The reunited fIREHOSE — the band formed by Mike Watt and George Hurley following the 1985 death of their Minutemen bandmate D. Boon — will precede its spring tour and Coachella appearances with “lowFLOWs” the Columbia Anthology (’91-’93), a new 2CD set that compiles the band’s major-label output plus four unreleased cuts.
The 45-track compilation, due out April 3 on Columbia/Legacy, collects the band’s final two albums, 1991’s Flyin’ the Flannel and 1993’s Mr. Machinery Operator, plus 11 rare tracks and four previously unreleased recordings (an instrumental and three live cuts).
Noted rock scribe Michael Azerrad penned the set’s liner notes, writing:
“Besides propagating the Minutemen’s experimental edge, fIREHOSE scaled heights the Minutemen never reached, while functioning as a vital part of the indie community, musically, socially or operationally. fIREHOSE — like the Minutemen — jammed econo. And as these recordings prove over and over, they also just plain jammed.”
In January, the reunited trio — also featuring guitarist Ed Crawford — was announced as part of the Coachella bill, and, shortly thereafter, the group unveiled an 11-date club tour of the western U.S. — fIREHOSE’s first concerts since splitting in 1994. See full dates here.
Tracklist: fIREHOSE, “lowFLOWs” the Columbia Anthology (’91-’93)
DISC 1
1. “Down with the Bass”
2. “Up Finnegan’s Ladder”
3. “Can’t Believe”
4. “Walking the Cow”
5. “Flyin’ the Flannel”
6. “Epoxy, for Example”
7. “O’er the Town of Pedro”
8. “Too Long”
9. “The First Cuss”
10. “Anti-Misogyny Maneuver”
11. “Toolin’”
12. “Song for Dave Alvin”
13. “Tien an Man Dream Again”
14. “Lost Colors”
15. “Towin’ the Line”
16. “Losers, Boozers and Heroes”
17. “Max and Wells”
18. “Down With The Bass” (Instrumental, previously unreleased)
19. “The Red And The Black” (Live)
20. “Sophisticated Bitch” (Live)
21. “Revolution (Part Two)” (Live)
22. “Slack Motherfucker” (Live)
23. “What Gets Heard” (Live)
24. “Mannequin” (Live)
25. “Makin’ The Freeway” (Live)
DISC 2
1. “Formal Introduction”
2. “Blaze”
3. “Herded into Pools”
4. “Witness”
5. “Number Seven”
6. “Powerful Hankerin'”
7. “Rocket Sled/Fuel Tank”
8. “Quicksand”
9. “Disciples of the 3-Way”
10. “More Famous Quotes”
11. “Sincerely”
12. “Hell-Hole”
13. “4. 29. 92”
14. “The Cliffs Thrown Down”
15. “Blaze” (Instrumental)
16. “Witness” (Mersh Again Edit)
17. “4. 29. 92” (Live, previously unreleased)
18. “Powerful Hankerin’” (Live, previously unreleased)
19. “Tien an Man Dream Again” (Live, previously unreleased)
20. “Formal Introduction” (Live)
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- fIREHOSE books 11-date reunion tour of western U.S. around Coachella appearances
- Coachella 2012: Pulp, fIREHOSE, Buzzcocks, James, Squeeze, Madness on the bill
The live tracks on the end of CD 1 is from Live Totem Pole EP.