After Panic broke up in late 93, I shaved my head and sized up my opportunities— squinting with one eye closed. I played drums with Tina & Kelly in a band with a rotating name. I sang in Hellcat with Tyson & Gohde (and Alex & Tommy). I placed an ad in The Rocket looking for a band with reeds looking for a singer with guts and cited the Stooges, Thee Hypnotics and Rocket from the Crypt as influences. Only one guy called, and he needed me to explain who the Stooges were.

I waited. I weren’t in no rush.

In the summer of 95, Patti and I were planning our wedding. Dave M Morrisette from the Mono Men agreed to be baptized as our officiant and it seemed like an obvious ask for the Men to play our reception. I didn’t really know those guys— they were Patti’s tribe. But I contacted them secretly and asked if I could sing “I’m Your Man” by Richard Hell as a surprise to Patti. They agreed.

It is the 2:42 of our wedding reception in the Chinese Room atop Seattle’s historic Smith Tower that I have the least recollection of. But it must have gone good enough for us to also burn through “Slammer” from Sin & Tonic and there was plenty of hugs and high-fives, but I figured it was just because I’d just gotten married.

But then the Mono Men broke up a couple of years later, and Crider called and said ‘hey remember when we rocked your guys’ wedding…?’

We formed WATTS in 98, with Aaron & Chris D and it was incredibly fun. We made the record with Jack in Fremont in 99, but when I impregnated Patti with the embryo that would later become Edie, it was clear that I couldn’t tour. Dave understood, like he always does— and they got a pinch-hitter for the 2000 domestic tour.

There would be plenty of one-offs later in the century, including a starkly irresponsible tour of Brazil in 2003 (chronicled elsewhere on this exact website!) I would perform “Slammer” with Dave & Aaron again (though not the late Mort) and in fact not only Patti but also Vincent would join subsequent bands with Dave. The apple does not rot far from the tree, as I am fond of saying. Also well awright as Dave has been known to say.

Matt joined WATTS in the 2010s and some pretty hard partying happened after that. Whether the band still exists or not is up for historical speculation. But it’s been since AJS’s 40th birthday and he’s now in the 50+ magazine.