We Jam Econo

Today would have been the 52nd birthday of D. Boon.

He was the guitar player and primary singer of The Minutemen. To say that The Minutemen made a quick, revelatory and lasting impression on me would still not paint the right picture. The very first sounds of the album Double Nickels on the Dime is Mike Watt starting his car and for some reason it took me to a place I had never been before. A marvelous, exhilarating, nervous energy began running through my body. The album was already ten years old when it fell into my hands. The power it had in the late 90s was immediately palpable and strangely modern. I can't imagine what it must have sounded like in 1984 when it came out!

Every member of the band played direct, honest, confident and purposeful music with the type of urgency that most young bands shoot for and consistently miss. George Hurley barely missed a single beat of the drums and Mike Watt's bass thundered with the type of presence few bassists had at the time and few have had since. D. Boon's simple, zany solos complimented the others perfectly. A great album in every measurable way!

The follow-up album, 3-Way Tie (For Last), has a different kind of power and signaled a more driven, confident band. SST labelmates, fans, friends, critics and the southern California punk/hardcore community was very excited for the future of this seminal band. Instead, the winter holiday season of 1985 brought a dark cloud over all the aforementioned groups. D. Boon died in a terrible car crash on the side of a dark highway...

His death shattered the soul of Minutemen bassist, Mike Watt. It saddened thousands of fans' hopes for the entire genre. It brought everyone involved with the classic label SST to their knees. The Minutemen were the first band to record for the label after label founders Black Flag. There are tribute albums, documentaries, websites, books, etc in honor of the band.

Their discography is impressive, their following is huge, their impact is immeasurable, their music is timeless... Happy birthday, D! Your story lives on!