Under The Big Black Sun: A Conversation with John Doe and Mike Watt | SXSW Music 2016

Join Los Angeles punk icons John Doe (X) and Mike Watt (the Minutemen, firehose) for a discussion on the roots of Southern California punk and hardcore music. Moderated by Tom DeSavia (SONGS Music Publishing), Doe's co-author on the upcoming "Under the Big Black Sun: a Personal History of L.A. Punk" - an oral history which features contributions from Watt, Henry Rollins, Dave Alvin, Jane Wiedlin, Charlotte Caffey, and more.
Subscribe: www.youtube.com...
About SXSW:
Started in 1987, South by Southwest (SXSW) is a set of film, interactive, and music festivals and conferences that take place early each year in mid-March in Austin, Texas. SXSW’s original goal was to create an event that would act as a tool for creative people and the companies they work with to develop their careers, to bring together people from a wide area to meet and share ideas. That continues to be the goal today whether it is music, film or interactive technologies.
Connect with SXSW Online:
Visit the SXSW WEBSITE: www.sxsw.com
Like SXSW on FACEBOOK: / sxswfestival
Follow SXSW on TWITTER: / sxsw
/ sxsw

[@elmoblatch9787]

Mike Watt is such a unique man -- so fundamentally odd. I saw firehose probably a dozen times in the late 1980s...stage diving, moshing in a mostly non violent way, what a great band and a great time. I got post cards in the mail to tell me about the gigs.

[@Undertheinfluence81]

I can listen to watt telling his stories for hours,he is an interesting dude for sure.

[@tomallen5837]

Thanks, I was going to type something similar, but you said it. It's enthralling. He great he's so passionate. No, enthusiastic ... or both. What a blast he is to listen to!

[@cftvdata]

It's true, Ian MacKaye really does write everyone back. I emailed him when I was 14, asking about a Minor Threat live bootleg I had acquired in a trade that included a song that didn't appear on the Complete Discography compilation. I didn't really expect an answer at all, since the thing I was inquiring about was so obscure and had happened several decades prior, but he got back to me later that day, asking if I could send him an MP3. I did just that, and the next day, Ian sent me a long letter with backstory info on the gig in question (October 1982 @ HB Woodlawn High School) and a detailed explanation about how the song in question was actually a very early version of "Look Back and Laugh", with lyrics that were later rewritten and used for "Betray". The fact that he not only answered my question immediately, but took the time to write a solid 500 words in response, was incredibly endearing to me as a teenaged kid.

[@stevenmccart5455]

Two legends that I've seen countless times over the decades and still listen to today. Living in Pedro and Long Beach these stories bring back so many tales of my youth. I lived in the exact same neighborhood just a few buildings away from D Boon.

[@elmoblatch9787]

Scouts honor, I went to that gig in 1987 at the Universal Amp with Jerry Lee Lewis, X, and it was fIREHOSE and NOT Minutemen. Mike Watt was correct.

[@ksnorts3970]

I’ve watched this countless times. Love listening to theses guys, especially Watt! At 11:06 is what makes me smile the most!

[@znametep4159]

The coolest thing is that I bet most everyone here adding their comments are probably in bands of their own. That's what these two dudes are really all about & why their unbelievably important. They're inspirational trailblazing musicians paving the way for everyone to start making their own unique noise.

[@wa8d4g8i7]

watts such a genuine guy

[@OwlAtHome0]

Thank you for this! Two beautiful, beautiful men.

[@laurabethita3008]

This is SO rad! I love Watt and Doe!

[@thekredyard7577]

I expected the crowd to be full like nofx's panel..but wow what a bummer. Real legends telling great stories to an empty room. Maybe better this way.

[@stevenmccart709]

I might be biased because I frequented all of those clubs in the L.A. area back then so , I'm partial to the local bands then. There were such different sounds and it seemed to be a more melodic type music , not your stereotypical fast punk rock. It was more like an attitude and frame of mind. Looking back at how really screwed up L.A. was back then I had such great times that I wouldn't change for the world. I also drove an Econoline for awhile. And the Brat was an awesome band.

[@elmoblatch9787]

Those are two deities on stage. Real deities don't exist, but these two are REAL.

[@JNathanielBerke]

"we can do this" - Watt 🙂

[@matlockduybay1888]

yea play bass so kinda like watt i didnt know bass from my ass 2 high school buddy you want play bass in punk band i just heard the germside 1977 it was terrible but germs gi 1979 is so great so gave me hope lorna doom in 2 years after first learning play john doe and watt and dukowski from flag /dave from the stooges are some my favorites

[@Matt201191]

Pat in the movie ROADHOUSE!!

[@unhooked25]

Matt K: Hey yeah that's right, he was Pat McGauran in ROADHOUSE. Brad Wesley's nephew...The one who Dalton noticed had quite a little enterprise going as a bar tender, because he was going through a bottle every thirty minutes, he was skimming the till for six shots a bottle, on draughts one every ten. And Dalton told him to consider it severance pay and to take the train.

[@helethead]

Pull the mic away from your mouth. How can you not know that?? No mic in the audience? Cant even hear the questions. Jesus.

[@AlexanderLaurence]

Michael X Head 45:33

[@crypttonite]

Watt can talk

[@YTPartyTonight]

As the man himself says, it's called wind-bagging in Pedro.

[@doodleydoo2369]

That d bag was so proud of beating up Green Day fans... Snobby fashion obsessed posers ruin Punk. Punk should drive you to create, not be a 40 year old man child that is afraid of growing older.