This is going to be a section on Mike Watt. Who is Mike Watt, if you don't know? He's an alternative/punk rock legend who plays bass (or as he puts it, the 'thud staff '.) He has been rockin' ever since the 70's. Watt grew up in San Pedro California and in his early teens met his good guitarist friend D.Boon there. They found themselves in a punk band called the Reactionaries, and then after that they took the Reactionaries' drummer George Hurley to form the Minutemen. The Minutemen tended to have a sound a bit more quirky, eclectic and humorous than many of the contemporary hardcore punk bands of the nearby scene at the time. They had a certain kinship with noted and rightly notorious L.A. band Black Flag, who duly respected them. Watt even ended up getting into a romantic relationship with one of Black Flag's bassists, Kira Roessler. The output of the band was quite prolific for the time they existed (from 1980-1985), with the 1984 album 'Double Nickels on the Dime' being the standout for most, with the original release featuring 45 songs!
The sad demise of the Minutemen came about when D. Boon was killed in a van accident heading to Arizona December 22, 1985. Mike Watt and George Hurley grew too depressed and disillusioned to really give too much thought to continuing with music. Yet somehow they still did, at the coaxing of some friends. First Watt was invited to guest star on some songs with Sonic Youth (the 'Ciccone Youth-Whitey Album' project and some work off of 'EVOL'). A chap named Ed Crawford brought the remaining Minutemen together and he essentially replaced D.Boon for guitar/vocal duties, yet the band was now called fIREHOSE. As well, Mike slowly formed a band with Kira Roessler called 'Dos', which is essentially just the two playing bass. Kira had made some contribution to the Minutemen's final album ('3 Way Tie For Last') also got had a bit of involvement with fIREHOSE. The pair ended up marrying in '87, though divorced not too long after fIREHOSE disbanded in '94. The divorce was on good terms however, and Dos continues to exist as a here and there project (as it always has).
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| The weirdass cover art to 'Ball Hog or Tugboat?' |
In 1995, Mike Watt went solo and a landmark first album was released, 'Ball Hog or Tugboat?'. This album should be considered very important in the annals or true alternative/underground rock. A gazillion special names in the genre were invited as guest stars on the record, including: Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic of Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr's J. Mascis, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, Cris and Curt Kirkwood of the Meat Puppets, Pat Smear (once in the Germs, once a touring guitarist for Nirvana, now in the Foo Fighters with Dave Grohl), Gary Lee Conner and Mark Lanegan of the Screaming Trees, Henry Rollins (sang in Black Flag, went solo, punk GOD), Frank Black (the Pixies, solo), Soul Asylum's Dave Pirner, Sonic Youth (minus Kim Gordon), Jane's Addiction drummer Steven Perkins, RHCP bassist Flea, Evan Dando of the Lemonheads, Kira Roessler's brother Paul on piano, punk producer Spot, P-funk legend Bernie Worrell on B3 organ, some Beastie Boys, and so forth. Now, just the fact that all these people agreed to appear on this album is a testimony to the influence and genius of Mike Watt and his own bands. You could just picture the one scenario-- "Mike who? Who wants me on his record?" No, the thing that now stands is if you didn't know who he was before, it's good you are reading this because the man is legend in rock and roll history. The Red Hot Chili Peppers dedicated their entire epic album 'BloodSugarSexMagic' to Mike Watt. Oh and before I forget, besides all those guest appearances, the music itself on 'Ball hog' was quite nifty.
After this album, Watt would go on to release more solo work plus collaborate on a trillion other projects. He has been a very busy man! In more recent times, the most notable thing he'd be up to would be layin' down bass for the revived line up of Iggy and the Stooges!
In his lustred career Watt has worked with (aside from the many already mentioned): Saccharine Trust, Stan Ridgeway, Juliana Hatfield, Nels Cline, Banyan, Porno for Pyros, Burning Brides, and a whole bunch more I am now getting too lazy to mention (har har).
Watt's home site is http://hootpage.com/
As a bonus, below is a 'Glossary of Pedrospeak', which is the peculiar dialect Watt likes to speak:
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b
bail – see out.
ball bust – major hell-ride.
ball-hog – rude bogart.
ball swell – tour wound.
ball tick – scene fixture.
bam bam – has to get going in order to complete
soundcheck.
be great or be gone – tape rolling (see “ding-ding-ding!”).
bean-spill – accidental self spiel.
