Double Nickels On The Dime

Minutemen came up around the same time as Black Flag. In fact, their debut EP Paranoid Time (pure excellence, please check that one out) is the very second release on SST, Greg Gin's label. The difference between Minutemen and Black Flag was that Minutemen's sound was way more playful and intricate. Instead of blasting out pure hardcore riffs, the three-piece played almost jazzy licks and took inspiration from Creedence Clearwater Revival. It's actually really cool. But audiences hated it. They didn't know it at the time but Minutemen were playing music of the future. These San Pedro boys gave us the first post-hardcore sounds, and it was so cool. But Black Flag crowds didn't want post-hardcore, they wanted just hardcore. So it took Minutemen a few years to get traction on shows. That being said, shows were their life. Minutemen had an interesting approach to the financial side of being a band: they would "jam econo", making their records for as cheap as possible by minimizing studio time, recording the tracks in the order they wanted to avoiding editing costs, and tracking on recycled tape reels. These guys were the definition of frugal and the embodiment of DIY. They would then take a somewhat backwards approach to touring, stating that they sold records to support touring instead of the usual touring to sell records. Obviously they knew something that we didn't because this worked pretty well for them, and they were able to put out some banger albums throughout the 80's, all while making money on the road instead of being in the red. Also worth noting that Minutemen releases are notoriously short. No, their name doesn't reference how they play their songs in about a minute. Minutemen comes from a local right-wing group of the same name, which they wanted to steal in order to make them lose momentum. The band is very left-wing working-class with their lyrics, something that is refreshing imo. Anyway, with their past three albums and four EPs all being quite short, they were gearing up for another standard Minutemen album that clocked in at about 30 minutes in 1984. And then Husker Du came out with their double album Zen Arcade. A punk double album. Fucking unheard of. Minutemen had to head back to the studio to make their next album a double too, and thus Double Nickels on the Dime was born. A few notes about DNotD: 1. There are four sides: one for each of the three band members and a "chaff" side that had all the leftovers. The boys would alternate between picking songs for their side in a sort of draft after they drew straws. This gives each side a sort of unique personality, in my opinion, and helps pace the album for me. 2. "Double Nickels of the Dime" refers to going 55 mph (double nickels) on the interstate 10 (the dime). This was a sort of reaction to Sammy Hagar's "I Can't Drive 55" which was just Hagar bitching about federally-imposed highway speed limits at the time. Minutemen, being jokesters, decided it would be funny for a punk record to go the speed limit. Hence the album cover, which has Mike Watt flashing a cheesy grin while he goes exactly 55 mph on the interstate 10, heading towards their hometown of San Pedro. This is a perfect album cover and title. 3. The boys consider this to be their "artsy record", and I'd say that's a correct assessment. Earlier Minutemen stuff was way more straightforward hardcore and post-hardcore, whereas DNotD experiments more with things like classical guitar, Tejano, contemporary folk, and a few other things scattered across different songs. It's all executed so skillfully with D. Boon's dexterity on guitar, Mike Watt perfectly keeping up on bass, and George Hurley giving it his all on drums to round it out. You could not ask for a better band to pull this off. 4. This would be Minutemen's penultimate album before D. Boon's untimely death, which would eventually lead to the end of Minutemen. DNotD is also their most fondly-remembered album, probably because of it's length and execution. The band had not made anything like it before or since. For a project so ambitious, and a band so full of genuine heart and soul, I can't not love Double Nickels on the Dime. Three great musicians having a fun time, pulling together songs that have no right being this good. This band could be your life. This band is my life. Also the theme song for Jackass is on here, if that means anything to you.

I really enjoyed this way more than expected. Clearly punk, but with strong jazz influences, Minutemen live up to their name. The longest track on the album is 2:58 long and it's very much the outlier. Most tracks clock in well under 2 minutes which is why they can get away with an album that's 43 tracks long. Because of the track lengtsh and the sheer volume of tracks, I assumed, before listening to it, that the album would feel scattered. I was pleasently surprised to find that not to be the case. It feels coherent if frantic. I really liked it, honestly. I was going to give it 4 stars but, as I listened, I realized that the musical talent on display here is actually phenominal. It just goes under the radar because of the short-form, punk rock format.

