Melvins Cancel Fall Tour, Release Book

After 20+ years in the big leagues, we can hardly blame Melvins for dropping onto the disabled list every now and again-- and sadly, the sludgemasters are trudging home for 2004. "We are very sorry to say, but due to an illness in the band the Melvins have cancelled all of their scheduled dates for the rest of the year," reads an online announcement from the band's label, Ipecac. "We are hoping that the shows will be able to be rescheduled in the future and the band sincerely apologizes for any inconvenience caused by this unforeseen circumstance... Thanks for your support and understanding." Ipecac offered no additional comment as to the severity or nature of the illness.

The band had an October full of U.S. dates scheduled, as well as a November itinerary in Europe and beyond, with two new albums to support: August's Pigs of the Roman Empire, in collaboration with electro-shockin' Throbbing Gristle cohort Lustmord, and the brand-new Never Breathe What You Can't See, which saw the Melvins team up with Dead Kennedys refugee Jello Biafra. In fact, Biafra's label, Alternative Tentacles, celebrates its 25th anniversary with a blowout show in San Francisco October 31st-- also one of the dates the Melvins have shitcanned.

If this info leaves you so depressed that you've no recourse but to curl up with a nice coffee table book, you may want to check out Neither Here Nor There, a 200+ page compendium of all things Melvins, released in March and featuring essays, photos and art that comes bundled with an exclusive career-spanning band comp. Page slowly through it, ride out the year, and hopefully, the boys will bounce right off the DL in 2005.