It must be hard for the Melvins. They've been going for nearly 30 years, established themselves as underground legends and retained a frighteningly prolific work ethic, and yet despite all these achievements the most common port of call for many observers is still that they were "Kurt Cobain's favourite band™." Whether they're used to it or not, it's an ignorant and borderline insulting way of referring to a band who, aside from Black Sabbath, have arguably done more than anyone to shape the hostile, scorched and barren landscape of heavy metal. Amid a backdrop of constant lineup changes and swivelling musical directions, the Seattle natives have played an enormous role in the development of a multitude of genres; be it sludge, doom, stoner, drone, or indeed grunge. Traditionally a trio, the band now perform as a four-piece having merged with members of Big Business, but their power, hunger and individuality remain completely undiminished - even after two decades of questions concerning about their star pupil.