Its impressive having an album this long, and this samey, still not feel bloated or tired by the end of it. It feels like a post-punk charcuterie board; lots of little tasty bites to mix and mach and enjoy across a large spread. Not to mention great musician ship, cool lyrics, and just the deep feeling that everybody here is having fun and not taking things too seriously. That makes for a star of an album in my book.

I like the Minutemen, a cool band who did something different with punk and hardcore. Holy hell though, is is far too long to be enjoyable. Maybe the fact that I cannot stick around for almost 90 minutes is just the spirit of the age coming through.

Phenomenal. This is the type of punk that I really enjoy. It's like punk meets funk. The bass line alone makes me want to pick up my bass and play. I wish I had the time. This album has been recommended to me by more than a few friends who are musicians and music afficionados.

It's long, but the short song length and great variety make it an enjoyable listen. Love it

Mid-80's skateboarding turned me on to a lot of music and of course, SST records. You could reliably point to any band signed to SST and know they were pretty embedded in punk scene of 80s SoCal. The omnipresence of the music we enjoy is deafening. It's hard to look back and imagine life without the music that we love. Music back then was not the solitary experience that is has become today. Music was hanging out at record stores, or was passed on through mix tapes. I missed the Minutemen but was a big fan of fIREHOSE which had a similar sound to Minutemen thanks to Mike Watt's bass. Fortunately, in the time of Spotify and most notably the theme song to Jackass, I've been able to spend some time with Minutemen and learn a little about D. Boone. But not like I have with Double Nickels on the Dime. Double Nickels on the Dime is great. I hear so much of the music that I like today. Most notably Parquet Courts, but also the dive bar scene with Johnny Rad in The Search for Animal Chin. fIREHOSE was great, but after listening to this album, they pale in comparison to the diversity and depth of Minutemen which, you'd have to admit was D. Boone, RIP. Great listen and happy to have discovered. I'll be listening to this album much more in the future.

LOVE this album. History Lesson Pt 2 is one of the most charming songs in punk history. This is authentic, charismatic, energetic, sincere music. The Minutemen is one of those cult bands that make you love music. This band could be your life…

Genre busting punk akin to London Calling

Never heard of them. Another tragic death story. Damn glad I wasn’t an 80s musician. This is a surprisingly good album... white fishbone, some poor mans dead, a little REM, and a dash of the Clash.

While some songs were kinda weird and not really my thing, and while I would've preferred this as four 20-minute albums, I enjoyed most of it a lot.

What an album! This has to be one of the biggest positive surprises of this list so far. Absolutely original and entertaining record by band Minutemen. Although they are categorised as a punk or post-punk band, I don't really agree with it. This has to be an avant-garde album first and foremost, creating a genre of its own, with funky, jazzy bass line, extremely weird guitar sound and slightly hardcore vocal at times. They somehow managed to squeeze 45 songs in 73 minutes, giving an average of less than 2 minutes per song. And they are all very different, yet somehow still feel aligned one after another. After listening to the album I dived into the usual Wikipedia rabbit hole, reading about the band, their style, about tragic death of D. Boon. I have never heard of this band, yet they remind me so much of more hard-core (or rock) version of Primus. Everything is weird and unusual, yet so entertaining and fascinating. Great album, I will listen to the full discography now, looks like I found another favourite band!

Jazzy, funky, punky. Really enjoyed it.

Remember pre-recorded cassettes? I thought they were the greatest thing, you can play them in the car, stroll around with your walkman and it could jam a whole double album on one tape! The problem with these tapes is they were the cheapest of cheap quality. The tape was thin and the longer the time on the tape, the more stretched out and worn the tape got. It eventually will tighten, cease and stop....end! A better option is to buy the vinyl, dub it to a good quality cassette (Maxell, TDK), then you have a home copy and a portable copy. Regrets that I bought the pre-recorded cassette of Double Nickels On the Dime instead of the vinyl in the mid-80's at a record store in the states. An excellent record, probably one of the best double LP's from the 80's that made people realize, punk or post-punk or college rock really was better than the shit that was on the radio! It really was one of those "game changing" records, at least to me. Labels like SST put out some great albums! A classic, highly recommended!!

