“Trouble Boys. The True Story Of The Replacements” Bob Mehr
Da Capo Press 2016 (hardback)
“They fuck you up, your mum and dad.
They may not mean to, but they do.
They fill you with the faults they had
And add some extra, just for you.”
Reading Bob Mehr’s exhaustive new book on The Replacements has made me reflect on the price our musical heroes pay for their fame and fortune – or in this case for their semi-obscurity and poverty. Mehr goes through the early lives of the band in forensic detail and is excellent at identifying how their family life had a massive influence on how their “career” has played out. Drummer Chris Mars seems to have had a reasonably stable upbringing and accordingly seems relatively unscathed – he is now a successful artist with no involvement with music. However for guitarist / singer / songwriter Paul Westerberg, bassist Tommy Stinson and guitarist Bob Stinson early-life trauma has lead to long-term problems with relationships, alcohol and drugs, with Bob dying tragically young as a result. Maybe happy, secure, well-adjusted, emotionally resilient individuals don’t form groups (or maybe they do and turn into Dire Straits or Level 42 or someone else equally unlistenable). The uncomfortable reality is that my record collection is peopled with screwed-up individuals who self-medicated themselves into oblivion and/or an early grave but made some fine rock’n’roll along the way.
Long-term Mats fan Mehr had a suspicion that the bands early lives were crucial. “I had a sense, instinctively, that there was more to the band’s personal stories that would shed light on their music and career. That was part of why I wanted to write the book in the first place. People so often talk about the Replacements’ wild behavior and self-destructive actions – they’ve been glorified and vilified in equal measure for that. But I felt like no one had really asked “why?” Why did they do what they did? Why did they live they way they did? So for me, I wanted to know the answer to that, and I sensed that I would find what I was looking for in their childhoods, formative years and early backgrounds. I didn’t know how deep and dark and difficult the story would be, but I was prepared to find out.”
This was only possible because Mehr took his time. “When I first sold the book to Da Capo in 2009, my editor there asked ‘How long do you think it will take?’ I told him, with undue confidence, ‘Two years – a year to research and a year to write.’ In the end it took me closer to seven years. But, as the saying goes, ‘Man makes plans and God laughs.’ The only disadvantage to the long gestation period was the pain I put my poor editor through with endless requests for deadline extensions. I think, however, that the book itself benefited tremendously from all the years of research and trust building that occurred between myself, the band, their families and the various other key principals in the story. Because I was able to develop relationships with them over time, and do such deep and ongoing research, I believe it prompted everyone to give of themselves – in terms of honesty and genuine reflection – just as seriously. Hence, why I think the book is such a penetrating portrait: the credit is really due to all those who decided to speak, often for the first time, about their lives with such depth and candour.’
The other consequence of so much research is that this is a lengthy read by rock bio standards – 474 pages. Did Mehr come under any pressure from publisher Da Capo to shorten the book? “The book certainly was much longer in its first draft – if you can believe that – than the finished version. That’s probably not an uncommon situation for a narrative biography. A writer’s tendency, having done all the research, is to want to show all that work off. Often that instinct doesn’t serve the bigger purpose of the narrative. I was fortunate to have great editors – including fellow author Michaelangelo Matos (a native Minnesotan, who penned the essential dance music history “The Underground is Massive”), who helped cut from the original longer manuscript without losing the essence of the book. In the end, everything that was important or critical to understanding the Replacements’ journey remained in the book. There were a selection of end notes that I had to cut at the last minute – these were more tangential, anecdotal or simply fun facts that were lost for the sake of space. But I’m hoping to include/restore them as ‘bonus material’, should there be a paperback edition.”
This is actually the third book on the Replacements, the first two (All Over But the Shouting: An Oral History / Waxed Up Hair And Pointed Shoes) having been written by Jim Walsh. What does Mehr make of them? “Jim is a good writer, friend and helped on my project, providing interview material and support. I think he was bold in that he made the first attempt to tell the band’s story with his oral history. Probably anyone who tried to do it first was going to be met with some combination of suspicion and derision from Paul and the group regardless of what the finished product was like. I think All Over was a legitimate effort to tell the story from Walsh’s particular perspective – that of a Minnesotan and contemporary of the band’s (Walsh’s own group REMs shared bills with the Replacements early on). But, obviously, I had the added advantage of the band’s participation and many years to develop the story as a narrative history.”
