Ep527: Tales from the Stooges with Mike Watt
Mike Watt played with Iggy & The Stooges for over 10 years - today he shares all about his times with the brotherhood - Iggy, the Asheton Brothers, Steve Mackay, the comeback tours, The Weirdness, the end of the road and more!
Topics Include:
- Mike Watt discusses new Record Store Day release: 40-minute version of "We Will Fall"
- Without the Stooges, Watt believes punk movement wouldn't have existed as we know it
- Played with Stooges for 126 months after Iggy Pop called him in 2003
- First heard Funhouse in 1970-71 when most people dismissed the band entirely
- Stooges music helped Watt recover from serious illness 25 years ago
- Initially met Ronnie Asheton at Minutemen gigs in Detroit's Greektown neighborhood
- Played with Ronnie in 1996 for Todd Haynes film Velvet Goldmine
- Iggy and Ronnie hadn't spoken for 29 years before 2003 reunion
- Watt received fateful call at Tallahassee club: "Ronnie says you're the man"
- Iggy's first concern: Would Watt wear T-shirt instead of flannel? "Fuck yeah"
- Thought Coachella would be one-off gig, became decade-long musical journey
- Being youngest member at 45 allowed Watt to absorb everything from legends
- Asheton brothers had telepathic connection, communicated through rhythm more than words
- Lost Ronnie in 2009, Brother Steve in 2014-2015: "You always think you got time"
- Watt never wore same T-shirt twice during entire Stooges tenure
- One time played shirtless in New Orleans after wearing orange triggered Iggy's nightmare
- After Ronnie died, switched from T-shirts to black flannel honouring his memory
- Final years wore Dickies work clothes, embracing mechanic aesthetic Iggy appreciated
- Still calls Iggy every April 21st for his birthday, ringtone is "TV Eye"
- Instrumental tribute albums with Larry Mullins represent "paying back the debt"
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