I don't know why fIREHOSE doesn't have their own home page, and certainly I won't claim that this measly offering can be called the true home page of my favorite band of all time, fIREHOSE, but I do feel an obligation to get something about them up on the Web. Here's why they're so great:
1. Authenticity Some of you may argue that the Minutemen were more authentic than fIREHOSE, and that the boys, especially ed fromohio, sold out somewhat at the end. To you people, I say that's rubbish. If you had seen them live at Slim's like I did in November of 1994, you would feel differently. Mike Watt and ed fromohio were in Sync. It was just real.
2. The Music
"Raging, Fullon" must be one of the prototypical post-punk albums that defines a generation. And yet most people have never heard of it. Put it on during a party. See what happens. People will come up to you and ask "what's this that's playing. It's really good." I guarantee it will become their favorite album. That's just what always happens.
3. Musicianship
Mike Watt is a devil on the broom. There's no two ways about it. Although he may often look like a drooling, retarded farmhand when he's on stage, Mike has to be the best post-punk bassist in the industry today. And ed Fromohio, though he got a lot of flack when the band broke up, was a great singer and guitarist. ed offered what the Minutemen never could: polished vocals.
4. Energy, Intensity, and Creativity
Witness: most of the fIREHOSE albums were recorded in a day or less, and yet the songs are uniformly brilliant (with the exception of some of the crap on "Mr. Machinery Operator", but I won't go into that) They improvise with great energy and spirit, crank out the spiels, and at the end of the day, miraculously, they have a masterpiece. Amazing.
Do you have an opinion about fIREHOSE or the Minutemen? Please give me feedback. I'm ready to debate.
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