Description
Melvins – “Gluey Porch Treatments” LP
The debut Melvins album from way back in 1987, originally released by the excellent 80’s punk/metal crossover label, Alchemy; repressed by Ipecac Records, once again, with a new 2021 version that includes a 12 page booklet (with liner notes by King Buzzo) and on limited lime green vinyl. Wow, they’ve made a bloody mess of the sleeve artwork. Quite literally.
An album of primal, ‘proto-grunge/proto-sludge-rock’, Black Sabbath-meets-Flipper, sledgehammer therapy; crushingly slow, post-hardcore heavy metal to test the endurance of even a fan of Black Flag’s My War. At the time the Melvin’s three-piece line-up included Matt Lukin on bass; who stayed behind in Seattle (to form Mudhoney) when the band moved to California in 1988 (thus ending Dale Crover’s involvement with a new Seattle band called Nirvana). Lori “Lorax” from Clown Alley (and daughter of Shirley Temple) came in on bass, to be later replaced by her ex-band-mate (and studio producer for Gluey Porch Treatments), Mark Duetrom. He also co-owned Alchemy Records – a brilliant label that also gave us Poison Idea’s War All The Time, RKL’s Rock’n’ Roll Nightmare, Neurosis’ Pain Of Mind – and that was also run by the enigmatic Victor Hayden (who previously worked on creative/music projects with his Uncle – Captan Beefheart)…. yeah, there is much that could be written about this album…
Pointless anecdote coming up: I (part helped) put on a Melvins show in Manchester for their first UK tour, and tagged along to haul gear for them on their next night in Liverpool, too. But I didn’t exchange a single word with any of the three members of the band. They were weird, and very quiet. True story.