I hear a lot of influence on 90s emo and indie rock here. Even Fugazi kinda. Pretty cool, fun album.

There’s a five star album in here, just unnecessary amount of songs, but all good stuff!

Genre: Post-Punk 4/5 A 45-song, 82-minute endurance test of an album, and the closest I've heard to an album that sniffs the off-the-wall, unabashed music making of The Beatles' White Album, the Minutemen's Double Nickels on the Dime is a wild whirlwind of post-punk, art punk, and experimental rock. From top to bottom, this thing is jam-packed with ideas, free flowing like the mightiest of oceans. Us listeners are flooded with different concepts, all sporting standard rock instrumentation, but with everchanging structures, song lengths, themes, and energy. From dance-punk offerings like Viet Nam, to heavy alt-country like Corona (the theme to Jackass), to funky post-punk like Jesus and Tequila, to acoustic folk like Cohesion, to avant-rock experiments like You Need the Glory, this album truly runs the musical gamut and never leaves you without something to keep you engaged. As far as the general or "average" song on this goes, most tracks are 1-2 minute songs that dabble mostly in post-punk/post-hardcore sounds and styles. Plenty of left-wing ideology all over this thing as well, still holding on to the values that made punk what it was, but never taken to the point where it's hokey or preachy. There are also tracks like Maybe Partying Will Help and Do You Want New Wave..., where the goofiness and earnestness of the lyrics enhance the performances given by the group, and provide a lot of help for what are fairly standard punk rock arrangements. The total disjointedness of this album did make it feel like a bit of a slog, but, in some ways, it was a highly rewarding slog. This is certainly one of my favorite punk/post-punk albums I've ever listened to, and considering its vast setlist, this album will ASSUREDLY reward repeat listens. Personally, I'd take the time to seek out any songs that online releases cut out from the original vinyl release. If you're tech savvy enough, downloads of the vinyl exist online, and I say provide the only genuine, full-album experience that the Minutemen were hoping to provide here. Just my two cents. Great album.

Tight. So many songs, so much quality.

I have a hard time explaining why "Double Nickels On The Dime" works. But it does work. Despite being 45 tracks long. Despite some serious genre-bending. Despite sounding like a lot of studio takes that should have been left on the cutting room floor. And even a live track randomly in the middle? It might be raw and unpolished, but it works. It might be two distinct songwriting voices, but it feels like one band. It all somehow fits in a cohesive vibe.

I didn't hate this, but it began to wear thin. You get the sense that this was just buddies playing whatever weird idea came to mind and it goes way too long

Nicht ganz so schrecklich, wie ich dachte und um einiges besser als der Kram von The Fall, aber auch nicht sooo geil, dass es drei Sterne verdient hätte. Gute 2 wegen des Jackass-Titelsongs ('Corona').

Didn't like his lead singer's voice.

Meh

Never wanted an album to just end more.

This feels like one of those albums that people rave about because some one has declared that it's trendy. I've heard worse albums, but my general feeling is that listening to this truly depressing album has wasted an hour of my life.

I only listened to the first 13 songs. For me they all sounded the same, so I did without the remaining 30.

Didn't have time to listen to it fully today, but it's already in probably my top 10 all time albums and I can recall most of the 43 songs from it anyway in my head, so who needs listening? (nvm i got a few songs in and listened to it all anyway) One of the most fun albums you'll ever listen to, punk rock with a side of funk and jazz influence. The guitar riffs and solos are insane, the bass lines are groovy as hell, the drumming is frantic. If you trapped me on a desert island with this album only, I would quite happily be spinning it day after day after day. Me and Mike Watt, playing guitar...

I have never heard any of this before and that's a fucking shame because this was so great. Fucking great. Why didn't I listen to this in my youth? Reevaluating my life. Wtf. Sigh. Tho---at least I've got it now, at 52. Never too late!!

