The Ig in Spain. Eric Fisher photo

it's crazy at the stage - we were put in a van after the golf cart ride and now are driven right up to the stairs - it's kind of chaotic but I get my bass on. we're not like we practiced coming on stage but somehow we get out there and I go to plug in - it's the wrong chord and my tuner's nowhere to be found! whatever, I plug into what get's handed me and I notice the mics not on the good cabinet - it's on the beat up one! this is funny. well, "a poor carpenter blames his tools," I've heard said so it's no time to get fussy now. iggy starts the gig. a big fever flash comes on me and I hit a note on the first hit ron and scott do for "loose" - I'm not supposed to do that! aaarrgggghhhh - this is a wake-up call that I'm gonna have to focus hard and fight the spaceyness this sickness is trying to put on me. I put my eyes right on ig hold on tight. we're off. man, is iggy wild on stage - running all over the place and he's singing good, like a champ. I feel more pale and whiter than a winding sheet but I think I got the fire inside to make this work. I can't believe I'm playing w/the stooges - it just occurs to me what is happening and it's really blowing my mind but I hold hard to course and follow the igster, who's totally in his game - it's his stage for sure. I stay back where my amps are to give him plenty of room. he's so inspirational, I'm giving everything I got and my eyes are glued on him. the next tune is "down on the streets" and the sound comes together more. the wind is playing havoc w/the sound from ron's amps but my bass is ok if not a little muddy. I'm not going to fuck w/it though cuz it does a heavy thing that's working w/scotty's drums. iggy's spinning like a top and singing in fine form. when ron's big solo comes, ig jumps past me and right on top of my amps and starts humping them big time. I turn around to see it better and it's like "whoa - can you believe this?!" the whole thing is so surreal to me, it's hard to believe this is all happening. "1969" is next and this is a mad stomp, iggy tearing it up w/lots of fucks in his speech but all in the right way. scotty's got the bellydancer beat down good. I'm able to hold on good now, the sickness must be in check through adrenaline now in me. I don't know exactly but I am very much fired up in the head and try to shake my body up too but it's hard. iggy comes to dance in front of me, as if to help out. man, is he something - wild! I still can't believe this. we go into "I wanna be your dog" and I do the riff like iggy showed me in prac - it's good this way w/a happening pulse. I'm trying to remember everything he told me in the last two days and put it here in practice cuz it all made good sense. I watch his feet, I watch his hands, I watch every spin and jump he lets fly - I feel like one of the kids in the crowd, watching the gig but I also get to play along somehow, it's wild. oh my god, "tv eye" next and I force my shit to get shook up as much as I can make it happen. this song has always made me crazy and wild, since I was younger. I let it rip now - I let it rip but I hang on to the groove, I know iggy's counting on me for that - everything to stay in their w/the drums and give him and ron a foundation to wail on. I don't play in the last part so I get the right cord (the one w/the right-angle) changed out and try to get my tuner hoked up but jos plugs it into the footswich jack. I get it together just as scotty starts his floor tom roll - time to slow things up a little w/"dirt" but for some reason, ig stops us after a few bars and asks if we're in the right key and I say, "yes" and so he says, "start it again" and so we do. that was trippy. I don't know if you'd really call that a clam cuz maybe it was sounding weird to him. whatever, iggy croons this one smooth and I dig it much. I came down on the volume some so I can still play it w/balls, like ig wants me to but it won't bogart up all the sound w/blurry stuff, like for a blaster tune. this has always been a favorite of mine, together w/"tv eye" and I'm so glad we're doing it - ron never liked doing it when we had j mascis instead of iggy. I think he smokes on this tune and am so into us doing it here. iggy really refined the middle part for me and dances all mysterious and twisty w/it. the only sizable clam of the whole gig comes at the end when scotty ends the tune a few bars early but me and ron feather it down to dovetail w/iggy so he's not left all alone. scotty's playing great though and this is a minor thing, very minor. iggy hollers "no fun" and we're into that one. here's where fever comes on me again for a moment and I lose some focus, at the beginning of verse two I play in 'd' instead of 'e' - aaaaaarrrrrrrggggghhhhh... I corrected quick but I realize I have to keep a tight hold on and re-double my efforts to focus on iggy. fuck this sickness! iggy intoduces the band, "we are the stooges - here's ron, scotty, new guy mike and I'm fuckin' iggy!!!" wow, I would've never thought in my wildest dreams I would be a real stooge - this is a very big mindblow for me, incredible. we launch into "1970" and it's clear the decks! iggy is flying around like a tornado and swinging the mic, whoa! at the end, here comes steve mackay on the same sax he used on "fun house" - whoa. "out of my mind, saturday night!" iggy sings - out of my mind, sunday night - that's what I'm thinking right now about my current state - this is all so hard to believe it's happening. I can't believe I'm getting through it too. I haven't really looked at the crowd cuz of the focus on my boss but they've been sounding wild about each throw we make. they're very kind cuz I'm thinking how many were even born when these songs were written but then again, these tunes are way fucking timeless and will always blast! whay an honor to do the bass for them, much respect! iggy looks at me and says "fun house" so I lay down the lick and he lets out a giant "uuuuuhhh!!" that thumps me silly. whoa! yes! I've heard that intro ten million times but to be actually part of the real deal - it's crazy to even fathom - I'm caught up in it so. however, I don't lose site of the job at hand and get the dynamic down for ig to sing the verses and then ramp it up for the choruses. I take it down an octave for the "we've been separated..." parts and then kick it way up for the freak out of "l.a. blues" after ig sings "the fun house boy will steal your heart away!" mine's done stole and we finish up w/iggy telling the crowd "I am you" and pounding the stage. whoa, fortyseven minutes and we're done. one of the gigs of my lifetime. love to you, d. boon - you were there w/me the whole time, keeping me strong enough. I get my bearings straight and bow towards the northeast before putting my bass down. much love carried me through this. to think I was curled up and shivering just a minutes before we went on. many, many, many thanks from watt. back to the trailer and we take some pictures. I'm really weak so I can't stay too long except to thank ig, ron, scotty, art - what a moment for me. I'm so glad I could help out instead of ruining things. what a gift that I'll never take for granted. the chili pepper have me join in their pre-gig circle and we silently give thanks and I say "love supreme" when we break hands so they can play their gig. time for me now to get back to pedro.

