44 Minutes
Encyclopedia
"44 Minutes" is a song by the American
heavy metal
band Megadeth
, which appears on their twelfth studio album, titled Endgame, which was released on September 15, 2009, written by frontman Dave Mustaine
. The third song on the album, the song's lyrics portray the events of the North Hollywood shootout
, that occurred in the North Hollywood district of Los Angeles
on February 28, 1997.
. The title of the song itself is derived directly from the film 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out
, an FX Network original film that was also based on the event, referring to the 44 Minutes of the duration of the shootout
. The song is not the first piece of music to be based on the event, the album North Hollywood Shootout
by the jam band
Blues Traveler
was also based on the incident, but took more liberties with their interpretation
.
On the morning of Feb. 2, 1997, Larry Phillips, Jr. and Emil Mătăsăreanu, both who were on barbiturate
phenobarbital
, attempted to rob the Bank of America
, possessing two modified Romanian AIMS assault rifles, an AK-47 style rifle, and one modified Norinco
Type 56 S-1, a semi automatic HK91, a modified Bushmaster XM15 E2S and their getaway vehicle
. After listening to their radio scanners
, the two walked into the bank, and forced the assistant manager to open the vault after firing several rounds. Due to an altercation with the delivery schedule, the bank only carried $
303,305, which the two took with them when they fled through the north doorway. They faced dozens of LAPD police officers and SWAT
commanders, who the duo shot at extensively, injuring 19 people. Ultimately, after a long shootout between the police and the perpetrators, both Phillips and Mătăsăreanu failed to get away with the money and were killed. Phillips died of his self-inflicted gunshot wound
to the head, and bled to death before medical assistance could be brought to his aid, and Mătăsăreanu was shot 29 times in the shins and feet and died from trauma due to loss of blood. A majority of the event was broadcast live by news helicopters.
s and AR-15
s, were also both referenced in the song and used during the event, and the portion that describes the shooting of "Achilles' heel" refers to how Mătăsăreanu was shot 29 times in the shins and feet. Furthermore, to guarantee full attention to detail, actual AK-47s were used as sound effects throughout the song, as stated by Dave Mustaine
himself, "Underneath that snare, we're using a sample of an AK-47. It's a gun salute, where they do fire squad. These are things that you hear with records, and you go, "Wow, this is great. I never would have heard this before."
tracks like "Symphony Of Destruction
" and "Architecture of Aggression" but with the added heaviness that seems to come from just being in the mere presence of such an intense track of "This Day We Fight!
."
Production
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
, which appears on their twelfth studio album, titled Endgame, which was released on September 15, 2009, written by frontman Dave Mustaine
Dave Mustaine
David Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
. The third song on the album, the song's lyrics portray the events of the North Hollywood shootout
North Hollywood shootout
The North Hollywood shootout was an armed confrontation between two heavily armed bank robbers and officers of the Los Angeles Police Department in the North Hollywood district of Los Angeles on February 28, 1997...
, that occurred in the North Hollywood district of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
on February 28, 1997.
Development
"44 Minutes" is based on the famous North Hollywood shootoutNorth Hollywood shootout
The North Hollywood shootout was an armed confrontation between two heavily armed bank robbers and officers of the Los Angeles Police Department in the North Hollywood district of Los Angeles on February 28, 1997...
. The title of the song itself is derived directly from the film 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out
44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out
44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out is a 2003 American film directed by Yves Simoneau. The film premiered on the FX Network in June 2003.-Plot:...
, an FX Network original film that was also based on the event, referring to the 44 Minutes of the duration of the shootout
Shootout
A shootout is a gun battle between armed groups. A shootout often, but not necessarily, pits law enforcement against criminal elements; it could also involve two groups outside of law enforcement, such as rival gangs. A shootout in a military context A shootout is a gun battle between armed groups....
. The song is not the first piece of music to be based on the event, the album North Hollywood Shootout
North Hollywood Shootout
North Hollywood Shootout is American jam band Blues Traveler's ninth studio album, released on August 26, 2008, and produced by David Bianco, a 1996 Grammy winner...
by the jam band
Jam band
-Ambiguity:By the late 1990s use of the term jam band also became ambiguous. An editorial at jamband.com suggested that any band of which a primary band such as Phish has done a cover of be included as jam band. The example was including New York post-punk band Talking Heads after Phish performed...