Punk music that doesnt suck

One of the best non-punk punk albums ever. Terse and direct, yet wholly original and thought-provoking. One of my all-time favorites!

Over 40 songs and they're pretty much all great. Mike Watt, D Boon and Hurley form an incredibly cohesive sound. Lyrics are really great. Masterpiece. 9-10/10

Я удивлён. Классная группа. Немного напомнила Red Hot Chilli Peppers ранний. Прибалдел, что это авторы заглавного трека Jackass под названием "Corona". В целом, понравилось. Звучит круто. Местами необычно.

Not fair when one of the most significant albums to me comes up on this list.

Luke told me about this album and it's an absolute banger, I love it. I even bought one of those books about great albums about it, haven't read it yet though. I really like the short songs, love the idea of going 'yeah we've got a great song, wanna enjoy it? TOO LATE that's all ya getting, NEXT!'

It was the biggest surprise on this site so far. It is unbelievable!

Another badass classic punk album. I hadn’t heard this one but it’s a lot of fun. I’m a big fan of punk in general, so YMMV but this is my jam.

Baita som, bgl mais jazzistico

Me ha gustado mucho

Great Drumming. Never heard of these guys, They're great.

A work of absolute genius.

Nunca esperé toparme en esta lista con un disco que incluyera el opening de Jackass (no es queja). Se sabe que cuando los discos son medio largos me quejo pero en esta ocasión no lo padecí, está divertido y me entretuvo bastante (sori por mi opinión cero profesional)

This album blew my mind. Almost 80 minutes and 43 tracks. So many unique riffs and styles put into such short amounts of time made for an album that had my attention for the full run. That bass player as well was something else. He managed to hold his ground the entire album switching between rhythm and melody. Although not every song was perfect (would be impossible with 43 songs) nothing on it felt unnecessary or took away from the experience 5/5

If I’m being brutally honest there is a fair bit of what I’d have to call filler on this double album. But the best of it is better than it has any right to be and considering it was recorded for eleven hundred bucks (maybe three thousand in 2022 dollars) I think it gets an extra star in my book. My first and most extensive exposure to it was a double length cassette my brother made me from his LP: I was shocked to discover no complete CD release ever come out, and I had to root around on the u-tubez to get the full listening experience. The idea that there may be people out there who think they’ve listened to Double Nickles but have never heard Little Man with the Gun in His Hand rocked me to my core.

This album is like if you took a good jam band and a good punk band and put them together to create a great band. Love the overall sound - seems ~20 years ahead of it's time, reminds me of some of the heavier jam bands I enjoy. Even though most of it sounds similar, I never felt like I was listening to the same song over and over like many other punk bands. There were maybe a handful of songs I didn't enjoy much, which is pretty impressive for an album with 43 songs. Will definitely be listening again soon. 8.8/10

Yeah, this album rips. Back in my middle school days, I had Corona on my first MP3 player because of Jackass. Never bothered listening to the whole album, but this is about as authentic as rock gets. Don't be intimidated by the 43 tracks; they go by quick, and this one doesn't slow down.

Serious as a heart attack. Came out the same year as Zen Arcade. The Minutemen's annus mirabilis.

I like this. I like this a lot.

They're one of my favorite bands. I like their older records better. Not as long and more manic. But this one is very good too. Favorite song: the glory of man

I'm so relieved this doesn't sound how it looks.

Rock album with jazz influences, tackling topics such as political war, lgbtq+, racism, with humor and abstract words. In certain songs it sounded like poetry slam or random words being spoken, sometimes through spacey beats others with rock and roll.

crazy how much i liked this - jackass theme song on here too - couple songs sound like fugazi

Double Nickels on the Dime is one of the best double albums ever together with Sign O The Times, The Wall, Exile on Main St, Day Dream Nation, Tusk, Blonde on Blonde, Tago Mago, All Things Must Pass, The River etc. It is better than the fIREHOSE album generated by the 1001albumsgeneator some time ago (even though fIREHOUSE was a very decent band as well of course).