kristin brings my konked-out self back to pedro safe. she really helped me out this weekend and that was so generous of her. I'm totally w/out strength or energy, I am tapped out. thank you so much, kristin. I am blown out and crumple to the deck in a pile. my blankies and the heating pad are here so I fumble and get that together, stumbling around in the dark cuz I'm too tired to get the light. ok, finally - everything still. my head is reeling w/the mindblow of all this: to get sick that fast and go through all that hurt but yet get to have my chance of a lifetime and be a stooge - it's all so wild. I lay on the deck and hear and feel tremors passing through me. they're gentle ones and they rattle me only softly, like gentle laps from ocean waves. oh, to be here near my water - I sure wish I could've pedaled down to the shore and have a good think, looking out over the sea, waiting for an eyegift of a pelican flying by. instead, I have to imagine it - like most of my hankerings. I did get to be a stooge though... whoa, whoa, whoa - I keep reflecting as konk takes me.

obviously, the "gravity of the situation" for me was more intense than I can express in words (though I tried to as evidenced by the above scrawls). it was the single most wild mindblow I had ever had, even w/all that fucked-up fever and all... in fact, that gig blew out the fever and I was able to do the rest of my tour - five weeks straight and though I was weak and my guys had to help me much, I was fired-up big time from that incredible fortyseven mintues on stage in coachella. getting to play w/the stooges was like getting planted in the soil that grew you. it's like being a minuteman w/d. boon in a way, that kind of rush - something naturally racing through you cuz the connection is so natural and right there. how many things come to you second, third, fourth... ninth hand and here I am, right at the source. totally a real "o-mind" for sure.

Q I thought your wearing a Dave Alexander T-shirt on debut was a nice touch. Did Iggy really tell you to dump the flannel shirts, which are a sort of trademark for you? It was the shirtless look in New Orleans, wasn't it?

iggy called me the night I played tallahassee and asked me to wear a tshirt for the coachella gig but it was scotty who gave me the dave alexander shirt and I was very, very honored to wear that cuz he was the man, right? I told iggy I got the flannel idea from john fogerty anyway! besides, I wore like a caftan for perry farrell when I helped porno for pyros for some tours. you can't learn everything always being a boss - sometimes it's good to switch roles and be a deckhand, I think it's healthy. I wear what I want in my own bands, it doesn't bother me to take direction (either musically or w/clothes) when I'm helping someone else w/their thing. I know that might trip some people out but it's what I sincerely believe.

On stage on New Orleans. Eric Fisher photo.

that thing in new orleans was hilarious! just before we were to go on, iggy says to me, "mike, show these people you mean business - take your shirt off like me... you're looking a little orange" (I was wearing an orange tshirt). now I haven't played w/my shirt off in like twenty years but what the fuck? life is short and we're talking about the stooges w/iggy asking me to take my shirt off! believe me, it was no big deal and pretty trippy too. life is to be lived.

