Pop producer Andrew Watt’s mission to bring back rock ‘n’ roll

This time, six years ago, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d never hear from Andrew Watt again.

The young guitarist had plunged into the mud that was Glenn Hughes’ career at the time. The former Deep Purple and Black Sabbath singer and bassist was instrumental in the collapse of the Black Country Communion supergroup in 2013. Shortly after, he announced California Breed, starring BCC drummer Jason Bonham with the new discovery Watt, who was 23 at the time. They released their self-titled album in May 2014. Then everything started to go wrong.

“We’re no longer… one more thing we couldn’t keep together,” the group announced on social media on Jan. 15, 2015. To some, it was no surprise – Bonham had retired the year previous, and although not a full explanation was offered, media quotes suggested some level of discontent behind the scenes. Then Watt posted a brief comment, saying, “I put everything I had in this group. All I can say is that I’ve been there for the long haul. This is not the end, it is really the beginning. Not exactly a line that hadn’t been heard before, but it turns out Watt is right on the money.

Soon after, his career began to soar and he quickly became a big name in the pop scene, writing with, performing with and producing pop stars like Justin Bieber, Post Malone, Miley Cyrus, Dua Lipa. and many others. He also recorded as a solo artist. Rock fans may have missed this Grammy Award-winning creative explosion, as it was now simply credited with “Watt.” For them, it would have been even more of a surprise when his long walk back from the wilds of the Californian breed saw him lead Ozzy’s 2020 album Ordinary Man, which saved his life.

Watch the California Breed ‘Sweat Tea’ Video

“Saving lives” is literally, as Osbourne himself admitted. The project began after suffering serious health problems that made him a prisoner at home; by the time he was starting to recover, the coronavirus took everyone prisoner in their homes. “The album saved my life,” he said bluntly. “Before I started working, I was just lying there thinking, ‘Poor old me.’ The album got me out of bed. … It was the best medicine I could have, because it kept me from thinking about how I could become crippled.

Ordinary Man was a natural progression from Watt’s first encounter with Osbourne, which passed through Malone. After finding out that the pop star was a fan of The Dark Prince, Watt thought to himself, “I have to do a song for Post and Ozzy. … I’ve said some crazy bullshit out loud before, and that was one of those times.

The resulting track, “Take What You Want,” became a mainstream hit. “That means in 2019 there’s a fucking metal song on pop radio with a guitar solo and Ozzy Osbourne,” Watt, also a longtime Osbourne fan, proudly reported. “And that’s the coolest shit for me in the whole world. “

Watch the video for Post Malone Feat. Ozzy Osbourne “Take What You Want”

Osbourne’s album was written and recorded quickly with the help of Duff McKagan and Chad Smith, both drawn to Watt’s positive energy. McKagan, the Guns N ‘Roses bassist, who knows a thing or two about difficult creative collaborations, noted, “We had never written together, and you know it can go wrong in a hot second. But this is not the case.

In December 2020, Watt told Guitar.com that since he “grew up in the Napster generation” he “had so many different types of music in front of me.”

“My favorite rock music isn’t perfect; it has holes, ”he explained. You had to know how to play your instrument to make these incredible Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Smiths records. He said that while writing pop, hip-hop and rap tracks involved a different accent, it was still “important to feel real.” His compositions “all start with the guitar, even though the final song doesn’t have a guitar,” he added, pointing out how he had performed in blues dives across New York City.

“The cool thing about rock’n’roll is that it’s become so much more than a genre,” he said to himself. “You can use it as an adjective. It’s the only genre you can use as an adjective, like “Look at this person, she’s so rock’n’roll!” It’s an attitude and an atmosphere. This part is very much alive today. “

For someone who is only 30 years old and given their recent past, it would seem foolish to suggest that they have already peaked. So while working with Osbourne is a highlight of his career so far, there will likely be more of the same. “It was a real dream,” said the producer. “When you think back to a career in music and you’re lucky enough to be a musician, these are the types of moments that are really going to stick. I have spent so much time with someone I idolize. Ozzy is like family now.

Watch Ozzy Osbourne’s ‘Ordinary Man’ Video

Work continues on the follow-up to Ordinary Man, although Watt himself suffered a health problem when he caught COVID-19, from which he is still recovering. Still, he reflected, “Ozzy was very sick when we started the first album, recovering from his neck surgery, and this album gave him a second life. It was my first time getting involved in something musical that was about something bigger than music. It saved this guy’s life. I achieved my childhood dream of being able to rock’n’roll with the exact person I wanted to do it with.

In January 2016, Watt pledged to “continue the quest to bring rock ‘n’ roll back to the people who hungry for it.” He delivered. For those worried that rock crossovers have spent too much time drifting away and not heading for the genre they love, Watt offers hope.

With the blues in his upbringing, “Blackbird” by The Beatles as one of his favorite songs and a quote from Bob Dylan as the motto – “If you ever feel really stuck, listen to your favorite song for an hour over and over again” – no wonder he is held in such high regard.

Regardez Andrew Watt performer ‘High’