Blues Traveler
Blues Traveler
Blues Traveler is a rock band, formed in Princeton, New Jersey in 1987. The band has been influenced by a variety of genres, including blues-rock, psychedelic rock, folk rock, soul, and Southern rock...
was also based on the incident, but took more liberties with their interpretation
Interpretation
-Language:* Language interpretation, the facilitation of dialogue between parties using different languages* Interpretation of tongues, a supernatural ability to understand unknown languages* Semantics, assignment of meanings to symbols-Philosophy:...
.
On the morning of Feb. 2, 1997, Larry Phillips, Jr. and Emil Mătăsăreanu, both who were on barbiturate
Barbiturate
Barbiturates are drugs that act as central nervous system depressants, and can therefore produce a wide spectrum of effects, from mild sedation to total anesthesia. They are also effective as anxiolytics, as hypnotics, and as anticonvulsants...
phenobarbital
Phenobarbital
Phenobarbital or phenobarbitone is a barbiturate, first marketed as Luminal by Friedr. Bayer et comp. It is the most widely used anticonvulsant worldwide, and the oldest still commonly used. It also has sedative and hypnotic properties but, as with other barbiturates, has been superseded by the...
, attempted to rob the Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
, possessing two modified Romanian AIMS assault rifles, an AK-47 style rifle, and one modified Norinco
Norinco
The China North Industries Corporation , official English name Norinco, manufactures vehicles , machinery, optical-electronic products, oil field equipment, chemicals, light industrial products, explosives and blast materials, civil and military firearms and ammunition, etc...
Type 56 S-1, a semi automatic HK91, a modified Bushmaster XM15 E2S and their getaway vehicle
Chevrolet Celebrity
The Chevrolet Celebrity is a mid-size car produced by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors . The Celebrity was introduced in 1981 for the 1982 model year. The Celebrity was the best-selling car in the United States in 1986...
. After listening to their radio scanners
Scanner (radio)
A scanner is a radio receiver that can automatically tune, or scan, two or more discrete frequencies, stopping when it finds a signal on one of them and then continuing to scan other frequencies when the initial transmission ceases....
, the two walked into the bank, and forced the assistant manager to open the vault after firing several rounds. Due to an altercation with the delivery schedule, the bank only carried $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
303,305, which the two took with them when they fled through the north doorway. They faced dozens of LAPD police officers and SWAT
SWAT
A SWAT team is an elite tactical unit in various national law enforcement departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers...
commanders, who the duo shot at extensively, injuring 19 people. Ultimately, after a long shootout between the police and the perpetrators, both Phillips and Mătăsăreanu failed to get away with the money and were killed. Phillips died of his self-inflicted gunshot wound
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
to the head, and bled to death before medical assistance could be brought to his aid, and Mătăsăreanu was shot 29 times in the shins and feet and died from trauma due to loss of blood. A majority of the event was broadcast live by news helicopters.
Lyrical meaning
The song documents the incident, and contains several direct references to the event. The incident began its timeframe at 9:17 a.m., which actually is "shortly past 9:00 AM", a line from the song that pays tribute to the facts of the event. In the song, there is "the fateful duo" that represents there were two perpetrators, who were "heavily sedated with thousands of rounds" with "armor piercing, fully automatic weapons", both of which are lines from the song. AK-47AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
s and AR-15
AR-15
The AR-15 is a lightweight, 5.56 mm, air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed semi-automatic rifle, with a rotating-lock bolt, actuated by direct impingement gas operation. It is manufactured with the extensive use of aluminum alloys and synthetic materials....
s, were also both referenced in the song and used during the event, and the portion that describes the shooting of "Achilles' heel" refers to how Mătăsăreanu was shot 29 times in the shins and feet. Furthermore, to guarantee full attention to detail, actual AK-47s were used as sound effects throughout the song, as stated by Dave Mustaine
Dave Mustaine
David Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
himself, "Underneath that snare, we're using a sample of an AK-47. It's a gun salute, where they do fire squad. These are things that you hear with records, and you go, "Wow, this is great. I never would have heard this before."
