(editor’s note: We received this JCE blog at the end of June, but decided to hold it until the release of the new Extended Player vinyl, since it dovetailed nicely with the historical aspects of the poster accompanying the new record. Here’s JCE’s original piece, with some videos and a little kibitzing by Ricki C.)
The other night I played my well-worn copy of Three Chords and a Cloud of Dust by Watershed, which was released in 1994. Way back then, when it had just been released, I was combing through CD’s at Plan 9 Records in Charlottesville, VA, when I came across “Three Chords.” It looked cool, so I put on some headphones and played it at one of the listening stations they had at Plan 9. You could listen to anything you wanted before you made a purchase there, even if they had to rip open the shrink wrap.
Needless to say, I was impressed and I went home with my new discovery in hand. I have listened to everything by Watershed from that day forward. My good friend Ricki C. has supplied me with a few nuggets like The Carpet Cliff – which came out in 1992, I believe – and also the Willie Phoenix-produced E.P. from 1990 that opened with the song “Rise” and finished with “Freedom.” The boys got off to a good start back in 1990.
Wow, that was 30 years ago. Shouldn’t there be some kind of recognition that Watershed put out their first E.P. 30 years ago? That’s a milestone. I don’t know the exact anniversary date. Anyway, with the number 30 to celebrate, here are my top 30 Watershed songs. Keep in mind that Nick Jezierny has produced a much more comprehensive ranking of EVERY Watershed song and it’s something every Watershed fan has to read, but I’m not up to that challenge. In fact, while I did try, I can’t say that these are definitely even in the exact order that I would settle on if I spent more time. Each time I go through it, the order changes, but my top couple of songs are set. I bet my list is wildly different from a lot of other Watershed fans, but it’s my list. Counting down from #30 to #1:
Ricki C. here: Okay, so here’s the set-up; after every ten picks of JCE’s - John, to his friends, which I consider myself - I will be commenting on/bitching about/agonizing over his choices. I have his approval for these interjections, so this isn’t just a gratuitous interference in his musical journalistic pursuits.
ps. I purposely haven’t looked at John’s picks in advance, this is the first time I’m seeing them. Plus there’ll be a video after every ten picks.
30. You Need Me
29. Sweet Kisses / Bitter Scars
28. Mercurochrome
27. Black Concert T-shirt
26. Just for Show
25. Get Over Me
24. Manifesto (What I Like to Do)
23. Broken
22. Getting Ready
21. Hey Lydia
John, holy shit, COME ON, you’re killin’ me here: Mercurochrome, Black Concert T-Shirt AND Manifesto all in the bottom ten of a Watershed Top 30? NO! And Sweet Kisses/Bitter Scars is probably the best non-LP b-side of all the Watershed maxi-single bonus tracks. I’m starting to be afraid to see your top ten.
20. Don’t Be Honest
19. What Would I Need You For
18. Slowly Then Suddenly
17. The Best is Yet to Come
16. Little Mistakes
15. Over Too Soon
14. American Muscle
13. On a Broken Radio
12. Give a Little Bit
11. Everywhere I Turn
This is kinda scary: I don’t even KNOW the songs What Would I Need You For, Give A Little Bit and Everywhere I Turn and they all made JCE’s Top 20. I’m gonna have to get out my Watershed records. And at the end of this piece, I’m gonna try to come up with at least my top ten (or top 20) Watershed tunes.
10. Sad Drive
9. My Lucky Day
8. Suckerpunch
7. How Do You Feel
6. Waiting for the Greatest
5. If That’s How You Want It
4. Nightshade
3. 5th of July
2. Laundromat
1. Obvious
Okay, a pretty solid Top Ten, my only quibble being Waiting For The Greatest, which might not make MY top 30 if I wasn’t too goddamn lazy to compile one. (Plus the Top Ten is pretty heavy on the Joe tunes, isn’t it?) Off the top of my head “What the fuck!!??!!” exclusions from John’s top 30: Anniversary, Can’t Be Myself, Small Doses, Still Love Xmas, and Twister. Interesting side factoid: In JCE’s 30 years of listening to - and loving - Watershed, he’s never seen them live (check out Damn, That Was Stupid, Nine Amazing Shows I Missed). At the same time I’ve spent that same 30 years seeing them live ALL THE TIME (and getting paid for it the last 15). So now I’m wondering: Just how much would a person never seeing one of their favorite bands in a live setting change their perception of that band? (Then again, it could simply be there’s something about Joe’s songs that connects with JCE more than Colin’s. And I’m the opposite.)
Things to ponder.
Here’s JCE’s finish, followed by my Top Twenty.
There you have it. It feels like our country is at a watershed moment in history. Watershed’s first E.P. is 30 freakin’ years old. I am hoping it won’t be long before we have some new songs that could break into the top 30. We’ll see. Be safe everybody. And listen to Watershed! - JCE / June, 2020
THE RICKI C. TOP TOP TWENTY WATERSHED SONGS
20) Something Wrong
19) A.M. Boy
18) Over Too Soon
17) Sweet Kisses/Bitter Scars
17) Nightshade
16) If That’s How You Want It
15) Little Mistakes
14) Manifesto (What I Like To Do)
13) Obvious
12) Still Love Xmas
11) Sad Drive
10) Anniversary
9) Slowly Then Suddenly
8) Can’t Be Myself
7) Small Doses
6) The Best Is Yet To Come
5) Fifth Of July
4) Black Concert T-Shirt
3) How Do You Feel
2) Suckerpunch
1) Twister
(note: I find numbers 20-11 interchangeable on any given day, depending on my mood, the top ten is pretty solid. - Ricki C. / July 15th, 2020)
THIRTY YEARS OF WATERSHED HISTORY IN NINE VIDEOS
(editor’s note - In the entire 35 year history of Watershed there have only been SEVEN members of the band: Colin Gawel & Joe Oestreich on lead & bass guitars and lead vocals; Herb Schupp, then Dave Masica, then back to Herb on drums; Mark “Pooch” Borror, Joe Peppercorn & Rick Kinsinger on second guitars & backing vocals. Plus indispensable EIGHTH man Mike “Biggie” McDermott who has been there from the beginning - driving the van, taking care of the gear, designing album artwork, etc. - pretty much EVERYTHING except playing the songs onstage. We’ve included everybody in the videos, here or above.)
1990
1995
1999
2000
2007
2013
2019
JCE UPDATE, AUGUST 13th, 2020: “Extended Player” is the new Watershed EP and it is out everywhere September 8th. Better yet, get the limited edition deluxe packaging vinyl now at watershedcentral.com. It is a four-track EP and all of the songs are great. Track 1, “Bleeding On The Blank Page” is an instant classic. My second favorite is track 3, “Decorated Scars.” Both would have made this top 30 for sure. Tracks 2 and 4 are both excellent as well. Track 2, “Resonate” is really good, and very close behind “Decorated Stars.” The disc closes out with “A Long Runway.” No clunkers to be found on this effort.
2020