Buzz Osborne
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Buzz Osborne | |
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![]() Buzz Osborne performing with Melvins in 2006 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Roger Osborne |
Also known as | King Buzzo |
Born | Morton, Washington, United States | March 25, 1964
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, producer |
Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar, bass, drums |
Years active | 1983–present |
Labels | Atlantic Records, Alchemy, Alternative Tentacles, Amphetamine Reptile, Boner, C/Z, Hydrahead, Ipecac, Man's Ruin, Slap-a-Ham, Sympathy for the Record Industry |
Roger "Buzz" Osborne, also known as King Buzzo (born March 25, 1964),[4] is an American guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. He is a founding member of the Melvins, as well as Fantômas and Venomous Concept.
Biography
Born in Morton, Washington, Osborne moved to Montesano[5] at the age of 12 and first started listening to the music of Aerosmith and Ted Nugent, then became greatly interested in punk rock after a few years.[6] In the early 1980s Osborne founded the Melvins with Matt Lukin and Mike Dillard who all attended Montesano High School (Wheeler Building) where he graduated in 1982. The Melvins began playing fast hardcore punk after Osborne was introduced to bands such as Black Flag, Flipper, and MDC by a friend from out of state. When Dillard left the band in 1984, Dale Crover was recruited, and the band's rehearsals moved to a back room of Crover's parents' house in Aberdeen, Washington. They began to play slower and "heavier" songs. Buzz is Jewish.[7][8]
In 1986, the band released their Six Songs EP on C/Z Records (later re-released as Eight Songs, 10 Songs and as 26 Songs in 2003 on Ipecac Recordings) that was recorded live to a two track at Ironwood, February 8, 1986. In October 1986 they recorded their first full album, Gluey Porch Treatments, at Studio D in Sausalito, California, which was released in 1987 on Alchemy Records (and later re-released as a bonus on the CD version of their second album Ozma on Boner Records and in 1999 on Ipecac Recordings with some garage demos).
In 1988, Osborne, with Crover, relocated to San Francisco where the band recorded their next album, Ozma, in May 1989. It was released later that year.
Osborne, along with the rest of the Melvins, knew the members of Nirvana. When Dave Grohl's previous band, Scream, disbanded, he approached Osborne for advice. Osborne, in response, introduced Grohl to Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic.
In 1997, Osborne appeared in the promo video for The Offspring's video "All I Want", as a masked pianist. Osborne also appears in the 1994 video for the Beck song "Beercan" which samples the Melvins' song "Hogleg".
Osborne joined Tool onstage during their tour for Ænima. The Melvins also opened for Tool on the tour. In 1998, Osborne joined a new band known as Fantômas with Faith No More vocalist Mike Patton, a band which he remains involved with to the present day.
Fantômas' latest studio album release is 2005's Suspended Animation. That concept album focused on the theme of Holidays, featuring a frenetic punk rock sound. A commercial success, the album hit the #7 spot on Billboard's 'Top Heatseekers' chart and #12 on its 'Top Independent Albums' chart.[9]
In 2014, Osborne announced his first solo acoustic tour along with a 10" EP entitled "This Machine Kills Artists" and an album to follow in June on Ipecac Recordings.
In 2017 he played as part of Crystal Fairy with Teri Gender Bender, Dale Crover and Omar Rodríguez-López.[10] In that same year, he also co produced the full length album Orenda by Arizona based psychedelic progressive band With Our Arms to the Sun.
