"Ring Spiel" Tour '95
"Ring Spiel" Tour '95 is a live album by former Minutemen and fIREHOSE bassist, songwriter and vocalist Mike Watt. The album material is from the tour to accompany Watt's first solo album, Ball-Hog or Tugboat?.
"Ring Spiel" Tour '95 | |
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Live album by | |
Released | November 11, 2016[1] |
Recorded | May 6, 1995[1] |
Genre | Alternative rock |
Length | 57:00 |
Label | Columbia/Legacy |
Producer | Mike Watt |
Tour
The Ball-Hog or Tugboat? album had 48 contributors[2] so Watt never thought he could tour the album.[2] Dave Grohl called with an idea for how to create a small touring band[2] with Eddie Vedder's band Hovercraft and Dave Grohl's newly formed Foo Fighters opening for Watt.[1][3]
Watt's touring band consisted of Grohl, Vedder, Pat Smear, and William Goldsmith.[4] Grohl wanted to play more guitar[2] so he only played drums on eight songs with Goldsmith handling the rest.[5] Wanting to keep things under the radar, promoters of the tour were instructed to not use Grohl or Vedder's names to promote the tour[4] but word leaked and MTV showed up at one tour stop.[4]
Album release
When Columbia/Legacy approached Watt about releasing the album he was initially hesitant and suggested the label contact the other musicians to see how they felt about the idea.[6] Watt was afraid some of the others would be embarrassed to have an album from twenty years earlier released. "It turns out they weren't embarrassed. They wanted it out."[6] Pat Smear urged Watt to release the album as well.[6]
Track listing
All tracks composed by Mike Watt; except where indicated
- walking the cow (Daniel Johnston cover)[4]
- big train (Chip + Tony Kinman cover)
- formal introduction
- against the '70s
- drove up from pedro
- habit (early performance of Eddie Vedder composition)
- makin' the freeway
- chinese firedrill
- piss-bottle man
- forever...one reporter's opinion
- e-ticket ride
- political song for michael jackson to sing
- coincidence is either hit or miss
- the red and the black (Blue Öyster Cult cover)
- secret garden (Madonna cover)
- powerful hankerin'
Reception
SLUG magazine praised the album calling it an "astonishing sonic time capsule."[7] Pitchfork said "At their best, live albums capture not just a concert performance, but also document the energy and the context around the music. "ring spiel" tour '95 manages to accomplish all of the above; it's a nice time capsule if you were there, and it's a great document to have if you weren't, commemorating early years of musicians who are now canonic."[4]
References
- "Audio of Mike Watt's "ring spiel" tour '95 to be Released for the First Time Commercially on November 11". Columbia/Legacy. September 30, 2016. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
- Frey, Jamie. "Mike Watt: Jersey Beat Spiel #5". Jersey Beat. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
- Cohan, Brad (November 17, 2016). "The Time Mike Watt, Dave Grohl and Eddie Vedder Jammed Econo". Observer.com. New York. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
- Rose, Caryn (November 22, 2016). "Mike Watt "ring spiel" tour '95". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
- "Mike Watt – "Ring Spiel" Tour '95". Discogs. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
- Beaudoin, Justin (December 12, 2016). "Get in the Ring: Mike Watt Talks 'Ring Spiel '95'". PopMatters. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
- Bennett, James (November 11, 2016). "Review: Mike Watt – "Ring Spiel" Tour '95". SLUG magazine. Retrieved March 8, 2019.