That year, out of nowhere, a guy named Ed Crawford called from Ohio. He was a diehard Minutemen fan who had heard that Watt and Hurley, the Minutemen drummer, were starting a band. But that didn't stop Crawford from driving out to Watt's place. It didn't feel the same, though. For the longest time, I couldn't believe anybody would want to come see me play without D. Boon.
Various people guess at various reasons.
Watt says he just wanted to try something new. Every night on this tour, Watt dedicated a Minutemen song to him. Watt will play Stooges and John Coltrane and Blue Oyster Cult songs, but not old Minutemen numbers that D. wrote. Only his own. Can't do it.