Buzz Osborne

Biography

Osborne first started listening to the music of Aerosmith and Ted Nugent around the age of 12, then became greatly interested in punk rock after a few years. In the early 1980s Osborne founded the Melvins with Matt Lukin and Mike Dillard who all attended Montesano High School (Wheeler Building) in Montesano, Washington, where he graduated in 1982. The Melvins began playing fast hardcore punk after Osborne was introduced to bands such as Black Flag, Flipper, and Millions of Dead Cops 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.

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 December 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. The influence of the Melvins can be clearly felt on Nirvana's music, especially their early, Bleach-era work.

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."

Buzz joined Tool onstage during their tour for Ænema. 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.

In 2014, King Buzzo 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. 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.

Though having a diverse range of styles played by his band, the Melvins have been referred to as being like 'Godfathers' of the grunge movement.

Personal life and beliefs

Osborne has been married to graphic designer Mackie Osborne since 1993. They are dog owners, having kept several rescued dogs. The couple decided not to have children. Osborne does not believe rock musicians should make political statements and that people "should look for higher sources than entertainers for their political beliefs".

He is an avid golf fan and player.

Osborne does not drink or use other recreational drugs.

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." 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." 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 Rochester City Newspaper, 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." "

In terms of issues covering copyright and illegal file-sharing of songs (such as in the warez scene), 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." 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?'"

Musical equipment

Osborne primarily used Gibson Les Paul guitars from the 1960s and 1970s played through BOSS effect pedals and variety of vintage amplifers and cabinets.

Since at least 2009, he has been primarily playing aluminum guitars from The Electrical Guitar Company, citing a preference in size of the fretboard and general tone.