Mike Watt has left his mark on a good chunk of rock and punk music over the last 30 plus years, namely in his founding of The Minutemen in 1980. Since 2009 he’s been working with Italians Stefano Pilia and Andrea Belfi under the band name Il Sogno del Marinaio, and their sophomore album will be out this fall, on Watt’s own label, Clenchedwrench.
In an interview with mxdwn last year, Watt revealed the band began piecing together while he was using Pilia for something of a roadie as his touring band played through Italy in 2005. Four years later, Pilia started messaging Watt, offering to play some gigs with him. After they teamed up with Belfi, Il Sogno del Marinaio, which translates as “The Sailor’s Dream,” would be born, and just a few days later, the trio of musicians embarked on their own first tour together.
While on the road, the band would spend their off-time between gigs putting together their solo album La Busta Gialla, which would then be released in early 2013.
Canto Secondo is now their quick follow-up, and in a recent Consequence of Sound article, Watt is quoted as saying:
My first time playing in Italy was in 1983 and I’ve done lots of gigs since but never like this, collaborating with her native sons. I am intrigued by the works of both Stefano and Andrea and am quite interested in sailing their seas of music and how they merge with mine.
Watch for Canto Secondo to be released August 26th, and stay tuned for updates via the Clenchedwrench website.