We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen
DVDnds
Reviewed by Audra Schroeder, Fri., June 16, 2006
We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen
(Plexifilm)
Director Tim Irwin's heartbreaking documentary of San Pedro, Calif., trio the Minutemen begins with grey-haired Mike Watt in 2003, summing up his serendipitous meeting with D. Boon at age 13: "I was quite smitten with him." Not the most punk rock of beginnings, but We Jam Econo is about kinship more than anything else. Watt, Boon, and powerhouse drummer George Hurley's politically and rhythmically erect, funk-laced punk was an anomaly in the Eighties hardcore scene; as radio host Brother Matt says, "They were playing blues to punks." The interviews could have been scaled back to 15 instead of 50, the film working best off Watt's deeply touching van tour of San Pedro landmarks, which adds another layer to the punk geography. The second disc's live performances span sea to shining sea: from the white-hot energy of the Starwood in L.A., 1980, to the 9:30 Club in D.C, 1984, where Boon and Watt delve into an effortless improv jam while Hurley fixes his drums. The "acoustic blowout" feels the most organic, as Watt and Boon's synergy is palpable. This band was their life, and there hasn't been anything like it since.
