Customer Reviews

We Jam Econo - The Story of the Minutemen

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I really like these DVDs, and highly recommend them to both fans of the Minutemen and those curious about these acknowledged pathbreakers in punk/indie music.

To be sure, a number of the criticisms noted by other reviewers are on the mark. For example, there are possibly too many commenters; a large number pop up for one relatively un-illuminating comment (e.g., how great a drummer Hurley is, how funny a dancer Boon was, etc.). It would have been nice to have more sustained commentary from fewer commenters, but that's not a major fault.

And I'll agree that this isn't a highly polished effort, like the Clash documentary WESTWAY TO THE WORLD, or the Pistols documentary THE FILTH & THE FURY, but then I somehow don't think that would be appropriate for the Minutemen. These were working men, not art students. Fashion wasn't real big on their list of concerns; passion was.

And it's true; D.Boon's death is not dwelt upon at length. I think it would have been at a minimum redundant to do so, and possibly in bad taste. I think the filmmakers handle it with a deft and light touch that does not in any diminish the impact. For anyone who knows the band, of course, D.Boon's death hangs over the preceeding years of the story anyway. You dread getting to that inevitable part of the story. The filmmakers do not invite you to wallow in emotions; they allow you to breathe. I appreciate not being treated like a Spielberg fan.

I cannot fathom the reviewer who felt that Mike Watt was unemotional; I had the distinct impression that he was on the verge of tears at least three times in the segments that appear in the main documentary. My heart went out to him and George all over again, just the way it did when I first heard about D.Boon's death all those years ago.

Overall, I think the documentary succeeds in its basic aims - to tell the story of the band, to try to get across what made them so special out of all the bands in the American punk milieu, to explore the personal, social, & historical contexts out of which the band members (esp. Boon & Watt) emerged, and to show the extraordinary power of the band live.

You come away from the documentary (which is only the main draw to this generous package) understanding how these guys were able to achieve so much, including writing one of the greatest love songs I've ever heard, albeit not a romantic or erotic one ("History Lesson Pt. 2"). You will appreciate anew their extraordinary musicianship, their work ethic, and their down-to-earth approachability. I vividly remember chatting with them after an incendiary gig they played with Husker Du, Meat Puppets, Saccharine Trust, & Swa in San Jose in '84 - they were truly interested in talking to their fans).

The extras are great - the 3 videos are great to have, and the footage of the 3 live shows is just precious beyond words. I saw the Minutemen live 5 or 6 times from 1980 to 1984 and they were always at least good. They poured everything they had out on the stage - I think it was something like a moral obligation for them to do that for their audiences.

Buy this and be reminded of what can be achieved by 3 lowly 'corndogs', and how simple it can be to be decent, human, humane, dedicated, and fearless. I miss them. RIP D.Boon, and long life and best wishes, Mike & George.

Mister Director, this is better than Dylan to me. What, with all these brats buzzing around like insects in their Misfits and Clash t-shirts straight from Hot Topic (forget that they've never even listened to 'em), somebody has to wisen em up. Sit down and listen to Papa Mike for a while, kid. Punk was (and IS) never about clothes. Watt serves as the anchor for the film, mostly from the driver's seat of his van, waxing off on everything from clay wheels to Richard Meltzer along the way. George Hurley is a given, but everyone from Chuck Dukowski to Spot to Thurston Moore to the members of The Urinals/100 Flowers add their own take on the Minutemen story to the mix. And a fine pot of gumbo it is. But wait, there's more! The three videos are worth the price of admission alone. See Ronnie Raygun drop his payload on our boys in "This Ain't No Picnic". Check out D. Boon munching on a pineapple as the "King of the Hill" while a crowd literally fights for his table scraps. The coup-de-gracie is the wholesale destruction visited upon SST's old office in "Ack Ack Ack Ack", 3 Stooges style. The entire Bard interview intercut throughout the film is presented in its entirety, complete with a snarky interviewer and the band goofing off between takes. Something like twenty deleted scenes, and three full shows on the second disc round out a rare five star package that's actually worth the three hours at my crummy job to pay for it. Like Watt says, you can't help when you're born...some before, some during, some after. But you can let some of those after people borrow "We Jam Econo" or that Screamers DVD Target put out, and maybe, just maybe, a few of em will start their own band, paint their own picture, or write their own book. No sense complaining if you aren't willing to do something else instead, y'know.

