by fIREHOSE, 1992.
Although Mike Watt has since garnered the reverence he’s long deserved thanks to a critical re-evaluation of The Minutemen and his current gig playing the thunderbroom for The Stooges, his post-Minutmen band fIREHOSE was one of the most overlooked bands in post-Nirvana glut of 1990s alternative rock.
Despite their pedigree, despite their chops, and despite the times, fIREHOSE never was a commercial success, but their live shows were legendary, always packed full and sweaty in their grandeur. The Live Totem Pole EP captures them on their 1991 tour supporting their first release on Columbia Records, Flyin’ The Flannel, but ironically it showcases the band’s penchant for brilliantly adapted covers (five of the seven tracks here are covers, with two originals dating from the band’s SST days) and references the SoCal punk scene with its Raymond Pettibon sleeve.
The Live Totem Pole EP does an adequate job of capturing the band’s energy and spirit. Name another group capable of pulling off reworkings of Public Enemy’s “Sophisticated Bitch” and Wire’s “Mannequin” in the same night. Their revved up take on the Butthole Surfers’ “Revolution Pt. 2″ is downright anthemic, and they out-super Superchunk on a scorching rendition of “Slack Motherfucker”. And as always, there’s a nod to D. Boon’s memory with the opening cut, “The Red & The Black” by Blue Oyster Cult, an old favorite of Watt & Boon’s.
fIREHOSE had the musical voracity and affable charm of a great bar cover band, skewed through punk’s attitude and a heavy beat/jazz vibe that made them too obtuse for the MTV Alternative Nation crowd. But regardless, this is rock ‘n’ roll in perhaps its purest form circa 1991, showcasing not only fIREHOSE’s contributions but some of the great overlooked moments in recent music memory by other artists. If you can find this record, buy it. You owe it to yourself.
fIREHOSE covering Wire’s “Mannequin”.
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