It’s a shame there isn’t a truly “complete” version on CD – I had to resort to making my own using the ‘proper’ CD and adding the missing tracks from vinyl… as I suspect a lot of other BB readers have done.

Also, the documentary “We Jam Econo – The Story of the Minutemen” by Tim Irwin is well worth owning and watching repeatedly.

You’re right, they didn’t have a specific sound, but I believe they identified with and were friends with people who shared a “hardcore punk” ethic. Obviously, they were more than just a punk band or a hardcore band–but they maintained strong ties with likes of the DC hardcore scene and Cali hardcore scene. Of course, they had many influence, but I think if you are going to try to pin a label on their sound (which I wouldn’t suggest) I would say hardcore fits the best, if only because of the ethic behind the music.

This album was a revelation for me–blending punk and poetry, funk and thrash, meaning and humor in a way my younger self latched onto with heartfelt appreciation. Plus, so many great Watt bass lines for me to learn from!

Best year of my teenage life, living in DC for a year (15 yr old kid from Fargo, ND) and will forever be glad that I got to see the Minutemen.

When our space was broken into and their amps were stolen, I was the one who had to call Mike and let him know.

I got to see them a few times, but not as much as I should have or could have. I remember hearing about d. boon’s death as I drove around San Francisco years afterwards, later running into George Hurley at Guitar Center and talking about it.

The Minutemen were the real thing – just who and what they were and nothing else. And Double Nickels on the Dime is a great recording, no matter how old it is.

I was never fully aware of The Minutemen, other than that there were connections between them and a number of other SoCal/SST bands I knew more about. I like how some song credits on Firehose records follow a thread through ex-band members to other bands to spouses of other band members.

And now I play the electric ironing board, just because I got comped free tickets to a Firehose show, lo, all those many years ago.

Unfortunately I was only able to see them 3 times: I saw them play the middle slot on a Nig Heist/Minutemen/Black Flag triple bill in Binghampton, NY, in early ’83 when I was still just getting into Punk Rock from outside NYC & London; the band definitely helped form my musical tastes, laying a heavy thumb print on my nascent radio show with What Makes a Man Start Fires?, and Buzz or Howl when it came out later in the year.

The second time I saw them was in late ’84, after I moved to LA, in the opening slot of the Minutemen/Black Flag/Ramones show at the Hollywood Palladium. I had snuck a fifth of whiskey into the show and I’ll admit I drank heavily during the Minutemen’s set & was thoroughly plowed by the time Black Flag took the stage; I bit someone in the pit and was put into “Time out” by the Goldenvoice bouncers until the Ramones took the stage. I was one of the last stragglers out of the venue and walked out to face a Gauntlet of LAPD riot cops in full riot gear; I froze, was speared by the searchlight from a circling helicopter, and proceeded to walk the straightest line of my life down Sunset Blvd.

The third time was in early-mid ’85 in a small place, probably in Hollywood (I can’t remember where exactly, maybe Helen’s Place? Cathay? I can’t remember anymore). When you’re young you don’t think “This may be the last time I do this” and so you don’t impress every moment into memory, but I remember they were greater every time I saw them.

For Minutemen memories from people who do remember try Mike Watt’s Hoot Page, or Daemon Brown’s corndogs.org, which also has videos on vimeo.com.

R.I.P. D. Boon.

I was born too late and too far away (Australia), but I listened to this record obsessively in my teens (and this was in the ’90s) and it still sounds fresh listening again now.

Xeni linked to MNFTIU in the post but this post in particular is the most awesome thing forever:

http://www.mnftiu.cc/2009/07/27/the-story-behind-double-nickels-on-the-dime/

mike watt will be performing a FREE show this saturday in central park, if anyone is interested, with nels cline (it will be more experimental music than punk, but that’s not a bad thing.) i saw mike a couple of months ago with his new trio and was blown away by how young he performed (not looked.) at one point, he finished belting out a song and had clearly over-exerted himself. his eyes rolled up as if he was going to pass out and he stumbled back into the amp for a good 10 seconds before he came back down to earth. i was impressed and grateful that mister watt would still give us his 150% when performing despite not being 25 years old anymore. it’s a testament to his work ethic and talent!

When I heard that it was the 25th anniversary of double nickels, and that nobody was DOING ANYTHING–I said to myself, “Do something.” You gotta acknowledge your mentors and thank them somewhere along the way. I put together this anniversary celelbration at the Bowery Poetry Club last week. It was awesome. Mike Watt kindly agreed to play bass and do spoken word (see him at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQdZSyT80LA), Richard Hell introduced him, three great tribute bands (Pillowman, from Worcester, MA; Tweede Kamer, from New Brunswick, NJ, and Maybe Partying Will Help, from PA) played 18 songs off the record; Bass Player from Hand Job did a tribute, Jackie Sheeler performed an awesome electro spoken word manifesto of Political Song for Michael Jackson, Michael T. Fournier talked about stories he gathered for his great book on the album, and I hosted to a thankful full house. We donated the proceeds to Mike Watt’s charity of choice, Doctors Without Borders. It was magic.

I’ll never forget that sad night when Andrea Enthal annouced that D. Boon had died. A bunch of us were working on The Eye, the music magapaper we produced in O.C., listening to the radio, and to remember her voice now, saying that D. Boon was killed in a car wreck . . . still got tears. Went to the service at Angel’s Gate. He was buried near Bukowski. They’re probably having a great time! I was so sad at the burial, but sweet George Hurley said, “D. Boon wouldn’t want anyone to be sad. He’d want you to be happy, have a party.” That’s what last weekend’s anniversary in NYC was all about.

Thanks forever to D. Boon, Mike Watt and George Hurley for making such magic. And yes, Dirk Vandenberg–you are to be thanked as well. Wasn’t that you on trumpet on The Product?

Thanks to everyone for performing and being at the Double Nickels anniversary.

Kat

We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen (2005)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0446071/

Great times.

I wish I had an opportunity to see the Minutemen live. I had a chance to see a number of other SST bands in ’85, including Black Flag and the Meat Puppets, but not the Minutemen. Dang.

I saw them live twice in the 80s. At the Fox Theater in Atlanta, they opened for R.E.M. The large college-aged crowd mostly mingled at the bars sucking down Heineken.

“Who’s the Minutemen?”

It was reserved seating and my seat was way in back with a column blocking part of my view. Since no one was seated or interested in the warm-up act, I asked the security guard if I could stand up front while the Minutemen were on. He kindly obliged. I then got to skank and dance in the aisle and watch boon, hurley, and watt just pound out a great great set. Life was good.

I noticed the whole time boon played that he had a huge, glowing Buddha smile on his face. He was clearly in tune with all things good in the universe. I smiled too. How could I not? Have you seen this guy on stage?

Though I never knew him personally, I miss him. Luckily they recorded enough vinyl to keep his spirit alive forever.

Thanks for sharing this.