fIREHOSE - Ragin', Full On

I got into fIREHOSE when I was in high school, way back in the early 90's.  Remember the 90's - grunge, flannel, Converse All-Stars, torn jeans, long hair, Bill Clinton, the first Gulf War, Friends, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and The X-Files?  I was in a band for a while called Rhythmic Noise <sigh>, and the guitarist was a good friend who introduced me to all sorts of cool underground bands like Ned's Atomic Dustbin, Infectious Grooves, Jesus Jones, Sonic Youth, and Nirvana pre-Smells Like Teen Spirit blowing up the Earth.  I trusted that he knew what I liked so much that I'd give him $10 at a time and tell him to go buy me a cool tape.  More than a few of those will end up here, I'm sure... but I think that he was the first guy to play me fIREHOSE.

For a long time, all I knew from them was a crappy copied tape I had of their second album, if'n.  It wasn't until I was in college, had a car of my own, some money and a <gasp> CD player that I picked up Ragin', Full-On.  This continues to be my favorite of all their stuff, and the disc that I keep coming back to.  The feel of the album is so strange: Ed fROMOHIO's jangly clean guitars with Mike Watt's insanely complicated fretless bass lines and George Hurley's spastic drumming.  How many arms and legs does this Hurley guy have, anyway?  There's this nutty frantic energy to most of the album that they manage to channel into these great tunes.

fIREHOSE was born from the ashes of The Minutemen.  When singer/guitarist D. Boon died in 1985, Watt and Hurley were directionless for a bit until they met Ed (who is credited as Ed fROMOHIO in the liner notes) who convinced them to keep going.  I had a Minutemen album, but I was far more lit up by fIREHOSE.  Ragin' Full-On really ignited my passion for this band.

What, too much?

Brave Captain is a great story (I love the "There are doubts in your ability, there's too many blanks in your analogies" chorus) set to such a three-headed groove I'm almost surprised it works.  Ed jammin' on those chords while Watt slaps and slides all over the place over the flurry of Hurley's beat... thanks, Track 1, for kicking my face in.  And now for the pummeling of Track 2, Under The Influence Of Meat Puppets.  I've only ever listened to one Meat Puppets album (Too High To Die), but apparently they influence a lot of people.  Nirvana covered three Meat Puppets songs in a row at their MTV Unplugged show.  The weird part is that I don't think this sounds remotely like the Meat Puppets at all...  and how many more times can I find an excuse to write the words Meat Puppets?

It Matters keeps up the ass kicking; Watt's little counter melodies and Hurley's drum break towards the end are smokin'.  I just had a thought, actually: dynamically this band is so much like early Primus, having a lead-bass player, a rhythm guitarist and a frenetic drummer.

Chemical Wire is the most straight forward tune so far, giving Ed a chance to sing his ass off.  With the album shifting gears, I end up focusing on the lyrics more and really appreciate Ed's simple poeticism.  Another Theory Shot To Shit is a perfect example: a quiet spoken word piece that's both cryptic and straightforward, with a very visual backing track.  This idea continues for most of the rest of the record with On Your Knees another great lyric punctuated by a killer track and Locked-In a bit more upbeat pop than anything we've seen before.  Mike Watt's bass melodies are so gorgeous, and they play such beautiful counterpoint to Ed's vocals and lyrics.  The faux flamenco jazz of The Candle & The Flame is just fantastic.  Watt and Hurley bubble just below the surface of "Exchange conversation if you dare, share an empty bottle or laugh."  It's kinda haunting, actually.

Choose Any Memory is back to the pop, and Perfect Pairs is brilliant with the Country/Western breakdown in the middle of a psycho-Disco groove.  This... is a beautiful singer/songwriter moment for Ed, and Caroms is back to the pop.  Relatin' Dudes To Jazz is my favorite tune on the disc.  The urgency of the groove is spectacular, and they shove Ed's voice right out in front.  And then it's all over... a 1minute 38 second burn.  They cap it all off with Things Could Turn Around, a nice comedown from all that intensity.

fIREHOSE went on to record three more albums, then split.  I'm not sure what they're all doing now, but I do know that Mike Watt shows up in the bass magazines from time to time.  Their followup album if'n definitely shows a band that is a bit more focused, but nothing will match the fire of this first album.  C'mon, I had to throw in one more at the end...