I hate ILoveMusic, it's got too many POLLS - Artist Poll #104 - THE REPLACEMENTS - RESULTS

Think it comes back around at the top level: people like Lester Young saying learn the words, listen to singers and their phrasing, etc. But some journey rock guitar (or drum) teacher on the other hand...

I swear one of these days I'll take part in a poll where my votes aren't super-vanilla (part of the problem is you guys did so many polls before I was aware of 'em):

Trax only:

01 I Will Dare
02 Takin’ a Ride
03 Alex Chilton
04 Color Me Impressed
05 Bastards of Young
06 Skyway
07 Run It
08 Valentine
09 Sixteen Blue
10 Answering Machine
11 Fuck School
12 Careless
13 Within Your Reach
14 Androgynous
15 Shiftless When Idle
16 Hold My Life
17 The Ledge
18 Never Mind
19 All Shook Down
20 Little Mascara
21 Customer
22 Happy Town
23 Swingin Party
24 Take Me Down to the Hospital
25 Unsatisfied

I think Paul is a virtuoso songwriter, or was

but chops vs feeling is a false binary that overall I reject

Same. There was an article on the Big Thief singer where the writer placed the two in opposition, like as though AL’s emphasis on emotional connection was independent of virtuosity. Then that post above about the drum teacher (LOL).

yeah music teacher/guitar mag dudes are kind of have their own worldview haha

big thief is a great example though of a band that really touches people in a very intimate way and their chops are subtle enough that they maybe aren't noticed or remarked upon enough - but yeah that whole band kills and she is a very unique and cool player (as is the other guitarist)

I just listened to Let It Be for the first time in a long time & what is it with the years but I really get it now, for the first time.

I get caught by Westerberg's sentimentality, I fall for it, I've always been in love, but Bob Stinson's playing is what sticks this time. You all have taught me how to listen to music in other ways & I'll always be grateful for that.

I'd heard Sixteen Blue countless times but in relistening to it now really heard Bob's solo channel the sense of youthful confusion.

It's a shame Bob couldn't be in the band through Pleased to Meet Me (and obv it's known he wasn't super engaged during the Tim sessions) they aren't the Mats as much without him, something special went out of it

That story where he gets sober for a little while and Paul tells him "drink or get off my stage" is one of the saddest, cruelest things I've ever heard

I almost went to reread that last night but couldn't

is "Sixteen Blue" also a reference to football? ("Blue 16!" sounds like something a quarterback would yell, just before saying "HUT!")

Just looked at the Sorry, Ma liner notes here. Forgot that Paul played the second lead on "Johnny's Gonna Die." It's good.

(Alway's feel a little weird posting after the POLL is over)

Thank you Nag3 for your hard work, tabulation and excellent art selections! This thread brought me a lot of joy. My ballot:

Category 'A'

I Will Dare
Bastards Of Young
Alex Chilton
Left Of The Dial
Takin' A Ride
Color Me Impressed
Can't Hardly Wait
Take Me Down To The Hospital
Unsatisfied
The Ledge
Answering Machine
Favorite Thing
Hold My Life
Valentine
Never Mind
We're Comin' Out
Sixteen Blue
Here Comes A Regular
I'll Be You
Kiss Me On The Bus
Achin' To Be
We'll Inherit The Earth
Talent Show
Little Mascara
Portland
Merry Go Round
Sadly Beautiful
Shiftless When Idle
Within Your Reach
Anywhere's Better Than Here

Category 'B'

World Class Fad
Not A Moment Too Soon
Never Aim To Please
High Time
Friday Night Is Killing Me
Lookin' Out Forever
Turn It Up
Best Thing That Never Happened
Love Untold
We May Be The Ones
Got You Down
Silent Film Star
Without A View
No Place For You
Tiny Pieces
Waiting For Somebody
Nothing
MamaDaddyDid
Not This Time
Dsylexic Heart

Category C (Hootenany in 'E')

Let It Be
Hootenany
Tim
Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash
Pleased To Meet Me

Paul = Pete
Tommy = Roger
Chris = John
Bob = Keith

I have just been thinking about the last line the past few days! How I love the playing but the fun-loving antics are ultimately tiresome and depressing.