Certainly one of the best music films ever made with the incomparable central figure of D. Boon and his best friend, bandmate and bassist Mike Watt, and incredible drummer George Hurley. It does justice to these guys and that's saying A LOT. It's also a great glimpse into unadorned punk history.

This film gives an insight into the interwoven lives of Mike Watt and D. Boon more than an overlook into the band itself. "We Jam Econo" offers plenty for the fan as well as the fanatic. Mike Watt's personal tales of D. and George Hurley make for some of the finer moments of the film. The extras on the second disc are worth buying alone. Three full concerts featuring sixty-two tracks!!! One of the 'concerts' is an acoustic performance in which The Minutemen perform a handful of songs from the "Double Nickels" album, including probably the most moving version of "History Lesson, Pt. 2" ever recorded. The camera work and interview sound is a little shaky at times, but over all this film deserves to be seen by anyone interested in learning about a band that made no concessions. Now, go start your own band!!!

I came across the 9:30 concert from this video on Comcast "In Demand" this evening and to say the least, I was blown away. While I was not at the 9:30 concert in D.C., I did see The Minutemen at Staches in Columbus, Ohio on the same tour and again opening for REM about two weeks before D. Boone's death. It seems as though I saw them elsewhere but it may be that those two concerts left such an impression at the time.

It is hard to believe that it has been more than 20 years since I last saw the Minutemen perform. And like the above reviewer, I clearly remember talking to D. Boone, who was friendly to everyone, while the opening band played. I also remember the entire band sticking around after the show just to hang out and thank the fans. The British punkers had their haircuts and attitudes. The Minutemen were genuine.

Seeing the 9:30 concert brought me back. As I stood in front of my television, I was 19 again standing at the foot of that very small stage in Columbus where I saw so many great shows. As the 80s punk scene turned to fashion and glamor, The Minutemen were there to keep us honest. With The Minutemen, the music came first. When you saw the white van parked in front of whatever venue they were playing, you knew this wasn't about the money or about the fame. These guys were the real thing.

Early in the first part of the 9:30 show, George (drums) has to fix a broken snare. While it is a slow moment in the concert footage, it was so real. There is no roadie handing him a new kit. The show waits while George fixes it himself. A couple of years after The Minutemen, I remember seeing Mike and George's band FireHose ask the audience (who were patiently waiting for the show to start) if anyone had a guitar or amp, I don't remember which. Apparently, theirs had broken and they couldn't start the show. Someone from the audience said he had one in the back of his car. A few moments later, the band is up and playing, borrowed instruments in hand, and put on another amazing show.

Lastly, D. left us too early and over the years, it is Mike Watt's amazing bass playing that I seem to remember most. Maybe because I was able to see him long after The Minutemen were no longer. Watching this video, however, brought me back the force that was D. Boone. What an amazing performer and as I was reminded, an amazing front man.

If you were there to see The Minutemen, you will want this one for your collection. If you are too young, this footage is one of the few I've seen that truly captures the feeling, the intensity, the excitement of the 80s punk movement. And the music is as intense and innovative as it was back in 1984.

I'll put this review in perspective, this is the only product I have ever purchased on Amazon solely on the basis of the prerelease e-mail. I was a huge fan of the band and was at the 9:30 show in DC that is on Disc 2. I had no idea that it was videotaped. Just to say this about these guys, d. boon hung out at the club exit after the show and chatted with fans as they left and I got a chance to thank him personally for putting out all that great music.

I thought that the Minutemen were really ahead of their time at the time but listening to Double Nickels again over twenty years later, they are simply amazing. So my expectations were as high for this video as they were for seeing that 9:30 show all those years ago.

Unfortunately, as a video, it wasn't done the justice it should have deserved. Unlike some of the Clash and Ramones videos I've seen recently, we would like to see great concert footage or a compellingly told story or some new insights into personal aspects of the band. Instead, we get a lot of superficial and trite overhype from people with unclear connections to the band. Some such as Flea, Ian Mackaye, Baiza, Chuck Dukowski, Henry Rollins and Mike Watt's mother should have been able to give longer story building interviews on their perspectives. And then there are the interminably long interviews with Mike Watt driving the van. For all the on camera time Mike received we barely get to touch on his feelings regarding the intensity of his relationship with d. boon and george hurley and the anguish that must have taken place in the years after d.'s death. I am sure that he must have many great stories about d. but it didn't seem like they made it or translated it onto the film well. So the film is short on concert footage variety, compelling interviews and stories, but maybe it is the best that can be done. The video extras were entertaining and kitschy and the deleted scenes discussing them were interesting also. The unedited Bard college interview was virtually unwatchable as the interviewers seemed to be pretty insulting toward the band when they gave them instructions.

