when people start talking about The Replacements being good or bad, i always think of an acquaintance of mine who had never heard them, but wanted to check them out. this was in college. after borrowing some stuff, he gave it back and said the equivalent of "i think it's too late for me. if i was still in high school, maybe."

when i hear criticisms of the later work, i think about the story one of our ex-drummers told about seeing them. he saw them when they were on tour for Don't Tell A Soul and asked Tommy to sign his album. Tommy signed it "if only it were good". i saw this evidence. pretty funny.

mackro wrote: but I can't buy the "most real" or "there were just these four guys, and each had their own personality, hence they were the greatest!" defense, which I often hear.

i've never heard this defense, but it's a pretty lame one when anyone brings it out for any band.

also:

mackro wrote:Their chapter in the Our Band Could Be Your Life book was very entertaining, but it turned tiresome whenever the stories stopped and the veneration started

i think it's worth noting that this goes for any band. veneration has little to do with a band's quality, be it the 'mats or anyone else.

so, yes, obviously, i like the Replacements. there were periods when i like/liked them less. not all of their albums are always great to me, but when they work, they work.

more talented than sometimes given credit for, and paul westerberg is a prolific, clever songwriter who can be something of a jerk. and who, yes, sometimes writes crap (ever hear some of the outtakes from PTMM? terrible). his recent solo stuff proves that, although the second Grandpaboy record is some good grit.

well, that's more than enough. i blame the heat.

not crap.

A fine outfit to party with, at least back then.

NOT CRAP.

for years i have wondered about the grafitti on the wall from the back of the Let It Be cover. it looks like a brick wall, maybe their practice room. painted on it looks like the words, "Twin Tone eats slotty graff." please someone help me understand this graff, be it slotty or not. would a record company really eat the stuff? look at your own copy of this record and see if it does not read the same to you. I think it is a fine record, if not their last truly good one. it has my favorite mats song, 'seen your video', with the cool instrumental intro.

tzero wrote:

mackro wrote: but I can't buy the "most real" or "there were just these four guys, and each had their own personality, hence they were the greatest!" defense, which I often hear.

i've never heard this defense, but it's a pretty lame one when anyone brings it out for any band.

Then don't read Our Band Could Be Your Life.

tzero wrote:
also:

mackro wrote:Their chapter in the Our Band Could Be Your Life book was very entertaining, but it turned tiresome whenever the stories stopped and the veneration started

i think it's worth noting that this goes for any band. veneration has little to do with a band's quality, be it the 'mats or anyone else.

I disagree. Sure, the general art of music criticism/writing is, on the average, heading light speed toward the shitter thanks especially to the New Times/Village Voice Media merger. But, there are some folks who can nicely elaborate why they think a band is great -- and even make that more captivating than telling funny stories about the band.

The chapter in question in that book was mainly a sideline in the context of this thread, but I brought it out because it seems most people defend the Replacements because of all these funny stories, and -- from what I've read -- could never attempt to explain why the band's music was all that.

trompuss wrote:for years i have wondered about the grafitti on the wall from the back of the Let It Be cover. it looks like a brick wall, maybe their practice room. painted on it looks like the words, "Twin Tone eats slotty graff."

It's the inside of the van they toured in, and the graffiti says "Twin Tone eats sloth crap." The staff of Twin Tone were notorious for devouring large quantities of marsupial excrement, and the Replacements were very literal graffitists.

The Replacements wrote terrific songs and they were funny as hell. The show they played in New Jersey in August '85 remains the best rock show I've ever seen.

N/C. 0

I probably saw them a dozen times, from 1981 onwards. Played a few shows with them as well. I really lost interest after they kicked Bob out. Bob Dunlap, who replaced Bob Stinson, is an excellent guitar player, and at the time probably more what Paul wanted, but the music became too "serious" for my tastes. The majority of shows I saw were the sloppy 'n drunk variety. Possibly because it was the home town, I dunno.

I got to play in an Alice Cooper cover band with Tommy and Chris a few times, and I can attest to their excellent rock skills. They were always very nice guys as well.

But, I miss Bob's guitar playing. When he was "on", nobody could touch his maniacal style. Watching him live when he was hitting the zone was amazing.

The Shit Hits The Fans. You hear the audience members shouting out requests, yet they refuse to play any of their songs; instead opting to cover If I Only Had A Brain, Takin' Care of Business, etc. etc. NOT CRAP by a fucking longshot. Westerberg's songwriting is way above board and his last few "albums" (see: mono/come feel me tremble) have been filthy and solid. One of the greatest bands ever. Total disregard for the record company is extra credit.

zom-zom wrote:The majority of shows I saw were the sloppy 'n drunk variety. Possibly because it was the home town, I dunno.

That pretty much describes the 5 or 6 times I saw them in the Northern Illinois area (all w/Bob Stinson). Two or three of the times I saw them they barely finished any song they started. One show at the West End (back-in-the-day club in Chgo) they spent unplugging eachother's amps and giggling most of the set, which thankfully ended after about a half hour. I did see them play a couple of "normal" sets, which were better, for me.

N/C waffle:0

They definitely got me at the right age. Their early albums were a staple of my teens. When westerberg began believing his own press things went downhill fast. I remember being nauseated by the line ,"but our lips must quell" on DTAS. A "jump the shark" moment if there ever was. All things considered, they gave me 4 lp's worth of stuff that I can still proudly enjoy as well as two of my most memorable and enjoyable concert experiences. That's what it's all about, no?

Boring CRAP with a few passable songs on their first album. The only people I know who like this band are sensitive boys and teenage girls who STILL have a thing for Paul Westerberg. blech.