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THE REVIEW
Imaginary Interview with Mike Watt, August 1983
-Hello, am I speaking with Mike Watt, the legendary bassist of the Minutemen?
-That's me. Who am I speaking with?
-I'm a DeReviewer. I'm writing about your latest album...
-"What Makes A Man Start Fires?"? Personally, I think it's our best record so far, mainly thanks to the incredible funky bass lines I've come up with!
-Certainly, the bass is the most noticeable instrument.
-I must give credit to the nimble, distortion-free jazz-funk guitar of my childhood friend D. Boon, especially in tracks like "Life As A Rehearsal" and "Fake Contest".
-Jazz-Funk? I thought this was a punk-rock record!
-It is, but it's extremely original, very different from the punk/hardcore scene here in Los Angeles. Our tracks are short and fast, even more than other bands, but they're fragmented, disconnected, and refer to a myriad of different genres, quoting or parodying them; it ranges from hardcore to traditional ballads, from blues-rock to funk.
-Indeed, even the first listen leaves you astonished.
-Yes, but wait until you hear the double LP coming out next year: "Double Nickels On The Dime"; compared to that, this will seem like just a taste. I'm sure it will become one of the greatest records of all time.
-I can't wait! Thank you for the interview and the modesty with which you've described your music.
-You're welcome. See you at some concert, we're always out playing
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Summary by Bot
This review highlights Minutemen's album 'What Makes A Man Start Fires?' as their best work to date. Mike Watt’s funky bass lines and D. Boon’s jazz-funk guitar create an original punk sound. The album is praised for its fast, fragmented tracks that blend various genres. It’s considered a milestone precursor to their celebrated double LP 'Double Nickels On The Dime'.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
Minutemen
Minutemen were an American punk trio from San Pedro, California—D. Boon (guitar, vocals), Mike Watt (bass, vocals), and George Hurley (drums). Active from 1980 to 1985 on SST Records, they fused punk with funk, jazz, and more, championed a DIY ethos (“we jam econo”), and made the acclaimed Double Nickels on the Dime. The band ended after D. Boon’s death in a van accident in December 1985.06 Reviews
