Buzz Osborne likes it hot. The Melvins vocalist-guitarist was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest and left the chilly, unpredictable climate for California in 1986.
Osborne, who has lived in Hollywood since 1993, bought a home in Tucson in 2021. The seminal indie rocker, who has influenced Nirvana, Soundgarden and Tool, could never be a snowbird since he’s spending more than half of his time in sunny California and much of the rest of the year he favors Tucson. “I love July and August in Tucson due to the monsoons since they are amazing,” Osborne said while calling from San Jose. “I spend most of my free time in Tucson.”
Osborne, 61, is often on the road with the Melvins. However, the sludge metal band will play a hometown show Monday, April 14, at the Rialto Theatre. “I can’t wait,” Osborne said. “It’s going to be fun to play at the Rialto.”
Perhaps Osborne will slip in a round of golf when he returns to Tucson. “I do a lot of golfing in Tucson,” Osborne said. “Golfing is great for musicians. We spent a lot of time indoors. Golf is a great way to get outside of your head.”
Osborne is often in his head crafting new music. The Melvins’ latest album, “Thunderball,” drops April 18 and features the Melvins original drummer, Mike Dillard. “We’ve been friends since high school,” Osborne said. “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.”
It was never warm enough in Washington for Osborne. “To me, it’s about the Southwest,” Osborne said. “I can only live in Arizona or California. I have no problem with the heat since there’s no humidity in the Southwest. I love the weather in Arizona and making music.”
While many of the Melvins’ peers are not releasing fresh material, Osborne is driven to write and record new songs.
“I heard an interview with Bob Dylan and he was asked why he tours and writes and records and he said, ‘This is the deal I made,’” Osborne said. “I understand it. All I ever wanted to be was a musician. This is how I make my living. I have no interest in doing anything else.”
There’s an audience for the angst-ridden alt-metal act, but the band never blew up and Osborne is alright with that.
“I’m fine with the fact that millions aren’t into what we do,” Osborne said. “We have some fans. We would welcome more but we’re not going to change our sound with the hope of building a bigger base. I know I have good taste in music but not everyone shares my taste.”
A number of bands that were influenced by the Melvins played to much larger audiences, but Osborne doesn’t care.
“Good for them,” Osborne said. “I have no bitterness. A lot of those bands that were really into us no longer exist. We’re still around and that means a lot. As long as somebody shows up at the shows, we’re happy.”
Osborne doesn’t believe being an alt-metalist and a golf aficionado is what makes him most unusual. “What makes me stand out is that I’ve been in the rock and roll business for all of these years and I’ve been married for over 30 years,” Osborne said. “The average rock and roll marriage lasts about two years. What sets my wife and I apart is that we are tough. You gotta be tough to be married that long and to be in a band as long as I have.”
An ideal night for Osborne is having dinner with his wife. “She’s a great cook, so we don’t go out that much in Tucson,” Osborne said. “After dinner I’m happiest lying in bed with my wife with our dog, watching a movie together. It doesn’t take me much to be happy. I just want to do something simple and relax since my work life is so chaotic. I’m just happy reading. I never had a mid-life crisis. My wife says that’s because I’m too busy to have one.”
Osborne said he believes that sooner or later the only home for him will be in Tucson. “I’m going to end up in Tucson for good,” Osborne said. “At some point, I won’t be in Los Angeles anymore. The only thing that’s better in Los Angeles is the sushi. But I’ll be fine. I love what Tucson offers. I can’t wait to get back and play there.”
The Melvins and Napalm Death
WHEN: 8 p.m. Monday, April 14
WHERE: The Rialto Theatre, 318 Congress Street, Tucson
COST: $27.50
INFO: 520-741-1000, rialtotheatre.com
This article appears in Apr 3-10, 2025.
