412 - Wire - Pink Flag - Mike Watt
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EPISODE SUMMARY:
In this weird world that ricochets between the splendorous and the tragic, it's a rare, enlightened few who can create a balance between order and chaos, and see reality through the eyes of a true guru. Without question, Mike Watt fits that description. Having performed with such iconic acts as Firehose, The Stooges and, of course, Minutemen, Mike is an elder statesman of the punk music world, and therefore possesses intimate knowledge of not only the impact, but also creative processes of pioneers like Wire, who blasted onto the scene in 1977 with their one-of-a-kind, convention-defying debut album Pink Flag. But more than just music, Mike understands what it means to truly be a singular artist and see beyond the trappings of ego, fame, and the pressure to fit into one particular box.
SHOW NOTES:
00:30 – Intro
06:45 – A punk state of mind
12:45 – Flier and Gigs
19:15 – Making a song any way you want
25:00 – More than just clichés
30:15 – Working the short format
38:45 – The best song names
43:15 – Just keep going
51:00 – Why can’t things be weird?
58:30 – Rock v. Punk
1:06:45 – No time to die
1:17:15 – You don’t have to be an asshole
1:27:45 – It’s all about the order
1:38:45 – Facts!
1:45:15 – Cups of piss and used rubbers
1:47:00 – Outro/New music