John Watts
entered the pop music scene in the 1970s, having initially studied psychology at an experimental facility that operated without the use of medication or physical restraints. "I worked shifts there from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and would jump straight into the van afterwards to play a gig in Derby. I spent the whole day dealing with raving psychopaths, so a punk audience couldn't scare me. When you’re standing in Wolverhampton in front of a few snotty 17-year-olds threatening to stub a cigarette out on your leg, you just think: 'Go ahead!'"

Fischer-Z was formed in 1976 at Brunel University, alongside John’s friend and keyboardist Steve Skolnik. John’s political songwriting and boundless energy led to the band being signed by United Artists in 1978—joining contemporaries such as The Stranglers and the Buzzcocks. Their debut album, *Word Salad*, was released in 1979 and became an instant post-punk hit: the single "The Worker" was played on *Top of the Pops*, while "Remember Russia" was championed by John Peel. 1980 saw the release of "So Long"—the band’s most successful single and one of the very first music videos ever aired on MTV—marking Fischer-Z’s breakthrough onto major stages worldwide. In 1981, they released *Red Skies Over Paradise*, which remains their most successful album to date and featured the singles "Marliese" and "Berlin."

To date, John has released 23 albums, sold two million records, and performed more than 3,000 concerts across Europe, the USA, and Canada. His recordings have featured contributions from artists such as Peter Gabriel, Steve Cropper, and the horn section from Dexys Midnight Runners. Fischer-Z shared the stage with James Brown in East Berlin before an audience of 167,000, toured with The Police and Dire Straits, and performed alongside Bob Marley on his final European tour. In recent years, Watts has also made a name for himself as a multimedia artist, poet, and playwright, creating a diverse and distinctive body of work characterized by energy, warmth, and humanity. With the 2025 project PUNKT!, he brings together his talents in music, words, and imagery.