mike watt + the black gang

starting on cinco de mayo in 1997, I spent the next three weeks recording my first punk rock opera "contemplating the engine room" w/ nels cline on guitar and stephen hodges on drums that used my pop's life w/the navy as a metaphor for the story of the minutemen.
"contemplating the engine room"
columbia records 68161
it was released in september of that year and I put together a band to tour it, known as "the black gang" (it's old navy slang for those who work in the engine room) and over the next fourteen months I did four tours w/three different lineups. I ended up w/the cline-lee-watt version and we recorded a 7" ep w/ wayne peet for kill rock stars in 1999 besides doing non-opera gigs after the last "...engine room" tour (all the songs uploaded to this page are from the final black gang). I really dug this band so when I get time, I have a album written for nels and bob that I wanna record really bad, maybe I can do it in 2008.
"this is a prayer" 7" vinyl ep
kill rock stars krs352
I have much respect for joe baiza, stephen hodges, nels cline and bob lee for helping me out like they did, pouring much heart into my piece to help make it come alive plus steve reed, who was my beloved soundman on all four "...engine room" tours. like I say at near the end of my opera: "I'm a lucky man" - ain't that the fucking truth.