Firehose
Ragin’ Full On
The story of this album is intertwined with the story of the Minutemen, a San Pedro, CA trio (guitarist d. Boon, bassist Mike Watt and drummer George Hurley) who from 1980-1985 cracked punk rock on its often dimwitted noggin with a dose of
political/social outrage, humor and truth unseen since. The band came to a devastating end in 1985 when Boon was killed in an automobile wreck. Watt, the guitarist’s spiritual other-half, was crushed, and had no plans to continue with music.
Things changed in mid-1986 when a young guitarist refused to let Watt rest until he was given an audience. Watt finally relented, the kid showed up and played The Who’s “I’m One” (from Quadrophenia, a Boon/Watt sacred text) and suddenly Watt was convinced the kid had somehow been sent to him from beyond by Boon. With Hurley on board, Firehose was born.
The kid was Ed Crawford, (who Watt dubbed edfROMOHIO) and their debut, Ragin, Full On, appeared in late 1986 as salvation to legions of Minutemen fans. Few imagined the band would be able to retain the Minutmen’s sense of outrage and commitment much less expand into new melodic realms, but Ragin’ Full On lived up to its title. The trio burned as Watt’s bass assumed a bigger, harder lead role on wailing tunes like “Brave Captain” and “Chemical Wire”. Crawford-- who handled vocals armed with some of Watt’s most insightful lyrics-- brought a warmer, more vulnerable emotional edge, evidenced in “The Candle and the Flame”, “Locked-In” and “Perfect Pairs” (where Watt’s pain and recovery was laid bare: “with the love comes pains” and “with time comes the answer”). Indeed, it was on Ragin, Full On that serious questions were addressed, allowing that while life is often painfully harsh, there is almost always reason to carry on. Nearly fiften years later, Ragin’ Full On confirms its original sentiment, remaining as inspiring-- and rocking--as ever.
Music Direct Magazine, 2000
