MOG

fIREHOSE “RAGIN’ FULL ON” (I love this cover art) . . I discovered this band on an impulse buy during the days of vinyl clearance sales. Took awhile to really appreciate how good they were, but something kept bringing them back to the turntable long enough for it happen. Maybe, some of my initial reluctance had something to do with ed’s voice, at times almost grating, but in the end an integral part of the sound. . fIREHOSE was formed from the two surviving member of The Minutemen, mike watt and george hurley, after the tragic death of front man, d. boon, and ed fROMOHIO (22-year-old Minuteman fanatic ed Crawford). Can’t say I ever knew much about the Minutemen (am I sheltered?) but fIREHOSE certainly recorded rock that was daring, a bit eclectic, muscular, and tremendously heartfelt. And word I’ve heard is they rocked live. . I was in Ann Arbor a few weeks ago and found copies of their first three albums on CD’s, all SST label releases, in a wonderful used record store. Decided to treat myself. Oh the joy of re-discovering almost lost old friends. So, now, guess, I’ll do a series of post on them. . While the album I initially knew and that hooked me was their second album, “if’n”, let’s start with “RAGIN’ FULL ON”, their first and arguably best. Recorded in Oct. 86, about a year after d. boon’s death. . I guess, it would have to be called punk, but really well crafted punk (is that oxymoronic?) moving though influences from free jazz to funk to folk, all at a blinding speed. Sometimes the lyrics are rebellious and poignant and sometimes seemingly random. . This really is a total listen album, so, it’s hard to pick just one or two cuts from it to give the full feel, but here’s two from this album I really like. . First, with you tell me what that means lyrics: . I'm the paint on the road / the weight of your load / with the cracked glass ground / fuck it! /an itch in your brain / in the drain shootin' rain / I'm the flame from the train / I've been smeltin' rail / flood from the fire / a hot tub cool mire / ticket to fly her? NO / then blaze chemical wire / blazin' chemical wire / burn the church from the spire / you fuckin' pay for desire / fire turns your wire / this torch is for hire / turn an ice man a cryer / make your bed a big briar / thorns of chemical wire / you'll be the tread on the tire / sulphur in a deep fryer / grinding on till you're tired / when you'll break down beside her .

. . and second, a video of probably the best known song from this album, “BRAVE CAPTAIN”. The lyrics to this one seem to transport ahead twenty some years to the politics of today almost unbelievably well…

captain, there are doubts / regarding / your ability / to lead them / the men / lead them / there are doubts in your ability / there's too many blanks in your analogies / lieutenant there is talk / pertaining interpretations / the problems /describe them / problems / there are doubts in your ability /there's too many blanks in your analogies / the enemy turns captain / the captain turns civilian / the lieutenant becomes casualty / the lieutenant becomes casualty / the enemy turns captain / and the captain turns civilian / the lieutenant becomes casualty / the lieutenant becomes casualty / there are doubts in your ability / there's too many blanks in your analogies / there's too many doubts in your ability / there's too many blanks in your analogies . So, that’s the first installment… will follow with more from their second album "if'n" sometime soon. Hope you enjoy...

Posted on 10/05/2007

Tags: Mike Watt, Minutemen, George Hurley, Ed Crawford, ed fROMOHIO, SST