The Story
Available for the first time commercially in any format, âRing Spielâ Tour â95 is a thrilling audio document of âthe man in the van with a bass in his handsâ trailblazing 1995 solo tour, recorded at the legendary Metro club in Chicago, featuring an all-star backing band.
In February 1995, Columbia Records released ball-hog or tugboat?, the first solo release by Mike Watt, the influential punk rock bassist/musician whose bands -Â Minutemen and Firehose -Â helped define the sound and direction of rock. Also known as âThe Wrestling Album,â ball-hog or tugboat? features the punk pioneerâs collaborations with artistic peers and descendants, such as Henry Rollins, Flea, Thurston Moore, J Mascis, Adam Horovitz, Mike Diamond, Frank Black, Dave Pirner, Evan Dando, Nels Cline, Pat Smear, Dave Grohl and Eddie Vedder, among many other friends, âgetting into the ringâ with Watt.
In March 1995, Columbia Records announced that Watt would be hitting the road for the first time as a solo artist. Members of opening bands Hovercraft and Foo Fighters - Vedder, Grohl, Smear and drummer William Goldsmith - joined headliner Watt on-stage as eager participants of the jaw-dropping back-up band heard on the âRing Spielâ Tour â95 album.
Wattâs relentlessly energetic set at The Metro on May 6, 1995 is an astonishing sonic time machine, catapulting the listener back to that historic gig, with Watt and his fired-up and raw back-up squad, the musical lineup constantly shifting between performances to accommodate the different feel and shape of each song.
âRing Spielâ Tour â95 is being released with the full authorization of all participating members, providing fans a fitting, thrilling testament of Wattâs enduring and continuing punk rock D.I.Y. musical imprint.
Description
Available for the first time commercially in any format, âRing Spielâ Tour â95 is a thrilling audio document of âthe man in the van with a bass in his handsâ trailblazing 1995 solo tour, recorded at the legendary Metro club in Chicago, featuring an all-star backing band.
In February 1995, Columbia Records released ball-hog or tugboat?, the first solo release by Mike Watt, the influential punk rock bassist/musician whose bands -Â Minutemen and Firehose -Â helped define the sound and direction of rock. Also known as âThe Wrestling Album,â ball-hog or tugboat? features the punk pioneerâs collaborations with artistic peers and descendants, such as Henry Rollins, Flea, Thurston Moore, J Mascis, Adam Horovitz, Mike Diamond, Frank Black, Dave Pirner, Evan Dando, Nels Cline, Pat Smear, Dave Grohl and Eddie Vedder, among many other friends, âgetting into the ringâ with Watt.
In March 1995, Columbia Records announced that Watt would be hitting the road for the first time as a solo artist. Members of opening bands Hovercraft and Foo Fighters - Vedder, Grohl, Smear and drummer William Goldsmith - joined headliner Watt on-stage as eager participants of the jaw-dropping back-up band heard on the âRing Spielâ Tour â95 album.
Wattâs relentlessly energetic set at The Metro on May 6, 1995 is an astonishing sonic time machine, catapulting the listener back to that historic gig, with Watt and his fired-up and raw back-up squad, the musical lineup constantly shifting between performances to accommodate the different feel and shape of each song.
âRing Spielâ Tour â95 is being released with the full authorization of all participating members, providing fans a fitting, thrilling testament of Wattâs enduring and continuing punk rock D.I.Y. musical imprint.
