Michael David Watt is an American bassist, vocalist and songwriter. He co-founded and played bass guitar for the rock bands Minutemen (1980–1985), Dos (1985–present), and Firehose (1986–1994). He began a solo career with the 1994 album Ball-Hog or Tugboat?, he has since released three additional solo albums, most recently in 2010 with Hyphenated-man. He is also the frontman for the supergroup Big Walnuts Yonder (2008–present), a member of the art rock group Banyan (1997–present) and is involved with several other musical projects. From 2003 until 2013, he was the bass guitarist for The Stooges.
Firehose was an American alternative rock band consisting of Mike Watt, Ed Crawford, and George Hurley (drums). They were initially active from 1986 to 1994, and briefly reunited in 2012.
Dennes Dale Boon was an American musician, best known as the guitarist, singer and songwriter of the punk rock trio Minutemen. He was born on April 1, 1958, in San Pedro, California, and formed Minutemen in 1980 with bassist Mike Watt and drummer George Hurley. Minutemen were known for their politically-charged lyrics and energetic, fast-paced music, and they released several influential records during their career. Boon died in an automobile accident on December 22, 1985, at the age of 27. Despite his early death, Boon's contributions to punk rock and independent music have been widely-recognized. He is remembered as an important figure in the history of these genres.
George Hurley is a drummer noted for his work with Minutemen and fIREHOSE.
Banyan is an art rock/alternative rock band with heavy jazz and funk influence based in Los Angeles, California.
Double Nickels on the Dime is the third album by American punk trio Minutemen, released on the California independent record label SST Records in 1984. A double album containing 45 songs, Double Nickels on the Dime combines elements of punk rock, funk, country, spoken word and jazz, and references a variety of themes, from the Vietnam War and racism in America, to working-class experience and linguistics.
D. Boon and Friends is a compilation album of home recordings featuring American musician D Boon, of the band Minutemen. The album is the inaugural release of the Hermosa Beach, California-based label Box-O-Plenty Records, started by Boon's one-time roommate Richard Derrick. Most of the tracks are living-room jam sessions done by Boon, Derrick, and Crane, who had previously contributed backing vocals and trumpet parts to Minutemen's Buzz or Howl Under the Influence of Heat and Project: Mersh EP's.
Joy is the second EP by American hardcore punk band Minutemen. Recorded not long after the release of their first EP Paranoid Time, it is also the first release on Minutemen's own label New Alliance Records. Their first studio album The Punch Line was released three months after Joy, but Joy was recorded after The Punch Line.
Paranoid Time is the debut EP by American hardcore punk band Minutemen. It is also the second ever release by the SST record label, founded by Black Flag's Greg Ginn and Chuck Dukowski. The album cover is a drawing by the American artist Raymond Pettibon.
The Reactionaries were an American punk rock band formed in San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, in 1978. The band's continual members were lead vocalist Martin Tamburovich, guitarist D. Boon, bassist Mike Watt, and drummer George Hurley. The Reactionaries existed for most of 1978 and 1979, practicing regularly but rarely if ever performing live. After their breakup in late 1979, Watt and Boon formed Minutemen with drummer Frank Tonche and Hurley joined Hey Taxi!; Hurley joined Minutemen soon afterwards, replacing Tonche.
What Makes a Man Start Fires? is the second studio album and fifth release by American punk rock band Minutemen.
Buzz or Howl Under the Influence of Heat is the sixth overall release from American hardcore punk band Minutemen. It was released by SST Records in 1983. It is noted for featuring tracks with greater depth and more conventional song structure than on the band's previous releases.
The Politics of Time is the seventh overall release, third album-length release, and first compilation by American hardcore punk band the Minutemen.
Bootstrappers is the first release by the Bootstrappers, which at the time featured guitarist Elliott Sharp and the Reactionaries/Minutemen/Firehose rhythm section of bassist Mike Watt and drummer George Hurley.
"Corona" is a protest song by American punk rock band Minutemen. It was included as the seventh song on the second side of their third studio album Double Nickels on the Dime (1984). The song was composed by lead singer and guitarist D. Boon and produced by Ethan James. Its minimalist composition harbors elements of neo-norteño and polka. The song derives its title from a brand of Mexican beer of the same name. Lyrically, "Corona" is a Latino-inspired protest song with politically-charged lines. The song later became famous as the main theme song for the MTV reality stunt show Jackass.
Contemplating the Engine Room is a punk rock opera by Minutemen veteran Mike Watt. Released in 1997, the album is a punk rock song cycle that uses navy life as an extended metaphor for both Watt's family history and his first band, the Minutemen. The album was greeted with a positive response. The cover art features a picture of Watt's father in his Navy uniform.
Martin Tamburovich was the co-founder of New Alliance Records and vocalist for the short-lived punk/new wave band The Reactionaries. Tamburovich, along with his San Pedro High School classmates D. Boon, Mike Watt, and George Hurley, formed the band in 1978; they disbanded a year later. Boon and Watt then formed Minutemen, and Hurley joined them soon after, but Tamburovich would continue to collaborate with his former band members. Since then, he played with such bands as The Slivers and later The Plebs. He resided near San Francisco and still kept in touch with the surviving members of The Reactionaries.
Introducing the Minutemen is a retrospective and relatively comprehensive compilation of songs by influential punk/alternative trio the Minutemen, compiled by bassist and notable solo artist Mike Watt twelve years after the untimely demise of the band. The album is made up of tracks spanning the band's entire career, sampling tracks from all of their studio releases with the exception of the Tour-Spiel EP and the Black Flag-Minutemen collaboration Minuteflag. Due to the comprehensive and wide-spanning nature of the collection, it is generally perceived to be an effective introduction to The Minutemen and their music.
Joe Baiza is a punk rock and jazz guitarist whom Eugene Chadbourne cites as one of the most noteworthy guitarists to emerge from the Southern California punk rock milieu.
Minutemen were an American punk rock band formed in San Pedro, California, in 1980. Composed of guitarist/vocalist D. Boon, bassist/vocalist Mike Watt, and drummer George Hurley, Minutemen recorded four albums and eight EPs before Boon's death in an automobile accident in 1985; the band broke up shortly thereafter. They were noted in the California punk community for a philosophy of "jamming econo"—a sense of thriftiness reflected in their touring and short, tight songs, and for their eclectic style, drawing on hardcore punk, funk, jazz, and other sources.
