Mike Watt

Mike Watt is a bassist, a singer, and a songwriter that is credited by being one of the progenitors of alternative rock in 1980s with his legendary and influential punk band, The Minutemen. Mike Watt was born in Portsmouth, Virginia on December 20, 1957. His hometown is currently San Pedro, California.

Watt was hugely influential on the Southern California music scene in the late 1980s and 1990s – to the point that the Red Hot Chili Peppers dedicated their fifth album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, to him; his more melodical approach to bass lines in the vein of the late Who guitarist John Entwistle. With vocalist Martin Tambourovich, drummer George Hurley, and guitarist D. Boon, Watt would form his first band, The Reactionaries in 1978. A year later, Watt, Hurley, and Boon formed the Minutemen. The Minutemen would sadly last only until 1985, when D. Boon was killed in a car accident.

Although Watt wanted to quit making music altogether after Boon’s death, he would soon form the two bass band Dos in 1986 with Kira Rosseler formerly of Black Flag (whom he would be married to for seven years). That same year, he joined back with drummer Hurley and Ed Crawford to form fIREHOSE. Watt still works with Rosseler on Dos; fIREHOSE ended up disbanding in 1994.

Throughout the mid-90s and the present day, he has developed his own solo career, appeared on other band’s albums and music video (most notably Good Charlotte’s music video for the “Young and The Hopeless”), and toured with other bands. He has released three solo albums and has toured and worked with Banyan (the jazz and punk project of Stephen Perkins), Hellride, J Mascis and The Fog, Iggy Pop and The Stooges and Unknown Instructors. He’s currently on tour and working with Rosselor on Dos’ fourth album.


Mike Watt’s Discography

Solo Albums:
Ball-Hog or Tugboat? (1995)
Contemplating The Engine Room (1997)
The Secondman’s Middle Stand (2004)

Albums With Dos:
Dos (1986)
Numero Dos (1989)
Justamente Tres (1996)

Albums With The Minutemen:
The Punch Line (1981)
What Makes a Man Start Fires? (1983)
Double Nickels on the Dime (1984)
3-Way Tie (For Last) (1985)
Ballot Result (1986) - Live

Albums With fIREHOSE:
Ragin', Full On (1986)
If'n (1987)
fROMOHIO (1989)
Flyin' the Flannel (1991)
Mr. Machinery Operator (1993)

Albums With Unknown Instructors:
The Way Things Work (2005)

Albums With Banyan:
Banyan (1997)
Anytime At All (1999)
Live At Perkins’ Place (2004)