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Dale Crover

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Dale Crover
Crover performing with Melvins at Toad's Place in 2006
Crover performing with Melvins at Toad's Place in 2006
Background information
Born (1967-10-23) October 23, 1967 (age 56)
OriginAberdeen, Washington, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician
Instruments
  • Drums
  • percussion
  • vocals
  • guitar
  • bass
Labels
Member of
Formerly of

Dale Crover (born October 23, 1967) is an American rock musician. Crover is best known as the drummer for Melvins and has also been the drummer for Men of Porn, Shrinebuilder, Crystal Fairy and, for a brief time, Nirvana. He is also guitarist and vocalist for Altamont. He has toured with Fantômas (filling in for Dave Lombardo), Off!, and Redd Kross. In 2016, Rolling Stone listed him as the 69th greatest drummer of all time.[1]

Biography

[edit]

Melvins recruited Crover on drums in 1984 from an Iron Maiden cover band, following original drummer Mike Dillard's departure.[2][3] Crover has been one of the two constant members of the Melvins, along with frontman Buzz Osborne, and is the only band member besides Osborne to appear on all their studio albums. In late 1985, Crover played bass in Fecal Matter, a band he formed with Kurt Cobain and Greg Hokanson. After Hokanson left the band, Cobain and Crover recorded Illiteracy Will Prevail[4] on a 4-track on Easter 1986 at Cobain's aunt's home in Burien, Washington. Crover played bass and drums on the demo. "Spank Thru" from this demo appears on the Nirvana album Sliver: The Best of the Box. Fecal Matter disbanded in 1986.[5]

Crover drummed on Nirvana's ten-song demo recorded January 23, 1988, at Reciprocal Recording Studios in Seattle. Nine of these songs have been officially released:[6][7]

  • "Floyd the Barber", "Paper Cuts", and "Downer" – Bleach
  • "Beeswax", "Downer", "Hairspray Queen", "Mexican Seafood", and "Aero Zeppelin" – Incesticide
  • "If You Must" and "Pen Cap Chew" – With the Lights Out

The original incarnation of Nirvana including Crover on drums played a 14-song show in Tacoma, Washington, on the night of the same day that they did the demo session. Three cuts from the show – "Downer", "Floyd the Barber", and "Raunchola"/"Moby Dick" – appear on With the Lights Out.[8] Later in 1988, Crover and Melvins' bandmate Buzz Osborne relocated to San Francisco, California. Not wanting to break the Melvins up, Cobain asked Buzz for recommendations on who he should recruit as his drummer and it was Osbourne who referred Cobain to Dave Grohl, drummer of the hardcore band Scream at that time, commenting of Grohl that, "He's almost as good as Dale Crover." Crover briefly rejoined Nirvana during a short west-coast tour with Sonic Youth in August 1990.[9] In April 1991, Crover played drums on a demo version of "Drain You" with Cobain on guitar and vocals and Dave Grohl on bass guitar. The track appears on With the Lights Out.[10]

In the years 1993 and 1994 the Melvins played a tour visiting every state in the contiguous United States, and released their first record on a major label (Atlantic) which had been nominally produced by Kurdt Cobain, toured with Nirvana on the first leg of their world tour for In Utero, and then played a later leg of the tour that ended up including the last shows that Nirvana ever played. The Melvins opened for Nirvana at what turned out to be their final show in Munich after Cobain's overdose in Rome and shortly before his death. Prior to Cobain's departure for what wound up to be a short stint in rehab, the Melvins had several other shows scheduled to open for Nirvana in Europe. When these shows were canceled, the Melvins 'took their Nirvana money' to book studio time in London. They recorded two of their best-remembered albums in one week: Stoner Witch, and Prick. The album released as Prick was originally intended to appear under the title Kurdt Cobain, but this idea was shelved after Cobain's suicide. During the same year, Crover founded the band Altamont with Joey Osbourne and Dan Southwick of Acid King. He produced and performed additional vocals on Acid King's début release that year. During this time he was also married to Acid King's frontwoman Lori S., but they divorced. When Nirvana was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April 2014, although not officially inducted with the band, Crover was singled out for his work with them during Crover's successor Dave Grohl's acceptance speech. A high proportion of the most substantive and historically infromative entries in Kurt Cobain's published journals consist of unfinished letters that he started writing to Dale Crover.[11]

