Mike Dillard (born 1965) is an American drummer and one of the founding members of rock band

Melvins Melvins (sometimes the Melvins) are an American rock band formed in 1983 in Montesano, Washington. Their early work was key to the development of both grunge and sludge metal. Primarily a trio, they have also performed as a quartet, with eith ...

. His only known recordings with the original lineup eventually saw release in 2005 as '' Mangled Demos from 1983''. He left the band in 1984 and was replaced by

Dale Crover 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 guitar ...

. In 1986 he briefly played in

Kurt Cobain Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – ) was an American musician. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist, primary songwriter, and a founding member of the grunge band Nirvana (band), Nirvana. Through his angsty songwriting and anti-establis ...

's first band, Fecal Matter, before they disbanded. Dillard returned to play songs from ''Mangled Demos'' live with

Buzz Osborne Roger "Buzz" Osborne (born March 25, 1964), also known as King Buzzo, is an American guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and golfer. He is a founding member of the rock band Melvins, as well as Fantômas (band), Fantômas and Venomous Concept. Biog ...

and

(on bass) under the name "Melvins 1983" starting in 2008. They collectively played a few shows, including two shows to celebrate

Jello Biafra Eric Reed Boucher (born June 17, 1958), known professionally as Jello Biafra, is an American singer, spoken word artist and political activist. He is the former lead singer and songwriter for the San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys. Init ...

's 50th birthday and an appearance at the ATP "Nightmare Before Christmas" festival later that year. The Melvins 1983 lineup also performed for the first of three sets on the band's 25th Anniversary tour in 2009 and on one of the Endless Residency sets at the Spaceland venue in Los Angeles in 2011. Dillard also plays drums on '' Tres Cabrones'', making his first recordings with the Melvins in 29 years. The majority of the songs included on the album had been released in a variety of limited edition EPs, singles and compilations, primarily through Amphetamine Reptile Records, starting in 2012 before ''Tres Cabrones'' came out one year later. In September 2015, the Melvins 1983 released the ''Beer Hippy'' EP on AmRep. All four tracks from the EP were included on '' Basses Loaded'', released by

Ipecac Recordings Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in California. It was founded on April 1, 1999, by Greg Werckman (ex-label manager of Alternative Tentacles, ex-lead singer of DUH, ex-employee of Mercury Records) and Mike Patton (Faith N ...

in June 2016. Dillard was also in the band Hot Carl and recorded a six-song demo with them in February 2001.

Discography with the Melvins

*2005 – '' Mangled Demos from 1983'' (archival release) *2013 – '' Tres Cabrones'' *2016 – '' Basses Loaded'' (select songs) *2021 - '' Working with God'' *2025 - '' Thunderball''

References

Living people 1965 births American rock drummers Melvins members 20th-century American drummers American male drummers People from Montesano, Washington 20th-century American male musicians Drummers from Washington (state) {{US-rock-drummer-stub