I’ve been working on this video for weeks, and of course, the photography for even longer. 2 weeks to put this kickstarter page together, 5 years to be around Mike Watt, and 20 years of music photography.

$10000 is about how much it would cost me to do this 51 gig tour from start to finish. Average shooting at 5-8 rolls of film per day, for 52 days. At the end, I’ll have enough images for a book, and a gallery-ready print series. Watch out Germany, I’m coming to you with it.

http://blog.peakness.com/?p=2158 Los Punkinhedz :
Money Mark on keyboards
John Wicks on drums
Mike Watt on bass
Raymond Pettibon Guest vocal

guitars at the studio

Mike Watt runs over some songs

Money Mark

John Wicks

Mike Watt

Raymond Pettibon

John Wicks

Money Mark

Mike Watt

Mike Watt and Money Mark in studio

Raymond Pettibon in studio

session engineer : Nick Pavey

Money Mark

Mike Watt, Money Mark, and my couchsurfer Abbéy Odunlami

John Wicks, Mike Watt, and Money Mark

Raymond Pettibon, Mike Watt, and Money Mark - LA River

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Watt hauling gear

 
The last gig of the year, as it was billed by Mike Watt, I had the duty to show up. It turned out to be a weird reunion of many musical strides, running of the same circle. I went along with Nels Cline, and through him I met/remet many faces I’d seen over the past couple of years. It was a little socially overwhelming to be in a place where a good amount of people know each other. It was almost like a community, an actual live, living community, flesh..blood, and faces. Yes, I sound a little tripped out, because I did. One of things characterizing LA is how spread out, hard to organize it is. I can only think of one month out of the year where this is possible. Specifically the last week of the year – seems to be the most willing of all occasions for people to actually come out of their comfortable hiding places and secure the connections after the family obligations were over with. It is as if christmas time put a huge pressure for people to be with families, and because of it, the slight revolt in people needing to verify their own choice of their own free willed connections, the other identity. 

All in all it was a weirdly exhilarating evening.

Jessica Catron and Jeremy Drake

Watt talks to audience

Pete Mazich of Secondmen

yet another instigation for people to 'start your own band'

Watt's post gig socializing

Watt on 180th twfps   

Find the show here. 

Tony laughing

Tony Kinman's wife and my friend Morgan Moore in background

Watt

Watt

MIke Watt & the Missingmen does Warped Tour 08 – Chula Vista, CA
 

“The longest running of traveling music festival!” Mike Watt announces often on this trip. He speaks very fondly of Kevin Lyman, “the Boss”, the founder of this. I had never attended a Warped Tour out of all 22 years of its existence. When Watt brought it up the he’s taking the Missingmen to do a few of the cities around California, I asked to join. With Watt, I don’t really know how things happen – It’s between my demanding to get involved, or his invitation to participate. In any case, I’d still do my best to be a part of the experience. 

Knowing full well what I was signing up for, I braced myself for the BOAT RIDE. A space was saved for me in the co-pilot section as the Missingmen guitarist Tom Watson, drummer Raul Moreles, and general roadie friend co conspirator Richard Bonney were in the back seat. Watt signed up the band for 3 shows, and damn it all to hell, I will go to all of them. First show in Chula Vista near San Diego – 2 hour south of LA, then ‘hell ride’ 8-9 hours up the coast to Mountain View for a 9am check in at the festival office. One day break and the last one was to be back southward in Carson, just a bit south of LA. Yes, South – North – South…Watt Style. The third show was the last one to conclude Warped Tour.

This is one place where I put my ignorance to use more apparently. I decided a long time ago that I would preserve my learning about people/events from real life interaction. This is also to help me be objective in my photography pursuit. The personal impression of people I meet is very crucial, this I find over the years. It is as if all the information from somewhere else – word of mouths, others’ interpretations, internet, websites – are hard for me to filter out once received. I would then get confused and nervous of portraying people the way someone else somewhere might expect. Selfish, I know – but I pay high price to get to be like this.

Part of the huge ignorance I went in with was about anything Punk ; bands, personalities, histories, and relationships. Other than Mike Watt and his Missingmen that I traveled with, I knew no other bands. I didn’t even know that Warped Tour had always been held in parking lots. About them, I think the festival organization is quite outstanding. All bands must check in first thing in the morning, at the day of event. They were then given the schedule and stage assignment. This way, Watt explained, they will have no problems with bands showing up whenever they want. All the bands and crew get fed 2 meals, lunch and dinner. I appreciated the recycling effort implemented throughout the festival ground.

Watt and his band was to play at the Old School Stage – this is unique to the West Coast leg of the tour. Bands like Fear, TSOL, The Germs, The Dickies and Watt’s played on this stage. Watching Watt glowed catching up with old friends from ‘back in the days’ was something else. I only caught performances here and there feeling very scattered and ineffective in photo coverage. I couldn’t help it but being crazy distracted by EVERYthing else that was going on. There were at least a dozen stages, and must be close to a hundred bands playing back, and at the same time. I had to constantly remind myself this was another Watt-centric photo coverage. That way I wouldn’t get tempted to stray far. 

Partial photo report 

Watt on stage in Chula Vista where the concert was not

Raul's smile qualifies to effect world's peace

Richard, Tom, and Raul

Band loading out - Chula Vista, CA

Watt - Chula Vista, CA

neo-retro-punk fashion?

Family Force Five or FF5, the most animated band I had ever seen - Mountain View, CA

Lee Ving of Fear - Mountain View, CA

Mondo Lopez of Fear - Mountain View, CA

Watt with Kevin Lyman

Watt - Carson, CA

Jack Grisham with TSOL - Carson, CA

Lorna Dooms and Pat Smear - the Germs, Carson, CA

Shane West - the Germs, Carson, CA

The Dickies - Warped Tour, Carson, CA

Watt - Chula Vista, CA

Mike Watt & the Missingmen Raul and Tom after festival in Mountain View, CA