Book Review: Double Nickels on the Dime by the Minutemen

The Continuum publishing house took on a very interesting and untouched subject as far as I'm concerned--analyzing the greatest albums of the last half century. The first book in the series, Dusty Springfield's 'Dusty in Memphis' was published a few years ago and since then there have been over 50 books published, with more on the way and no intention of stopping. The focus of these books is to deconstruct what made these great albums great. Other works include Jimi Hendrix's 'Electric Ladyland', Bob Dylan's 'Highway 61 Revisited', and Nas' 'Illmatic'. I just recently finished a book about the DIY/punk icon's the Minutemen.

The band starting playing together in late 1979 in San Pedro, a working class suburb of Los Angeles. Their first incarnation was a four piece, D. Boon on guitar, Mike Watt on bass, George Hurley on drums and Martin Tambourovich on vocals. However, Martin left shortly thereafter and the three remaining guys went on to record their first EP, 'Paranoid Time', and the story just goes from there. They become staples in the LA hardcore punk scene, befriend local legends Black Flag on their SST label, and tour the country, especially other punk hotspots (Washington D.C., New York, Boston) and the world. Their 1984 masterpiece 'Double Nickels on the Dime' won them significant praise, both with the hardcore scene and prominent rock critics. To this day it stands in the eyes of many the pinnacle of the hardcore genre, as well as its downfall.

Inspired by their Boston counter parts Husker Du, the Minutemen set out to create and ambitious double album as well, going as far as to mention the band in their liner notes. This and more is revealed in Michael T. Fournier's brilliant and fastidious analysis of the album and the band itself. He introduces the reader with the necessary background for anyone to truly enjoy the album and the book. In this section of the book we are introduced to what the Minutemen really were, just a bunch of working class guys from a suburb of L.A. that is anything but glamorous. The drummer, Hurley, wrote a fair portion of the album's lyrics while cutting steel at a local factory.

Then, of course, we delve into the album itself, with each of the forty-four songs getting its own mini essay. This section is split into four "chapters" signifying the sides of vinyl that were cut for the original double album. Each side, except for the last, affectionately named "Side Chaff" contains songs chosen by the particular member. For example, the first side is 'Side D.' for D. Boon. Once all the songs were recorded, the band members drew straws to decide which tunes go where, adding another layer to the already complex album. Since each song is analyzed in painstaking detail, we become more intimate with its form and genesis. We discover their foundations and inspirations, ranging from James Joyce's 'Ulysses' to the note of a disgruntled landlord. My little review could do neither the book nor the album yourself. If you are even the slightest fan of the Minutemen, you will find this a great read.