Melvins’ Buzz Osborne Accuses Rob Zombie Of Playing To Tape
Melvins vocalist/guitarist Buzz Osborne still has an axe to grind with Rob Zombie. Speaking recently with Thephoenix.com, Osborne tossed a few more barbs Zombie‘s way via the following exchange:
“For a working band, whatever that means, there’s a certain concept of a work ethos. For you guys, is it just “time to make the donuts”, or if you had a zillion bucks would you still be doing zany tours and putting out multiple albums a year?
Um, I dunno. Honestly, I think that millionaires should probably work harder than anyone else; they have the ability to do it, and generally speaking, it translates into nothing. I mean, you gotta remember, we’re gonna play our ninth show in a row tonight. No bands ever do that. We’ve already surpassed– I mean, do you think on the White Zombie/Marilyn Manson tour they do more than two shows in a row? Those guys aren’t working four days a week, so we’ve already surpassed all that. And lots of other bands don’t do that either. So tonight we’re playing our ninth show in a row, that’s like literally asking most rock bands to drop to their knees and slit their wrists. “What do you expect me to do?”
Well, be fair, Buzz; Rob Zombie’s got to protect his voice there.
Oh yeah! Sure. He really has to protect it when he’s running that tape. I don’t know how he handles it! Fortunately, in this day and age, you actually have to give props to bands who literally play their instruments. That’s how fucked up everything is. Totally weird. I mean, seventy-year-old Paul McCartney can get onstage and play with a real band; 45 year old Rob Zombie can’t do it. That’s just stupid.
On the other hand, you’re comparing Rob Zombie to Paul McCartney.
But if Paul McCartney can do it, everyone should be able to do it, and that certainly isn’t the case, by no means. You’d be surprised how many bands don’t play their instruments live. They’re all like Milli Vanilli, 100%. But whatever– who am I to say people are stupid who want to go and see a band jump around to a tape. If that’s what people want, who am I to call them an idiot?”
COMMENTS
Buzzo has a point. I like White Zombie but most live acts are whack today…I mean, there are bands that don’t actually play their instruments?! What the fuck is up with that shit//
I call bullshit. I’ve been to hundreds and hundreds of live shows, many of the bands he mentions among them, and I’ve NEVER witnessed anything that could resemble a band playing to a pre-recorded set. There’s just too many unique improvisational pieces, missed cords/fuck ups, etc. that are staples of any genuine live show. This guy really wants some press for his new album or whatever he’s shat out lately and is willing to make some enemies to do it.
At worst, I could see a guy like Ozzy using backtrack to help him hit the high notes, and many artists use backtracks for keyboard parts or special effect sounds and the like. However, NOT the same thing “King Buzzo” is referring to. He’s basically saying all modern rock acts just lip synch and pretend to play their instruments. It’s not only inaccurate, it’s counterintuitive. What music fanatic turned rock god would WANT to stop genuinely rocking their balls off?
I tend to believe him. Sure there are bands that do not use backing tracks, he says as much, but the cat is out of the bag for prerecorded music and there are plenty of bands that use it. Obviously there are groups, and fans, that want to hear note for note recreation of their best selling CD, and there are the groups that rocked out when they were young but can’t muster the same intensity year after year.
There was a video clip of an Indianapolis Colts game where a prerecorded audio of crowd noise/ cheering began to skip and then goes silent. It is subtle manipulation and it is widely used technology.
I agree. Osborne seems super bitter and he just seems to be aiming it at Zombie. How long has it been since the tour they did together that he was also just bitching about? How would he have any clue what’s going on with Zombie’s live show now?
He needs to pull the stick out of his ass.
Why mime to a tape when you can play REVOLVE live, to an audience, 51 days in a row?
That is how you rock.
LIVING TAPE GIRL
I call bullshit simply for the fact that Rob sounds horrible live. Hes always out of breath and cant finish any 1 line in a Verse.
exactly what i was going to say you hit the nail head on and its pretty sad too cause 80% of every song is “yeah” and “motherfucker”
I agree with nigre. This performance at the 95 American Music Awards always reminds me of Rob running out of breath http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUndTL1g458
This Buzz Osborne fella seems like quite the jealous jackass. So you’re playing 9 days in a row, go fucking cry about it. You picked music as a career. Same fucking thing as working 9 days in a row when you’re in a salary position. Except you’re usually working 8-10 hrs a day instead of 1 hour a night. Stop your bitching guy.
