Mississippi river born in ‘59
By Jodi | Filed under 'Mats Memories, In the News | Comments (11)
Today’s Mr. Paul Westerberg’s 50th birthday. Yesterday the Strib ran a nice piece about the old man.
“Starting in the 1980s, the Replacements injected a much-needed dose of mischief into a musical environment close to being overtaken by poseurs and synth-rock. Westerberg and his bandmates Tommy Stinson, Chris Mars and Bob Stinson took their direction from romantic songwriters and glam bands from the coasts — sentimental troubadours like Eric Carmen and Neil Diamond and party hounds like Thin Lizzy and Kiss. Ambitious, skilled, and swaggering but not stupid, they were the Clash without the notion that they had something important to say.
“Originally content to play simply fast and loud, Westerberg’s often comic and daring music grew increasingly more ambitious. By the band’s third and fourth albums, he was throwing off evocative tales of heartbreak, pain and confusion at a level that most bands would be lucky to stumble upon once in a career. Commercially, the Replacements mostly went nowhere, but you have to remember, this was the decade of Phil Collins.”
Tags: paul westerberg
I can’t stand no rejection
By Jodi | Filed under 'Mats Memories | Comments (11)
Do you ever get into one of those modes where you can’t seem to stop listening to a certain song?
I do. Today it’s “Kiss Me on the Bus.” I don’t know what it is about the song that’s clicking with me today, but it is. I am going to boldy state that this is the most underrated of the ‘Mats love songs (right before Customer).
What do you think? Pop trash or underrated genius?
(P.S. I lost my job so expect a lot more annoying inanity up in these parts)
Tags: Kiss Me on the Bus
Bands & how often they are mentioned by Craig Finn in A Positive Rage
By Jodi | Filed under 'Mats Memories | Comments (10)
Sometimes I wonder if part of the reason I have such a soft spot for Craig Finn of The Hold Steady is his love of The Replacements. Don’t get me wrong, I really do enjoy the music of The Hold Steady, but the esteem my tender heart holds for Mr. Finn is quickly approaching the same level as Mike Doughty’s.
If you know me, you’ll realize how momentous that is.
So I was watching A Positive Rage again tonight, and this time I kept track of the bands Finn mentions. Of course, I am here to share that with you.
Led Zepplin = 1
The Stones = 1
The Beatles = 1
Pavement = 1
Mission of Burma = 1
Sean Lennon = 1
Husker Du = 2
The Replacements = 6
Yeah. The DVD is pretty sweet.
Tags: The Hold Steady
A confession from the absent blogger
By Jodi | Filed under 'Mats Memories | Comments (9)
Whenever Gary’s Got a Boner comes on Evangeline, my iPod, I shuffle past it. Trip Shakespeare, my cubemate, agrees.
I feel so much better confessing that to you.
How the hell y’all westernerds been?
Tags: Gary's Got a Boner
Your required reading for the day
By Jodi | Filed under 'Mats Memories | Comments (2)
Crawdaddy’s kick ass interview with Peter Jesperson regarding the reissues. Yes, there will be a quiz. I was going to pull a quote to entice you, but they’re all to good. Go read it!
Tags: Crawdaddy, Peter Jesperson, Replacements Reissues
a letter from paul
By sidemouse | Filed under 'Mats Memories | Comments (6)
this might interest some… it’s a letter from Paul I received in 1985.
it makes no sense…. what did you expect? See it here.
Tags: fan mail, paul westerberg
Making the Scene: An Oral History of Twin Cities Rock
By Jodi | Filed under 'Mats Memories, Related News | Comments (2)
In honor of Minnesota’s 150th Anniversary, Chris Roberts dedicated his weekly Local Show on 89.3 The Current on the History of Twin Cities Rock (it’s the May 11th episode). It’s pretty entertaining and educational. The show starts with TC music in the mid-sixties and goes on up through the 90s.
Tags: 'Mats, 89.3 the current, chris roberts, rock and roll history, the replacements, twin cities music
One more chance to get it all wrong, or maybe get it half right?
