The Melvins

Melvins
The Melvins live in October 2006—pictured (left to right) are Buzz Osborne, Coady Willis, Dale Crover (hidden behind the drums) and Jared Warren.
Background information
Origin	Montesano, Washington, United States
Genres	Doom metal experimental rock alternative rock hardcore punk
Years active	1983–present
Labels	C/Z Alchemy Boner Atlantic Amphetamine Reptile Man's Ruin Ipecac Your Choice Alternative Tentacles Slap A Ham
Associated acts	Altamont Crystal Fairy Fantômas Porn Mudhoney Clown Alley Thrones The Cows Big Business Karp Lustmord Jello Biafra Nirvana Fecal Matter Tool Butthole Surfers Redd Kross Off!
Website	melvins.com
Members	Buzz Osborne Dale Crover Steven Shane McDonald Jeff Pinkus Jared Warren Coady Willis Mike Dillard (Melvins 1983) Trevor Dunn (Melvins Lite)
Past members	Matt Lukin Lori Black Joe Preston Mark Deutrom Kevin Rutmanis

Melvins are an American rock band that formed in 1983 in Montesano, Washington. They have mostly performed as a trio, as well as a quartet with two drummers in recent years. Since 1984, vocalist and guitarist Buzz Osborne and drummer Dale Crover have been constant 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. Their early work was key to the development of both grunge and sludge metal.

The Melvins were formed in early 1983 by Buzz Osborne (guitar, vocals), Matt Lukin (bass) and Mike Dillard (drums) 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 (later releases expanded and retitled this as 8 Songs, 10 Songs, and eventually 26 Songs in 2003 on Ipecac Recordings). The album was recorded live to a two track at the now closed Ironwood Studio in Seattle on February 8, 1986.