Attitude with talent to back it up.

perfection

Stupendous. I had no idea such a thing existed. And to this big Sublime fan, hearing so much on one album that obviously influenced Sublime is an extra treat. I can honestly say that every track of this very long album was appreciated. (Good thing that a couple "meh" tracks got cut for the digital release. I sought them out too, but I didn't love them). Every track with its own character and unique rhythmic backbone. The drums are stupendous, and the lyrics are especially consistently good too. What a lovely surprise.

Already a fan of this one. Nice to listen again and I think I enjoy it more every time. Not hard core punk but firmly within the punk ethos. Some of the tunes come off as a bit too blunt ("#1 Hit Song"), but the drums and bass in particular are outstanding.

It's like a rock/indie album, kind of out there. One song was very chill, mostly instrumental. (COHESION) Two Beads at the End is pretty good!( like a single) Do you want new wave song...very interesting. They have live music too. Fuck Advertising! Nice. Shit from an Old Notebook title. Album isn't conceptually cool or anything, but definitely out there and kind of DIY, like not giving a shit but having fun, while telling real shit kind of. It's a interesting kind of music, but something that I may not really go back to listen to all the time. It's also a stupid long album. Even though all the songs seem to be around 2 minutes or so. CORONA- I've heard this on Jackass I think the more I listen the more I like it LOL HISTORY LESSON PART 2 WAS SAMPLED IN A SUBLIME SONG!!!!!!!! HOLY SHIT. THEYRE LA PUNK ROCK So I finished the whole thing. Not bad, 40 tracks that were cool, experimental, and truly DIY. I liked it. It was out there.

This is where the Jackass riff comes from! The lyrics remind me a bit of e e cummings at some points. The instrumentals vary from creative and flowing to punk repetition.

Such a good album that is almost impossible to characterize. Great superh Tight band with good songs. The musicianship is always in service to the song. This gets a 5 from me. Thanks for helping me remember this great album

Such a special album. Maybe I’m talking out of my ass here, but this reminds me a lot of the Beach Boys’ SMILE: the songs on the album are less individual songs, but rather short musical phrases that can be rearranged or combined to form longer musical sentences. There’s like 43 songs on DNotD - most of them are very short and unrefined. I think if the band took any one of them and polished it, you’d have an individual song of popular music, but they didn’t. The songs instead flow together, creating different moods and emotions. I don’t mind that they’re short! I love just putting this on in the background and sinking into the music.

We jam econo

Great jazz record. Also considerably varied

Top 10 for me

10/10 a punk masterpiece that *almost* leans into post-punk territory

While this project is massive in size, the song length and variety makes it an immensely pleasant listen. The album touches on topics like the Vietnam war, and at some points seems like a mix of soft metal, soft punk, punk, jazz and the combination of all of it. Probably my favorite listen so far. The diversity of the album makes me want to re listen to it over and over again. 8/8! favorite songs Corona, Dr.Wu.

This was really cool. I'd never heard of minutemen before, I'll definitely be adding this to my rotation

Uno de mis discos favoritos. We jam econo.

Underrated band, so happy theyre on here. RIP D. Boon

ta benne, tiene ritmos muy perrones

let the products sell themselves!

Awesome album!

Non stop awesomeness from this densly packed album. There must be upwards of 40 songs here and everyone has something to offer. The playing is virtuoso and the production clean and clear. Double Nickels on the Dime deservaes a place alongside Blonde on Blonde, Exile on Main Street, The White Album and London Calling as one of the great double albums iin R & R history. 5 stars

Fajne

A modern-day punk classic.

What a trio these guys were. Blue collar thinking man's punk that couldn't be constrained by the typical LA punk sound.

I classic and there's nothing I can say about this one that hasn't already been said. It is simply a legendary record.

If this doesn't do it for you, check your pulse

Jazzy punk

bello offeso, chitarra e voce incavolata blle canzoni varie. Americano nel modo giusto. Punk creativo. Melodie riconoscibili, adatte alla commercializzazione ma senza cadere nella banalita'

Genre: Alternative rock; hardcore punk; post-punk; post-hardcore; Released: July 3, 1984

The embarrassment I feel having never experienced this record prior to this exercise is outweighed only by the immense joy brought forth by the knowledge that I’ll have it in my life for the rest of my days.