Mehr challenges, or at least re-positions, some of the key incidents in Walsh’s books, notably the alleged “take a drink or get off my stage” altercation between Westerberg and a newly-sober Bob Stinson. “I don’t refute that the incident itself took place. What I was trying to correct was the chronology and actual relevance of the incident, which was misreported and misunderstood. I had to do that with many episodes in the band’s history. In telling Bob Stinson’s story it was crucial for people to realize that his life and death were far greater and more complex than anything that happened in the Replacements or on a stage somewhere. I wanted to humanize him, to make him whole, so that people could grasp what a tragic and in many ways triumphant life he led during his 35 years.”
First Replacements manager Peter Jesperson was another key figure whose personal struggles are described in great detail here. “Peter Jesperson was absolutely key in making this project possible from the very beginning. And yes, the book does get into some difficult, often painful aspects of his life and personal history. That was a sacrifice on his part, but I believe that his love for the band, and his desire to give people a better understanding of their creative contributions and legacy, was more important to him than anything. Peter is that sort of person: he’s a true believer in music and in the Replacements, so I feel he’s happy or proud of the book, even though it’s a probably a difficult read in some ways, because it cuts so close to the bone. I would say the reactions from Paul and Tommy have been much the same. Tommy was particularly gratified – “inspired” was his word – about the first section of the book (which is all I know he’s read for certain), and how I dealt with the very sensitive Stinson family history and his relationship with Bob and the early roots of the band. Paul read the whole book – or so he told me. I would never use the word “pleased” to describe Paul – and, honestly, I don’t think normal emotional responses could possibly apply to seeing your entire life, including the very woolly years of your 20s, described in such detail. But as a reader and student of biographies and history, I think Paul understands what my job was and that I took my responsibility seriously. And that I tried to give the band a book worthy of the band’s legacy”
How about a movie, maybe along the lines of the Runaways pic? “I don’t have any expectation that this story will make it to the screen, big or small. It’s probably too tough and complex a tale to be given a Hollywood treatment. I would love to see someone like Andrew Dominik direct – I think he could make a very exciting rock and roll film. Casting the parts would be the toughest aspect – as I can’t think of any working actors offhand who have the requisite charm and humor and danger in them to accurately portray the Replacements. That’s kind of what makes the band so great – they were more charismatic and exciting than any actor could ever be.”
What did Mehr think of the Replacements reunion tour? “I went to a handful including the first show at Riot Fest in Toronto in 2013, and the band’s big Twin Cities’ homecoming at Midway Stadium. I was there both as a fan and their biographer. But having those dual roles did nothing to diminish my enjoyment. Each of the shows I saw was fantastic for different reasons. I think the most remarkable thing about the reunion is that the Replacements did not diminish their legend at all, but actually enhanced it. That’s a neat trick for any group to pull off, especially after 20-plus years away.”
These days does Mehr prefer Paul Westerberg and Tommy Stinson solo or as part of the Mats ? “Oh, I find everything each of them does fascinating on a musical and personal level – particularly after the experience of becoming the ‘Mats biographer. I feel towards Westerberg as I do Dylan — I’m always curious and excited for anything he puts out. Even if I don’t ultimately love it, it’s still infinitely interesting to me to see where his muse and music go. Tommy is someone who deserves far more credit for his music and songwriting than he gets. The Bash & Pop record and the Perfect LP (which I have the original 1996 mix, which I prefer to the belatedly released and remixed version) are among my most beloved albums. I’m very eager to hear his next solo record – which based on some early material I’ve heard – is shaping up to be his absolute masterpiece.”
So what’s next ? “I think it’s evident, given Paul’s work with Juliana Hatfield in the I Don’t Cares and Tommy’s solo efforts, that the Replacements are on hold for the time being. But my gut sense – and it’s pure speculation – is that there might be more to their story yet. As for me, given the years I spent writing the book, I feel duty bound to promote it, with events and appearances for the balance of this year at least. Then I’ll look to get started on my next project. Frankly, I’ll have a hard time finding a subject as rich, colorful and fascinating as the Replacements. They’re a tough act to follow.”
The Replacements Fan Questionnaire, completed by Bob Mehr and Peter Jesperson
- Favourite LP
Mehr “I’ll go with Tim – it was the record that hit me hardest during my teen years, and which remains closest to my heart (and contains some of Westerberg’s finest songs). Though I have soft spot for the sheer musical and stylistic abandon of Hootenanny as well.”
Jesperson “My favourite Mats LP is Let It Be, though I love all of the first four, from top to bottom”
- Favourite Gig
Mehr “The first reunion show in Toronto. Having, at that point, been working on the book for several years, to suddenly be whisked to Canada, and be standing side stage as the band came back to life before my very eyes was a truly surreal and remarkable experience.”
