Mike Watt (or Watt, as he calls himself) has enjoyed more than twenty years holding down the bottom end for some of the most influential punk bands in American history. His career began when he and two schoolmates formed The Minutemen in San Bernadino, CA. After guitarist D. Boon lost his life in an auto accident in 1985, Watt and drummer George Hurley joined forces with singer/guitarist Ed Crawford to form fIREHOSE, recording several influential projects before disbanding in 1994. In the decade since, Watt has performed with several punk outfits, including Porno for Pyros and Iggy Pop and the Stooges, for whom he is the only non-original member of the band. (In a recent interview with Bass Player Magazine, Watt pointed out how wonderful it was to finally be the youngest member of a band.) He has also recorded three excellent solo projects, including the recently released The Secondman’s Middle Stand, a punk-opera focusing on his brush with death as he battled a burst abscess in his perineum. Watt and band mates Jerry Trebotic (drums) and Pete Mazich (organ) have recently completed a grueling tour in support of the new CD. We first spoke with Mike in January of 2005, just before the NAMM show. Our conversations continued through the show, where he was kind enough to sit for a taped interview which will be included in our upcoming documentary Guitar, and were completed in early February. What follows is our discussion on equipment and Watt’s philosophy of bass.

Watt: About four years ago, I switched to short-scale basses. It had gotten to the point that I couldn’t even hold the steering wheel after the gig because my left hand was so sore. Now I’m using an old EB-3. It’s been modified a lot, however; the real ones were very muddy.

Eden: What kind of modifications have you done?

Watt: I put in a Bartolini preamp, which has a blend control instead of the original selector switch. I switched pickups for a Lane Poor Musicman in the neck position and a Bartolini ZBS for the bridge. Actually, the Lane Poor is more in the center; that neck pickup was too boomy for my taste, so the LP sits more in the middle, like a P-bass pickup. I also put a Badass bridge on it. Those old saddles were the worst!

Eden: That’s a lot of modifications! Why not use a different bass?

Watt: I like the mahogany body, which gives a different tone. It’s not as refined and that works well for the sound I’m going for. The EB-3 fits my body better, is more comfortable. I also like the way the neck joins the body. You can get to all the frets very easily – much better than on a Fender, for instance. Plus, the guys expect me to play that bass. I guess they like its voice, too.

Eden: Have you ever used a 5- or 6-string bass?

Watt: No, not really. I’m not against extended range basses at all. But I’m still learning what four strings can do for me; there’s still a lot for me to discover on those four strings.

Eden: What strings are you currently using?

Watt: I’ve been using GHS Boomers lately because they’re economical. I’m playing five or six nights a week, and I sweat a lot. So I have to change them a lot. Using the Boomers saves me some money. I’ve also used DRs and like them quite a bit.

Eden: What Eden gear are you currently using?

Watt: I’ve been using Eden almost since they first came out. My first Eden head was the original VT-40. I still have it. Then I ran a WT800 for six or seven years and really liked it. Recently I’ve been using a Navigator and a WT1000 amp. I’m very interested in checking out the newer amps, though, because I like the idea of having more power. I’ll be getting a WT1550 as soon as they start shipping. For cabinets, I use two D-410XLTs and I love ‘em. I have one 8 ohm cabinet and a 4 ohm. But I’m getting a second 4 ohm unit so I’ll have a matched set.

Eden: What do you like about Eden gear? Why are you such a fan?

Watt: I like Eden gear because it puts my bass where my head's at, gives my inner sense an outer voice. It helps me let folks know it's me working my bass and not some generic whatever.

Eden: Any problems?

Watt: The only problem with Eden stuff isn’t really a problem. But they’re so clean and clear that there’s no “mystery” when it comes to wrong notes. So you have to play better. (laughs) With other amps, especially older ones, you can get away with an occasional wrong note because the mud hides it.

Eden: Can you tell us a little about the settings on your amplifier?

Watt: On the Navigator, I run the Enhance control no higher than the 9:00 position. As for the tone center, it depends on the room. I’ll usually put a small dip in the low mids and a small bump in the high mids. The room determines the actual frequencies I cut and boost and each room is different.

That’s one thing that’s difficult for a bassist. You don’t really get to hear the same thing your audience hears because it takes so long for the low notes to develop. You have to really trust your soundman to help you give the audience what you want them to hear.

Eden: Let’s talk about your sound and how it fits into what you’re doing.

Watt: I normally play in Power Trio setups, so I have to have a voice, you know? I go for a snarly kind of tone – a tone that has its own voice, especially with the current band.

Eden: What’s it like playing in a organ/bass/drums power trio setting?

Watt: It’s pretty interesting playing with someone who can go lower than you. Plus, I’m not competing with a guitar sonically. It gives me a lot of room to maneuver, but it’s also challenging and a lot of fun.

Eden: When’s your next tour? And where?

Watt: We’re heading over to Europe in April and May. That should be fun; it always is.

Eden: OK, I have to ask. What's it like gigging with Iggy and the Stooges?

Watt: It's a total mindblow! They’re quite interesting gentlemen to be learning from. The music is timeless and every gig is played all the way out, full throttle. I love it.

Eden: Let’s talk about style.

Watt: Stylistically, I guess you’d say I was a minimalist. To me, less is almost always more. I try to tell young people that composition is such a big part of playing bass. It’s all about note choices and how many (or few) notes we play. It can take a long time to really understand that; you have to take a lot of dives at it. Of course, there’s learning the chords and such. But you also need to understand harmony and counterpoint.

Eden: So composition is a key element of being a competent bassist?

Watt: I think that, in order to keep ourselves relevant and vital, we need to really get into composition. Listen to James Jamerson on “My Girl” as an example. He’s doing a very steady, very simple riff and yet it just makes the song. It’s not always as much about virtuosity as it is about writing a line that carries the song.

Eden: But you don’t just regurgitate old riffs; you’re style is very unique.

Watt: Don’t get me wrong; I think individuality is a great thing. But look at it this way: All writers use the same twenty-six letters, the same three thousand words that make up the standard vocabulary. It’s all about how you put them together to write the story. It’s the same way with bass. You build a vocabulary over the years so that, when a piece of music is handed to you, you can draw on that whole vocabulary.

Eden: In your opinion, what do you think the role of the bass is?

Watt: The bass is the grout in the tiles, you know? It holds everything together. I’ve always approached the bass with the belief that I’m going to look good by making these guys look good. It’s somewhat self-effacing, but in a good sort of way.

One thing that has always intrigued me is that our voice is so much more limited than other instruments. But maybe that’s a good thing…it makes you really think, be more careful. It’s very challenging to have relatively less room in which to maneuver and yet be the foundation for the music.

Eden: Where do you see bass going in the future?

Watt: We’re still in an age of discovery, you know? There’s so much more territory to cover and the bass is getting much more of a voice in things. Getting back to equipment for a moment, we played glorified guitar amps for so long. Finally, folks like the founder at Eden were called on to make amps just for us…bass-specific amps that had great tone and enough power to get the bass heard more clearly. I think it all relates because now our notes and nuances aren’t being totally hidden. David has found a more articulate way to bring the bass into the music. That’s been a real pleasure for me, because I can really think about crafting a sound that goes with my style.

Eden: Where do you see Watt going in the future?

Watt: Well, right now, I see Watt going to band practice. And after that, maybe for a pizza.

To learn more about Watt and his impressive career, or to order Watt merchandise, visit his web site at www.hootpage.com.

Mike Watt Bio