INTERVIEW: Mike Watt | The Quietus

INTERVIEW: Mike Watt

Righteous knight of the bass hits the UK!

Legendary punk bassist and founder of the Minutemen, Dos and Firehose Mike Watt yesterday kicked off the UK stretch of his third opera, hyphenated-man. This is the second chance to catch Watts’ self-confessed “forty five minute song in thirty little parts” about a “middle-age punk rocker”. Watts decided to bring the tour back to Europe because he believed his last jaunt this side of the Atlantic (in 2011) was “too tiny”. Previously they played 23 gigs, this time round it’ll be a total of 58.

Explaining the opera, Watts told the Quietus: “I used both Hieronymous Bosch characters from his paintings and Dorothy’s perspective in the Wizard of Oz film for imagery to help with the metaphors so it ain’t no tired-ass bunk drama but rather like a wheel spinning – in that way it’s different than my first two operas because there’s no beginning-middle-end”.

Watt and co travel to Exeter tomorrow and culminate the tour at London’s The Lexington 19 April. Visit Watts’ homepage for further touring details, and check out his recent Baker’s Dozen here.

Mike Watt and the Missingmen live dates 2014

APRIL

10 – The Cavern, Exeter

11 – The Fleece, Bristol

12 – The Cookie Jar, Leicester

13 – The Ruby Lounge, Manchester

14 – Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh

15 – Broadcast, Glasgow

16 – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds

17 – The Harley, Sheffield

18 – The Joiners, Southampton

19 – The Lexington, London

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