Jesperson “So hard to pick a favourite gig, I saw them play hundreds of times, there were so many phenomenal ones … on the nights they did the brilliant shows they were capable of, I didn’t think it possible there was a better rock & roll band on the planet at that moment. A couple of shows that stand out to me are – one, in 1982, the Mats were opening for the premier Twin/Tone band of the day, The Suburbs, at my old high school. I was standing with one of my former English teachers and the school Principal when the band walked onstage and opened with “Fuck School.” I don’t know why I didn’t see that coming, it seems so obvious now but, it caught me completely off-guard. We all, my then-present company included, had a good laugh! Another gig that sticks in my mind was the show they did at Irving Plaza in NYC in December of 1984. That was the week the band was on the cover of the Village Voice and just days after they got shit-faced drunk and did one of their all-cover-songs sets in front of many of the city’s A&R community at what was supposed to have been an “unannounced” gig at CBGB (they played under a pseudonym – Gary & The Boners). They came out on stage at Irving Plaza like they had something to prove and opened with a blazing version of the Kiss song “Rock and Roll All Nite.” I happened to be up in the balcony VIP section when they came on and it was hilarious to see the expressions on everyone’s faces there – a number of them clearly thought at first that the band was making fun of the song. But they played it straight and delivered a balls-to-the-wall version that was, no matter how you looked at it, undeniably great rock and roll. And they kept it up for the whole set – it was one of the best I ever saw them do.
- Favourite Incident That Turned Out To Be Untrue
Mehr “During the making of All Shook Down, the Replacements’ were staying at the Hyatt House on Sunset. Another guest there was the King (and Queen) of rock and roll, Little Richard. He kept a permanent residence, two suites in fact, at the hotel that happened to be on either side of Paul Westerberg’s room. One story that made the rounds suggested a rather close encounter between Little Richard and Tommy Stinson. As the tale went, Stinson came to Westerberg’s room one night, in a messy state, demanding more of whatever they’d ingested earlier in the evening. It turned out he was pounding on the wrong door, when it opened to reveal Little Richard in a silk kimono. The flamboyant Richard looked Tommy up and down and exclaimed “Well, hell-o room service. Come on in!” Stinson was frozen. He had not been prepared to meet a giant bi-sexual rock legend in full readiness at the Riot House, and made haste back to his room. Alas, this story – related by several people, most colorfully by the Georgia Satellites’ Dan Baird – proved to be apocryphal. As far as Stinson could remember the only encounters he had with Little Richard were in the lobby of the hotel, where they chatted and he got him to sign an autograph.”
- Favourite Story That Turned Out To Be True
Mehr “Too many to count. That’s the funny thing with the Replacements – most of the famous stories one would totally assume were embellished, exaggerated or apocryphal, turned out to be absolutely true.”
Jesperson “There are just so many it’s hard to choose just one … but the time very early on when Longhorn owner Hartley Frank pulled us all outside of the bar to try to convince the band that the gig he was offering them on short notice for little money and with no time to promote it was a good idea. I opposed it, the band trusted me and effectively told Hartley that, from then on, he had to talk to me when he wanted to book the band … it was funny and it was one of the first great moments of solidarity between the band and I.”
- What would have happened if Rod Stewart had recorded Sixteen Blue?
Jesperson “Geez, the mind reels. It could have been great, in terms of validation and made other people take them more seriously. But it also could have been detrimental – a large influx of money to them in 1984, especially since the largest portion would’ve gone to Paul as the only writer on that song, may have driven a wedge between them. “
- There is still good unreleased Twin Tone material, both studio and live – would you ever put it out ?
Jesperson “I don’t think there is much good unreleased Twin/Tone material any more. We used the good stuff on the reissues we did for Rhino in 2008. Though we suspect that Paul has a lot of unreleased home recordings and there could be some real gems there. It’s just taken a while to get around to putting out unreleased Replacements recordings of any kind, partially because there wasn’t a huge demand and partially because live tapes and bootlegs have circulated for years so the real fans already have a lot of it. But I think there will be some cool archival Replacements releases in the years to come.”
Simon Wright 24.03.16
Rock’n’roll muse Maria McCormack has died at the age of 61.
Her outgoing character and hedonistic lifestyle inspired rock musicians including Wilko Johnson (Dr Feelgood), Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy), Lemmy (Motorhead) and Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols) as well as the painter Edward Bell (best known for his Bowie album covers).
