Melvins Thunderball LP

The 2025 album featuring the Melvins 1983 lineup of Buzz Osborne and Mike Dillard, along with Void Manes and Ni Maîtres.

"Mike Dillard is the original drummer for the Melvins, we've been friends since high school," says Buzz Osborne. "We met in Montesano, a small town on the coast of Washington state. I hated everything about that town. I hated the people, hated the teachers, hated the cops, hated the weather and I hated how isolated it was. I had no friends at all, which was fine by me.

"My own classmates proved themselves the enemy so finding someone I could relate to was great. Mike was immediately impressed with all of the weird music I was into. Up to that point I hadn't met anyone with an interest in any of my musical discoveries. It was an amazing time in the history of music and literally no one around me was interested. We were surrounded by mediocrity, stupidity, prejudice, and dangerous rednecks. We learned to play music together. We grew up together. We have remained friends all these years.

"Thunderball is the third Melvins 1983 record we've made together. I wanted this one to be bombastic. I think it is.

"I've been wanting to do something with Void Manes and Ni Maîtres for a long time. Both of them are exceptional talents and were a joy to work with. Their out-of-the-box use of electronics pushed Thunderball beyond my expectations."

Osborne worked with longtime friend Dillard and collaborators Ni Maîtres and Void Manes, whose distinct voices and contributions pushed Thunderball into new realms. Each brought their unique perspective:

• Ni Maîtres (noise/upright bass): "Are you a sponge or a stone? Do you like to experience all facets of life, or do you shut yourself off from new experiences?"

• Void Manes (noise/creepy machine vocals): "I was quite gratified to spill a heap of abstract electronic debris into the desert for this record. Fragments diffused in the dust, reanimating into a disturbance underneath."

• Mike Dillard (drums): "I really love this record. I think it's amazing—a lovely blend of beautiful noise and gut-busting grooves. Working with the Melvins is always a special treat."

About the Melvins

Formed in 1983 in Montesano, Washington, the Melvins are one of modern music's most influential bands. Founded by Buzz Osborne (vocals/guitar) with drummer Dale Crover joining a year later, the Melvins pioneered a genre-defying fusion of punk rock and heavy music. Over their four-decade career, they've released more than 30 original albums, countless live records, and numerous singles and rarities. Recent works include Tarantula Heart (2024), a dynamic showcase of the Melvins' range where the songs were written after the recording, Bad Mood Rising (2022), an intense, sludge-infused exploration of their signature sound, and Five Legged Dog (2021), a 36-track acoustic retrospective that reimagines their heaviest songs alongside covers of favorite artists.

Known for their relentless creativity and collaborations with friends like Jello Biafra, Mudhoney, and Fantômas, the Melvins have circled the globe many times over, bringing their brash and genre-busting sounds to audiences worldwide.

Today's Melvins lineup features Osborne, Crover, and Steven McDonald (Redd Kross), but the band's history includes a variety of unique configurations. From the Osborne-Crover duo with Big Business' Jared Warren and Coady Willis (Big Business) to a four-piece featuring the current line-up plus Butthole Surfers' Jeff Pinkus, as well as Melvins Lite (with Mr. Bungle's Trevor Dunn), the Melvins have embraced evolution and their roots simultaneously. Sometimes, you might even get the Melvins opening for the Melvins.

Thunderball is a testament to the Melvins' enduring legacy of innovation, defiance, and musical exploration.