From rock clubs to golf clubs, Melvins’ leader Buzz Osborne can be found onstage and on the links

Buzz Osborne stands out on a golf course with his shock of wild gray hair. The punk legend, who was Kurt Cobain’s musical hero, kept his sanity during the pandemic by enjoying the serenity of the links.

“Much of what I did was play golf in 2020 and 2021,” Osborne said from his Los Angeles home. “It was exactly what I needed. I’m obsessed with the game. I only started playing golf 14 years ago. I play tournament level golf. I love golf but I don’t like most of the people who play it.”

Spoken like a true punk rocker.

It’s fascinating how golf is on the other side of the spectrum for the leader of the Melvins. Golf is a quiet, solitary game. Osborne’s life with the Melvins is loud and he’s surrounded by his longtime bandmates, who perform in clubs and theaters filled with boisterous fans.

“I guess there’s some balance there,” Osborne said. Another difference between Osborne’s two passions is that it’s been 40 years since the Melvins formed in Montesano, which is just west of Olympia.

“If you’re working on something for that long a period of time, you must love it,” Osborne said. It’s evident how much Osborne enjoys his craft as a recording artist. The Melvins are touring behind a pair of new albums, “Working With God” and “Five Legged Dog.”

“It’s a lot of work,” Osborne said. “I don’t need to make records. I do it because that’s what I do. Nobody makes as many records as we do.”

Well, Guided by Voices recently released its 13th album in just over five years. “Well, you got me beat,” Osborne conceded. “Thanks for putting me in my place.”

But few recording artists are as prolific as the Melvins, who have released 34 albums over the last 40 years. “We have a lot of songs to choose from when we play,” Osborne said. “But we can’t play everything. We can’t please everyone.”

When the Melvins perform Friday at the Knitting Factory, expect a healthy number of tracks from “Working With God” and “Five Legged Dog.” The former, which includes the original lineup of Osborne, Dale Crover on bass and Mike Dillard on drums, is sludgy, brooding and at times goofy.

The latter features Osborne flanked by Crover playing drums and Redd Kross frontman Steven McDonald on bass.

“Five Legged Dog” is a surprising change-up. It’s an all acoustic album that is epic. The Melvins deliver 150 minutes of music, which includes some new interpretations of songs from the band’s massive catalogue.

“We’re like two completely different bands now,” Osborne said. “That’s a great thing. There is so much more we can accomplish. We have so much new music.”

Osborne has another Melvins album and a solo record in the can. “I’ve been pretty inspired,” Osborne said. “Not much has changed since I started out in this business except during the very early days I didn’t know if what I was working on would ever come out. Now I know that what I create will be released.”

There’s an audience for the Melvins, an 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, such as Nirvana, Soundgarden and Tool, 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 is always up for shows in Spokane where the Melvins have played more than 10 times during the band’s lengthy career. “I like that the people from Spokane are enthusiastic at our shows,” Osborne said.”They don’t just stand there and stare at us. But if you want to come to the show in Spokane and just stare at us, I’m alright with that, too.”

Maybe Osborne will play some golf when he comes to town. “If I have time, I would go out there with the clubs,” Osborne said. “But probably the best part of the pandemic is that I went out there and played golf. I love sports. I love baseball. Sports and music are just so much fun. Those are my preoccupations. I don’t think I need anything else.”

Osborne doesn’t believe being an alt-metalist and a golf aficionado are 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 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 got to be tough to be married that long and to be in a band as long as I have.”