Artists like Mike Watt
Kindred artists that sit next to Mike Watt on the star chart — same era, adjacent sound, or overlapping influence. Tap any card to open its full page.
Firehoseartist
J MascisartistJoseph Donald Mascis Jr., better known as J Mascis, is an American musician who is the singer, guitarist and main songwriter for the alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr. He has also released several albums as a solo artist and played drums and guitar on other projects. He was ranked number 74 in a Rolling Stone list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists", and number 5 in a similar list for Spin magazine in 2012.
Minutemenartist
Frank BlackartistCharles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV, known professionally as Black Francis and formerly Frank Black, is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist who is the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band Pixies. Following the band's breakup in 1993, he embarked on a solo career releasing fifteen albums and forming his band, the Catholics. Pixies regrouped in 2004, and he declared his solo career to be over in 2013.
The Jon Spencer Blues ExplosionartistThe Jon Spencer Blues Explosion was an American three-piece rock band from New York City, formed in 1991. The group consisted of Judah Bauer on guitar, backing vocals, harmonica and occasional lead vocals; Russell Simins on drums; and Jon Spencer on vocals, guitar and theremin. Their musical style is largely rooted in rock and roll; however, the band draws influences from punk, blues, garage, rockabilly, soul, noise rock, rhythm and blues and hip-hop.
Afghan WhigsartistThe Afghan Whigs are an American rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio. They were active from 1986 to 2001, reformed briefly in 2006 and again from 2011 to present.
Mudhoneyartist
Soul CoughingartistSoul Coughing is an American alternative rock band composed of vocalist/guitarist Mike Doughty, keyboardist/sampler Mark Degli Antoni, bassist Sebastian Steinberg, and drummer Yuval Gabay. They garnered largely positive response from critics. Steve Huey of AllMusic described the band as "One of the most unique cult bands of the '90s. Driven by frontman M. Doughty's stream-of-consciousness poetry, Soul Coughing's sound was a willfully idiosyncratic mix of improvisational jazz grooves, oddball samples, hip-hop, electronics, and noisy experimentalism". Doughty described the band's sound as "deep slacker jazz". The group broke up in 2000.
Camper Van BeethovenartistCamper Van Beethoven is an American rock band formed in Redlands, California, in 1983, later based in Santa Cruz and San Francisco. Their style mixes elements of pop, ska, punk, folk, alternative, country, and world music, among other genres. The band initially polarized audiences within the hardcore punk scene of California's Inland Empire and then found wider acceptance and, eventually, an international audience. Their strong iconoclasm and emphasis on do-it-yourself values proved influential to the burgeoning indie rock movement.
Porno for PyrosartistPorno for Pyros was an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1992, following the first break-up of Jane's Addiction. The band currently consists of Jane's Addiction members Perry Farrell (vocals) and Stephen Perkins (drums), alongside Peter DiStefano (guitar) and Mike Watt (bass). Founding bass guitarist Martyn LeNoble was a member of the band between 1992 and 1995, and was initially committed to the band's reunion between 2022 and 2023.
The Lemonheadsartist
SuperchunkartistSuperchunk is an American indie rock band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Formed in 1989, they were one of the bands that helped define the Chapel Hill music scene of the 1990s and were at the forefront of the indie rock scene at the time. The band's lineup consists of singer-guitarist Mac McCaughan, guitarist Jim Wilbur, bassist Laura Ballance, and drummer Laura King. They are known for their energetic, high-velocity style and strong DIY ethic.
Dinosaur Jr.artist
R.E.M.artist
Pixiesartist
dEUSartistDeus is a rock band based in Antwerp, Belgium, whose only continuous members up to the present day are Tom Barman and Klaas Janzoons. The rest of the band's line-up currently consists of drummer Stéphane Misseghers, bassist Alan Gevaert, and guitarist/backing vocalist Simen Folstad Nilsen.
Paul WesterbergartistPaul Harold Westerberg is an American musician, best known as the lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter for the Replacements. Following the breakup of the Replacements, Westerberg launched a solo career that saw him release three albums on two major record labels.
Rocket from the Cryptartist
CrackerartistCracker is an American rock band formed in 1990 by lead singer David Lowery and guitarist Johnny Hickman. The band's first album Cracker was released in 1992 on Virgin Records; it included the single "Teen Angst ", which went to No. 1 on the U.S. Modern Rock chart. The band's follow-up, the 1993 album Kerosene Hat included the hit songs "Low", "Get Off This" and "Euro-Trash Girl". Cracker has released nine studio albums and several compilations, collaborations, solo projects and live albums. The band mix influences and sounds from rock, punk, grunge, psychedelia, country, blues and folk.
Throwing MusesartistThrowing Muses are an American alternative rock band formed in 1981 in Newport, Rhode Island that toured and recorded extensively until 1997, when its members began concentrating more on other projects.
Dead BoysartistThe Dead Boys are an American punk rock band from Cleveland, Ohio. The band was among the first wave of punk, and regarded by many as one of the rowdiest and most violent groups of the era. They were formed in 1975 by vocalist Stiv Bators, rhythm guitarist Jimmy Zero, bassist Jeff Magnum, lead guitarist Cheetah Chrome, and drummer Johnny Blitz—the latter two having splintered from the band Rocket from the Tombs. The original Dead Boys released two studio albums: Young, Loud and Snotty and We Have Come for Your Children.