PHOTOS BY AKMAL NAIM

For a man who just turned 50 a few weeks ago, erstwhile Minutemen bassist Mike Watt sounded pretty youthful at L.A.'s Knitting Factory last night (Jan. 6). Following an acidic performance from Oakland's jazz-rock fusioneers Monster Cock Rally, whose drummer Calvin Weston shared the stage with the Minutemen in the early '80s, Watt and his newest trio the Missingmen ripped through a searing set of punk and post-punk covers. Most of them were sharpened on the Missingmen's 2006 European tour in support of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and the experience showed. Maybe Watt and the Missingmen weren't the original performers of these songs, but at this gig they owned every single one of them.

Drummer Raul Morales bashed the kit like each song was his absolute last -- sweat ringed his shirt collar by the end of the opening Television cover "Little Johnny Jewel." Tom Watson's guitar drew blood on Blue Öyster Cult's "The Red and the Black," and summoned the spirit of Minutemen guitarist D. Boon on three tracks from their classic Double Nickels on the Dime LP. Watt's bass was the thumping heart of the whole thing, pumping and popping alongside members of Monster Cock Rally through a cacophonous jam on "Fun House" by his recent employers the Stooges. Just as evident as Watt's abundant energy was his gentle spirit, surely another factor in his eternal youth. Towards the end of the Missingmen's set, Watt offered the generous words "Have open heart and open mind. I'm most grateful." No worries Watt, the feeling's mutual.

We asked: Who would play with Watt in your fantasy musical supergroup?

Name: Bobby Miller
Age: 38
Hometown: Macon, GA
Occupation: Retail
"Joe Strummer and John Bonham. The band would be 'Rock the Snackbar.'"

Name: Tyler Curtis
Age: 18
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Occupation: Student
"Ian MacKaye, Frank Black, and D.H. Peligro. Let's call it 'Rock Out with Your Clock Out.'"

Name: Maggie McLean
Age: 18
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Occupation: Receptionist
"Greg Ginn, D.J. Bonebrake, and Ian MacKaye. It would be named 'George.'"

Name: Megan Dailey
Age: 31
Hometown: Cleveland, OH
Occupation: Post-Doc
"Jay-Z and DJ Muggs in a band called 'Rocco.'"

Name: Jason Ho
Age: 44
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Occupation: Teacher
"Doug Martsch and Brett Nelson of Built to Spill. Band is 'No Time.'"

Name: Katie Watkins
Age: Hmmm…let's say 21.
Hometown: Wales
Occupation: Psychotherapist
"It'd be called 'Katie & the Thundercats,' and it would feature me as the lead singer."

Mike Watt / Photo by Akmal Naim

Axeman Tom Watson / Photo by Akmal Naim

Drummer Raul Morales / Photo by Akmal Naim

Opening act Monster Cock Rally / Photo by Akmal Naim