Cricketbows Bassist tells hilarious Mike Watt Story

Cricketbows bass player Christopher Corn tells the hilarious story about the first time he met his bass hero Mike Watt.
From the "Cricketbows: Where The Ocean Meets The Sky" documentary film.
"Where the Ocean Meets the Sky" - a dreamlike documentary centered around the Dayton, Ohio Psych-Rock band Cricketbows. The movie takes the viewer inside the recording process for the band's "Communion" EP (released 9/8/17) which was recorded at Howler Hills Farm by Zachary D. Gabbard of the band Buffalo Killers as well as on stage with the band and into the minds of the band members. The movie features fully produced music videos for all of the songs from the "Communion" collection as well as music created specifically for the film - making it not only a documentary but a visual, extended version of the EP.

[@jacksonfritts2988]

That 100% sounds like Mike Watt. He is truly a unique individual and has always stood out among bassists. This was a cool vid!

[@cricketbowsofficial]

Watt is the man!

[@bongdonkey]

@@cricketbowsofficial Fact!

[@BigSmiley0TV]

Lol shook watts hand after a show and it was like shaking a mechanics hand

[@colin6603]

You gotta have your whole hands like moccasins

[@DoomedMoviethon]

YES! That is a phenomenal story. I interviewed Watt for my zine in the late 90s and his publicist had to cut in on the call and steer him to the next interview because he been talking to me, this nerdy kid in Palm Beach with a zine that less than 100 people would ever see, for OVER AN HOUR about John Coltrane.

[@erickozlow5220]

The first time I seen Mike Watt was that Union Street in Detroit before show they were playing at Alvin's the bartender told me to put my cigar out .and I said why .the guys right behind me are smoking cigars and it end up being Mike Watt and George Hurley we all laughed they signed our tickets before the show we went and seen them at Alvin's and then ended up partying with them at the red door. And anytime Mike Watt plays in Detroit I bring them cigars to the show. Macanudo

[@cricketbowsofficial]

Nice!!!

[@SD_Marc]

That's funny, a guy I knew was bassist in a band called Skiploader in the 90s, and has a similar story about meeting Watt, and Watt grabbing his hands like that, but said he was checking if they were "bass hands."

[@elmoblatch9787]

Saw Watt play with fIREHOSE in 1987 at the legendary Jerry Lee Lewis, X, and fIREHOSE show. After that saw fIREHOSE probably 20 times. Good times. Saw Watt a couple years ago in Fort Collins with his trio.

[@Mrpsblobsoflowendmung]

😂😂🤣 this is just soo Watt 🤣😂. He’s the warmest humblest man alive . Endlessly inspiring and funny as hell . Brutal honesty .
I cherish every time I get to hang with Watt . The greatest for me ever always will be !
As Watt would say “Keep on Keeping on”

[@chadsmith7059]

Perhaps the best watt story I’ve heard

[@adderon7476]

That's Watt for ya. Dig the Brainiac shirt too

[@cricketbowsofficial]

Hometown pride for the Brainiac gang. Good friends of some of our members.

[@rcerro404]

Fretless is another animal. I play bass too, but when I de-fretted my cheap Squier Jazz, and only play fretless, it was a high learning curve. You have to play differently, because you now have to play ON the fret line, or your off. Because I play some Turkish style music too, the fretless is a necessity for microtones. But i would suspect that any bassist, given a lot of time and practice could relearn their finger positioning, likely having to look at the lines (if they are there), but it's not intuitive. Watt is my idol. Seen Minutemen about 3 times and Firehose many.

[@Gorpisnorb]

Fretless 😂

[@vincenzollamas]

but he did on the Bootstrappers album

[@rich50ful]

What city was this? I was the guy you handed the Bass too.

[@chriscorn1499]

That's awesome! It was Cincinnati, OH at Bogart's. That night changed my life. Thank you for the assist!!!

[@jlfvrs]

what a bizarre response..bummer

[@klapsigaarenbasgitaar1931]

Great story! However, I don't think I agree with Watt as I recall Watt playing fretless on a tune on fIREHOSE's Flyin' the Flannel album and it sounded great.

[@freddiesoverbite6162]

He had to be joking about the fretless.

[@cricketbowsofficial]

I think it was more about the soft touch and ear it takes to play fretless - Watt is a master in his form but it’s a whole other technique.