Dusty Watson
Encyclopedia
Dusty Watson is an independent American
drummer
who has played in a number of notable bands, as well as backed up famous solo artists.
Earning a scholarship to Stan Kenton Band Clinics
and joining the Musicians Union at age 17 allowed Dusty to become a professional drummer at a young age. He formed local California punk band The Press
and by the end of the 70's he was also an original member of Jon and the Nightriders and The Stepmothers. After leaving The Runaways, Lita Ford
asked Dusty to join her original line up and he recorded her debut album, Out for Blood, and toured with her from 1980 through 1984. After that he joined the band Legs Diamond
, whom he would play with until 1993. During this period, Dusty did side work in a number of bands, including Concrete Blonde
, Channel Three, Laureen Ellis, The Boss Martians and talk show host Wally George
.
After leaving Legs Diamond, he played drums on hip hop
act Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E.
's albums Metally Disturbed and Angry Samoans and toured Europe
with them. He went on to join Sugartooth
, but the band quickly broke up after they were dropped by Geffen Records
. Shortly after this he started instrumental surf band Slacktone with co-founder Dave Wronski and started touring with Agent Orange
(whom he would continue to work with through 2009). In 1997, he joined Dick Dale
's backing band The Del-Tones, recording and touring with them through 2006.
In 2004 he joined The Queers
to play on their albums Acid Beaters
and Summer Hits No. 1
.
Recently he has drummed with the Supersuckers and Rhino Bucket
.
He also joined the psychedelic
punk rock
metal band, BLOODHOOK, recording their debut full length album at the legendary Van Nuys, California recording studio, Sound City
.
In March 2009 Dusty married Colorado-native and female drummer Rikky Styxx who moved to California following.
Dusty Watson is currently a member of Rhino Bucket
, The Queers
, Becky Barksdale, Davie Allan and the Arrows, Slacktone and The Surfaris
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
who has played in a number of notable bands, as well as backed up famous solo artists.
Earning a scholarship to Stan Kenton Band Clinics
Stan Kenton Band Clinics
Stan Kenton Band Clinics were summer programs founded by Stan Kenton in 1959. Kenton conceived the idea out of concern that education of jazz and all its forms were not reaching teenagers who showed signs of interest in it...
and joining the Musicians Union at age 17 allowed Dusty to become a professional drummer at a young age. He formed local California punk band The Press
The Press (band)
The Press were one of the first Oi! bands in the United States. Formed in New York City in 1984, the outspoken anti-fascist band was associated with Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice, of which their singer, André Schlesinger, was an early member. Schlesinger also supported the views of the British...
and by the end of the 70's he was also an original member of Jon and the Nightriders and The Stepmothers. After leaving The Runaways, Lita Ford
Lita Ford
Lita Ford is a British-born, American rock musician and singer who was the lead guitarist for The Runaways and achieved popularity for her solo career between the 1980s and late 2000s.-Early life:...
asked Dusty to join her original line up and he recorded her debut album, Out for Blood, and toured with her from 1980 through 1984. After that he joined the band Legs Diamond
Legs Diamond (band)
Legs Diamond are a rock and roll band that has often been called "The American Deep Purple". They formed in Los Angeles, California in the mid 1970s and released their self-titled debut album for Mercury Records in 1977...
, whom he would play with until 1993. During this period, Dusty did side work in a number of bands, including Concrete Blonde
Concrete Blonde
Concrete Blonde is an alternative rock band based in the United States. They were initially active from 1982 to 1995, and again from 2001 to 2004, and once again in 2010.-Biography:...
, Channel Three, Laureen Ellis, The Boss Martians and talk show host Wally George
Wally George
Wally George, born George Walter Pearch , was an American conservative radio and television commentator...
.
After leaving Legs Diamond, he played drums on hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
act Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E.
Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E.
Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. are a hip hop group from Carson, California, composed of the Devoux brothers Paul, Ted, Donald, Roscoe, Danny, and David. Their family is from Samoa. They first began playing music in their father's Baptist church. Before anyone else arrived, they would play P-Funk and experiment...
