Double Nickels on the Dime

The seminal record “Double Nickels on the Dime” is 25 years old this month. I was a senior in high school at the time and not quite ready for The Minutemen. I was too consumed with U2, Joe Jackson and XTC to even notice what was happening way out on the west coast.

By the time I became aware of The Minutemen, D. Boone, their singer and guitar player had expired and so had the band.

When they re-formed as Firehose with a new singer and a couple of new records I was fully on board but could only look back on The Minutemen as a lost opportunity.



DNOTD was a dense record - a double album packed with 42 songs, each one about a minute and a half long.

Fine, fine stuff.

The best writing about the Minutemen that I’ve ever come across was in Michael Azzerad’s excellent book “Out Band Could Be Your Life.” If you’ve got a soft spot for the indie rock scene from the 80’s, this is the book for you.

Someone made a documentary about the band called “We Jam Econo” which I’ve never seen but I post the trailer here for your edification.



And here are some performance videos that might bring you back 20 or 25 years also…

Little Man With a Gun in His Hand


Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing


History Lesson Part II