Ball-Hog or Tugboat? is the 1995 debut solo album by American musician Mike Watt, previously known for his work as the bass guitarist and songwriter for the punk rock groups Minutemen and fIREHOSE.
The title references the difference between being a team player or being a glory hog. Watt explained it as "Are you going to be the tugboat which helps boats dock in rough surf safely? Or are you going to be like some glory hound who shoots the fucking ball every time you get it?"[1] Watt recorded the album with a rotating cast of alternative rock all-stars.
Background
It was recorded in 1994, and came at a personal and professional career crossroads for Watt. fIREHOSE had broken up after eight years and six releases earlier in 1994, and his marriage to Kira Roessler (former Black Flag bassist) had ended in divorce,[1] though they remained on good terms and worked as a duo in Dos; Kira also contributed some computer graphics to the album's artwork.
In interviews and on his online tour journals, Watt has nicknamed Ball-Hog... "The Wrestling Album", as he considered the various lineups we worked with on the album as "people getting into the ring" with him. Watt has also mentioned in interviews that professional wrestling is one of the few things he regularly watches on television (He once named The Magnificent Muraco as a favorite wrestler.)[2] Watt's longtime friend, artist Raymond Pettibon (another wrestling fan), added to the wrestling theme by contributing to the artwork a panel cartoon with the caption "Sex with you is like watching scientific wrestling".
Singles
"Big Train" was the first single from the album and one of only two songs Watt sang lead vocal on (the other being the closing track, "Coincidence Is Either Hit Or Miss".)[3] The album's other singles, "Against The 70's" and "Piss-Bottle Man", featured Eddie Vedder and Evan Dando on lead vocals respectively. The initial plan was for Vedder to sing on a cover of Captain Beefheart's "Dirty Blue Gene" but at the last minute they decided to record "Against the 70s" instead.[1] All three of the singles were airplay hits on both modern rock and college radio, with "Against The 70's" peaking at #21 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.[4] Videos were also shot for "Big Train" and "Piss-Bottle Man"; the former video was directed by Spike Jonze, and it originally featured models of Union Pacific locomotives.[5] After the Union Pacific Railroad successfully sued the video's producers for the use of one of the models, details of the model were blurred out in a subsequent version of the "Big Train" video.[5][6]
As part of the label's push behind the album, Columbia released the album as a limited-run double-vinyl LP, pressed on deep blue vinyl, and in a limited edition cardboard 12-inch by 6-inch sleeve that included both the standard CD insert as well as a second CD booklet that contained a "glossary of Pedroslang".[7]
The Indianapolis Star noted the "message-laden anthems, schizophrenic jazz-rock and an unbearable 12-minute version of George Clinton's 'Maggot Brain'."[12]
Tour
Watt assembled an all-star grouping for his initial tour for the album in early 1995, attracting a great deal of attention from the alternative music press. Watt was backed by Vedder on guitar and vocals, Smear on guitar, William Goldsmith on drums, and Dave Grohl alternating on guitar and drums. The tour also featured Vedder's band Hovercraft[1] and the Foo Fighters on their first national tour.[1] Watt's ensemble performed on The Jon Stewart Show during this tour. Special guests such as Carla Bozulich and Perry Farrell appeared at select shows.
Later in the year Watt toured with a four-piece nicknamed The Crew Of The Flying Saucer with guitarist Nels Cline and two drummers, Michael Preussner and Vince Meghrouni,[14] who served as an opening act for Primus on their 1995 US tour.
Track listing
All tracks composed by Mike Watt; except where indicated
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