Buzz Osborne thinks Tool fans don’t have respect for the opening acts.
Bassist Trevor Dunn was also present with Buzz during their recent appearance on the RRBG podcast. “There was one show we did, I can’t remember where it was,” Dunn recalled his live show experience while opening for Tool. “I was worried I was going to get my teeth knocked out with coins. So I just turned my back on the audience and played the whole set.”
Osborne added, “Well, Tool thought it fit the bill. That’s a weird thing in those kinds of situations, is it never occurs to these dumbsh*ts that this is a band that the headlining band wants here. They didn’t [say] ‘You know what’s gonna really f*ck with our audience? We’ll put this band on.’”
Tool’s guitarist Adam Jones is a big fan of the Melvins and has invited them to tour with Tool multiple times. He also worked with Osborne and his other band, Fantômas.
“It was in the early Nineties when they opened for us at the Hollywood Paladium at a show with Gwar,” said Buzz to Revolver while talking about when he met the Tool guys. “Adam now says we were ‘mean’ to them, but I know that’s bullsh*t because I’m never mean to anyone. I don’t remember much about them, but about two seconds later they were all over MTV.”
The singer continued, “I’m surprised they ever talked to us again. Later on, in about ’97, we did an arena tour opening for them, and then in ’98 they asked us to do the horrid Ozzfest tour and I became better friends with them. Adam is one of my dearest friends.”
Buzz also said that Tool fans have often been very critical of his bands, with some being even rude. He recalled one fan who criticized him in detail, but he got the fan kicked out by showing his all-access pass.
You can watch the full interview below.