Introducing The Minutemen

Along with such bands as Black Flag, Minor Threat, and the Circle Jerks, the Minutemen were one of the prominent underground punk bands of the early '80s, who helped pave the way for countless other bands who would soon follow. Although only a trio (the late, great D. Boon on vocals/guitar, bassist Mike Watt, and drummer George Hurley), the Minutemen were capable of creating quite an enjoyable racket, as evidenced from any one of the 35 tracks that comprise the 1998 career overview, Introducing the Minutemen. Although the band has ceased to exist since late 1985, after Boon died in an auto accident, they continue to be name-checked by new punk bands as a major influence. The majority of the tracks don't stretch past the two-minute mark (several not even past a minute), as the group specialized in succinct blasts of energetic punk -- "Definitions," "Fanatics," "Search," and so on. But toward the end of their career, the trio began to branch out musically -- "Corona" (which became the theme song for MTV's Jackass program), the surprisingly melodic "Price of Paradise," "This Ain't No Picnic," and "I Felt Like a Gringo." As the title suggests, Introducing the Minutemen serves as a perfect introduction to this notable '80s band. ~ Greg Prato