It may be significant to point out that after Cobain's death and the waning of grunge rock's centrality in the popular culture of the 1990's, Crover's career with Buzz Osborne in the Melvins, though they started playing together a decade earlier in 1984, had still scarcely begun in 1994. The volume and influence of the music that they produced thereafter has only grown over time. Since 1994, the Melvins have released nearly thirty studio albums and twenty EPs while continuing to tour relentlessly since that time. They played with Nine Inch Nails on the Downward Spiral tour in 1995, and on a later tour with Tool they both opened and played as additional personnel with the headlining band after opening for them. They toured with Faith No More and with the legendary, seminal punk musician Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys while also putting out a collaborative album with him, and playing guitars and drums during the Dead Kennedys sets during the tour. Their collaboration with Lustmord on the Pigs of the Roman Empire is perhaps lesser known, but much cherished by fans. Crover is credited as the drummer on most of the tracks on Mike Patton's Peeping Tom project from 2006. The Melvins also play with Patton on the Fantomas records and have contributed to various other Patton projects. Crover is credited on nearly 400 releases according to Discogs.[12]

He has released three LPs as a solo artist includingThe Fickle Finger of Fate and Rat-a-Tat-Tat.[13][14][15][16] In the summer of 2024, he released Glossolalia on Joyful Noise Recordings with musical guests including Tom Waits, Ty Segall, Kim Thayil and Rob Crow.[17] Crover has also released a number of other one-off projects at Joyful Noise including the percussion project Hew Time, which enlisted the drummers Coady Willis (of Big Business) and Joe Plummer (of Modest Mouse).

At the time of this writing (2024), Crover has been playing drums in the Melvins for forty years. Though largely unknown outside the circle of their devoted cult-following the Melvins predated and provided (to a large extent, and in a technically, formal sense of having written the standards or been the first to apply various techniques) the seminal inspiration or immediate musician-to-musician lineal influence on the bands that gave rise to the genres of grunge, sludge metal, stoner rock, stoner metal, the Palm Desert sound, doom and drone metal. They continue to release albums and tour on a regular basis.

Appearances

[edit]

Dale Crover made an appearance in Neil Young's video "Harvest Moon" playing Neil Young. This was largely due to his physical resemblance to the younger Young.[18][19][20]

Cartoon versions of Crover and bandmate Osborne appear in an episode of Uncle Grandpa as well.[21]

Discography

[edit]
Date of release Title Label Credited for Catalog number
1994 Acid King: Acid King Sympathy for the Record Industry Additional vocals
1996 Dale Crover: Drumb Man's Ruin Records Performer
September 7, 1999 Hank Williams III: Risin' Outlaw Curb Records drums on "Cocaine Blues"
October 19, 2004 Men of Porn: Wine, Women and Song Small Stone Records drums SS-047
October 2009 Shrinebuilder: Shrinebuilder Neurot Recordings drums NR070
February 2015 Conan Neutron & the Secret Friends: The Enemy of Everyone Seismic Wave Entertainment drums SW013
May 2016 Conan Neutron & the Secret Friends: The Art of Murder drums SW014
September 2019 Conan Neutron & the Secret Friends: Protons and Electrons drums SW027
December 2020 Plan D Joyful Noise Recordings drums JNR 309
December 2020 Conan Neutron & the Secret Friends: Dark Passengers Learning Curve Records drums LCR077-1