Reception
Endgame was highly well reviewed, and some of said praise was directed to "44 Minutes". In a song by song review of the album, Terrybezer of Metal Hammer praised the song and remarked that "A stirring, epic intro (complete with a cop’s radio reporting a crime in progress) gives way to a jarring, stomping riff that dominates the verse and is followed by a huge melodic chorus and even more fret-frying lead guitar work." Peter Hodgson of "iheartguitar" was positive of the song and wrote that "44 Minutes might remind some listeners of the balance of melody and aggression displayed on Countdown To ExtinctionCountdown to Extinction
Countdown to Extinction is the fifth studio album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. It was released on July 14, 1992 through Capitol Records. Countdown to Extinction is Megadeth's best-selling album, eventually achieving double platinum status...
tracks like "Symphony Of Destruction
Symphony of Destruction
"Symphony of Destruction" is a 1992 single by American heavy metal band Megadeth, taken from their 1992 double platinum selling album, Countdown to Extinction. The lyrics explores the hypothetical situation where an average citizen might be placed into a position where he can run the country while...
" and "Architecture of Aggression" but with the added heaviness that seems to come from just being in the mere presence of such an intense track of "This Day We Fight!
This Day We Fight!
"This Day We Fight!" is a song by the American heavy metal band Megadeth, which appears on their twelfth studio album Endgame, which was released on September 15, 2009, written by frontman Dave Mustaine...
."
Personnel
Megadeth- Dave MustaineDave MustaineDavid Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...
– VocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
s - Chris BroderickChris BroderickChristopher Broderick is the virtuoso guitarist of the American thrash metal band Megadeth. He currently resides in Sherman Oaks, California...
– Lead, rhythm, and acoustic guitars - James LoMenzoJames LomenzoJames "JLo" LoMenzo is a metal bassist known for his roles as a former member of White Lion and Megadeth. He is also known for his work in Black Label Society .-Past bands and other works :...
– Bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Shawn DroverShawn DroverShawn Drover is a Canadian drummer, best-known for his work with the heavy metal band Megadeth....
– DrumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
Production
- ProducedRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by Andy SneapAndy SneapAndy "Undie" Sneap is an English record producer, recording engineer, mixer, guitarist, and songwriter. He is best known for producing and mixing many acclaimed heavy metal albums.-Musician:...
and Dave Mustaine - EngineeredAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
, mixedAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
, and masteredAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
by Andy Sneap - Additional recording by Dave Mustaine
- Solo - Chris
- Solo - Dave
- Lyrics & Music - Mustaine
See also
- North Hollywood shootoutNorth Hollywood shootoutThe North Hollywood shootout was an armed confrontation between two heavily armed bank robbers and officers of the Los Angeles Police Department in the North Hollywood district of Los Angeles on February 28, 1997...
- 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out is a 2003 American film directed by Yves Simoneau. The film premiered on the FX Network in June 2003.-Plot:...
– the movie based on this event - ShootoutShootoutA shootout is a gun battle between armed groups. A shootout often, but not necessarily, pits law enforcement against criminal elements; it could also involve two groups outside of law enforcement, such as rival gangs. A shootout in a military context A shootout is a gun battle between armed groups....
- "The Right to Go InsaneThe Right to Go Insane"The Right to Go Insane" is a song by the American heavy metal band Megadeth, written by Dave Mustaine. It is the final track and second single from their twelfth studio album Endgame, which was released on September 15, 2009...
" - another MegadethMegadethMegadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
song based on a criminal act that culminated in the death of the perpetrator - North Hollywood Shootout (Blues Traveler 2008 Album)
External links
- YoutubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL7DED8huak - MegadethMegadethMegadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
's Official Site http://www.megadeth.com/home.php - Official lyricsLyricsLyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
http://www.megadeth.com/song_lyrics.php?song_id=155