Did you hear about the Melvins? They’re just one of the most influential bands in heavy music history. So influential, in fact, that without their early experiments with heavy, “sludgy,” punkish sounds, we might never have had Nirvana or countless other bands that explored grunge, drone, sludge, and more. They are the originators, the experimental artists who loved distortion, and lucky, lucky, lucky for us in London, they came to town for one of the dates on their ongoing Stop Your Whining tour. Back in April, they released their 28th studio album, Thunderball. They never stop, and what a performance it was under the bright lights of the Electric Ballroom in Camden.
From the first second they stepped on stage, I was wide-eyed. You see, the Melvins are one of those bands I discovered all on my own. No friend told me to listen to them, and I didn’t hear them at a party or on TV. I just stumbled across them, or maybe they found me? This was before the algorithm days that now carry you with the same predictable current. Back then, it was an experimental choice; I was just browsing around the YouTube music section. I clicked the link instinctively, and I was hooked. That’s when I realised sludge was my thing. Houdini blew me away instantly, and A Senile Animal jumped straight into my playlist. So my wide eyes that night were filled with excitement, and I wasn’t the only one. The Ballroom was packed to the brim with grinning faces, eagerly waiting for the fathers of distortion to do their magic.
“Working the Ditch” opened the set: the band hovered over their pedalboards, backs turned to the crowd, guitars facing their amps, with distortion slowly flooding the room from every direction. Two drummers were locked in perfect harmony, a detail I admired deeply, because syncing that precisely is no easy task. Their connection was almost telepathic, communicating with nothing but a glance. Song after song, sticky, heavy riffs poured through the speakers, played with such intensity it felt like the band’s very lives depended on it.
To me, the Melvins are the heavy music parallel to jazz or classical craftsmanship. There is no space for bullshit. They are here to play music, but also, more importantly, to do whatever they want. No filler, no gimmicks, no industry-driven “catchy” choruses. They never cared, and never will. That’s what makes them so special and what inspired such a strong following. Fans love their music. You could argue it’s “divorced dad music,” but I saw people from a wide range of demographics. A few shy crowdsurfers floated by, clearly riding the wave to their favourite songs, which you could tell by the way they threw their hands up in the air, really feeling it.
The peak moment for me came at the halfway point of the set with the song “A History of Bad Men.” Such an important track, always topical and almost eerie. Bliss ran through my veins, my head went fuzzy and warm, because I never thought I’d hear it live. I woke up, and the people in the room woke up. I wish others in the outside world did too. On stage, with almost 40 years of experience, the Melvins are unstoppable, split jumps, headbanging, running around, enticing us to go hot and heavy, song after song. Lights divided the stage in red and blue hues, matching the offbeat tempos and windy noise. Costumes were colourful and strange, with Buzz’s muumuu looking like it was pulled straight out of the mean hippie era of rock and roll.
Houdini got the most love with three songs within the track list, which is a lot considering Melvins’ massive discography of almost 30 albums in the last four decades. The floor was bustling, and fans gave it all back to the band. Standing on my tiptoes at the back of the venue, I saw all these heads moving in almost convulsions, induced by the wild tempos. If you consider yourself a heavy music fan but haven’t yet listened to the Melvins, start now. You’ll instantly understand how far their influence has stretched, and how much further it will continue to go.
Opening for the Melvins were Redd Kross, with Steven Shane McDonald pulling double duty on bass and Dale Crover on drums, which closed the historical loop on the American punk’s melting pot of the 1980s. We got to witness two completely un-mainstream yet successful bands making incredible music. Their flamboyant, funky set, performed in splash-colour suits, brought a ton of positivity and lifted the mood in the room, enough for the first pints to go down smoothly. For those not drinking, it was a shot of endorphins, pure happy energy wrapped in glam and pop-infused rock.
The Melvins are heading back to the U.S. now, and in September, they’ll embark on a two-month tour across the States. Get your tickets.