We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen (2005)

This blog is going on indefinite hiatus. Here is a hot mess I wrote for a film I watched ages ago that I forgot to post. Take it easy humans.

DB

This documentary concerns the story of punk band The Minutemen who hailed from San Pedro, California in the early '80s and proved to be a very influential band. Central to the tale is that of guitarist D. Boon and childhood bud and Minuteman bassist Mike Watt. Through old interview footage with the band, contemporaries such as Henry Rollins and Flea, and newer footage with Watt you understand the importance of their relationship to the success of the band. Drummer George Hurley gets his props as well. Footage of him doing some fancy work on the skins with one of the most ridiculous fringes I've seen, possibly ever, was a highlight. The excitement and opposition they felt during the burgeoning punk scene on the west coast of the states during those days is well told.

I knew of these misfits but was not overly familiar with their output. My interest in their era of music spurred me on to watch this and I dug it for the most part. It certainly filled in a few gaps of information and it was a little sad knowing the documentary was leading to the premature demise of D. Boon in 1985. There is a fair amount of live footage to take in which is not great quality and that extends to most of the film actually. For those not interested in the music I couldn't recommend it. The story doesn't really transcend to anything much greater than the story of a band, even though it is trying to. There is also an exorbitant array of talking heads who often tend to be saying the same thing which just leads to to the whole thing becoming a little boring. I'm glad I watched it despite the cons but it could probably have done with a little less idolising and a bit more storytelling. Sound none the less. 

3/5