Maria’s father, a career soldier from Newcastle upon Tyne, married an Irish girl from Derry and emigrated to Australia where Maria was born in 1954. The family soon returned to Britain and Maria grew up first in Newcastle Co. Down where, as a natural tomboy, she wandered the Mourne Mountains. When the Troubles started, the family returned to England, settling in Wembley. Maria’s uncle, John Hume, became a key player in the Northern Ireland peace process.
After school Maria worked in Town Planning but by 1973 the lure of music and musicians was irresistible. At the Speakeasy and the newly opened Dingwalls Dancehall – frequently in cahoots with her brother Michael – she befriended many key figures from the worlds of music and the underground press, including the late publisher, poet and philanthropist Felix Dennis. Felix was quick to spot the commercial potential of Kung Fu, and Maria joined him in late-night drives around London, selling his new Bruce Lee magazine to cinema queues.
At one point Maria was simultaneously working as a librarian in High Wycombe and as a dancer at the Windmill Theatre in Soho. She also played bass in all-female rock band Sleek. Fellow dancer and Sleek founder Voyna Crofts said of Maria “She was so lovely, and talented and gorgeous, she could do anything she wanted”.
In 1987 Maria met guitarist John Perry (The Only Ones) who remained her partner until her death on 9th March. After meeting John she returned to higher education and gained a degree in Social Sciences from Royal Holloway & Bedford College, University of London.
Spinal Tap’s dictum of “have a good time, all the time” certainly applied to Maria. The after-effects of this, coupled with undiagnosed coeliac disease, meant that in recent years Maria was unwell most of the time and it was only through John’s steadfast support that she lasted as long as she did. On the rare occasions she could be persuaded out she was good company – entertaining, generous and kind-hearted. She is survived by John and her three brothers.
An online version of this obituary has now been published by The Guardian here http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/mar/28/maria-mccormack-obituary
The print version of The Guardian ran a similar version on 22.04.16 (see below)
Simon Wright 16.03.16
Dave Davies, Islington Assembly Halls, December 18th 2015
First the bad news: Dave Davies currently has the worst haircut in rock’n’roll – bald at the front, long at the back. However everything else about this gig was tremendous.
The Assembly Halls is resolutely old-school (you can get married here) with a high ceiling, elevated stage and sprung wooden-floor. Throughout a generous 18-song set there was room to groove for an enthusiastic audience.
Having brother Ray scoot on for an encore of You Really Got Me was always going to be an attention-grabbing gambit (first time on stage together since 1996 blah blah). Ray looked as though he had a cab running – he didn’t even bother to take off his coat and flat cap. Momentous, but an event that risks overshadowing what went before. Dave went diving for pearls from his back catalogue and in addition to a good selection of Kinks hits he came up trumps with Strangers, Young And Innocent Days, This Man He Weeps Tonight and She’s Got Everything (progenitor of the Woman From Tokyo riff, fact fans).
Dave (first guitar, vocals) was sympathetically backed by Dennis Diken on drums (Smithereens) plus Jonathan Lea on second guitar and occasional bass and Tom Currier on bass and keyboards, the latter especially effective on a jaunt through Death Of A Clown complete with a duo of female backing singers. Everyone involved is a rabid Kinks fan, making this tour a labour of love.
The twinkle in Dave’s eye was unmistakeable as he finished the main set with his theme tune, I’m Not Like Everybody else. To have survived all the traumas outlined in his autobiography Kink (recommended) and come out smiling and rocking at the age of 68 is a stunning achievement, and something we were all delighted to applaud tonight.
Setlist
Ripping Up Time
All Day And All Of The Night
She’s Got Everything
Creepin Jean
Tired Of Waiting
Front Room
See My Friends
In You I Believe
Strangers
Flowers In The Rain (no, not that one)
Young And Innocent days
This Man He Weeps Tonight
Death Of A Clown
Living On A Thin Line
Dead End Street
Where Have All The Good Times Gone?
I’m Not Like Everybody Else
You Really Got Me (with RDD)
That encore https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2yWZizDPNAY
This EP represents the second salvo in Remarquable Records’ Thunders re-release programme – an even better package than its predecessor, Real Times. The sleeve takes its design cues from the “…Memory” single and features a live shot of Johnny and Patti Paladin on the rear, probably from when the Living Dead revue had a residency at the Speakeasy. Inside a fold-out poster offers generous sleeve notes and some unseen photos. The record itself is pressed in eyeball-frazzling yellow vinyl, and the package is completed by a free download.
