Buzz Osborne of Melvins shares more about his point of view regarding nu metal

The alternative metal stars Faith No More are often regarded as the godfathers of the nu metal genre, albeit this is not a deliberate result, as per theprp. Given that the band was among the first to achieve widespread success in fusing the genres of rap and metal in the 1980s, this distinction is clear. Melvins‘ Buzz Osborne and Tomahawk‘s Duane Denison (also of The Jesus Lizard) spoke with Consequence ahead of the Patton-led Tomahawk‘s summer tour. The two discussed how their unique pieces have influenced other artists over time.

I think that the word influence is misused. I think maybe we inspire them to play, but I don’t think we influence their music. I think that, you know, people, they tend to name-drop when they use the word influence. And they, ‘Oh I’m influenced by Stockhausen and Miles Davis.’ And then you go to their house and it’s all Mott The Hoople and you know Bob Seger, or whatever.

I think an influence is maybe the guy at the record store, when you were a kid, who said, ‘Hey, listen to this.’ Or the guy’s house you’d go over to when you were who always… This guy who worked at the gas station, but he always had the latest records for some reason, and you’d hear stuff that you wouldn’t have heard if you hadn’t gone to his house.

Those are the people that to me truly influence you. Or maybe you took a lesson at the local guitar shop and you look on the floor and there’s the Eric Clapton with the Blues Breakers album, and he goes, ‘You should listen to that. It’s better than Cream.’ And then you listen to it like, ‘Oh, okay.’ So to me, those are people who are truly influential. – Duane Denison

The first thing I always want to say when somebody says it is don’t blame me. [laughter] I didn’t make you make this music… This is the seeds of what I’ve sown and it’s far worse than what I could have ever imagined. [laughter] But, you know, you can’t help that kind of stuff. It’s whatever. I mean, I’m glad. I guess you could call it, you know, happy accidents.

I’m certainly not thinking of that when I’m writing music; ‘This is going to be so influential’ — I don’t think about that at all, but I think about all the stuff that influenced me. Sure. I can name a thousand bands that I’ve taken something from or got inspired by. – Buzz Osborne