John Watts entered pop music after studying to be a clinical psychologist

in the 1970s at an experimental facility that didn't use any drugs or restraints.

“I’d be doing a shift there from 8-4pm and then get in a van and go to do a gig

in Derby, or somewhere. I’m not aggressive naturally, but, you know, I’d literally

dealt with psychopaths all day, so I wasn’t afraid of the punk crowds. During the

daytime, you’d be taking someone to hospital who’s cut themselves open with a

broken bottle, you’re holding their stomach together hospital and then in the

evening you go out and play to some snotty little 17 year olds who threaten to

put a cigarette out on your leg and you think, ‘Well, come on then!’” Which all

helped Fischer Z gain a reputation for a confrontational style of performance.

They were also recognised as a white band that could really play reggae.

They got very busy and toured with Dire Straits and played festivals with Bob Marley.

When the hits started to come - third album Red Skies Over Paradise was shifting

30,000 copies a week in Germany in 1981 - the band concentrated on their most

successful territories. Their inexperienced management pushed them through

almost five years of relentless recording and touring, after which Watts, who

was responsible for all the material, interviews and artistic guidance, was

completely burnt out. “I should have just taken six months off but I hit the

self-destruct button and declared I was now a solo act.” Having torpedoed the

brand name, Watts was fated to focus on where he was best known, though he’s

always lived in Britain and raised children here. Over decades the band has continued

touring in Europe, but John has also crafted a solo mode that mixes social

commentary, poetry and his sharp songwriting into an impressive and wide-ranging

two hour theatre show format. The demand for Fischer-Z has never gone away.

These days Watts straddles parallel careers, as the front man of Fischer-Z - under

which banner he releases all his new music - and as Fischer-Z Solo, lone guitar-toting

wordsmith and polemicist.

A recent on-rush of inspiration has coincided with Watts deciding to shift focus to see

if he can make a bigger impact back home. “I find it absolutely frustrating not to be able

to work as much as I’d like in Britain, in fact in all the English-speaking countries. I

absolutely love this new project, PUNKT!, but it's just one brick in a huge wall. I'd like

people in Britain, Australia and America to know that I've built that wall. I'm 70, but I

intend to produce work in the coming years that’s as good as anything I've ever done.

I want to keep the standard high, visit places I’ve never been before, and show people

what I can do.”

2025 is the year of PUNKT! ‘It is not just music; it includes a collection of 10 artworks

and a short film. The music will initially be released as series of limited edition bespoke

vinyl records. At a time when creatives are expressing great concern about the threat of

AI to their art and their livelihoods, John is keen to emphasise the value of music and art

by adopting an ‘“art’ model to create a limited number of bespoke vinyl record artefacts.’

2026 is a big one for Fischer-Z. 50 years since the band was formed at Brunel university

and played their first ever shows in Autumn 1976. The band will play an extensive

anniversary tour in Spring and Autumn 2026. Countries we are looking to book include:

Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Spain, Portugal, Australia and the

UK. There will be accompanying releases to support the anniversary.