Wow, I always just listened to 'Double Nickels' -- finally picked up 'What Makes a Man Start Fires?' -- I like it a lot! 24 years later and it still holds up.

I've been on a huge Minutemen kick recently. For some reason, this doesn't happen that often. Now I'm starting to realize that this was always a personal defect.

I get kind of annoyed that Double Nickels on the Dime is made to stand in place of their entire discography. I'd say that What Makes a Man Start Fires?, Buzz or Howl..., and The Punch Line are all just as good if not better than Double Nickels. The Bean Spill is pretty great too.

And "The Glory of Man" sounds a lot like "Surrender" by Cheap Trick. Which makes it all even cooler.

An earlier poster asked if we could all agree that The Minutemen were the band of the 80s. I'd agree with that.

A NOT CRAP so hearty and self-assured that it could only be applied to The Minutemen, Fugazi, The Ex, Neil Young, Bedhead, The Jesus Lizard, The Stooges, The Fall, Mission of Burma, Led Zeppelin or AC/DC.

A NOT CRAP so hearty and self-assured that it could only be applied to The Minutemen, Fugazi, The Ex, Neil Young, Bedhead, The Jesus Lizard, The Stooges, The Fall, Mission of Burma, Led Zeppelin or AC/DC.

True. Part from the FACT that Led Zeppelin are totally CRAP.

I voted CRAP.

I have never enjoyed the music of these Men of mere Minutes.

And "The Glory of Man" sounds a lot like "Surrender" by Cheap Trick. Which makes it all even cooler.

Ha! Funny, I noticed this, too, and even wrote about it in some notes I wrote for a mixtape I made for someone last December. Obviously, it's played a bit differently, but it's still extremely similar.

Not Crap.

Not crap, but not for everyone.

I'm not the biggest Minutemen fan in the world or anything, but they are unique and for that, I respect them. A classic band that did their own thing, answered to nobody and didn't give a fuck what anyone else thought. And that is how you create something original. Hahaha.

Here is an e-mail from Mike Watt on April 1st:

d. boon's birthday, april first!

though I've been on the deck fighting this
sickness off me, there's big joy to think of
him... I did get to do that incredible glenn
branca symphony 13 wednesday and don't know
why but much thoughts of him came to me
through that piece a, maybe cuz it was such a
mindblow on me and well, I'm getting as strong
as I can today to play for him tonight w/kira
and petra for this gig in echo park... think
of him, think of d. boon and all that joy
that was truly him, a beautiful man inspiring
always.

They were alright. Not crap.

Minutemen, you will be in my life forever.
For sure.

O H Lee wrote:One amazing thing about the Minutemen was that while much of their popularity came from being part of the mid 80's "American Sound" "movement" along with bands like the Replacements, R.E.M. etc, the men's influencs were defintely more esoteric(BOC covers notwithstanding). I doubt a majority of those who have Minutemen records in 1985-86 also had Wire, Gang of 4 or Pop Group records.

Wrong. I had records or tapes from all these bands. Minutemen were great, but I still like GOF better.