What's Up Minutemen vs. Wire?..........(the first of a 'What's Up _________vs._________?' -series of obscure compare/contrasts).

So, I've been listening to a lot of Minutemen. 'Double Nickles On the Dime' is one of my favorite albums. Ever. And I just watched 'We Jam Econo'...an excellent documentary of the band. So, they're three guys from San Pedro, CA who hit the burgeoning LA punk scene ala' SST records (Black Flag, Sonic Youth, Meat Puppets, Saccharine Trust, and the original label for Husker Du...) upside the head in the early 80's. I came upon them in '85 or so - the year after Double Nickles came out (which they named, off the cuff, in response to the Sammy Hagar tune).
I've also been spinnin' a lot of Wire. 'Pink Flag' and 'Chairs Missing' is what I've got...plus - my intro. to the band - a homemade cassette tape of early Wire stuff that my painting prof. gave to me as a driving cross-country gift. He said to fast forward past anything that had synths. I did for awhile but have slowed down and found that some of those songs are actually ok.

What's up Minutemen vs. Wire?

Well, they were both three piece punk bands from the early 80's. Both with high tuned, angular guitar. Both with massive bass guitar that almost played as lead. Both totally political. Both totally unlike so much else that was around them at the time.

Both have had bottles and spit flung on them by hardcore punkers who thought they were too artsy and weren't rockin' it hard enough.

Both have been more known for their influence on others than their own discographies. Both integrated their philosophical/political ideology into their actual music-making... brilliantly.
Is the only reason they aren't the same band the "British" thing? Sure, Wire is from London while Minutemen are from San Pedro, CA. There's more though...

(I'm working on Pt. II of this exciting lil' essay on obscurity that no one is reading...but if you are - and your numbers will be growing - hold tight 'cuz more is coming. Plus, I think a lil' rage about politics is festering - though I'm feeling cautiously hopeful 'cause it's just hard to believe that the dumb people can keep winning when Everything is against them.....plus, they're dumb.)




Couple shots of a really excellent
show - Friday night, Oct. 17, 2008
Wire @ 1st Ave. Mpls.





















http://www.pinkflag.com/assets/mp3/One-Of-Us_from_Object-47_by_Wire.mp3
....'fraid you have to copy and paste to listen but it's an easy Quicktime link and a great song...if you know how to embed this, post a comment and tell me how. thanks.