what makes a man start fires?

The Minutemen opened up their econo sound ever so slightly with incendiary blasts of punk propaganda in jazzy hardcore art fragments.  'What Makes a Man Start Fires?' was recorded in a single late night session with Spot (Glen Lockett) the house producer and engineer for SST Records with overdubs recorded in two more late night sessions that featured D. Boon on guitar and lead vocals; Mike Watt on bass and backing vocals; and George Hurley on drums and oil drums; with Joe Baiza from Saccharine Trust providing additional guitar on two tracks.  The album matches the eighteen tracks of their previous album 'The Punch Line'; but clocks in at twice as long with some of the songs actually breaking the two minute mark.  Although short, these songs are complex nuggets of avante-garde musical styles and arcane political ideology.  

'What Makes a Man Start Fires?' mostly sold locally in the San Pedro area; but it was recognized by critics and the underground scene as a powerful unique artistic statement.  
Boon would admit:   "Yeah, we're pretty much a college band. If you went to a bigger show, it seems there's a wider audience."

Hurley considers: “One of the most amazing things when I listen back to those old records I made is that I haven’t gotten any better.  What I mean is, I came up with some pretty inventive parts just struggling to try to make things work. I listen now and go ‘wow’; some if the ideas I had are just kind of crazy!”

Watt says:  "I borrowed the title from a Raymond Pettibon drawing. I sometimes think the question is more intense than the answer."

http://www.hootpage.com/












"Beacon Sighted Through Fog" 






"'99" 



"The Anchor" 



"Sell or Be Sold" 




"Split Red" 




"Life As A Rehearsal" 



"This Road" 



"Polarity" 






'What Makes a Man Start Fires?' 
full album:



All songs written by Mike Watt, except where noted.

Side one
"Bob Dylan Wrote Propaganda Songs" – 1:27
"One Chapter in the Book" – 1:00 
"Fake Contest" – 1:44 
"Beacon Sighted Through Fog" – 1:00 
"Mutiny in Jonestown" – 1:06 (Boon/Watt)
"East Wind/Faith" – 2:10 (Hurley/Watt)
"Pure Joy" – 1:30 (Hurley/Watt)
"'99" – 1:00 (Hurley/Watt)
"The Anchor" – 2:30 (Hurley/Watt)
Side two
"Sell or Be Sold" – 1:45 (Boon/Watt)
"The Only Minority" – 1:00 (Boon/Watt)
"Split Red" – 0:52 (Boon/Watt)
"Colors" – 2:05 (Boon/Watt)
"Plight" – 1:37 (Boon/Watt)
"The Tin Roof" – 1:08 
"Life As A Rehearsal" – 1:35 
"This Road" – 1:26 
"Polarity" – 1:44