Music Industry, 1993: everyone is looking to sign the “next” Nirvana. Atlantic Records found exactly the band they were looking for in the Melvins. Birthed in the Pacific Northwest gloom of Aberdeen that would spawn grunge music and culture, the Melvins were writing songs that were clearly inspired by the right stuff and written for the right people… and they had Nirvana’s unequivocal stamp of approval, which meant everything in the early 90’s. For the next four years after their signing, the Melvins would deliver three stellar, influential albums that were criminally only moderately appreciated at the time. In the past 23 years, they’ve continued onwards with Buzz Osborne, Dale Crover, and a revolving cast of bassists at the helm, cementing themselves as one of the most important American rock bands of all time.
Houdini, Stoner Witch, and Stag have all been out of print on vinyl for over two decades and original copies can command into the three figures in back alley craps games. Third Man Records is proud to reintroduce these titles to the hungry vinyl-buying public, all remastered from original analog tapes, pressed on 180-gram vinyl and given the deluxe, gatefold jacket treatment.
We are taking pre-orders now. Official Release Date: June 24, 2016.
Now, before we get into details, let’s watch some quintessential Melvins for context:
Signed to Atlantic Records in the hubbub after Nirvana’s Nevermind exploded, the Melvins’ fifth album Houdini was a conscious attempt by the band to make a record that wouldn’t alienate their fans but that the band members themselves would also enjoy. Their best-selling release by a country-mile, this album crested at number 29 on on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. Houdini would be most folks introduction to the band and songs like “Honeybucket” received MTV airplay.
- first time on vinyl since 1993
- six tracks produced by Kurt Cobain
- cover art by legendary artist Frank Kozik
- includes the vinyl-only bonus track “Rocket Reducer No. 62 (Rama Lama Fa Fa Fa)” originally by the MC5
The stellar seventh studio album by the Melvins is one of the most cohesive and beloved in the band’s catalog. With fan favorites like “Revolve” and “Queen” balanced with the impressive sound explorations of “Lividity” and “Shevil” and the result is one of the most praised albums of the band’s 30+ year career.
- first time on vinyl since 1994
The final album in the Melvins major label span, Stag finds the band fully spreading their wings (and budget) to create what is arguably their most wide-ranging and diverse album among the nearly two-dozen full-length studio albums the band has released since 1987.
- first time on vinyl since 1996
- album now comfortably spans two discs while original release was crammed onto single disc
- portions of the album recorded at the legendary Sound City studios
PRE-ORDER NOW as a BUNDLE or INDIVIDUALLY
*Plans for the release of the limited edition color vinyl versions will be announced at a later date.