Bell – gut pack, as in “bellin' it.”
bellig – as in belligerent, major tude.
binga – one lost sometimes.
blow by – prequel to loop.
bofus – literally, “I found it!”
bogart – bumrush.
bomb pop – watt on the 'loose nut' tour.
bones – see government art collection.
boom stick – see thunder broom.
boss – see him/her who deals.
bout – tunes.
broister – swelter pad.
brother – invaluable.
butt snicker – georgism, see floater/bottom fish.
c
cave – empty gig, ton of reverb.
chick-ching – the transferring of many bones.
ching-kwon-dough – more than one bone, as in “beaucoup
dinero.”
choad – one who is hesitant.
choke – a fan at the plate.
chopless – lack of chops.
chow – major part of experience.
clams – chokes, usually on stage in front of people.
coiler – expression sculpted in a “coiling booth.”
concussion pad – tour van seat prop.
corporate pawn – obvious palooka.
cuda – tour mode that promotes heavy chowing.
cut – big scissors.
d
davein' it – christening the pad.
“ding-ding-ding!” – sound of tape beginning to roll.
dumper – chow purge.
e
econo – a way or life.
elbow pop – behind a motorhome shit drain/breakage on
freeway.
f
first engineer scott – crew member on Watt's phone
machine.
flick – georgism, off the back of a motorcycle.
floater – if you're really healthy (“bottom fish” if you're
not).
flow – float the trip.
frap – george's wake-up greeting.
fully blown – georgism, all the way live.
fuego – required by mota.
g
georgism – that which is coined by George [Minutemen
drummer George Hurley]
gordo – bloat.
government art collection – them little green paintings.
h
hambone – solo.
hand puppet – someone seen butt-pickin' themselves.
headslap – alarm clock-like.
head pop – right off the knee.
hell-ride – tour, big ride in van.
i
...ian – turning a vowel into a verb.
k
kind – just right.
knee pop – critical Watt injury/weakness.
knobman – sound engineer.
koa – as in hahd/your spirit.
konk – sleepytown.
l
load dodge – tradin' the rambler for a dodge.
loop – sequel to blow-dry.
m
machinery – plumbing.
mackin' – georgism, tongue wrangle.
major nobody – has-been that never was, average mersh.
mat – recording studio floor.
mersh – commercial.
mota – puff.
mouse – minion.
mulehead – stench breath.
n
nolaning it – bap bap bap.
nut sack – scrotum.
o
one-on-one tug-o-war – solo record.
out – adios.
out of the race – passing a disabled vehicle.
“over the ropes” – out of the picture (see “scissors”).
p
pad – establishment.
paralytic – the manity's (as in hugh manity of orlando, fla)
puff.
petri dish – see ring.
phone jock – typical booking agent.
piss bottle – life saver.
pomp – Daltrey stage pose.
pop – sound made by my knee breaking.
prac – getting ready for the gig – in no way a “rehearsal”.
practice pad – where one pracs.
pretendo – mtv spiel.
pucks – burgers.
pull toy – little truck.
pushbroom – bass.
push cart – vw (see pull toy).
q
q – pedro chow down.
r
rehearsal – for actors & actresses, not band people.
ring – the recording studio, as in “get in the ring.”
rope trick – stage holding banter, have to fold it.
round – tune.
s
sailor – militant band member.
salmo-bloat – see short stay.
shtick – endeavor.
scissors – cut.
shadow box – see davein' it.
shelf life – there is no life beyond shelf life.
short stay – quick dumper after weak chow.
shovel – chow.
sidemouse – one who does your chow while waiting for
theirs.
slackjaw – alert and at attention.
sour – certain look that says something.
spiel – pitch (see “shtick”).
sploogie boy – martin gig.
splorch wart – big mug zit.
springboard – to flow for others.
spunk pad – run down joint.
square john – (your name here)
star of the show – least valuable player.
stuff – chow.
swim team – nut sack crew.
t
team motto – “when you ain't playin' you're payin'.”
thunder broom – bottom tool.
tired – clone soldier stance.
tour-spiel – old sea yarn.
trainwreck – ensemble playing.
tub – brain.
tude – as in pomp.
tug – persuade.
tugboat – nurturer.
twitch fire – georgism, “a looker.”
twofer – duet.
tymp – express instantly.
u
unit – hair piece.
utensil – mota device.
w
wao – pipe filter.
wail – freedom song.
wang – clever person.
wang towel – clean up crew (see sploogie boy).
wigger – a go-off, as in heidi.
wind baggin' – on the phone forever.
y
yank – see cut.
yard dog – liar.
yard trophy – disabled ride.
“you fuckin' bahstid!” – sweet endearment.
