Mike Watt - "Against the 70s"

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Always liked this song. Definitely my favorite track involving Eddie Vedder. I always though the lyrics were cool:

* * *

"I asked him if he knew what time he had
He said he wasn’t sure, maybe a quarter past

The kids of today should defend themselves against the 70’s

I peered in his eyes as we stood in line just to have a look
But the pages I found looked like an unbound coloring book

The kids of today should defend themselves against the 70’s

It’s not reality, just someone else’s sentimentality
It won’t work for you

Baby boomers selling you rumors of their history
Forcing youth away from the truth of what’s real today

The kids of today should defend themselves against the 70’s

Stadium minds with stadium lies gotta make you laugh
Garbage vendors against true defenders of the craft

The kids of today should defend themselves against the 70’s

It’s not reality, just someone else’s sentimentality
Look what it did to Watt"

* * *

"True defenders of the craft" is a little cringe-inducing when you're talking about rock music, but Watt can get away with lines like that. It seems pretty bold for a guy who makes a certain amount of living from nostalgia to challenge his audience in this fashion, at any rate. What's your take on it?

― Mark (MarkR), Sunday, 13 March 2005 21:25 (twenty-one years ago)

mike watt is a crazy mofo

― charleston charge (chaki), Sunday, 13 March 2005 21:28 (twenty-one years ago)

I am fascinated by this set of lyrics.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Sunday, 13 March 2005 21:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Most of my favorite music was released in the 70's...

― I got the job because I was so mean, while somehow appearing so kind. (AaronHz), Sunday, 13 March 2005 21:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Look what it did to Aaron!

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Sunday, 13 March 2005 21:33 (twenty-one years ago)

there's a reaaaal irony to Vedder singing that stuff

― miccio (miccio), Sunday, 13 March 2005 21:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, it made me hate the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

― I got the job because I was so mean, while somehow appearing so kind. (AaronHz), Sunday, 13 March 2005 21:35 (twenty-one years ago)

I peer in your eyes and what do I see but unbound pages of a coloring book!

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Sunday, 13 March 2005 21:38 (twenty-one years ago)

I peer into your eyes and see "Mr. Brightside".

― I got the job because I was so mean, while somehow appearing so kind. (AaronHz), Sunday, 13 March 2005 21:39 (twenty-one years ago)

PS I am listening to AC/DC "High Voltage" right now, which shits all over anything Mike Watt has ever done.

― I got the job because I was so mean, while somehow appearing so kind. (AaronHz), Sunday, 13 March 2005 21:41 (twenty-one years ago)

The kids of today should defend themselves against the 80's and 90's.

― I got the job because I was so mean, while somehow appearing so kind. (AaronHz), Sunday, 13 March 2005 21:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, I have decided firmly that the Killers are my 8,532nd favorite rock band evah.

2x-post

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Sunday, 13 March 2005 21:42 (twenty-one years ago)

PPS I love "Ball-Hog or Tugboat".

― I got the job because I was so mean, while somehow appearing so kind. (AaronHz), Sunday, 13 March 2005 21:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Sorta unconvincing, coming from a Blue Oyster Cult fan. All right, maybe that's what "look what it did to Watt" means. But does anybody seriously believe that Pearl Jam wouldn't have FIT RIGHT IN the golden decade of arena rock? Sheesh.

― lovebug starski (lovebug starski), Sunday, 13 March 2005 21:44 (twenty-one years ago)

I kinda think that's the whole point. They were being cute.

― I got the job because I was so mean, while somehow appearing so kind. (AaronHz), Sunday, 13 March 2005 21:45 (twenty-one years ago)

OK. But Vedder always sounds so RIGHTEOUS to me, cute goes over my head and out the window. suggested re-title: Butt Plug or Turncoat?

― lovebug starski (lovebug starski), Sunday, 13 March 2005 21:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Eddie Vedder was quite involved in DRAMA CLUB in high school, if you get my drift.

― I got the job because I was so mean, while somehow appearing so kind. (AaronHz), Sunday, 13 March 2005 21:50 (twenty-one years ago)

So dig this big crux: the song's written by a guy that repped for Van Halen and Steely Dan on a regular basis back in the day, and the track is sung by a guy whose music (as most of y'all noted) could fit right in with the 3-truck stadium-tour boogiedom of the aforementioned 70s. Folks getting all OMG IRONING NEEDED IN AISLE WTF about this might want to listen to the track, & esp. how Edward approaches the line, "LOOK WHAT IT DID TO WATT!"

Confession: I know more about the stories surrounding this record (cf. anecdotes re: "Piss Bottle Man") than the actual traxx.

― David R. (popshots75`), Sunday, 13 March 2005 21:57 (twenty-one years ago)

the lyrics above leave out the one line Watt delivers -- "speakin' as a child of the 70's". which Vedder later made reference to in the Pearl Jam song "Habit" -- "speakin' as a child of the 90's".

Ball-Hog = classic, for introducing me to Nels Cline and Carla Bozulich, who sings backup on this track (and sings lead on 2 of the best songs on the album, "Sidemouse Advice" and the "Tuff Gnarl" cover).

