Double Nickels on the Dime

by

Minutemen

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Like many people, I can't stand what the media tries to pass off as punk rock nowadays. The scene with the tattoos, whiny vocals with faux-British accents (yes Billie Joe Armstrong - I'm referring to you- you can stop hiding behind the tour bus), the refried two-chord riffs, the hypocritical anti-corporate stances, and the cheap looking Hot Topic clothes would be comical if it weren't so annoying. While punk rock really isn't my cup of tea, I respect the pioneers like The Clash, Husker Du, and The Damned. And then there were The Minutemen who took not only punk rock, but all of rock music to a whole new level.

San Pedro, California's Minutemen were fronted by a chubby, sloppy, and very average looking singer/guitarist named D. Boon (1958-1985). Boon was not the most refined singer in the world, yet his confident, assertive vocals made it easy to overlook his imperfections. He had an interesting guitar approach because he would completely turn down the bass and mid-range frequencies on his amplifiers and only use treble. He lacked the precision and speed of an Yngwie Malmsteen or a Joe Satriani, but his playing was much more fun to listen to. Boon's childhood pal Mike Watt handled bass with such skill that he sounded far more like Jaco Pastorius than Sid Vicious. Rounding out the trio was drummer George Hurley, a man who could do astonishing things with a small drumkit. The Minutemen were fortunate to have not one, not two, but three very gifted musicians within its ranks.

1984's _Double Nickels on the Dime_ clocks in at a whopping 74 minutes with 43 tracks. It defied the convention of both mainstream music and punk rock with it's attitude and experimentation. Just about everything is on here you can imagine: jazz, country, folk, blues, funk, Egyptian-style rock, spoken word poetry, psychedelia, and covers of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Don't Look Now" and Steely Dan's "Dr. Wu". On earlier pressings was a cover of Van Halen's "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love". Unlike many punk bands who do ironic covers of bands they feel contempt for, The Minutemen loved the groups they covered.

There is very little that I can say about _DNotD_ that has not been said already. But in closing I will say that _DNotD_ is one of those albums that has something for ALL rock fans. Punk fans will love it for its attitude and social commentary. Progressive rockers may love it for its musicianship and experimentation. Classic rockers will appreciate the Minutemen's respect for the past, and the pure nostalgic value. I'm not going to cry about what would have happened had Boon survived. Instead, I only wish to extend my gratitude for there being _DNotD_. Thanks guys.