Tag Archives: Melvins

TOP 10 CONCERTS OF 2012

Posted by gruesomegreg on

Y’know, it almost feels like I didn’t attend as many concerts as I did last year.  Mind you, if I were to count up and tally every local gig I went to, there’d probably be twice as many shows that didn’t make the cut as there are gigs on here.  And hey, looking at this list, there’s really nothing but quality from start to finish.  As it were, the top gigs I saw in 2012 spanned two countries, three states and five cities, although most of them occurred in Toronto, naturally.  Here they are in ascending order…

10. Accept/Kreator @ The Phoenix, September 12th

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Accept was one of the bands that first got me into metal back in the day, and I certainly can’t complain about their latest post-reunion album, either.  The subsequent tour saw them team up with Teutonic thrashers Kreator for what turned out to be a pretty bitchin’ double bill.

CHOICE WORDS: And yes, they still played all the hits, “Fast as a Shark,” “Restless and Wild,” “Breaker,” “Princess of the Dawn,” “Balls to the Wall” and “Teutonic Terror”–the latter of which firmly belongs in the Accept canon.  If they can pull a couple more “Terrors” out of their army helmets in the next studio session, I know I’ll be back for Round 4 — Accept: Third time’s slightly less charming… (Hellbound.ca)

Click for more pics!

On that note, check out my top 10 German metal bands.

9. Melvins Lite @ Opera House, July 5th

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The Seattle sludge forefathers/idols of Cobain were sporting a slightly different lineup this time around.  Eschewing their recent double-drumkit attack, they went out as Melvins Lite, a three-piece featuring Trevor Dunn (of Mr. Bungle fame) on standup bass.  That said, I can now attest that this incarnation is almost equally excellent as the full-bodied, five-per-cent-alcohol version. ;)

CHOICE WORDS: Having seen the Melvins last time, I sorta knew what to expect.  They went on right at 10, played for 75 minutes, didn’t really do an encore (although both Buzz ‘n Dale left the stage for a Trevor Dunn bass solo) and left everybody satisfied yet wanting more. — AMATEUR CONCERT PHOTOGRAPHY HOUR: MELVINS, Retox @ Opera House, July 5, 2012

They also did a bitchin’ cover of Sir Paul McCartney’s “Let Me Roll It.”  I count down my top five Melvins cover tunes over here.

8. Corrosion of Conformity/Torche/Black Cobra @ Opera House, June 21st

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Another reinvigorated, stripped-down lineup performing at the Opera House, and just as couple weeks before the Melvins, as it were.  I’ve really dug COC’s self-titled comeback record–and that new EP ain’t too shabby, either!  When they took their act on the road with possibly the best stoner/sludge/whatever lineup to hit Toronto this year, needless to say I made sure to mark it on my calendar.

CHOICE WORDS: Seeing a good chunk of the record in the flesh a few feet from my face only reaffirms its status as a top contender for Album of the Year 2012 in my books.  And it’s safe to say that Mike Dean isn’t lip-synching on stage, either.  His voice is just as raw, his delivery as garbled as it was in ’85. — COC still sounds good to me! (Hellbound.ca)

More pics here!

7. Iron Maiden/Alice Cooper @ Molson Amphitheatre, July 13th

(This was taken by someone with a much better camera than me.)

Another band that I’ve been listening to for a really long time, and for whom I’m guaranteed to be in attendance at their biennial Toronto concerts, is Iron Maiden.  I’ve seen ‘em at the Amp a couple times now, as well as the ACC.  And while I’ve never been able to get floor tickets at the former, you really don’t need to be in front of the stage to enjoy Maiden in concert, lemme tell ya!  They also got bonus points this year for bringing Alice Cooper along as an opening act; twas worth getting there early, that’s for sure…

CHOICE WORDS: Though they didn’t have me leaping out of my seat by starting their set with “Moonchild,” the elaborate stage production coupled with a classic set certainly won me over by the end of the night.  By injecting the aforementioned “Trooper” and “2 Minutes” into the set, along with “The Number of the Beast,” “Run to the Hills” and “Phantom of the Opera,” it certainly made the material from their 1988 release appear more palatable. — Maiden pulls out all the stops to make Seventh Son number one! (Hellbound.ca)

In case you’re wondering how they stack up, I compared Maiden’s back catalogue to Cooper’s–albeit with a 10-year distance–back in July.