First one works too. Talented guys, a bit full of themselves. Second one too, dudes who were born to rock. And then Chris/John works as talented guys in the background behind the other showboats.

paul = gene
tommy = paul
chris = um, criss
bob = ace

(i have not fact-checked this)

paul = jimmy
tommy = robert
chris = JPJ
bob = bonzo

(i have not fact-checked this)

― fact checking cuz, Wednesday, October 14, 2020 3:01 PM (seven minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

post very much out of character!

lol

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Ahem

Although now I think I probably would switch Chris and Tommy.

Paul = Axl
Tommy = Tommy

sorry thats as far as my joke goes i’ll see myself out

tommy: charismatic showman; Chris, weirdo introvert, eccentric songsmith in the shadow of celebrated big shot; only way Tommy = John is if Tommy is the best musician in the band as that is conventionally understood, which I guess is right…

Yes to the latter.

Is there any argument with that?

Remember when Spin gave a handful of staffers plane tickets to random places in search of the "soul of rock and roll" or something? First, man, remember when they could just do that, give random plane tickets to people to go random places, let alone have the budget to do so? But second, they came to the conclusion that Paul Westerberg was it and sure, it's a silly, meaningless distinction that he probably made fun of in the cover story, but if it was going to be anyone ...
https://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lz4tiv1QMW1qeetdyo1_1280.jpg

Just a couple months before Nevermind...

I hope it's not the chalet
Just a waste of time

Never knew what the lyric was, still don't

#colorMeObsessed because I finally figured out that the problem I have with “Valentine” (and to a lesser extent the other mediocre trax on PTMM) comes down to the following elements:
1. PTMM was recorded digitally when the converters were crappier than they are now. Had it been recorded to tape the drums would not have that brittleness which is working to the album’s detriment throughout.
2. There’s a BOB STINSON-sized hole where a personality-forward guitar part should be.
Because, he’ll, I was just singing the lyric to “Valentine” just now while doing the dishes. Sound and personality matter, big time, imho of course.

Love you, spellcheck :)

Just a couple months before Nevermind...

and about a year after all shook down, which should have given them second thoughts about coming to that particular conclusion.

There’s a BOB STINSON-sized hole

that's pretty much the story of the replacements' last five or so years as a band :(

Paul = Pete
Tommy = Roger
Chris = John
Bob = Keith

(Always feel a little weird posting after the POLL is over)

Nah, 1000 posts or no credibility. Almost there!

we’re good until they start sweeping up the bottles

If you all just grab your zings and go home there won't be any hassle.

great poll, thanks for running this Nag

my ballot:
Unsatisfied
Alex Chilton
Left Of The Dial
I Will Dare
Never Mind
Answering Machine
Androgynous
Favorite Thing
Skyway
Here Comes A Regular
Hold My Life
Bastards Of Young
Can't Hardly Wait
Color Me Impressed
I'll Be You
Little Mascara
We're Coming Out
I.O.U.
Within Your Reach
Kiss Me On The Bus
Talent Show
Back to Back
Perfectly Lethal
Nowhere Is My Home
Kids Don't Follow
Sixteen Blue
The Ledge
Valentine
Red Red Wine
Nightclub Jitters

Am I okay to say there's a certain kind of Replacements ballad (or slow song, at least) I've never connected with? I voted for "Unsatisfied" and "Within Your Reach" and "Skyway"--those I love. But the following all placed pretty high, and they're all linked for me in a way I'm not really sure how to put into words: "Androgynous," "Here Comes a Regular," "Swingin' Party," "Sixteen Blue."

I really can’t tell if that is uncredited producer “Alex Chilton” singing harmony on the title line at the end of “Left of the Dial.”

Could be though. There is another harmony voice in there too.

I probably wrote this on a Replacements thread somewhere: I consider "Alex Chilton" (my #1) a towering masterpiece of self-pity, insofar as Westerberg's mostly writing about himself, the children by the millions who are waiting for him.

Alex Chilton should have done a song called “Paul Westerberg,” the same way Nick Lowe did Bowi and The Rumour did Max.

Reminds of a story I heard about someone asking Alex Chilton what he thought of a cover of one of his songs and him replying “that’s not the way that I would have done it.”

xxp

believe Chilton is credited with backing vocals for “Left of the Dial” on the Rhino reissue unless I’m mistaken, so you’re probably right.

It’s in the Bible, I mean the Bob Mehr book. That’s the one song from the post-CBGB sessions that AC produced.

That ended up on Tim, I meant to add.