The Big Huerta Watt’s Happening

This week we have the one, the only, the irrepressible one from San Pedro California, the master of the thunderstick (bass guitar), Mr. Mike Watt. You may know Watt from his movie roles as the quick witted doctor (just seeing if you guys were really reading this), no Watt was originally in The Reactionaries. That band broke up and him and Dennes (D.) Boon along with George Hurley’s stench started The Minutemen. Peeps, The Minutemen were my favorite band for quite some time. They still rank high on my list. It was a mix of the incredible jazz/punk drumming, the short tight songs, the political lyrics, D.’s trebly guitar and Watt’s anchoring it down like a sack of Portland cement. Unfortunately, their career was cut short by D’s tragic, tragic death in an automobile accident. I’ll never forget being told that he died. We were having a party in Long Beach when I was informed of his passing and had to spend some time shut in my room, alone, to absorb the news. I was lucky enough to see them many, many times. They were and are all nice dudes. Go Spotify them if you are not familiar with them…you should be though…

Watt and Hurley later reteamed along with a cat from Ohio named Ed Crawford and became fIREHOSE. We (Jack Brewer Band/The Lazy Cowgirls) got to open for fIREHOSE and his other project Dos (with Kira Roessler) quite a few times and I always tried to raise my game to Hurley’s level, of course, I was nowhere near it but he was cool enough to always say “good job” to me. Another side fact, I remember wanting to quit playing music and told this to Watt and he lectured me about “you can’t give it up man, it’s inside of you…one day you’ll be old and you don’t want to look back regretting choices” or something like that. I’m sure Watt dropped a few Pedro slang-isms in there so I spent half the time deciphering. After dropping anchor and hosing off, Watt talks econo, being astute not to drop clams in prac, then steers the boat before he conks only to pop and shovel chow all over again. Dig Watt.

Anyways, the man is also bassist for some band called Iggy and The Stooges. He also tours the world with The Secondmen, The Missingmen and has played with about everyone in the music world. This dude is highly respected by everyone. He even has his own bobblehead! I consider it an honor that I know this guy and he is still like an average dude. Playing the clubs to arenas, Watt will talk to most all peeps. The dude with the thunderstick rarely throws out bad clams to his folks. Watt also has his own radio show and cool dude Marc Maron recently interviewed Watt so you know he cooks! Mike Watt great bassist, cool dude, highly intelligent, down to earth, from California, from San Pedro..the dude represents well.

I used as a template one of my fave things, the Topps baseball card look. When I was The Little Huerta, I collected baseball cards the way Iman Lababedi collects chicks. I loved my cards. I would spend hours memorizing all of the stats etc..so of course, the artwork left a nice impression upon my person. I used Los Angeles Lakers colors because Watt is a huge homer for the local hoops squad. I dressed him in his customary flannel, he was wearing flannel before the Northwest peeps took that look over and claimed it as their own, and threw his outdoor jacket on him. Watt is an outdoorsman and rows all around Pedro when not touring. I also used the city of San Pedro city sign. Watt and The Minutemen basically put San Pedro on the map, at least musically. Peeps used to not even know where Pedro was, now everyone is from there, it seems. I also used Watt’s thunderstick stance as a silhouette and 1st bass as a play on base. I am sure you all caught that. The clouds represent the many moods and events of this multifaceted human. Mike Watt, bass player, writer, radio jock, trailblazer, good cat, a friend…respects to all.