6. Witch Mountain/Blood Ceremony/Castle @ Hard Luck Bar, June 13th

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The first appearance of Witch Mountain on Torontonian soil–surprisingly, they’d be back by October–was arguably the best stoner/doom gig this city had seen in 2012.  (OK, maybe second best–more on that later…)  Bolstered by support bands Blood Ceremony and Castle, this three-headed Medusa delivered an unhealthy triple dose of female-fronted doom, capped off by the headliners showcasing the just-released Cauldron of the Wild album in its entirety.  The initial live impression might not have been as overpowering as when I first stumbled across South of Salem, which I’d later crown as album of that year, but it was definitely right up there, to be sure.  You can bet their new record figures on my list for 2012, too–more on that tomorrow! ;)

CHOICE WORDS: I was a little disappointed that they only played one song offa South of Salem, opting instead to play their new album in its entirety, but y’know what, that new record is pretty amazing in its own right–as seen last night. — AMATEUR CONCERT PHOTOGRAPHY HOUR: Witch Mountain, Blood Ceremony, Castle @ Hard Luck Bar, June 13th

On that note, check out my list of the top 10 female-fronted doom bands going!

5. All That Is Heavy II feat. Iron Man, Blood Ceremony, Blizaro, Revelation @ Mavericks, Ottawa, May 12th

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Yes indeed, Blood Ceremony appears twice on this list.  (Their gig with Ghost back in January missed the cut, mind you.)  But while they headlined this biennial(?) festival in the nation’s capital, the biggest draw for yours truly, who’s seen BC about a dozen times, was the first-ever Canadian appearance for Maryland doomsters Iron Man.  Hey, if you’re keeping score at home, Iron Man finished two spots higher than Iron Maiden this year. ;)

CHOICE WORDS: New frontman Dee Calhoun is quite the imposing figure, but this band is truly the Al Morris Show, the man channeling Iommi for some serious doom riffage!  And I must say, Mr. Morris and his cohorts were much more animated than the last time I remembered… — AMATEUR CONCERT PHOTOGRAPHY HOUR: All That Is Heavy II @ Maverick’s, Ottawa, May 12th

4. Church of Misery/Hail! Hornet/The Gates of Slumber @ Studio Seven, Seattle, WA, June 9th

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I don’t wanna say that Seattle is like a home away from home–fact of the matter is, I’ve only been there twice.  But as a long-time Seahawks fan, I definitely feel a certain connection to the city.  And while I didn’t fly out there back in June solely to see Church of Misery (along with TGOS and Hail! Hornet), you could say I feel a certain connection to the Japanese serial-killer stoner-doomsters as well.  And since the closest date on their first-ever North American tour was Philly, well, I figured I’d head out to the Land of the Hawks instead…

CHOICE WORDS: This being the last date of the tour, Church of Misery brought Karl Simon and T-Roy up on stage for a rousing rendition of “War is Our Destiny” with the other members of TGOS and Hail Hornet lurking in the background.  This is the great thing about seeing the last date of a tour–the headliner not having any merch left, well, that’s the not-so-great thing. — AMATEUR CONCERT PHOTOGRAPHY HOUR: CHURCH OF MISERY, Hail Hornet, The Gates of Slumber @ Studio Seven, Seattle, June 9, 2012

3. Saint Vitus/Weedeater/Sourvein @ The Grog Shop, Cleveland, OH, September 29th

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Incidentally, Vitus also took the third spot on last year’s list, albeit their all-too-brief Metalliance Tour appearance left me wanting more.  Fortunately, with a new record in the can, the band embarked on their first North American tour in nearly two decades, and a Saturday night in Cleveland Heights was alright with me, merci!  (That said, trying to catch a cab in Cleveland at 1 am isn’t tons o’ fun…)  You could even say the added bonus of Weedeater and Sourvein made the seven-hour bus ride worthwhile.

CHOICE WORDS: Vitus came through with a solid 13-song set that included all the non-instrumental numbers off their new album, a fistful from Hallow’s Victim, and other classic tunes like “Dying Inside,” “I Bleed Black,” “The Troll” and of course, “Born Too Late.”  Unbeknownst to me beforehand, the 29th was Wino’s birthday, and even though he’s now 51, old age didn’t stop him from stage diving on a couple occasions. — AMATEUR CONCERT PHOTOGRAPHY HOUR: SAINT VITUS, Weedeater, Sourvein @ Grog Shop, Cleveland, OH, September 29, 2012

Leading up to this gig, I reviewed every single Saint Vitus album.  Perhaps that’ll give you some idea of what you missed. :P