Solo

[edit]
Date of release Title Label Album/Single Credited for Catalog number
August 2016 Skins Joyful Noise Recordings Single Performer
July 2017 The Fickle Finger of Fate Album Vocals, Guitar, Drums JNR235
August 2019 Sell Out Seismic Wave Entertainment Single Vocals, Guitar SW026
January 2021 Rat-A-Tat-Tat! Joyful Noise Recordings Album Vocals, Guitar, Drums JNR345
June 2024 Doug Yuletide Joyful Noise Recordings Single Vocals, Guitar, Drums JNR484
July 2024 Rings Joyful Noise Recordings Flexi Vocals, Guitar, Drums JNR484
July 2024 Glossolalia Joyful Noise Recordings Album Vocals, Guitar, Drums JNR484

with Altamont

[edit]
Date of release Title Label Credited for Catalog number
May 27, 1997 Wanted Dead or Alive (split album with Acid King) Man's Ruin Records MR-072
October 13, 1998 Civil War Fantasy MR-085
March 26, 1999 In the Groove (Compilation album, Rattlesnake Shake) The Music Cartel
July 10, 2000 Right in the Nuts (Compilation album, Make It) Small Stone Records
May 1, 2001 Our Darling Man's Ruin Records MR-2020
November 1, 2005 The Monkee's Uncle AntAcidAudio AAA-995

with Melvins

[edit]
Date of release Title Label Credited for Catalog number
1986 Six Songs C/Z Records CZ002
1987 Gluey Porch Treatments Alchemy Records VM103
1989 Ozma Boner Records BR16-2
August 21, 1991 Kill Rock Stars (Compilation album, Ever Since My Accident) Kill Rock Stars KSR 201
1991 Your Choice Live Series Vol. 12 Your Choice Records YC-LS 012
1991 Bullhead Boner Records BR25-2
1991 Eggnog BR28-2
1992 Salad of a Thousand Delights Box Dog Video BDV002
1992 Dale Crover Boner Records BR33-2
1992 Lysol (aka Melvins) BR35-2
September 21, 1993 Houdini Atlantic Records 82532-2
August 1994 Prick Amphetamine Reptile Records AmRep 031
September 1994 Stoner Witch Atlantic Records 82704-2
July 15, 1996 Stag 82878-2
May 5, 1997 Honky Amphetamine Reptile Records AmRep 064-2
August 26, 1997 Singles 1–12 AmRep 063
1998 Alive at the Fucker Club AmRep 072
May 17, 1999 The Maggot Ipecac Recordings IPC-002
August 23, 1999 The Bootlicker IPC-004
February 7, 2000 The Crybaby IPC-006
November 27, 2000 Gluey Porch Treatments IPC-012
February 6, 2001 Electroretard Man's Ruin Records MR2002
April 16, 2001 Colossus of Destiny Ipecac Recordings IPC-014
April 1, 2002 Millennium Monsterwork 2000 with Fantômas IPC-019
April 15, 2002 Hostile Ambient Takeover IPC-020
March 11, 2003 26 Songs IPC-038
September 16, 2003 Melvinmania: The Best Of The Atlantic Years 1993–1996 Atlantic Records 5050466574428
March 9, 2004 Neither Here Nor There Ipecac Recordings IPC-047
August 23, 2004 Pigs of the Roman Empire with Lustmord IPC-054
October 19, 2004 Never Breathe What You Can't See with Jello Biafra Alternative Tentacles Virus300
September 26, 2005 Sieg Howdy! with Jello Biafra Virus350
May 16, 2006 A Live History of Gluttony and Lust
Houdini Live 2005 		Ipecac Recordings IPC-076
October 10, 2006 (A) Senile Animal IPC-082
July 8, 2008 Nude With Boots IPC-105
June 1, 2010 The Bride Screamed Murder IPC-112
June 5, 2012 Freak Puke (Melvins Lite) IPC-136
April 30, 2013 Everybody Loves Sausages IPC-144
November 5, 2013 Tres Cabrones IPC-150
October 14, 2014 Hold It In IPC-164
April 1, 2016 Three Men and a Baby with Mike Kunka Sub Pop SP 1147
June 3, 2016 Basses Loaded Ipecac Recordings IPC-178
July 7, 2017 A Walk with Love & Death IPC-195
April 20, 2018 Pinkus Abortion Technician IPC-201
February 26, 2021 Working With God IPC-234

