D
Boon
In our show on April 21, 2001 we
had a small chat with Mike Watt. We also heard some Minutemen
music. This all inspired me to tell you about D Boon, one of the most important
figures in American punk rock. D Boon started his friendship with Mike Watt
at an early age. Often, Minutemen and Watt sing about that friendship in their
songs, like History Lesson pt2 or Boiler Man. Minutemen albums
full of sharp political observations and simple personal songs influenced
many. J Mascis learned playing drums listening to the What Makes A Man
Start Fires. Moreover, Centro-matic and Uncle Tupelo sing about Double
Nickels On The Dime and D Boon himself. Cover of Double Nickels on
The Dime with Mike Watt smiling behind stiring wheel is a legendary image
and the cover featrued not only in many record collections and walls, but
also in movies, like High Fidelity.
Minutemen albums were important to me too. They gave me sanity in some really
insane times I've been through. People who knew D Boon have nothing but superlatives
to say about him. Very open as a preson, great in conversations, sharp mind
always ready for new ideas, brilliant inteligence. I can only judge Boon by
what he left behind. And that is brilliant enough to believe in all stories
about him. His song This Ain't No Picnic is a perfect example for Boon's
songwriting techinque. His songs are usually politically charged and motivated,
but Boon is always talking for his personal experience. When he dives deeply
in politics, he also dives deeply inside himself and the result is a timeless
political song, which is really hard to write. Also, the special spice in
his songs are lines in which he summarizes the entire song. He simply says
This Ain't No Picnic, and everything gets even stronger.
Unfortunatelly, the story about D Boon has a saddest possible end. In the
highlight of his youth and strength, D Boon got killed when Minutemen's van
got in fire. One of the most bizzare deaths in rock. Also, one of the saddest,
as D Boon was not just an atrist or a rock star to the people who were listening
to his music. He was also their good friend. Strange bound was created through
his work.
Artists are perpetually impressed by Boon's work. Even though his dead, his
spirit still lives on in other people's songs. Not only that Mike Watt dedicates
everything he does to D Boon thinking constantly on his passed friend, many
other artists find inspiration in Boon. In our show dated April
28, 2001 we had a chance to hear two songs inspired by Boon. One of them
was from a texan band Centro-matic
and it is called D Boon Free (9th Grade Crime), and the other is D
Boon where Uncle Tupelo pay dues to one of their favorite artists.
Also, take a look at these two wonderful stories about D Boon's death: Far,
Far Away By Snezana Zabic and The
Second to Last Night at Skank's By Michael McCullough.
Watt's page