The Replacements: Classic or Dud?

It's kind of an amazing triumph of Twin/tone that the author can keep on writing page after page about all the silly rock and roll hi-jinx they engaged in without either celebrating them or wagging his finger at them, without it just turning into a wearisome laundry list.

ok, the time has come, i've re-read every page on this google books preview. time to pay a visit to my local library.

MINNESOTANS
Wait wasn't there some kind of interesting retro/world music/eclectic band called The Minnesotans led by some guy name Paul something? Hard to Google obv. Last name is kind of French maybe.

Guy loves Ry Cooder, I saw them once decades ago at Central Park Summerstage and was pleasantly surprised. Sorry that's all I got.

Are you thinking of Paul Cebar and the Milwaukeeans?

Martin Zeller and the Hardways/Gear Daddies?

Speaking of which: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zamboni_(song)

(A friend bumped into Zeller in Mexico, where he apparently spends half the year thanks to said "Zamboni" song.)

and i sit in the epicenter of replacements hagiography
M@tt, I got annoyed pretty quick with the last Replacements book, by a local guy with an Irish name, for precisely that reason. Long on blustery boosterism, short on info. Also, there is a personage that pops up now and then in the book with your last name-a photographer, maybe?- wonder if it is a relative or it is just a common name there.

― Jesperson, I think we're lost (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, March 8, 2016 12:03 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

haha that book is a lot of what i was referring to

yes i do see that photographers name around, but we are not related, it's not an uncommon name in the upper midwest in norweigian settled regions

Zellar also had a gig doing a Neil Diamond tribute show that would always sell out weeks in advance.

This is straight up the dumbest town ever.

xp

So Sh@kedown isn't uncommon?

Are you thinking of Paul Cebar and the Milwaukeeans?

Zellar had some pretty serious chemical issues for awhile and he blew a lot of Zamboni money on them. He ends up playing a lot of strange, small, regional joints these days (and honestly he's phoned in a few too many shows if you ask me.). It's kinda too bad, because much of his solo work is excellent.

Jim Walsh is a great guy, a decent writer, and wrote a decent oral history of the Replacements which I'd argue is a fitting tome for a band like the Mats. His (sort of) companion book "Waxed Up Hair And Painted Shoes" is a great picture book of that era in Minneapolis rock.

But Ned is right, the new book by Mehr is unexpectedly excellent--I probably know as much or more about the band as anyone and was surprised he got a book deal. Was even more surprised that Matos was integral to the first drafts because I have never got the impression that he had much use for the Replacements.

Almost done. Perhaps could have done with a few less sentences like this: "Paul's recent extensive reading of Eudora Welty led to careful observational opening lines such as INSERT KORNY INDIE LYRIX HERE." But this is a small quibble. And upon first listen, the guy is right, the Bash & Pop album is the best Replacements solo album.

How did his reading of Hermann Broch inform Don't Tell a Soul?

Lol

Just laughed out loud as well to hilarious quote from Tommy Keene.

Sometimes I think Paul is my least favorite Replacement, that there is some kind of Robbie Robertson thing going on.

Bash & Pop album
Perfect stuff is good too.

are we counting all shook down as a solo album?

He's not counting it as such, I don't think.

But yeah, you are right.

I couldn't tell you what particular songs I like on that one, but the production is good and I can listen to it from beginning to end without the urge to skip or stop.

i don't think i've ever successfully listened to that one straight through. and i've tried. i like the song with johnette napolitano.

Zellar had some pretty serious chemical issues for awhile and he blew a lot of Zamboni money on them. He ends up playing a lot of strange, small, regional joints these days (and honestly he's phoned in a few too many shows if you ask me.). It's kinda too bad, because much of his solo work is excellent.

i wouldn't worry about him. i don't think anyone who doesn't live in Minnesota can understand how popular they are w/a certain set of people who went to college in the 90s in this state, last year they did 5 nights in a row at First Avenue at $20 a pop and sold it all out. They have a show at First Ave coming up, just added a second show because of high ticket demand...some of the places you might see on their website like O'Gara's in St Paul or the Red Carpet in St. Cloud are decent sized rooms and the Gear Daddies have been playing to loyal MN outstate fanbase for years, they draws hundreds and ticket prices will always be around $20...I know for a fact they still get $20,000-$25,000 a show and up regularly

honestly they aren't THAT much less popular in the overall state of MN (esp if you consider how much they meant to Southern MN and outstate being from Austin not Minneapolis) than the Replacement, even if their national profile is zilch.