's albums Metally Disturbed and Angry Samoans and toured Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
with them. He went on to join Sugartooth
Sugartooth
Sugartooth was an alternative rock band that was formed in the early 1990s.Marc Hutner and Josh Blum formed the group after meeting each other on the California band circuit . They worked with two different drummers over time...
, but the band quickly broke up after they were dropped by Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
. Shortly after this he started instrumental surf band Slacktone with co-founder Dave Wronski and started touring with Agent Orange
Agent Orange (band)
Agent Orange is an American punk rock band formed in Orange County, California in 1979. The band is one of the first to mix punk rock with surf music. They first gained attention with their song "Bloodstains" which they released on their own 7" E.P. An early demo of the song was presented to...
(whom he would continue to work with through 2009). In 1997, he joined Dick Dale
Dick Dale
Dick Dale is an American surf rock guitarist, known as The King of the Surf Guitar. He experimented with reverberation and made use of custom made Fender amplifiers, including the first-ever 100-watt guitar amplifier.-Early life:Dale was born in South Boston, Massachusetts and lived in nearby...
's backing band The Del-Tones, recording and touring with them through 2006.
In 2004 he joined The Queers
The Queers
The Queers are a punk band formed in 1981 by Portsmouth, New Hampshire native Joe King . The band originally broke up in 1984, but reformed with Joe Queer and a new line-up in 1986. In 1990, the band signed with Shakin' Street Records and released their first album Grow Up...
to play on their albums Acid Beaters
Acid Beaters
Acid Beaters is a split album featuring American pop punk band The Queers and Italian pop punk band the Manges. The album's title is a play on words of the Ramones album Acid Eaters.-Track listing:#"Chewy Chewy"- The Queers#"Ft...
and Summer Hits No. 1
Summer Hits No. 1
Summer Hits No. 1 is a greatest hits album by pop punk band The Queers performed by a new line-up. Cover art by Takayuki Hashimoto.-Track listing:# "This Place Sucks"# "Monster Zero"# "You're Tripping"# "Kicked Out Of The Weblos"# "Love Love Love"...
.
Recently he has drummed with the Supersuckers and Rhino Bucket
Rhino Bucket
Rhino Bucket is a hard rock band from Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California.The band was formed in 1988 by Georg Dolivo , Greg Fields , Reeve Downes , and Rick Kubach . This lineup played the Los Angeles rock scene for a year with contemporaries such as Junkyard, The Four Horsemen, Rage Against the...
.
He also joined the psychedelic
Psychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
metal band, BLOODHOOK, recording their debut full length album at the legendary Van Nuys, California recording studio, Sound City
Sound City
Sound City is a British amplification company. Previously available in the 1960s the MARK 6 range was relaunched in 2007. Sound City amplifiers were British designed in the 1960s. The Sound City series was relaunched with the MARK 6 range, introduced by Arbiter in July 2007.Arbiter, owned by...
.
In March 2009 Dusty married Colorado-native and female drummer Rikky Styxx who moved to California following.
Dusty Watson is currently a member of Rhino Bucket
Rhino Bucket
Rhino Bucket is a hard rock band from Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California.The band was formed in 1988 by Georg Dolivo , Greg Fields , Reeve Downes , and Rick Kubach . This lineup played the Los Angeles rock scene for a year with contemporaries such as Junkyard, The Four Horsemen, Rage Against the...
, The Queers
The Queers
The Queers are a punk band formed in 1981 by Portsmouth, New Hampshire native Joe King . The band originally broke up in 1984, but reformed with Joe Queer and a new line-up in 1986. In 1990, the band signed with Shakin' Street Records and released their first album Grow Up...
, Becky Barksdale, Davie Allan and the Arrows, Slacktone and The Surfaris
The Surfaris
The Surfaris were an American surf rock band formed in Glendora, California in 1962. They are best known for two songs that hit the charts in the Los Angeles, California area, and nationally by May 1963: "Surfer Joe" on the A-side and "Wipe Out" on the B-side of a 45 RPM single.-Career:The original...
.