All four tracks here were produced by Steve Lillywhite at Island studios, Sprng 1978. Backing JT are Phil Lynot on bass, French teen whizz-kid Henri Paul on guitar and Mike Kellie from the Only Ones on drums. The title track is a stripped down version with Lynot on backing vocals: however unlike the more familar So Alone version he does not sing one of the verses. London Boys is Thunders response to the Sex Pistols’ New York: a decent version but the song itself is deficient.
On Side Two Thunders fans will be intrigued by the semi-instrumental New York. The riff is a hybrid of Willie Dixon’s Spoonful and JTs own Cosa Nostra, the latter not officially released until 1983’s Hurt Me. It’s an excellent showcase for Johnny’s guitar work and at 5.15 the longest track here. Finally Hurtin’ is a rare Paul / Thunders co-write and a longer version than appears on the B-side of “…Memory”.
Sound is sparkling throughout. A valuable package. Congratuations to Pedro and all at Remarquable.
Next from Remarquable (January 2016) is a revamped version of So Alone, one of my all-time favourite LPs. Rockin’ good news…
On many of the gigs I have been to in recent years I have been accompanied by Simon Dunn, who sadly died in the early hours of Monday 16th November 2015.
Simon Dunn and I coincided over a love of two things: natural foods and the Rolling Stones. Over dinner before a Sainsbury’s organic dairy meeting I got talking to Simon for the first time about something other than work and realised his deep love of rock’n’roll was a match for my own. There followed a series of excursions: The Who in Southampton, Pete Townshend in Brick Lane and the Stones all over the place, most recently Zurich. His party animal tendencies dimmed in recent years but he was always up for a music-related chat. We even managed to get some work done occasionally, although sadly Fairtrade cigarettes never happened. Simon was a passionate champion of small brands and carefully shepherded their growth: Ecover, Whole Earth, Cawston Press and Jordans were just some of his success stories. He was lucky to find his ever-supportive wife Alyson, and he knew it.
The above photo was taken in Dublin on 17/8/07, the night before seeing the Stones at Slane Castle ( https://onlyrockandroll.london/2012/03/13/got-to-scrape-that-shit-right-off-your-shoes/.) The Guinness is in focus, Simon is a bit fuzzy which seems about right.
Black Friday in the USA has stimulated a seasonal goodie from Big Star. Two takes of Jesus Christ, a couple of unreleased instrumentals and the first ever legitimate release of Another Place, Another Time & You are presented on a 10″ blue vinyl EP. Omnivore are being parsimonious with review copies but the digital download sounds cool.
(Omnibus Press)
Kris Needs
Kris is a long-term fan of Suicide, and has met both protagonists repeatedly over the years. So this book is a long way from being a rehash of someone else’s cuttings and relies upon the author’s own interviews and his experience of the band, just like a good rock bio should. It does however take a while to get going with Alan Vega and Marty Rev only meeting each other for the first time at the end of chapter seven. Before then we have been given potted histories of many luminaries of the New York scene, including the Dolls and the Velvet Underground. These feel unnecessary – it is a fair assumption that anyone who buys a book about Suicide will have at least an outline know ledge of the bands that preceded them. Kris talks about how originally he was going to write a series of books detailing the New York music scene: only the Suicide book got written but it feels as though he has included some of the work he did elsewhere in the current volume. Despite this the book is detailed, intelligent and opinionated. It would have been improved by more vigorous editing but if you are a fan of Suicide you will find this an interesting read.
This article is taken from Bucketfull Of Brains magazine Issue 83, available here
http://www.bucketfullofbrains.com/#
It is an hour since The Replacements exited the stage at the Roundhouse after their second, triumphant London concert. Frontman Paul Westerberg looks trim, healthy and well-groomed – crisp black cotton trousers and a vaguely Nashville shirt replace the khaki baggies and baggy white T shirt he’d worn earlier on stage. He is quietly spoken, and takes modest sips of red, red wine from a plastic tumbler as we talk in a deserted production office backstage at the Roundhouse. The last time he played a gig in London was October 2004, a memorable if ramshackle solo performance at the Scala which we covered in BoB#68. In comparison the Roundhouse shows are higher profile and better attended. Penultimate shows on the Back By Unpopular Demand world tour, they represent the return of The Replacements after a 24 year hiatus.
