Melvins Cover Beatles and James Gang on New Album, ‘Pinkus Abortion Technician’
The Melvins' have announced a new album, Pinkus Abortion Technician, which will include Beatles and James Gang covers. The album also feature two bass players. Steven McDonald and the Butthole Surfers' Jeff Pinkus will both play on the LP, which references the Surfers' classic 1987 album Locust Abortion Technician and is due April 20. The Melvins will then launch a 10-week North American tour.
You can see the full track listing for the album and tour dates below.
The eight-track LP follows 2017's A Walk With Love and Death, and includes covers of the Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand," the Butthole Surfers' "Graveyard" and "Stop Moving to Florida," a medley of the Surfers' "Moving to Florida" and the James Gang's "Stop."
You can hear the original versions of both medley songs below.
"It’s an experiment in the low end of the aural spectrum where we asked ourselves, Would it work? Could it work?? Should it work???" drummer Dale Crover said in a press release about the use of two bassists. "The answers were yes, yes and YES!"
"We’ve never had two bass players. We’ve had two drummers and two guitar players, so it makes total sense to now have two bass players," frontman Buzz Osborne added. "We’ll be taking this two-prong bass attack on the road as well, which should prove to be interesting." The Melvins' (A) Senile Animal, Nude With Boots and The Bride Screamed Murder were all recorded with two drummers, and the Melvins' lineup from 1993-98, and again from 2000-01, included the addition of Mark Deutrom on guitar.
"Pinkus Abortion Technician is a radically great record and was a stone groove to record," Osborne said. "We drank a lot of coffee and enjoyed each other’s company. I like Steven and Jeff a great deal. I admire their bass playing and singing, and both of them can grill a mean steak." The Melvins will kick off their tour on April 26 at the Casbah in San Diego. The tour, like the record, will include both bassists.
The Melvins, 'Pinkus Abortion Technician' Track Listing
1. Stop Moving To Florida
2. Embrace The Rub
3. Don't Forget To Breathe
4. Flamboyant Duck
5. Break Bread
6. I Want To Hold Your Hand
7. Prenup Butter
8. Graveyard
The Melvins North American Tour
April 26 - San Diego, Calif. - Casbah
April 29 - Dallas, Texas - Tree’s
April 30 - Austin, Texas - Mohawk
May 1 - Houston, Texas - White Oak Music Hall
May 3 - Baton Rouge, La. - Spanish Moon
May 4 - Birmingham, Ala. - Zydeco
May 6 - Charlottee, N.C. - Visulite Theater
May 7 - Carrboro, N.C. - Cat’s Cradle
May 9 - Baltimore, Md. - Ottobar
May 10 - Philadelphia, Pa. - Underground Arts
May 11 - Brooklyn, N.Y. - Warsaw
May 12 - Hamden, Conn. - Space Ballroom
May 13 - Boston, Mass. - Paradise Rock Club
May 14 - Montreal, Q.C. - Corona Theatre
May 18 - Cleveland, Ohio - Grog Shop
May 19 - Pittsburgh, Penn. - Rex Theater
May 20 - Louisville, Ky. - Headliner’s Music Hall
May 22 - Nashville, Tenn. - 3rd & Lindsley
May 23 - Memphis, Tenn. - Hi-Tone
May 24 - St. Louis, Mo. - The Ready Room
May 25 - Kansas City, Mo. - Record Bar
May 31 - Phoenix, Ariz. - Crescent Ballroom
July 12 - Santa Ana, Calif. - The Observatory
July 13 - Los Angeles, Calif. - Troubadour
July 14 - Fresno, Calif. - Strummer’s
July 16 - San Francisco, Calif. - Great American Music Hall
July 17 - Sacramento, Calif. - Holy Diver
July 19 - Seattle, Wash. - Neumo’s
July 20 - Portland, Ore. - Wonder Ballroom
July 21 - Vancouver, B.C. - Venue Nightclub
July 24 - Edmonton, AB - Union Hall
July 25 - Calgary, AB - Marquee Room
July 27 - Winnipeg, MB - Pyramid Cabaret
July 28 - Fargo, N.D. - The Aquarium (Dempsey’s Upstairs)
July 29 - Minneapolis, Minn. - First Avenue
July 30 - Madison, Wis. - High Noon Saloon
July 31 - Chicago, Ill. - Park West
Aug. 2 - Grand Rapids, Mich. - The Pyramid Scheme
Aug. 3 - Detroit, Mich. - El Club
Aug. 4 - Columbus, Ohio - A&R Music Bar
Aug. 5 - Indianapolis, Ind. - The Vogue Theatre
Aug. 6 - Rock Island, Ill. - Rock Island Brewing Company
Aug. 7 - Des Moines, Iowa - Wooly’s
Aug. 8 - Omaha, Neb. - The Waiting Room
Aug. 10 - Englewood, Colo. - Gothic Theatre
Aug. 11 - Ft. Collins, Colo. - Aggie Theatre
Aug. 13 - Salt Lake City, Utah - Urban Lounge
Aug. 14 - Las Vegas, Nev. - The Bunkhouse Saloon