2. Dream Death reunion @ 31st Street Pub, Pittsburgh, PA, April 21st

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If you’ve made it this far, you’ve probably noticed quite a few big-name metal bands on this list.  However, one of the best gigs I saw all year was when I took a little trip down to Pittsburgh to catch a cult band that only released one album–way back in 1987.  Although they don’t fit its modern-day description, Dream Death actually coined the term “sludge metal,” and like several sludge bands, their sound is somewhat of a head-on collision between hardcore punk and doom.  This home-town, one-off (well, they are playing next year’s Days of the Doomed fest…) gig was sold out in advance, packing a bar about twice the size of the Bovine, and the energy was certainly palpable.  Now this is why I collect Air Miles, right here! ;)

CHOICE WORDS: As Dream Death took an awfully long time to set up, you could feel the anticipation building, along with the urge to urinate–but hey, I was NOT giving up my spot for this.  It was, after all, their first gig in 24 years!  But the band sounded as good as ever, hell, better than some of the dodgy demos and bootlegs in their discography. — AMATEUR CONCERT PHOTOGRAPHY HOUR: DREAM DEATH/ARGUS @ 31st St Pub, Pittsburgh, April 21, 2012

1. Kyuss Lives @ Cherry Cola’s, January 1st

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I may have initially balked at shelling out 200 bucks to see Kyuss Lives on New Year’s Eve, but I eventually came around.  Hey, your average New Year’s evening of dinner and dancing costs at least 50–and they don’t have Kyuss.  It turned out to be a good call, especially since this was effectively the outfit’s last gig before the lawsuits started rolling in.  (More on that below–if you’re on the homepage, that is.)  Vista Chino might end up playing venues the size of Cherry Cola’s, but it just won’t be the saaaame, maaaan!

CHOICE WORDS: It’s one thing seeing ‘em on a massive stage, and quite another being in a tiny bar, where the bouncer knocked over half the drumkit while forcibly removing a patron from the premises.  Unfortunately, I did not have my camera out when that happened… — AMATEUR CONCERT PHOTOGRAPHY HOUR: Kyuss Lives @ Cherry Cola’s, January 1st, 2012

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AMATEUR CONCERT PHOTOGRAPHY HOUR: MELVINS, Retox @ Opera House, July 5, 2012

Posted by gruesomegreg on

When the Melvins came to Toronto in 2010, it was their first Canadian appearance in about a decade.  The Opera House was packed to the tits, and though we waited up to two hours for the headliners, once they went on no one could walk away without saying they were blown away.  But this time, things were a bit different.  For one thing, this lineup, dubbed Melvins Lite, featured Trevor Dunn on stand-up bass, while their party of two behind the kit was reduced in size.  But hey, at least this time they brought an opening act…

And what an opening act, at that.  Retox, a self-described “sci-fi/surf/punk” band with members of The Locust played several short blasts of noise well under a minute in length–with some pregnant pauses in between that were often longer than the songs themselves.  While not the oddest opening act I’ve ever seen (that title would go to An Albatross supporting Blue Cheer in ’07), they certainly had all the Nirvana fans sulking in the corner, let’s put it that way.

The Melvins offered a mix of reworked old stuff and some newer songs, with their version of Paul McCartney’s “Let Me Roll It” drawing a good crowd response.  There were also quite a few slow, droning instrumentals interspersed throughout the set.  You know how there’s always that one guy who yells stupid shit during all the quieter moments?  I was definitely within earshot of that guy…

Having seen the Melvins last time, I sorta knew what to expect.  They went on right at 10, played for 75 minutes, didn’t really do an encore (although both Buzz ‘n Dale left the stage for a Trevor Dunn bass solo) and left everybody satisfied yet wanting more.  Let’s hope they come back again within the next two years, not 10.

TOP FIVE MELVINS COVER TUNES — 1. “Goin’ Blind”

Posted by gruesomegreg on

The Melvins are quite familiar with doing things differently.  They’ve released all sorts of cover songs throughout their career, from their take on the “Love Theme from KISS” on 1989′s Ozma to digging up the Paul McCartney deep cut “Let Me Roll It” for their latest album, Freak Puke.  Through various split singles and bonus tracks, they’ve covered enough material to compile an album of cover songs, and there are plenty of other artists’ renditions that they’ve only played live.  While some of their takes are pretty true to the original, they usually tend to put their own spin on things.  Here are five of my favourite Melvins covers, counted down over the next five days.

