Imperial Wax Digs the Melvins

Imperial Wax Digs the Melvins: Keiron Melling, drummer with Imperial Wax (which features former members of The Fall), told us about his Melvins experience.

Keiron Melling:My obsession with (the) Melvins started after a friend let me borrow his copy of A Senile Animal. This album for me is still my favorite from the huge body of work. It’s the one that got me hooked so it will always be the special album.

When the tickets went on sale, I was chuffed to see Jon Spencer and the Hitmakers as support! I had seen a few clips of them with Bob Bert in the role of, I guess you’d call it junkyard percussionist! He played a kit made out of a car engine with hammers as sticks. What’s not to like?

I was really looking forward to this particular gig knowing it was the two bass player lineup with Jeff Pinkus (Butthole Surfers) and Steve McDonald (Redd Kross).

I did have to wonder how much low end the audience can take. Adding into the mix the unmistakable growl of Buzz Osborne’s rig, the mix engineer had mastered the levels perfectly leaving just enough in the tank so your eyeballs don’t turn to jelly and run down your cheeks and your bowels don’t explode!

Buzz was dressed in his trademark Ming the Merciless robe with the ‘third’ eye and the energy on stage was palpable!
Dale Crover is my favourite drummer (there, I said it) His playing style and ability is completely unique and is a great influence to me and I’m sure many others.
One of the things I’ve always loved is how they never stop but blend one song to the next leaving you feeling like you’ve just stepped off a rollercoaster at the end of the show. This is something we have tried to do with our group ‘ImperialWax’

I was lucky enough to have a chance to go backstage and see the fellas and to congratulate them on another great performance. People say you should never meet your heroes but I’m glad I did because they were gents.
I was the drummer for The Fall for almost 12 years and I can tell you now, those dressing rooms could be hostile haha! Sometimes I would time how long a visitor would last.. usually not long!

Anyway, I managed to grab a snap with Dale and Bob before I left and look forward to the next show, and the next and the next!

Imperial Wax Digs the Melvins: Imperial Wax’s Tranquilliser album is out February 9.

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