Hailing from San Pedro, California (USA), they formed in 1980 under the name The Reactionaries.  Members D.Boon (guitar/vocals), Mike Watt (bass) and Frank Tonche (drums) were forerunners of the post-hardcore scene in the US, alongside SST labelmates Husker Du. Combining rage, punk values and attitude with melodic, sometimes angular guitar riffs and rhythms, their music was more experimental than that of their peers. They borrowed from UK bands such as Wire and Gang of Four as well as from their colleagues in US homegrown punk bands. Albums such as 'Buzz or Howl Under the Influence of Heat' (1983), 'Project:Mersh' (1985) - 'mersh' is San Pedro slang for 'commercial' - and '3 Way Tie (For Last)', (1986), showed their ability to avoid stagnation coupled with an intelligence that set them apart from most other long running US punk bands. After a staggering 9 albums within a 7 year period, the band reached a premature end with the death of vocalist D. Boon.  The remaining members continued together, changing their name to Firehose. IF YOU LIKED THESE, YOU'LL LIKE THE MINUTMEN:  Wire, Gang of Four, Husker Du, Dead Kennedys, Jello Biafra, Fugazi, No Means No, The Rollins Band, Big Flame, Pere Ubu, R.E.M., Jane's Addiction, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sonic Youth.
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