Maybe if King Buzzo had more than a mini-van worth of equipment to lug around from show to show he might change his tune. Not that I think Manson or Rob are lugging around their own gear, but it’s not like they can just show up any day at the local coffee shop and set-up those stages. Hey Buzz, just because there’s 9 bars in a 5 mile radius that will let you show up with a guitar and an amp and play for an hour, doesn’t mean you have to play 9 days in a row.
who cares, melvins have always rocked, still do, Rob hasnt done anything good since Astro-Creep…and even that was subpar.
i must have missed the meeting where we discussed what par was…Astro-Creep is still my favorite Zombie work
The Melvins are slated to play 50 dates in 50 days and he is bragging 9 days in? Let’s see another interview 30 days in and see if he can still even talk. He needs to stop throwing verbal jabs and focus on his own bands descent into lameness…I mean trying to break a record to get into Guinness?? Really dude? The Melvins haven’t been good since Houdini.
This guy thinks he’s special because of nine shows? Look through the last couple pages of post showing tour dates, it’s not that rare! Fuck this guy already!
no, hes special because hes doing 51 shows in 51 days. and hes not wrong, large majority of bands rarely play more than 5 or 6 shows in a row without a day off.
Someone’s panties are in a knot. Can’t we all just get a long? Next thing we know he’s going to accuse Rob Zombie of saying too many “Yeahs!” in his songs and saying he created the word and the english dictionary. Chill out, bruh.
The fact that you all are sticking up for Rob Zombie makes your arguments null.
I think it’s more or less we’re sick of this ranting and raving about something that is not important and clogging our wonderful PRP site with useless head lines.
And yet everyone keeps commenting on these articles. PRP’s dick isn’t going to suck itself I guess.
Hey what he is saying is the truth. Many, many mainstream artists use backing tracks for vocals and instruments. It’s lame, but they are giving the audience what they “wants”, a good reproduction of the CD. Everybody knows this. Hell, even during Roger Water’s The Wall concert in Berlin, there was MANY mimed and lip-synched vocals and guitar parts. I highly doubt Zombie and his band don’t use it in some way. So there is it.
20 comments and not one person just went to YouTube to investigate.
I’ve watched lots of their live footage in the past, and here’s the deal: all the keys, effects, horror samples, etc. are piped in. Some of the disco-type cymbal sounds (I think) are pre-recorded as well, and often, there is a track of Rob’s vocals playing, which he sings over. However, to be very clear, J is playing his guitar, Sean is playing her bass, John is playing his drums, and Rob is attempting to sing his vocal parts. To prove my point, see here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESZ4ThE-91I. Watch the first minute or so, and then ask yourself, why would a band pretending to play their instruments pipe in a pre-recorded tape of them COMPLETELY RUINING the intro to their biggest song?
To be sure, White Zombie was somewhat of a studio band, and Rob has always been a much better studio singer than live singer, but the band played their instruments live. I know they have their fans, but as far as I’m concerned, the Melvins are relevant for being connected to Isis and Kurt Cobain, and nothing else. I totally agree with the points made above that Osborne is basically trolling for some attention.
And just to clarify, Astro Creep 2000 is a mother fucking monster. It blows the nuts off just about everything that comes out these days.
Oops. I forgot to put a “(YEAH!)” after “mother fucking monster.”
I noticed he was singing over a tape back in 99 when I saw him with Korn. Zombie is only capable of singing every third word live. If it sounds like he’s hitting more than that, it’s a recording.
That said, I generally like White Zombie and Buzz is kind of starting to come off like a jealous dick. It’s not necessary Mr. Buzzo. Those in the know realize how much more talented your band is.
What a whining Sally, why don’t you write a song about it..
And didn’t some band do 5 shows in one day strategically located around a town to make the shape of a pentagram?
All these beefs in metal are pathetic. What is this, the rap game? Get your heads outta your asses, and make music.
Whatever, Melvins still kick ass. For some Buzzo entertainment, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFn1UUI6bj8&feature=related
Buzz has earned the right to call out whatever he wants to, though maybe misguided a bit about bands playing live for the most part – Zombie is a great target and deserves it – dude is a douchebag and Melvins toured with him at his “zenith” and Buzz is speaking from first hand knowledge – welcome to Vegas Melvins!!!
Have a heart attack on the 50th show Buzz!!
Buzz needs to quit talking and get back to playing those bar bathrooms
I love the fact Buzz is stating how shitty of a person Zombie is. I’m so tired of the candy coating BS you hear. We all know they are assholes, now Buzz just reaffirms it.
I remember seeing Zombie live once, and it seemed to good of a performance to be true. I fully believe Buzz on the backing tape story.
I seriously doubt bands fake playing there instruments, but lots of groups are guilty of singing over a back track…..I hate that. If I wanted to hear the studio vocal, I would have stayed home and listened to MP3.
While I have more respect for someone who can pull off quality playing live, the ultimate goal is to give the paying fans what they want – a quality show. If you can’t do that, use what tools you have. I’d rather see a band play to a backing track and sound good than sound like shit. And Rob sounds like shit live. Also, lots of bands do this to some extent. Why is this a surprise?
Skeltonwitch just did 63 shows in 65 days. Your move Buzz
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