DVD with the lights out.
-GS
Gary Suarez was floored watching Mike Patton sing “Night Goat”, especially considering the inscrutability of the lyrics. He also writes for Brainwashed and mismanages the consistently off-topic No Yoko No.
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