with Nirvana

[edit]
Date of release Title Label Credited for Catalog number
June 15, 1989 Bleach (On the songs "Floyd the Barber", "Paper Cuts" and "Downer") Sub Pop SP-034
November 21, 1989 Teriyaki Asthma,Volume 1 (Compilation album, "Mexican Seafood") C/Z Records CZ009
August 21, 1991 Kill Rock Stars (Compilation album, "Beeswax") Kill Rock Stars KRS-201
November 1991 Teriyaki Asthma Vols. I-V (Compilation album, "Mexican Seafood") C/Z Records CZ037
December 14, 1992 Incesticide (On the songs "Beeswax", "Downer", "Mexican Seafood", "Hairspray Queen", and "Aero Zeppelin") DGC Records DGCD-24504
November 23, 2004 With the Lights Out (On the songs "If You Must", "Pen Cap Chew", "Downer", "Floyd the Barber", "Raunchola/Moby Dick", and "Drain You") Geffen Records B0003727-00
November 1, 2005 Sliver: The Best of the Box (On the song "Drain You")

References

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  1. ^ Weingarten, Christopher R.; Dolan, Jon; Diehl, Matt; Micallef, Ken; Ma, David; Smith, Gareth Dylan; Wang, Oliver; Heller, Jason; Runtagh, Jordan; Shteamer, Hank; Smith, Steve; Spanos, Brittany; Grow, Kory; Kemp, Rob; Harris, Keith; Gehr, Richard; Wiederhorn, Jon; Johnston, Maura; Greene, Andy (March 31, 2016). "100 Greatest Drummers of All Time". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  2. ^ "Bleach: Krist Novoselic Interviews Dale Crover The Nirvana bassist chats with the Melvins drummer about making Bleach, Metal Church, and their friend Kurt". seattle weekly. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  3. ^ Buzz Osborne. "Liner Notes to Mangled Demos from 1983". Ipecac Recordings. May 31, 2005.
  4. ^ Gillian Gaar. "Nirvana Timeline, Booklet to With the Lights Out". Geffen Records/Universal Music Group. November 23, 2004.
  5. ^ Michael Azerrad. "Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana". Doubleday, 1993. ISBN 0-385-47199-8.
  6. ^ Live Nirvana: Studio session: January 23, 1988.
  7. ^ "Super Rare Nirvana Demos Shared By Friend Of Cobain, Featuring Bleached Demos With Dale Crover On Drums". mxdwn. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  8. ^ Live Nirvana, Tour history: January 23, 1988.
  9. ^ Nirvana Live Guide, August 1990 tour (08/16/90-08/25/90) Archived November 22, 2006, at the Wayback Machine.
  10. ^ "Live Nirvana – Sessions History – Practice Sessions – (The Retards) April 22, 1991 – Melvins practice space & Crover residence, San Francisco, CA, US". Livenirvana.com. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
  11. ^ Cobain, Kurt (2002). Kurt Cobain: the journals. London: Viking. ISBN 978-0-670-91370-1. OCLC 51438583.
  12. ^ "Dale Crover". Discogs.
  13. ^ "Dale Crover // The Fickle Finger Of Fate // Joyful Noise Recordings | Joyful Noise Recordings". www.joyfulnoiserecordings.com. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  14. ^ "Dale Crover Interview". bionicbuzz.com. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  15. ^ "Ep155: Dale Crover (Melvins)". protonicreversal.com. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  16. ^ "Ep230: Dale Crover (Melvins, Redd Kross, Dale Crover Band)". protonicreversal.com. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  17. ^ "Dale Crover's New Solo Record". Spin Magazine.
  18. ^ "Dale Crover". IMDb.com. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
  19. ^ "Protonic Reversal Ep230: Dale Crover (Melvins, Redd Kross, Dale Crover Band)". protonicreversal.com. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  20. ^ "Performance Anxiety: Dale Crover (Melvins)". Performance Anxiety. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  21. ^ "Watch Melvins Get Animated on Cartoon Network Show "Uncle Grandpa"". pitchfork.com. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
Preceded by Melvins drummer
1984–present 		Succeeded by
Current
Preceded by Nirvana Drummer (two stints)
January 1988
August 1990 		Succeeded by
Dave Foster
Dan Peters
[edit]
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