Major influences and legacy
Osborne has remarked, "From a very early age I was interested in underground music. I never appreciated the big stadium shows in the first place—I cut my milk teeth musically on smaller shows. A much more intimate basis. That's the lessons I learned from punk rock that I never forgot. That extends to today." As referred to before, he had a very wide set of musical influences since his childhood, ranging from arena rock to glam rock to punk to power pop and more. Osborne has called himself a lifelong "musical anthropologist" and stated that "since I never grew up around people who gave me any indication of how one was supposed to act, I was equally excited seeing the Kinks as I would be by seeing a punk rock band. Or Cheap Trick." In terms of hip hop music, he's stated that his favorite rap album is Run-D.M.C.'s Raising Hell.[11]
From their earlier slow metal style, the Melvins have been attributed with providing the framework for what would become the grunge and sludge metal genres.[12]
Personal life and beliefs
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/Buzz_Osborne_of_The_Melvins_Live_%40_Slim%27s_07.jpg/225px-Buzz_Osborne_of_The_Melvins_Live_%40_Slim%27s_07.jpg)
Osborne has been married to graphic designer Mackie Osborne since 1993.[13] They are dog owners, having kept several rescued dogs.[14] The couple decided not to have children.[15] Osborne does not believe rock musicians should make political statements and that people "should look for higher sources than entertainers for their political beliefs".[16] He is an avid golf fan and player.[17]
Osborne does not drink or use other recreational drugs.[18]
Political and social views
In a 2011 interview with the music magazine L.A. Record, Osborne stated when asked about American politics that "I hate conservatives, but I really hate liberals. Here's the thing. I have my own opinions about everything, and it's basically classic liberalism."[11] In 2008, he told the magazine Alarm that he opposes what he sees as both modern socialist and fascist thought, stating that he's "into true liberalism, which means you mind your own goddamn business; you take care of yourself."[12] In a 2014 interview with Tonedeaf, Osborne expressed that American economist, Thomas Sowell, has been a major influence on his career. "I consider Sowell the greatest philosopher of all time." Osborne explained. "He is a PhD economist and he's written more than 30 books about everything you can imagine, from social commentary to how economics works."
In a 2008 interview with City Newspaper of Rochester, when asked about his collaboration with Jello Biafra on two albums, Osborne stated that "I don't relate at all to his politics. I believe in personal freedom, personal responsibility. And nobody tells you what to do more than the left wing. They're a bunch of fascists."[19]
In terms of issues covering copyright and illegal file-sharing of songs, Osborne's remarked, "The internet downloading—people need to get over it". He's also added, "Is it stealing? Sure, yeah—but it doesn't matter. It's over. Things have changed. We have to move on."[12] In an earlier interview, he argued, "For me musically, I wish I woulda had something like YouTube when I was a kid so I could go, 'Oh, what's this Captain Beefheart?'"[11]
Musical equipment
Osborne primarily used Gibson Les Paul guitars from the 1960s and 1970s played through BOSS effect pedals and variety of vintage amplifiers and cabinets.[20]
Discography
Release date | Title | Label | Catalogue number |
---|---|---|---|
June 3, 2014 | This Machine Kills Artists (as King Buzzo) | Ipecac Recordings | IPC-159 |
March 13, 2020 | Six Pack (as King Buzzo) | Amphetamine Reptile Records | AMREP 133 |
Release date | Title | Label | Catalogue number |
---|---|---|---|
April 26, 1999 | Fantômas (aka 'Amenaza Al Mundo') | Ipecac Recordings | IPC-001 |
July 9, 2001 | The Director's Cut | IPC-017 | |
April 1, 2002 | Millennium Monsterwork 2000 | IPC-019 | |
January 27, 2004 | Delìrium Còrdia | IPC-045 | |
April 5, 2005 (Limited Edition) June 14, 2005 |
Suspended Animation | IPC-062 (Limited Edition) IPC-065 |
Release date | Title | Label | Catalogue number |
---|---|---|---|
June 29, 2004 | Retroactive Abortion | Ipecac Recordings | IPC-051 |
Release date | Title | Label | Catalogue number |
---|---|---|---|
1998 | Cows: Sorry in Pig Minor | Amphetamine Reptile Records | Producer |
1999 | Goatsnake: Goatsnake Vol. 1 | Southern Lord Records | Producer and mixing on Dog Catcher |
December 12, 2000 | Tool: Salival | Volcano II | Second guitar on You Lied |
September 18, 2001 | Tweaker: The Attraction to All Things Uncertain | Waxploitation | co-wrote/guitar on Swamp |
2004 | Various Artists: Spin the Bottle: An All-Star Tribute to Kiss | Koch Records | Vocals on God of Thunder |
2007 | Lustmord : Juggernaut | Hydra Head | Guitar and vocals |
2008 | Lustmord: O T H E R | Guitar on Prime [Aversion] |
References
- ^ Kivel, Adam (June 2, 2014). "Buzz Osborne – This Machine Kills Artists". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
- ^ Gold, Adam (May 4, 2012). "The Melvins' Buzz Osborne: The Cream Interview". Nashville Scene. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
- ^ Jason Lymangrover (February 9, 2009). "Carboniferous - Zu | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
- ^ Deming, Mark. "King Buzzo Biography & History". AllMusic.
