Interview with White Trash Watson

Who: White Trash Watson - website

What: Featured performer at Open Mic
When: Thursday, March 26, 2009
Where: the First National Bar, Pocatello - map


Scott "Clarence" Watson, front man for White Trash Watson, was kind enough to answer a few questions about the band and their upcoming show at the First National Bar.

As the name implies, this isn't a family-oriented act. White Trash Watson plays loud, fast, old school country-punk for folks who want to drink, dance, and forget about their woes for a few hours in these troubled economic times. "We are not a band that plays in the background while folks visit with friends in a bar; we are (and love to be) the center of attention when on stage."

WTW is billed as a cowpunk band, a genre first made popular in the early 80's by the L.A.-based psychobilly band, The Gun Club. WTW music essentially takes standard country chord progressions and lyric subjects, adds volume, speed and attitude to deliver music that throbs with infectious dance rhythms. Think Hank Williams meets The Ramones in a rockabilly-influenced melting pot of reverb heavy guitar, frantic upright bass, wild harmonica solos, and over the top vocals written to provoke laughter and sing-a-long memories for show goers.


SLG: What are your three best crowd-pleasing songs?

SW: The most popular three songs WTW has that are fit to print are "White Trash," "Snotty Bitch," and "WalMart Sucks." This is an all-original music band that is able to pack the dance floor every song, unheard of in SE Idaho.

SLG: Can you explain in what way do you most appeal to your fans?

SW: We aren't playing to make $50 a night to pay our heat bill. We play because we love this music and want to bring it to SE Idaho where it belongs. Fans know we mean every chord and love to see passion in music. We're just plain fun.

Alyse "Judy Rehab" Zendrosky – Upright Bass / Vocals
Jordan "Richard Peter" Brooks – Drums / Vocals
"Painless" Brad Samuelson – Harmonica / Vocals
Scott "Clarence" Watson*** – Vocals / Guitar

The members of WTW have lived all over the country, but are now based in Pocatello.

The band has been playing with national acts like Utah County Swillers and American Relay in Salt Lake City and has some high profile gigs coming up in Montana with the Dex Romweber Duo, .357 String Band, Goddamn Gallows, Tales of a Ghost Town and High Lonesome. They will be at the Testicle Festival this August outside Missoula and have a NW tour planned for this fall. "We also play the First National Bar in Pocatello regularly." And they are Downtown Dan's featured act on Thursday, March 26 for the Irish Night Open Mic.

"The local music scene is alive and well at the First National Bar in Pocatello. Some unbelievable local talent can be seen there every Thursday night.

A note on the music industry in general. It makes us sick to see the malignant garbage that corporate Nashville is grinding out. WTW along with many other acts like Hank III, Wayne Hancock, Old 97's, Drive By Truckers, just to name a few are trying to save country music from the pop stars on GAC and CMT. That is NOT country music, its Walmart driven dribble for the musically ignorant."

SLG: What do you think is the best way to get your music out there?

SW: We're doing it!! Play with like minded bands in larger venues in front of sold out crowds. Too bad we have to travel so much but Pocatello is catching on!

White Trash Watson has two songs recorded on their website and will release their first CD in July 2009.

For more information, visit www.whitetrashwatson.com or www.myspace.com/whitetrashwatsonmusic