Directed by Tim Irwin, We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen is a 90-minute documentary chronicling the life and times of ’80s punk band, the Minutemen. It also serves as a poignant tribute to lead singer D.Boon, who died in a car accident at the age of 27 in 1985.

The Minutemen never sought commercial success, nor did they receive it; but they exerted their innovative sound’a synthesis of punk, funkadelic riffs, mexicali rhythms, and even a touch of jazz’on a variety of bands, including Black Flag, Dinosaur Jnr, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Members from these bands extol the virtues of the Minutemen, providing amusing anecdotes.

The film moves between interviews filmed in 1985 (prior to Boon’s death) and most recent ones. Bassist Mike Watt provides the bulk of the commentary while haphazardly steering his van around the streets of San Pedro, Southern California. His laconic wit is a hit, although many of the anecdotes provided by George Hurley (drummer) and other artists reveal a hilarious revelation about the band. Apparently, a significant amount of time passed before the band tuned their instruments together’they were under the impression that some preferred their instruments to have looser or tighter strings’undoubtedly causing numerous pitch problems. There was no such discord between the members of the Minutemen.

There’s concert footage aplenty, highlighting the on-stage exuberance of D.Boon, as he jumped up and down on stage vigorously, despite his heavy-set build. There are shots of the rabid audience, initially hostile, coating the band members in spit, before convulsing to the music in a frenzied mass.

This film is for the Minutemen fans and punk enthusiasts. As a former punk enthusiast, I found the film entertaining, but those looking for an innovative approach to punk history should look (and look hard) elsewhere.

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