- ^ Everybody Loves Our Town: A History of Grunge By Mark Yarm Retrieved 2018-12-14.
- ^ Stillman, Josh (April 23, 2013). "Stream Melvins Covers Album 'Everybody Loves Sausages' With King Buzzo Commentary". Spin Magazine. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
- ^ In 1988, Osborne, with Crover, relocated to San Francisco where the band recorded their next album, Ozma, in May 1989. It was released later that year. Osborne, along with the rest of the Melvins, knew the members of Nirvana. ... Buzz is Jewish. Buzz Osborne: Singer, musician, Producer (born: 1964)
- ^ peoplepill.com › people › buzz-osborne
- ^ Wade Kergan (April 5, 2005). "Suspended Animation - Fantômas | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
- ^ Weingarten, Christopher R.; Weingarten, Christopher R. (February 17, 2017). "Crystal Fairy: Hear Mars Volta, Melvins, Le Butcherettes Collabo's Debut".
- ^ a b c "THE MELVINS: HE'S A BIG MOTHER". L.A. Record. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
- ^ a b c "The Melvins: Godfathers Of Grunge Still Going Strong | ALARM". Alarm-magazine.com. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
- ^ Appleford, Steve (July 4, 2017). "In the Studio With Buzz and Mackie Osborne" (video). LA Weekly. Los Angeles, California. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ Willingham, Kezia (March 12, 2015). "We Talk to Buzz Osborne of the Melvins About His Rescue Dogs". www.dogster.com. Archived from the original on March 13, 2015. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ von Holten, Tim (August 31, 2004). "Q&A with King Buzzo of The Melvins". www.lawrence.com. Archived from the original on December 15, 2004. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
- ^ Reali, Carlos (September 12, 2012). "Melvins Lite: Interview & Live Footage 9/12/12" (video). Superskum.com. Denver, Colorado (published September 25, 2012). Event occurs at 6:43. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ "TOOL : Interview : Mackie Osborne (EN, 2013) | Salival.fr". www.salival.fr. July 2013. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
- ^ Obkircher, Florian (July 2016). ""BE AS WEIRD AS YOU CAN BE"". The Red Bulletin. Archived from the original on March 26, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ "THE MELVINS DO NOT HOLD BACK". Rochester City Newspaper. Retrieved August 6, 2008.
- ^ Ted Drozdowski The Melvins' King Buzzo Lays Down the Rules on Guitar Playing, “Hot Topic” Punk, and What You Ought to Know About Music Archived July 4, 2010, at the Wayback Machine Gibson.com Retrieved: 2009-05-16
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Wikiquote-logo.svg/34px-Wikiquote-logo.svg.png)
- Ailes, Drew (June 2006). "Melvins interview". Lambgoat.com (published August 1, 2006). Archived from the original on October 17, 2006.
{{cite web}}
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- Living people
- 1964 births
- American heavy metal guitarists
- American male singers
- American libertarians
- Grunge musicians
- American punk rock guitarists
- American punk rock singers
- Lead guitarists
- Singers from Washington (state)
- Songwriters from Washington (state)
- Alternative metal guitarists
- Alternative metal musicians
- Guitarists from Washington (state)
- American male guitarists
- Melvins members
- Fantômas (band) members
- 20th-century American guitarists
- People from Montesano, Washington
- People from Morton, Washington
- 20th-century American male musicians
- Classical liberals
- Crystal Fairy (band) members