Mike Watt Interview (2013)

I want to start adding music interviews to the site, especially when I feel like they are worthy or relevant. This Mike Watt interview was for our Spring 2013 issue of unearthed and was never put online until now.

What can be said about a man like Mike Watt? With a track record of playing in bands like the Minutemen, fIREHOSE, the Stooges, and most recently, the Missingmen, Watt has become one of the most respected bassists in the last 30 years. So when I heard he was playing a show at Slo Brew with the Missingmen, it was a no brainer. The bands energy and technically sound musicianship was evident as they played their album "Hyphanated-Man" in its entirety. I was lucky enough to jump in "the boat" with Mike as we discussed skateboarding, playing in Slo, and a new Stooges record with San Pedro's finest.

You mentioned you've been in SLO before. Do you remember the last time you performed here?

You know, I might have played this pad (SLO Brew) because I know I’d played here once before. There used to be a place called “Local Rancheros” somewhere on the hill outside of town. Firehose played there a bunch. Maybe all together eight or nine times over 30 years, but recently not a lot. This is the first time in a number of years and I’m so sorry. I’ll come back more.

I noticed when you were playing tonight the band was especially close to the audience. Is that intentional?

Yeah, well you got to understand, next month I’m 55, so I come from arena rock. When I saw punk, I graduated high school in ’76 and the next year it was the total opposite of arena rock. It was like Nuremberg rallies! And I told D Boon (Minutemen), "We can do this!" The way I set up with Raul (Missingmen drummer) up front, I try to make it like you’re in our practice pad. So that’s what I’m trying to do. It’s on purpose.

I like that. It keeps it more genuine.

Skaters do that too, they watch each other and then take their turn around the pool and then drop in. It’s not all just, “This guy and the passive spectator.”

So when you were in fIREHOSE, the Santa Cruz video “Streets on Fire” came out. Did you feel that skate videos helped get your music out there?

We did Ohio Skateout too. Those were really important. To me it was like the same idea of the fans. These dudes were making their own videos, and I found out later that these guys from Europe were learning from those videos! It’s like a fabric that connects and it doesn’t do it in a lame ass, tyrant way. That’s the good thing about the arts; it’s a good way to connect without having it suffocate. That’s why I dig ‘em and embrace ‘em. 

I know too you’ve played with Ray Barbee.

Yeah. He's an incredible musician. I was on TV with him and Chuck Treece on drums. Then there’s another cat up in the Bay Area, Tommy Guerrero. Big Respect! There are a lot of cats who can play like motherfuckers and also skate. When the producers for the show said, “We want you to play at a fancy club,” Ray said, “No we want to play at a house,” and the producers listened.

I’m surprised the producers listened!

Well you know, they were younger, and they understood skating. That’s when a lot changes. The dudes move in, and they don’t leave that behind. Was it a little kid thing? No this is ethic and it goes into all parts of your life. And see it's weird when they say, “This is just for kids”. No, maybe playing army is for kids, but for skateboarding, music, and creating, that should never leave!

Awesome! So what’s the plan for Mike Watt in 2013?

A new Stooges Album. I’m recording it next week. I’m going up to Oakland to Fantasy Studios, where Credence did, to do Stooges with James Williamson and Scott Asheton. Then I’m mixing an album with Nels Cline called “The Black Gang” and it’s about autumn. Then I’ve got a collection of songs I’m working on with the Secondmen.  It's organ, bass, and drums. They're both from Pedro, so I know D Boon would love me doing work songs with Pedro guys. So that’s my plan for 2013.

Excellent! Well my last question is about a skateboarding term called a Jazzpush. What to you define as a Jazzpush?

Man, a Jazzpush to me is like a (Mike accidentally honks his van horn) whoa! It aint leaning on my horn that’s for sure! A Jazzpush for me is like what John Coltrane said; all music people are looking for some kind of truth. So it’s about the search for truth. That’s what I would call it.

Follow Mike Watt and the Missingmen on Facebook, and make sure to check out hootpage.com for all of Mike's happenings!