Laat je niet afschrikken door het aantal nummers, want dit is geen album met filler erop. Vind dit album altijd al geweldig. Humor sarcasme zelfspot en ironie op relatief eenvoudige punk maar hier en daar ook een tikkeltje funky/jazzy.

Hardcore punk, 1984. With politically relevant and clever lyrics and an innovative sound this album is definitely one of the most ambitious projects of that period. Songs are really cohesive and the record flows amazingly. Extraordinary stuff!

One of the rare instances of a double album that doesn’t run out of steam as it goes on. In fact, as it goes on, it gets better and better. Never a dull moment.

Var lite tveksam när jag köpte den föe en massa år sen, men den har bara växt. Hurra!

Loved it

"Our Band Could Be Your Life" This is a close to perfect an album as possible for my tastes. Perfect blend of punk and melody and most importantly heart. Another of those bands that I regrettably only got properly into a few years ago

Man, I saw the amount of songs and that this was a punk album and got so worried I was gonna have a terrible time but boy was I wrong. This album rocks. Not every song is amazing but it all works so well together, and the amount of real topics mixed with just goofy shit makes this really enjoyable, and as others are saying, this is far funkier than any other punk I usually here. One of my favorite albums so far.

I found this album fascinating. It really shows how fast punk was evolving during the 80s, as it sounds almost nothing like the punk albums of the late 70s. It has a lot of elements that make it sound like alt rock works of the 90s, though I'm finding hard to describe exactly what it is that makes this album sound like a 90s album. Lots of little things, I guess. The hardcore punk influence on the song lengths really shines through on this one. It's a weird structure for an album that isn't screamed out at 200 bpm, but it allows this album to cover a lot of sonic ground. Really cool work, and a nice companion piece to the other major punk double album from this year, Zen Arcade 5/5

Yes please - post punk has such a rich history. Could easily have been released today and be very well received.

Not what I excepted with the album cover. I love it

Loved this album. Haven’t listened to much of the Minutemen, but I could hear their influence in a lot of my favorite bands.

Best Album of all time imo… D Boon and Watt were magic ✨

How many innovative ideas can you fit into an album? You only get a taste of each song before an abrupt in pops in the next wonder. Never have I seen a band that respects each of its members equally. Everyone gets a side of their own song picks. Everyone gets to shine and show off their talents. But despite its heavy experimental nature, it is still recognizable as punk at heart, with minimalistic and catchy lyrics complimented by direct instrumentals. This is an album I can keep coming back to and pick up something new.

The best 46 track album I’ve ever listened to

I likely made a face when a 2-album 75 minute punk album from 1984 popped up here. While I have dabbled in the genre at various times in my life we still have an uneasy relationship at best. After stalling I finally sat down to listen to this and proceeded to have a ton of fun! There’s a huge variety of songs that I found completely engaging and a whole lot of fun. If all punk were like this it would likely be one of my favorite genres. My interest in this never wavered and I can see myself coming back to this again. The trio here sounds fantastic and really know there way around a lot of musical genres. Loved this from beginning to end, fit in two listens today, and expect to be back for more. Terrific!

Fun punk. Jackass theme. A good time.

Снова панк и снова полный ахуй. Один из самых необычных релизов этого жанра, который смешивает звуки классического рока, фанка и иногда даже джазза. Местами можно даже услышать гитарные соло уровня самого Джими Хендрикса. Из-за такого разнообразия этот довольно длинный альбом ощущается не таким уж и большим, особенно если учитывать довольно скромную длину отдельных треков. Я полностью проникся атмосферой какого-то похуизма и бездельничества, которую вырисовывают здешние тексты, которые в свою очередь даже не поются, а скорее агрессивно читаются. Также стоит отметить, что сама формула, по которым выстраивались треки здесь, чисто панковская, но изобилие звучаний из различных жанров превращают этот альбом в нечто иное, и даже несмотря на юморные и ироничные тексты, я не могу сказать, что этот альбом - чистый панк. Это скорее ассорти из различной музыки, которое упаковано в панковскую формулу. (9)

Simply amazing.

4.5