Mike Watt

Michael David Watt (born December 20, 1957 in Portsmouth, Virginia) is a singer-songwriter and bass guitarist, best-known for co-founding the punk rock bands The Minutemen and fIREHOSE; as of 2003, he is also the bassist for the reunited Iggy Pop & The Stooges. He is also a member of the art rock/jazz/punk/improv group Banyan. Though Watt has not had much mainstream success or visibility, he is often cited as a key figure in the development of American alternative rock; The Red Hot Chili Peppers dedicated their hugely successful Blood Sugar Sex Magik to Watt. Throughout his career he has been known for his inventive, melodic playing; his basslines are often quite distinctive.