Devastated by the death of their bandmate, Watt and Hurley disbanded the group and considered retiring from music. However, Crawford, a young Minutemen fan from Ohio, heard a false rumor that the two were auditioning a new singer. He quickly packed his things and moved out to San Pedro, California to audition. Ultimately, his enthusiasm was able to wear them down and they decided to give him a shot, thus creating fIREHOSE. In the group's eight years, they put out five albums, including two on a major label, a far cry from the Minutemen's jamming econo.
Musically, the group has roots in the same funk and jazz influenced punk the Minutemen did, yet forged a sound unique to them. Generally, the songs were longer and featured more conventional song structures, similar to the latter day songs released by the Minutemen. However, the group pushed melody even further, incorporating elements of folk into the music, similar to R.E.M. Once they moved to Columbia Records, the songwriting became heavier, with a greater focus on distorted guitar almost drawing them back closer to their punk roots.
As blasphemous as it it may say to some people, when comparing the two, I actually prefer fIREHOSE. While I enjoy the Minutemen and frequently put their albums in rotation, I just have a greater appreciation for fIREHOSE's output. In fact, I came to like fIREHOSE first, and they served as my gateway to the Minutemen, much like how I discovered Husker Du through Bob Mould's band, Sugar.
In the past, I have gone online reading forums comparing the two groups and it annoys me when I see people criticize Crawford for not being D. Boon. In a sense, I feel bad, because he was able to start a band with members of his favorite band and convince them to stay in the industry, but some hate him simply because they did not see him as a contemporary/equal to either of his bandmates or Boon.
In the long run though, I shouldn't compare the two that much. Regardless of the musical pedigree the band contains, the band's music and identity truly are their own and the music is strong enough to stand on its own. Even within their community, I can't really find another band that has a sound like theirs. I think if a college kid is able to discover this group thirty years after this relatively obscure music has come out, then that is a good indicator that it has stood the test of time.
Breakdown of My Collection
Ragin' Full On (CD, 1986) - The group's debut firmly establishes their signature sound from the get-go. Generally, people tend to like the group's three albums on SST Records most, and while this is a strong album and a strong debut, it's probably my least favorite of the three. This was the last album I bought by them, and this is probably one of my least listened-to albums by them, but I still enjoy it when I listen to it.
Highlights: "Brave Captain", "Choose Any Memory", "Chemical Wire", "Relatin' Dudes to Jazz" "The Candle and the Flame"
If'n (CD, 1987) - The group's second album is considered one of their best, and I have to agree. This was another album that I was late to getting, but there are numerous songs I listen to and enjoy. Musically, this seems to have less of the youthful punk energy found on Ragin, Full On, and is generally more easygoing, with a stronger folk influence. If somebody asked me about this band and where they should start if they wanted to check them out, I would probably tell them to listen to this album and its follow up.
Highlights: "Sometimes", "Hear Me", "Backroads", "Windmilling", "For the Singer of R.E.M."
fROMOHIO (CD, 1989) - I love this album. It's my favorite of their albums and is probably one of my favorite albums in general. Musically, it is cut from the same cloth as If'n, but for whatever reason, I love the songs on this one more. I bought this album at the same time as "Flyin' the Flannel" and much like the Minutemen's Post-Mersh Vol. 2, I think back to working in my 2D animation class when I listen to it. Even if I didn't have that experience with it, I would still probably love this album simply because the songs are so good, especially "Time With You", which is one of my favorite songs by them altogether.
Highlights: "Riddle of the Eighties", "In My Mind", "Time With You", "Some Things", "Understanding"
"Flyin' the Flannel" (CD, 1991) - Even on the first song, you can hear that the group's major label debut is going to be different. The production and the music are more muscular and heavy, reigning in some of the folkier elements on earlier albums. However, despite being on a major, the group maintains its artsier, more experimental edge. This was my first fIREHOSE CD and it features some of the first songs that got me to like the group in general, such as "Flyin' the Flannel" and "Can't Believe"
Highlights: "Down With The Bass", "Flyin' the Flannel", "Epoxy for Example", "O'er the Town of Pedro"
Mr. Machinery Operator (CD, 1993) - The band's final album is generally viewed as a low point. While I don't necessarily want to say it's a bad album, I'm not going to lie. It's probably their weakest album. No doubt, there is good material on the album, but unfortunately, I feel like the good material is balanced out with filler, and a number of tracks are skippable, something I can't say about If'n or fROMOHIO. Even with the good tracks, the songs don't even really sound like fIREHOSE. With J. Mascis's production and occasional backup vocals, some of these songs sound closer to Dinosaur Jr songs. While I wish the band had ended on a greater note, there are still enjoyable songs on here.
Highlights: "Formal Introduction", "Blaze", "Witness", Herded into Pools", "Disciples of the 3-Way" "Hell-Hole"