Though they’ve always lived on separate coasts and occupied different scenes, Mike Watt has always held J Mascis in high esteem. And he’s more than happy to offer his “spiel” on Dinosaur Jr.’s fearless leader.
“I’ve always been into J’s work,” says Watt, who’s second in status only to (perhaps) Flea in the post-punk bassist pantheon. “J was a drummer first, and he used to play to Georgie (Hurley) on our Minutemen albums, so getting him aboard for my go was most happening.”
Back in his hometown of San Pedro, Calif., Watt joined Hurley at Pete Mazich’s Casa Hanzo studio for a cover of “The Little Baby” from Dinosaur Jr.’s 1991 LP, Whatever’s Cool With Me. Mascis returned the favor with his version of “Formal Introduction,” recorded at his Bisquiteen Studio in Amherst, Mass. The original appeared on Mr. Machinery Operator, the 1993 album from Watt’s post-Minutemen group, fIREHOSE.
The “The Little Baby”/“Formal Introduction” split seven-inch is out today via Red Parakeet, an imprint of American Laundromat label head Joe Spadaro.
“Three years ago, I pitched the idea to Mike for a ‘one-for-one’ split seven-inch with Tim Kerr (Big Boys, Poison 13, Monkeywrench),” says Spadaro. “We had such a great experience working on it that we decided to make it a series … David Pajo was on the second one. J immediately got back to us with a song choice. It was easy—but it was all Mike. He has those friendships and is the heart of this series.”
We’re proud to premiere Mike Watt’s cover of Dinosaur Jr.’s “The Little Baby.”
—Hobart Rowland