5. “Sweet Young Thing Ain’t Sweet No More”

4. “My Generation”

3. “Interstellar Overdrive”

2. “God of Thunder”

1. “Goin’ Blind”

This is not just my favourite Melvins cover song, but pretty much my favourite Melvins song, period.  On their iconic Houdini album, the band took a pretty pedestrian pop song offa KISS’ Hotter Than Hell–albeit one with some wicked, offbeat lyrics–and added grit, groove and a sense of urgency lacking from the original.  This is one instance where they’ve clearly outdone their idols–in my humble opinion, of course.  And yet, Gene Simmons went with the decidedly more-laid back Dinosaur Jr. version for their 20th anniversary tribute album.  For shame!

TOP FIVE MELVINS COVER TUNES — 2. “God of Thunder”

Posted by gruesomegreg on

The Melvins are quite familiar with doing things differently.  They’ve released all sorts of cover songs throughout their career, from their take on the “Love Theme from KISS” on 1989′s Ozma to digging up the Paul McCartney deep cut “Let Me Roll It” for their latest album, Freak Puke.  Through various split singles and bonus tracks, they’ve covered enough material to compile an album of cover songs, and there are plenty of other artists’ renditions that they’ve only played live.  While some of their takes are pretty true to the original, they usually tend to put their own spin on things.  Here are five of my favourite Melvins covers, counted down over the next five days.

5. “Sweet Young Thing Ain’t Sweet No More”

4. “My Generation”

3. “Interstellar Overdrive”

2. “God of Thunder”

There’s no question that the Melvins dudes are big KISS fans.  (What, did you think the Melvins Army was an original concept?)  They’ve paid tribute to their idols on a few occasions, including Hard to Believe: A Kiss Covers Compilation, an alt-rock tribute album released in ’92 that also featured Nirvana–and a bunch of other bands you probably never heard of.  Here they take arguably the most evil-sounding KISS song and turn the evilness up a notch with a heavier, sludgier riff soup, some effects-laden vocals on the second verse and a pulsating drum solo that comes right outta leftfield.  All that’s missing are the voices of Bob Ezrin’s kids.

TOP FIVE MELVINS COVER TUNES — 3. “Interstellar Overdrive”

Posted by gruesomegreg on

The Melvins are quite familiar with doing things differently.  They’ve released all sorts of cover songs throughout their career, from their take on the “Love Theme from KISS” on 1989′s Ozma to digging up the Paul McCartney deep cut “Let Me Roll It” for their latest album, Freak Puke.  Through various split singles and bonus tracks, they’ve covered enough material to compile an album of cover songs, and there are plenty of other artists’ renditions that they’ve only played live.  While some of their takes are pretty true to the original, they usually tend to put their own spin on things.  Here are five of my favourite Melvins covers, counted down over the next five days.

5. “Sweet Young Thing Ain’t Sweet No More”

4. “My Generation”

3. “Interstellar Overdrive”

Remember when Man’s Ruin used to do those EPs where they’d get a pretty well-known band to throw together some odds ‘n sods, covers and such, and put it out on their label?  I’ve got the Entombed one (Black Juju), but I never managed to get my hands on Electroretard, the Melvins record they released not long before closing up shop in ’01.  Along with a few re-recorded tunes, Electroretard contained a trio of covers in the Wipers’ “Youth of America” (perhaps the first 10-minute punk song), “Missing” from AmRep noise rockers Cows and “Interstellar Overdrive,” a trippy 10-minute Pink Floyd instrumental from the Syd Barrett era.  Though this version isn’t any longer than the original, they take the Floyd’s psychedelic 60′s sounds and apply an eerie, post-millennial touch that sounds something like Hawkwind gliding through a Sergio Leone spaghetti western.  Even trippier than the Floyd, if you ask me!

TOP FIVE MELVINS COVER TUNES — 4. “My Generation”

Posted by gruesomegreg on

The Melvins are quite familiar with doing things differently.  They’ve released all sorts of cover songs throughout their career, from their take on the “Love Theme from KISS” on 1989′s Ozma to digging up the Paul McCartney deep cut “Let Me Roll It” for their latest album, Freak Puke.  Through various split singles and bonus tracks, they’ve covered enough material to compile an album of cover songs, and there are plenty of other artists’ renditions that they’ve only played live.  While some of their takes are pretty true to the original, they usually tend to put their own spin on things.  Here are five of my favourite Melvins covers, counted down over the next five days.