Q You've done two dates in New York, shows in Detroit, L.A., Spain, France and New Orleans since then. Which one's been the best? Is this the sort of band that "grows into" playing live?

I really dug the detroit gig - big time. I was really scared for the long island show (first time w/the stooges where I was fully aware and sickness not tearing at me) and kind of shook up too for the roseland show in manhattan. the spain gig was really righteous - the spanish kids focused so tight on the band and singing all the words. france was really good too - a trip playing in the middle of a twentyfour hour motorcycle race! those french cats were a joy to play for. I thought the band played really good in new orleans but the kids were a little squarejohn, kind of swamped w/mtv/"modern rock" radio propaganda. I think we blew their minds and they didn't know how to react. that's a good thing though, I was very proud of iggy, ron and scotty. they really are true inspirations for me and the songs are timeless.

we just did a gig last week in long beach, ca at the all tomorrow's parties festival and that was very happening - iggy was on fire, ron wailed and slashed while scotty was slamming such a groove - well, again it's hard to put into words. we did another song from iggy's new record, one called "dead rock star" and there's plans to do "little electric chair" (we've already been doing "skull rings" since after coachella) and a junior kimbrough cover (iggy says junior's had a huge influence on him). this band is definitely growing as it plays.

Marilyn meets a hero. Mike Watt photo

Q How weird was it playing to Marilyn Manson's audience in New Orleans? The impression from here is that they would have been awfully young.

well, I kind of answered that above. marilyn manson was most gracious to us and spent time talking w/iggy, telling him, "we've all learned from you." that's the truth. I don't know if marilyn manson's audience is aware of his reverence for the stooges... marilyn manson really wanted to see steve mackay's sax, the same tenor steve used on "fun house" cuz marilyn manson plays sax too. I watched the crowd a little when we played (I'm mostly focused on iggy and then time to time, ron and scotty) and there were folks who "got it" but there were lots of lost faces too - it was trippy.

Ron looks well. Not sure about the other guy.

Q What was it like for the other guys playing a home town show like the one at the DTE Theatre in Michigan, especially after the Big Black Out blew out the original date?

I know they dug it very, very, very much! in a way it was better that the gig happened when it did cuz there was a much better sound system the second time around. the folks in the crowd were really great too, such a vibe from them - tremendous! I hear there's gonna be a dvd released officially of the show maybe.

Q I even heard Iggy, Ron and Rock played some in-stores in NY and Boston, which you had to absent yourself from because of other commitments. THAT has to be a first, especially done "unplugged"!

yeah, I wish I could've seen it! ron and scotty said they went great though - someone should've filmed them cuz they were stories being told by iggy and ron too, especially the boston one.

Q What's the deal with the AOL footage shot recently?

we did six songs: "no fun," "I wanna be your dog," "tv eye," "skull rings," "dead rock star" and "little electric chair." there was an interview after w/all us four and then iggy by himself. it was pretty neat and iggy dug it. I was told it would be available for non-aol folks too for a limited time (on-line). they both filmed and recorded us in the old power station studio in manhattan (called avatar now).

Mike Watt and one of nature's gentlement, Steve Mackay.

Q Steve Mackay's inclusion in the line-up is a bit of a master stroke and, from what I hear, surprised a few people at that first show. Whose idea was that and how did it happen?

it was iggy and the asheton brothers idea and I'm so glad they brought him aboard. steve's a great guy and "honks and hoots" (his favorite description) like a motherfucker! I know iggy, ron and scotty all are totally into john coltrane and they tell me they were very influenced by him so them wanting a sax aboard seems very natural. steve's much into trane too. at the last gig, I gave them all a cd of a 1958 interview coltrane did and boy, were they stoked!

Q Speaking of the new Stoogealbum, what's the plan with that?

I haven't heard of any plans - iggy's own record has just come out.

Q Without putting on too negative a tone, have you heard the murmurs of disappointment that you guys aren't playing anything off "Raw Power". I know there's nothing personal there becase Ron is in contact with James Williamson now and then, but I can understand why the choice has been made to play songs from the first two albums...

some folks have said things to me (not that many though, believe it or not) but that issue has never been discussed in the band ever. ron likes the songs - everyone does - but that wasn't the real stooges and I understand why they're not being played. I respect their decision and have absolutely no problems w/it - in fact, I very much agree w/them. it's a great record. my favorite solo iggy record is "the idiot" but we're not doing any of those songs either. james williamson and scott thurston watched us at the long beach show, I got to meet them before we went on stage. they didn't say anything about us not playing those tunes either. I think it's understood by all who are involved. I love the first album and "fun house" and very much dig the fuck out of wailing on those tunes w/the guys who wrote/played/lived them.

