| Lori Black | |
|---|---|
 Lorax in an outtake from the Bullhead photo sessions. | |
| Background information | |
| Birth Name | Lori Black |
| Alias | Lorax |
| Born | 9 April 1954 |
| Occupation | Musician, Photographer |
| Genres | Sludge Metal, Grunge, Hardcore Punk, Crossover |
| Instrument(s) | Bass |
| Years active | 1984-present |
| Labels | Alchemy Records, Boner Records |
| Associated acts | Clown Alley, Melvins |
Lori Black is a bassist best known for her tenures in Clown Alley and Melvins. She is also the daughter of film icon Shirley Temple.
Biography[]
Lori began her career with crossover band Clown Alley, which also had future Melvins bassist Mark Deutrom on guitar. Her activity within that band lasted four years before she began a relationship with Buzz Osborne and joined The Melvins in 1987 once Osborne and Dale Crover relocated to San Francisco in 1988. One of their earliest known performances together was a rehearsal at Dale's house in January 1988. The first recording to feature Black on bass was 1989's Ozma. Black would also tour with the band on their 1990 tours and their first tour of Europe in Winter 1991, one of the shows being recorded and released as Your Choice Live Vol. 12. Around the same time she contributed bass for the Melvins' third album Bullhead and the Eggnog EP before being kicked out of the band after the tour in 1991. At the same time her relationship with Buzz had ended.
On 3 May 1992 at Monty's in San Fransisco, California she joined the band for a one-off performance, making it a double-bass set with then current bassist Joe Preston and the first instance of the band performing with two bassists. After Preston's firing in 1992, Black was reinstated into the band and participated in their fall US tour that year. She toured with the band in 1993, with her final known performance on 6 March 1993 in Long Beach.[1] The next day Dave Sahijdak would fill in on bass[2] and perform several more shows until The Melvins found a replacement, who turned out to be Mark Deutrom. Despite being credited with playing on the band's major label debut Houdini in 1993, though she didn't actually play on the record. Osborne and drummer Dale Crover have said that she didn't play on the album at all as she had already been out of the band at that point. Billy Anderson confirmed that she was out of the band and that Buzz, Dale and himself recorded bass on the album in The Colossus of Destiny: A Melvins Tale. Also of note is she doesn't appear in any of the music videos done to promote Houdini.
Black's exit from the Melvins came after she was busted for drug possession at a Portland, Oregon airport in February 1993. She had already been hospitalized twice for drug abuse and struggled to stay clean. She pleaded guilty to one count of possessing heroin and a second count was dropped when she agreed to two years probation, 120 hours of community service, and a fine of $385. The sentence also required she attend drug therapy sessions three times a week and submit to random drug screenings. She was allowed to rehab in northern California, where her parents lived, and her mother Shirley Temple was instrumental in helping her beat heroin. Temple had the entire family attend therapy together so Black wouldn't have to do it alone.[3]
Personal Life[]
Black was born in San Francisco, California. Before dating Buzz Osborne she was in a relationship with future Melvins bassist and Clown Alley bandmate Mark Deutrom.
At a time there were rumors spreading that Black had died of a drug overdose in 1998 but Boner Records' owner tom Flynn disputed that, stating she was still alive and not doing music anymore.[4]
She currently works as a freelance photographer in San Francisco. She still maintains a friendship with former Melvins bassist Mark Deutrom.
Bands[]
- Clown Alley - Bass (1984 - 1987)
- Melvins - Bass (1987 - 1991, 1992 - 1993)
Discography[]
With Clown Alley[]
- Circus of Chaos (1986, Alchemy Records)
With Melvins[]
- Ozma (1989, Boner)
- Your Choice Live Vol. 12 (1990, Your Choice)
- Bullhead (1991, Boner)
- Eggnog (1991, Boner)
- Way of The World / Theme (1997, Amphetamine Reptile Records; recorded 1990)
- Singles 1-12 (1997, Amphetamine Reptile Records)
- Neither Here Nor There (2004, Ipecac; Tracks 3, 8, & 12)
- Pick Your Battles (2009, Bifocal Media; Tracks 1-8, recorded 1989.)
References[]
- ↑ Setlist.fm
- ↑ Setlist.fm
- ↑ DailyMailAccessed 5 September 2016
- ↑ Melvins WikiAccessed 1 June 2016.