― Al (sitcom), Sunday, 13 March 2005 22:09 (twenty-one years ago)

also David R. OTM

― Al (sitcom), Sunday, 13 March 2005 22:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah Watt's not saying anything from the 70s is neccesarily bad, just that it's not necesarily good just because of baby boomer historians say so. So "The 70s" to defend against isn't the actual music but how history (Rolling Stone, VH-1, etc.) remembers the music. It's about finding your own way through history. You'll notice no particular bands are mentioned, because doing so would ruin the song.

― Mark (MarkR), Sunday, 13 March 2005 22:10 (twenty-one years ago)

I saw Carla Bozulich (w/Geraldine Fibbers) open for Beck in 1994 at the Fillmore in SF. Some little punk threw an apple at her in the middle of a song and it hit her right in the chest:
"This next song is very sad. It's about death, dying. It's dedicated to the fucking asshole who threw the apple at me."

― I got the job because I was so mean, while somehow appearing so kind. (AaronHz), Sunday, 13 March 2005 22:16 (twenty-one years ago)

so just make sure you take your music pointers from the RIGHT baby boomers!
(xpost)

― lovebug starski (lovebug starski), Sunday, 13 March 2005 22:17 (twenty-one years ago)

haha that's a great story (xp)

― Al (sitcom), Sunday, 13 March 2005 22:20 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't currently have a copy of Ball-Hog but thanks to this thread I am totally going to listen to NO CODE today

― Al (sitcom), Sunday, 13 March 2005 22:21 (twenty-one years ago)

He released a cover of "Dominance and Submission" as a B-SIDE to one of the songs ON THIS ALBUM. so, you know.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Sunday, 13 March 2005 22:21 (twenty-one years ago)

I think it actually has Albert Bouchard on drums! I'll have to find that single, I have it buried around here somewhere.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Sunday, 13 March 2005 22:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Sorry to be off -thread but can anybody tell me when/if the Minutemen Dvd will see light of day?

― hull hole (hull hole), Sunday, 13 March 2005 22:23 (twenty-one years ago)

I just found my sister's old copy of No Code in a bag in my room today, coincidentally. I've never listened to it before but probably know a bunch of songs from the alt-rock station. I know they played a ton. I'd put it on if I wasn't at work.

― miccio (miccio), Sunday, 13 March 2005 22:23 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah i remember reading about the all-star session for this Watt LP in ROLLING STONE! That's sticking it to the man.

When I was in LA 2 wks ago I read about a Minutemen documentery. Is that on the DVD? Anybody seen it?

― lovebug starski (lovebug starski), Sunday, 13 March 2005 22:25 (twenty-one years ago)

dude I don't wanna hijack the thread, don't get me started on No Code!!!

― Al (sitcom), Sunday, 13 March 2005 22:27 (twenty-one years ago)

I used to have Ball Hog on a bright blue vinyl dbl LP! I might get the CD again one of these days.

― I got the job because I was so mean, while somehow appearing so kind. (AaronHz), Sunday, 13 March 2005 22:28 (twenty-one years ago)

info about the Minutemen doc here: http://www.theminutemen.com
as far as I know it's been getting a lot of screenings here and there, don't think it's gonna be out on DVD real soon yet

― Al (sitcom), Sunday, 13 March 2005 22:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Al, get started! No Code as good thing, or No Code as bad thing?

― David R. (popshots75`), Sunday, 13 March 2005 22:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Pearl Jam - No Code

― Al (sitcom), Sunday, 13 March 2005 22:42 (twenty-one years ago)

dud. i ALWAYS hated this song. eddie vedder is a complete turd. and the minutemen never meant anything to me, so mike watt's involvement = ZERO.

dud.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Sunday, 13 March 2005 22:54 (twenty-one years ago)

one year passes...

This is making me wish I hadn't sold off my Ball-Hog or Tug-Boat, even though I never could be bothered to listen through the whole thing in one sitting. "Against the 70s" is so great though, and I agree with those who said that it's essentially a commentary on rockism concerning the 70s, and not a particularly self-important commentary at that.

― Doctor Casino (Doctor Casino), Monday, 1 May 2006 02:13 (twenty years ago)

eight years pass...

this song seems more epic than i'd remembered. Classic.

― Poliopolice, Thursday, 5 March 2015 03:38 (eleven years ago)

He released a cover of "Dominance and Submission" as a B-SIDE to one of the songs ON THIS ALBUM. so, you know.

...I think it actually has Albert Bouchard on drums!

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Sunday, March 13, 2005 2:22 PM (9 years ago)

just listened to this for the first time. sounds like an off-the-cuff goof, not a patch on the minutemen's ripping "the red & the black", still good times. feats bouchards joe & albert both!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tPW1q7yZJ8

― Soylent News Service (contenderizer), Thursday, 5 March 2015 06:42 (eleven years ago)

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Mike Watt - "Against the 70s" - C/D?