So the film is a lot like the minutemen themselves, the form is understated and underproduced which throws a lot of misunderstanding of who they were and what kind of band they were around a core nugget of simply brilliant music. For me, the shining gold nugget at the films core was getting to see a show over twenty years later that was every bit as great as I remember it. They certainly excelled live.

If you're short on cash and new to the band, just get Double Nickels on the Dime, the sound quality is way better and the munutemen actually deserve good sound quality. If you're a fan of the band, buy it anyway. You'll love the concert footage and will find things you like about the film.

it's about the minuteman... what else do i have to say? buy it. it's awesome, it has 2 dvds: a documentary and live music. it arrived on time, good price, it rules. i recommend.

Like the Minutemen's music, here's a quick "econo" review of this documentary film (don't blink yer eyes or ya might miss it...):

Minutemen = amazing trio, who recorded amazing, creative short punk/jazz/whatever -influenced tunes!
Minutemen catalog = amazing discography, which should ALREADY be at the head of your music collection!
Minutemen documentary = "WE JAM ECONO," which chronicles their heyday, their lives, & their music!

These guys lived their music & their ethos!!

In summary, three short words pertaining to three outstanding musicians: BUY THIS DVD!!!!!!!!!!

...Told ya it was gonna be short...

OMFG! If you're considering buying this disc, you have enough interest to make getting this 2 disc DVD an absolute MUST. Disc 2 alone is awesome and worth the price, even if only for the acoustic set. I'm a life long fan, have other videos of the Minutemen, and have even seen the live back in the day. But I've never seen this acoustic footage before. It's amazing! History Lesson Pt 2 and, my favorite, "I Felt Like A Gringo" done acoustically is just so nice to finally see. I can, and will watch this over and over again. The other two sets are good as well, but yeah, the camera is a bit blurry, and D Boon's mic is a bit too loud most of the time. But it's as close to being there as you can get. Having seen this band years ago, it was a rush to see and hear them in so many ways once again. So tight, so raw, and so damn fun, bands like this are rare in the history of rock.

I've been more of an "appreciator" of The Minutemen for years, not really pursuing their music but not changing the station if they came on. After watching "We Jam Econo" I feel like I understand why they made the music they made. It wasn't pretty. They weren't pretty. They weren't making music about pretty things. Their workman ethos guided their creative output allowing them to constantly explore but always remain true to something. I think this film nailed that smack on the head with great interviews and amazing live footage.

The film proceeds with intertwining threads of our brave captain Mike Watt, looking rougher than ever, driving his van on a tour of San Pedro pointing out important landmarks and a vintage Minuteman interview where we learn the most about what motivated them. In between, we get some choice soundbites from the likes of Rollins, Ian McKaye, Keith Morris, and Thurston Moore that help put the band and the music in to context. It was a treat to see the likes of Chuck Dukowski, Keith Morris and even an appearance by Kira Roessler. Having only seen them in pictures it made them seem like real people to hear them speak. I can't imagine you'll see many of these people on film again.

The real star of "We Jam Econo" has to be the generous live footage from all stages of The Minutemen's career. I never saw them live but watching clips of old Minuteman shows blew me away. The film did a great job demonstrating how each member fought tooth and nail, instruments as weapons, to keep the songs going such a crazy intensity while not careening out of control. You see the drummer, Chad Hurley, literally muscling his kit in to submission while Watt struggles to keep his bass from exploding. Meanwhile, D. Boon defied the laws of physics by frantically jumping across the stage while playing some clean blues licks then returning to his mic just in time to spit out the next lyric.

I did appreciate the filmmakers not lingering on D. Boon's death. Once you understand this band and what held them together for those years, you realize there's no way to present the subject that wouldn't seem maudlin. There's a finality in his death that makes sense when you consider how the band lived on the knife's edge. Like the period at the end of a sentence. The reality of putting yourself out there is that when bad things happen, they hit you the hardest. How you soldier on with life is best summed up by the last line in the film.