Mike Watt Fans,, need info.

Tajue17 · #1 01-21-2011, 08:57 AM

after listening to some Minutemen stuff the past few days in my truck I wondered what gear he normally used.

do you guys know what basses and amps/cabs Mike used during the minutemen years?? he has a decent studio sound and I believe he was a fingers player but the clarity in some songs sounds like he's using a pick too,,, or was he using a pick and his last 3 fingers in the same song for some popping accents.

just a curiosity question so thanks for any info or opinions..

Against Will · #2 01-21-2011, 09:24 AM

Watt generally used cheapo PJ basses, an EB-3 and cheapo Peavey or tube amps. They didn't have a lot of money, so pretty much anything they could get their hands on they used.

He used a pick for the early recordings, but by the time "Double Nickels..." was released he was playing with his fingers.

Tajue17 · #3 01-21-2011, 10:59 AM

thats cool,,,, I seen pics with the EB-3.. I've done the same thing and my sound was always kinda ratty (which i wanted at the time) his studio stuff sounds better than some bassplayers now with the best gear!

thanks for the post..

DanNowhere · #4 01-21-2011, 11:58 AM

He had the famous Fender Telecaster bass with the Minutemen and for a while with fIREhOSE until it was stolen. I never got a chance to see him live with the Minutemen, so I have no idea what kind of amp he used then, but the fIREhOSE shows he was playing a GK800RB. Not sure of the cabinet, but I think it was 2 15's (I just remember it being tall and narrow). Nowadays he's using the EB3, and I'm pretty sure he's into Eden amps.

panama · #5 01-21-2011, 01:42 PM

http://www.hootpage.com/#contact

panama · #6 01-21-2011, 01:49 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsRkfftZ2Vo

I think the conclusion is: he played an EB-3 in the 70s, a PJ in the 80s, and an EB-3 now.

As far as amps I can't find any consistency in images from the early-mid 80s. Basically..he jams econo. Whatever is around.

Against Will · #7 01-21-2011, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tajue17

thats cool,,,, I seen pics with the EB-3.. I've done the same thing and my sound was always kinda ratty (which i wanted at the time) his studio stuff sounds better than some bassplayers now with the best gear!

thanks for the post..

I think Watt might have modded his EB-3 back with the Minutemen, all his EB-3s nowadays are modded do give him the mid-range he wants, but he's also just a phenomenal musician. By the time they recorded Paranoid Time he and D. Boon had already been playing together for 10 years.

Tajue17 · #8 01-21-2011, 02:23 PM

most of the bands i see come through boston all played through a GK800 so that doesn't surprise me that he used one on the road because they are so tough ,, is he now endorsed by Eden and thats why he plays them or I wonder if they where the sound he was looking for in a high end amp?

one more thing---> did mike write most of their music?? usually lead style bass players have a big hand in the writing part of it and the guitar fills in behind bass.

Barkless Dog · #9 01-21-2011, 02:45 PM

Gear review I did with Watt here-

http://www.flyguitars.com/interviews/mikewatt.php

Against Will · #10 01-21-2011, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tajue17

most of the bands i see come through boston all played through a GK800 so that doesn't surprise me that he used one on the road because they are so tough ,, is he now endorsed by Eden and thats why he plays them or I wonder if they where the sound he was looking for in a high end amp?

one more thing---> did mike write most of their music?? usually lead style bass players have a big hand in the writing part of it and the guitar fills in behind bass.

Each member of the band wrote their own parts, D. Boon wrote most of the lyrics, Watt wrote a few, George Hurley did couple, but Boon was the main lyricist.

Check out the Minutemen doc: We Jam Econo

Tajue17 · #11 01-22-2011, 02:12 PM

thanks again for the posts..... Against Will, I am ordering that video monday when they are open thanks for posting that link i didn't know there was anything out there.

also on a slightly different note where some of you know alot about the minutemen,,, I heard a rumor that Johnny Knoxville from the jackass show never paid for royalites for using the song carona and that there was something about the drummer tried to sue him but where D Boon passed away Johnny's attourney found a loop hole and got out of it and still used it in the move and basically screwed the other people who wrote it.

DanNowhere · #12 01-22-2011, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tajue17

also on a slightly different note where some of you know alot about the minutemen,,, I heard a rumor that Johnny Knoxville from the jackass show never paid for royalites for using the song carona and that there was something about the drummer tried to sue him but where D Boon passed away Johnny's attourney found a loop hole and got out of it and still used it in the move and basically screwed the other people who wrote it.

Never heard this story, but since MTV was the production company behind the Jackass movie/tv shows, I seriously doubt the truth of this story.