Let's Go Scare Al is as good a country rock album as there is IMO.

like just for example to most ppl wtf is the "Crookston Sports Center"? http://www.geardaddies.com/shows/

i just looked it up and it seats 1,200 and tickets are going for $20 + fees

I like the first Chris Mars album. It's got
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGa1FF_2Gsw

Re: Mars solo, and Tommy solo, etc., it is kind of funny how easily they recorded albums that essentially could pass for the Replacements.

popular creeps is such a great song

it's funny, local DJ Mary Lucia (who is Paul Westerberg's sister IRL) used to have a local music show she called "Popular Creeps"

What is generally considered to be the best Paul Westerberg solo record?

stereo? i'm one of the people who'd argue for suicaine gratifaction though. or 49:00

14 Songs

^^

I'm a Mono/Stereo fan

popular creeps is such a great song

dead ringer for mid-'80s ray davies/kinks

fcc OTM. I've been trying to figure out what/who that song reminded me of for so long.

Stereo/Mono, though ASD fans should probably go straight to 14 songs.
and I adore all the Grandpaboy, self-released stuff like 49:00.

first Chris Mars solo record is great! I wish I'd kept that CD. Bash and Pop is okay, the lead single ("Loose Ends"?) is the best thing on it

i don't think anyone who doesn't live in Minnesota can understand how popular they are w/a certain set of people who went to college in the 90s in this state

I can because I went to undergrad late 80s early 90s. I get the Zellar thing and am a massive fan. Saw the Gear Daddies dozens of times, but have only seen them a few times in the past five years. I know Zellar keeps on trucking and am super happy for him.

Popular Creeps was directed at Westerberg, it was Mars' way of calling him a sellout I guess.

One of the bands that Bobby played in post-Mats was called the Bleeding Hearts and there is a demo of them floating around. They were not that good.

there's some static taxi stuff on youtube, this one is pretty cool!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swTCKb0TSJo

haha this one is at a now defucnt kinda yuppie-ish italian place in uptown called Figlio's

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB9t9aCv3h0

I can because I went to undergrad late 80s early 90s. I get the Zellar thing and am a massive fan. Saw the Gear Daddies dozens of times, but have only seen them a few times in the past five years. I know Zellar keeps on trucking and am super happy for him.

ah yeah, it is weird tho i suppose every city has their own local favorites that never quite broke nationally

but yeah in 2015, the five night stand would have drawn close to 10,000 ppl all told to First Ave in a week, that's pretty impressive for a band that's only known as a one joke song band nationally

what is this???

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi5pPxHIqCo

Sonny Vincent! Benefits coming up around town for him soon, I think his kids/grandkids were in a house explosion/fire.

https://www.gofundme.com/xnvynbcc

snarkiest Paul interview comment from old days: "They've ALL been solo records"

― son of a lewd monk (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, September 23, 2014 3:33 PM

i don't think anyone who doesn't live in Minnesota can understand how popular they are w/a certain set of people who went to college in the 90s in this state, last year they did 5 nights in a row at First Avenue at $20 a pop and sold it all out.

I resent this remark, there's people from northern Iowa who totally get the Gear Daddies

haha that's where I'm from

i don't think anyone who doesn't live in Minnesota can understand how popular they are w/a certain set of people who went to college in the 90s in this state, last year they did 5 nights in a row at First Avenue at $20 a pop and sold it all out.
I resent this remark, there's people from northern Iowa who totally get the Gear Daddies

― tremendous crime wave and killing wave (Joan Crawford Loves Chachi), Wednesday, March 9, 2016 1:45 PM (33 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

haha the 7 miles that separated my town from the border of Iowa have some of the highest per capita narcissism of small differences in the world

or the narcissism of no differences

If Paul Westerberg ran for governor of MN based on a promise that he would erect a 40 foot wall around the state and promised to keep Minnesota for Minnesotans he would win in a landslide.

When he took the oath of office he could even "forget" the words and it would be so charming cuz he's so talented and smart but doesn't anything seriously. Also, he is an underdog.