Q I notice you're reprising "I Wanna Be Your Dog" at some shows. No chance of "Ann" or "We Will Fall" making it into the set list instead?

there's been no talk of that but iggy really likes doing "...dog" twice, it's not like we have to.

Q Obviously Iggy's promotion of "Skull Ring" will be a priority, but will we see any more Stooges dates sandwiched between solo band shows, or do we have to wait for the full-blown Stooges album?

I'm sure there's going to be more stooges shows, absolutely. I wish I had solid news to tell you but I'm waiting to hear like you folks.

Q An obvious and self-interested question...any more dates further afield (like in Australia, hint, hint)?

I've played australia twice before (w/porno for pyros and j mascis + the fog) and would love to. I know the stooges mean so much to australian cats and the band knows that too. there's been no plan yet but maybe you can get the big day out people or someone to approach iggy (hint hint).

Q Off the subject of the Stooges, you seem to be playing in this project or that project all year round. Your current band is the Secondmen, right? How many gigs do you do a year? What other things are you doing besides the Stooges?

I've done three tours w/the secondmen (pete mazich on organ and jerry trebotic on drums, both cats from my town, san pedro, ca) in the year and a half I've had the band and we're recording an album for columbia in january. my oldest continuing band is dos (eighteen years now), a two bass band (that's it, just two basses) w/myself and kira from black flag. we're working on a third album now. I also play in steve perkins' banyan along w/nels cline and willie waldman. we're also almost done w/a third album. I've just recorded w/a echo park band called listing ship and have a band where I play standup bass called li'l pit w/thalia ferreira and petra haden where perk also plays drums (he normally plays w/jane's addiction). I try to keep busy, it's all to make me better on bass and explore trippy situations. I never thought of doing music for a living, I got into bass to be w/my best friend d. boon when we were thirteen. we started the minutemen together in 1980 and well... here's where I am now!

Q Is it true you played some free jazz and other twists on Stooges songs in those other bands?

all my stooges bands reflect the personalities of the cats I'm playing w/and that's what's so great about those tunes, they're perfect springboards for taking them where your own individuality takes them. one band, the real oh my (I didn't know the lyric was really "real o-mind") w/nels cline and kevin fitzgerald is way out w/the twisting and then I got one (we god speedro) that's w/two longshoremen from my town (adam gaxiola and jerry trebotic). the first one I started was w/steve perkins and peter distefano from porno for pyros called hellride and then there was the one I did w/j mascis and murph from dinosaur. all of them are influenced by a john coltrane mentality of taking the blueprint of the stooges songs and then personalize them as pure expression, as intense as we can make it. it's a tribute to a great band w/great and timeless tunes. the stooges mean so much to me and other cats who want to take that exhilaration to the stage and see what it does to them. it's like some jekyll and hyde tonic in a way - those tunes bring out some crazy shit in you! I'm not talking about "top forty cover" versions of them, I'm talking about really going for it... whatever's inside, gets flushed out!

Q At the risk of imposing extreme embarassment, what's it like hearing how influential the Minutemen were? What are the best thingsa you remember about being in that band?

I just loved d. boon so much and really dug playing w/him. we were part of a movement back then so all us bands were influencing each other, it was a trip. it is embarrassing trying to talk about yourself like you ask but I will always be a minuteman and am proud of us trying to find our sound they way we did. that scene was so fertile though in those days, it was great having cats like the huskers, black flag, bad brains, and the meat puppets - tons more too. we were very encouraged by all that energy and sense of exploration. it was wild and we were a product of that. you have to give credit to a lot of things if you want to cite the minutemen as part of something. even though me and d. boon were close friends and george hurley was right there w/us, we were caught up in whole flood of wild shit that just made it possible to let the freak flag fly. we were true believers in that.

Q Then there's the new solo album which you're describing as a 'punk opera'. Tell us a little about that...

well, I made a "punk opera" before, "contemplating the engine room" - a piece that parallels my pop's life as a sailor in navy to tell the story of the minutemen. this one here I'm recording in january is one dealing w/that sickness I told you about at the beginning of this interview, the one that almost killed me a few years ago. in this one, I parallel dante's "divine comedy" - don't laugh (well, you can if you want) but it was such a hellride for me and took so much, I thought I should be able to take a record from it. it had a profound effect on me. I make the hell part the sickness, the purgatory part the healing and getting to pedal my bike, paddle my kayak and pluck my bass the heaven part. it has a happy ending. I hope folks trip on it.

Q Since we're in a Bar, what are you drinking and do you want a stogie to go with it?

my drink was always jim beam and soda water but I don't drink much now days cuz of alcoholic swervings. I sure love whisky though, especially bourbon. a stogie w/that would be righteous, thank you much.

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