PLAYER: D. BOON
BAND: MINUTEMEN
San Pedro, California’s Minutemen
was
the
fiercely
eclectic
and
uncompromisingly political soul of the
early Southern California hardcore
scene. From the very start, the band’s
music bore little resemblance to rote
hardcore, with disparate influences
that ranged from Blue Öyster Cult and
Creedence Clearwater Revival to Gang
of Four. The rhythm section of Mike
Watt and George Hurley cooked up
manic, intricate musical fisticuffs, which
were punctuated by the dissonant
chordal chop and hip lines of their
guitarist and vocalist, the late, great
D. Boon. Boon’s playing style was
completely unique, blending the rapidfire pace and unhinged aggression
of hardcore with bluesy skronk and
deeply funky rhythmic sensibilities.
His rather extreme approach to guitar
tone further set him apart from his
punk and hardcore contemporaries, as
his was surprisingly clean and always
razor-sharp. D’s glistening, knife-edge
guitar sound was the result of his guitar
(usually a Fender Tele or Gibson Melody
Maker) plugged straight into a cranked
Fender Twin with the treble maxed and
the bass and mids rolled completely off.
This unorthodox setup would sound like
hell in the hands of any other guitarist,
but in the mighty paws of D. Boon, it
was hardcore heaven.
Essential listening:
“Shit From An Old Notebook,” from
Minutemen’s Double Nickels On The Dime.
44
TONE TALK //
5 Hardcore Guitarists You Should Listen to Right Now