By Placemat | Filed under 'Mats Memories, Reunion, wishful thinking | Comments (24)
This thread startin’ business is all complicated & shit…
Everybody read the Spin article, right? All of a sudden Tommy has done a 180, & it seems the fabled reunion isn’t so much a fairy tale but a possibility.
I would never fault anyone for a pay check. & If it happens, I’ll go, probably on more than one occasion. Still, I can’t help being turned off by the idea. The Mats have been many things over the years, but an oldies act sure-as-shit ain’t one of ‘em.
& I’m sorry, fuck precedence, it’s just not the Mats without Christopher Mars behind the kit. If the man don’t wanna play, the man don’t wanna play.
However, if Paul & Tommy went into the studio/basement together & cut a new record…Then decided to tour in support…Now, that’s something I could get behind. I could care less what the called themselves. Y’know they’re gonna bust out all the oldies, but the new material changes everything.
Even more than that, between Paul & Tommy, I think there’s real potential for a fantastic album. & I would love to hear it.
Curious about everyone’s opinion in regards to a Mats reunion. & Let’s hear a little noise regarding a Paul & Tommy record.
Side Note: Lately whenever there are rumors of a Mats reunion, the Pixies are inevitably mentioned. I just watched “Loud, Quiet, Loud” & the Pixies are the most un-fun band in the world. Sesh, what’s the fucking point?
Tags: paul westerberg, replacements reunion, tommy stinson
In the Blogs: Holy Baloney the ‘Mats are everywhere edition
By Jodi | Filed under 'Mats Memories, In the Blogs | Comments (8)
Over at Minn Post Jim Walsh offers up a glimpse at the liner notes in the ‘Mats reissues coming out next week.
Earlier this week, local TV Station WCCO did a pretty nice, lengthy piece on Laurie Lindeen calling her the “coolest lunch lady.” Includes a very awkward Westerberg family picture, and snippet from the Fakebook event last summer.
VH-1 is offering up a stream of Let it Be (Deluxe Edition).
The Village Voice weighs in on the ‘Mats reissues.
Paul Westerberg — An American Hero.
Carrie Brownstein lists her 11 favorite ‘Mats lyrics over on NPR.
In non-’Mats news, I am babysitting my nephews Nolan, 4, and Liam, 3. They are cleaning the bathtub because they want to. Is that bad?
Hitsville is listing songs about rock and gets to Left of the Dial.
P.S. There’s still time to vote in the first round of ‘Mats Madness.
Tags: 'Mats, jim walsh, Laurie Lindeen, Left of the Dial, reissues, the replacements
Torn and Frayed: The Story of the Replacements’ 1987 Classic Pleased to Meet Me
By Jodi | Filed under 'Mats Memories, In the News | Comments (3)
So yeah, I don’t have an In the Blogs list this week. I’ve been busy trying to find a job and napping.
However, I just got this awesome story from Ari at Gibson. Yeah, that Gibson. They’ve worked up this excellent piece about the making of “Pleased to Meet Me.” You should go read it. Here’s a little excerpt:
There have been better bands, louder bands, and drunker bands, but there has never been a better, drunker, louder band than the Replacements, and the second two qualifiers wouldn’t matter one whit without the first. Gang Green never changed anybody’s life and you know why? Because they sucked. And on any given night, so did the Replacements—unforgivably. (As can be attested by anyone who ever waited a year and paid $20 to see the band only to find them falling down drunk, with Paul Westerberg inhaling helium before launching into unrecognizable versions of “Born in the USA” and “Whipping Post.”) But in a heartbeat (it’s a lovebeat), they could transform into the American Rolling Stones, but better—all heart, with none of the flamboyant rock royalty nonsense, just cranked guitars, hopeless desperation, and some of the best songs ever written. This was rock and roll as dropout high drama, entrenched in the moment, gut wrenching to witness, with stakes and brilliance only hinted at by the records they left behind.
Go read the rest: Torn and Frayed: The Story of the Replacements’ 1987 Classic Pleased to Meet Me
Tags: 'Mats, Gibson, Please to Meet me, the replacements
Loading ...
Hi, I'm