Our Band Could Be Your Life

This is my favorite song off of an amazing, sprawling 1984 album called Double Nickels on the Dime by the band Minutemen. They were around in the early to mid-80's, contemporaries of Minneapolis bands like Husker Du and the Replacements. Seen by some as an advancement of punk and by others as the death of it, Double Nickels on the Dime was perhaps the artistic apex of the genre, which evolved from the chugging chords of the Ramones, to the snarling lyricism of Elvis Costello, to the worldly sound of the Specials and the Clash -- and finally to this, a combination of free-form instrumentals, chugging riffs, and bouncy basslines with an in your face approach that defined punk. While this song, "History Lesson Part 2" is the band at their most subdued, it's a touching homage to influential bands and the camaraderie of being in a band (not unlike LCD Soundsystem's "Losing My Edge" or anything by the Hold Steady, but especially "Certain Songs" and "We Can Get Together").

When people (like me) try to say that the 80's were devoid of good music, bands like Husker Du, the Replacements, the Minutement, the Pixies, REM, and Pavement stand as a testament to the contrary.

"Mr. Narrator: this is Bob Dylan to me, my story could be his songs..."