5. “Sweet Young Thing Ain’t Sweet No More”

4. “My Generation”

Several artists have come up with shitty covers of The Who’s original anthem to teenage rebellion, from Hillary Duff changing the classic line to “Hope I don’t die before I get old” to Limp Bizkit…  Oh wait, I guess that wasn’t cover.  Anyways, the Melvins offered a rather distinctive take on the tune on their 2010 album The Bride Screamed Murder.  The slowed-down, stretched-out, seven-minute, 41-second version sounds more like Black Sabbath than The Who, the slow jams kinda reminiscent of “War Pigs,” for instance.  In fact, if one didn’t recognize the lyrics as being penned by Pete Townsend, you’d almost assume it was an original.  Here, check it out:

TOP FIVE MELVINS COVER TUNES — 5. “Sweet Young Thing Ain’t Sweet No More”

Posted by gruesomegreg on

The Melvins’ Canadian tour kicks off tonite in Rochester, which Ontarians know as part of Lower Canada, the unofficial 11th province.  (Hey, their stores take Canadian money!)  The 15-date tour will wind its way across the country, from Montreal to Vancouver, before heading down the West Coast to San Fran on July 20th.  There are no less than four Ontario dates on the docket this week, with stops in Ottawa, Toronto, London and even Hamilton–the band hits the Opera House in TO on Thursday.  But this isn’t your typical Melvins tour; it’s something slightly different.  Billed as Melvins Lite, this lineup features just one drummer (Dale Crover, natch) and includes Trevor Dunn from Mr. Bungle on stand-up bass.

Of course, the Melvins are quite familiar with doing things differently.  They’ve released all sorts of cover songs throughout their career, from their take on the “Love Theme from KISS” on 1989′s Ozma to digging up the Paul McCartney deep cut “Let Me Roll It” for their latest album, Freak Puke.  Through various split singles and bonus tracks, they’ve covered enough material to compile an album of cover songs, and there are plenty of other artists’ renditions that they’ve only played live.  While some of their takes are pretty true to the original, they usually tend to put their own spin on things.  Here are five of my favourite Melvins covers, counted down over the next five days.

5. “Sweet Young Thing Ain’t Sweet No More”

In 1989, the Melvins recorded a split seven-inch single with their Boner Records label-mates Steel Pole Bathtub, with each band covering a tune from another band in the Seattle scene.  SPB took on Sonic Youth’s “I Dreamed, I Dream” on the B Side, while Side A saw the Melvins put their spin on this classic Mudhoney track, adding another layer of doom-and-gloom with some rougher garage-rock production.  This is probably my favourite Mudhoney song, but I think the Melvins version is just as good–if not better–than the original.  Here, have a listen:

Would you pay 100 grand for this old van?

Posted by gruesomegreg on

In one of the most outrageous eBay auctions I’ve seen since this guy was asking 125 grand for the “Only One Sealed Copy Know to Exist” of the first Beatles album, somebody has gone and put this 1972 Dodge Sportsman Royal Van up for auction.  Clearly, it’s an old rustbucket with at least one flat tire, and they’ve gone and painted No Talent, the Black Flag logo, and a coupla stars on it, along with a fading portrait of KISS.  So how much do you figure it would go for?  A hundred bucks, maybe?

Try 100 grand.  Y’see, this old POS was the Melvins’ first touring vehicle, known affectionately as the MelVAN, and those KISS faces were drawn on there by none other than Kurt Cobain.  As its current owner explains, “it was given to him as a gift from original Melvins bassist Matt Lukin’s mother, knowing Ben was a die-hard fan, in 1992.”  (No Talent was Ben’s band, by the way.)  The thing hasn’t been registered since 1994 (go figure!) and nobody’s driven it in almost 15 years.  Did I mention that it’s only available for pickup from a small town two hours from Seattle, and that it must be paid in full and picked up within 30 days!?

And you know what the craziest thing is?  The reserve hasn’t even been met yet!  Which means that if the auction ended today, buddy would not sell this thing for $99,999.99.  I gotta wonder if this is just some kind of cheap publicity stunt, tied in to the upcoming online-only release of the Melvins new free EP.  After all, the auction ends on the 13th, which also happens to be its release date.  And then there’s this tidbit, posted in the bid’s Q&A section:

Q: whats the reserve on it?
A: Sorry, I can’t disclose that, Just remember as Kurt once said “You Can’t Believe Every Thing You Read, Now Can You ?”

Alas, something tells me that even if this van still runs, it won’t be leaving its parking space. ;)