The Replacements were thought to have played their final gig in July 1991, after which Paul Westerberg and bassist Tommy Stinson took up solo careers which continue to this day. Original guitarist Bob Stinson (elder brother of Tommy) was ejected from the band in May 1986 and was replaced by Minneapolis journeyman Slim Dunlap, who is now too ill to tour. Original drummer Chris Mars left in November 1990 to pursue a successful career as an artist. For the current tour the replacement Replacements are Dave Mineham on lead guitar and vocals and Josh Freese on drums, both of whom play with a commitment and enthusiasm rare in hired hands. “Dave is now a record producer but his background is what I do, lead singer / rhythm guitar player. He’s the same age as me, knew the Mats back in the day and we played with his group The Neighbourhoods. I knew his wife.” Drummer Josh Freese is a very in-demand session guy who has played off and on with Paul since 1992. Darren Hill, who we last saw playing bass for Paul at the Clapham Grand in 1993 is now Paul’s manager, or at least one of them. “I trust him. He’s a smart guy. We both have a love for rockabilly”.
All through his solo career Paul has always played Replacements songs, sometimes solo and sometimes with a backing band. Yet some strange alchemy takes place when Paul and Tommy line up under the Replacements name, giving the material added resonance. So why tour as The Replacements after so long? There is a long pause and then a one-word answer. “Maintenance.” Of yourself or your back catalogue, I enquire? A wry chuckle and then he resumes. “It’s all because of Slim. He was the catalyst. Songs For Slim set the ball rolling. The fact is Slim is barely able to speak but he croaked ‘Go do it.’ Seeing someone so incapacitated…I felt we’ve got to, why sit at home and twiddle our thumbs” Both nights Paul bought Slim into the Roundhouse by shouting out his name during the pause on ‘I’ll Be You’, the nearest thing to a hit the original band ever had. “Slim invested a lot of himself in that song”
So how does it feel to be on stage, look to your right and see Tommy? “75% of the time it’s great, about the same as the first time around. To give you a classic example we both drifted away a bit tonight, we pulled it back, like he’s trying so I’ll try. I’ll try then he’ll get back. Thank God this isn’t too long – if we went three months, we wouldn’t get along too well.“ I mention that I found tonight’s show more relaxed than the previous night and all the better for it. Paul had his own way of breaking the ice. “Fell flat on my ass at the start of the very first number. I felt humiliated for two songs”.
How do you decide which songs you will play live? “Trial and error. Especially when we’re over here we do songs that people can sing along to, so to omit them would be a mistake, even if some are a little pedestrian. It’s still difficult for me to play the quieter side so that’s why I do solo records. I play ‘Skyway’ but not like it’s on the record with just me, I don’t want the rest of the guys sitting around and not contributing. I tried one or two new songs earlier in the tour. We tried to rehearse a few new things and it didn’t feel right plus we’ve only got 90 minutes” Whose idea was it to graft a version of Milly Small’s pop-smash ‘My Boy Lollipop’ onto the end of uber-loud ‘Bastards Of Young’? “Mine. It happened one night and it was great and it’s gone downhill from then.”
I suggest that this is the first time that songs from all phases of The Replacements career been presented live in a uniform and professional manner, making them sound like a consistent body of work. “There’s truth to that. The early stuff like ‘Takin’ A Ride’ and ‘I’m In Trouble’ would have been sandwiched with covers and crap and messing around and whatever we thought of, so now we’re plugging the ones we can play best.“ Replacement crowds are vociferous in their desire for obscure cover versions. Like tonight, yelling for ‘Ye Sleeping Knights Of Jesus’. “ They keep calling for it. It’s a Robyn Hitchcock song we played once. Once.“
Noticeably absent from both London gigs was fan-fave ‘Here Comes A Regular’. How come? “It’s too many words. I monkeyed with it a few weeks ago, I was asked to do Dave Letterman’s farewell programme and they wanted that song but it’s a long way to go for a maudlin drinking song and I didn’t have the patience to remember it. Westerberg’s notorious inability to remember his own lyrics means that the first couple of rows at a Replacements gig are frequently required to act as a human teleprompter. Manager Darren thinks Paul pretends to forget lyrics on purpose – it means that no matter how crisply and powerfully the band perform they can never be accused of being too slick.
Do songs drift in and out of relevance with you? “Yes. Playing something like ‘Unsatisfied’ now could be an act but I know that people want to hear it so I’ll mean it while I’m playing it, and then be able to put it down. But a lot of songs from that era were lived, and then written so some of the memories take me down a bit of black hole”
Are you seeing younger fans coming to gigs? “I am told there are. I never make eye contact with the audience, I just look at the back of the hall.” The success on YouTube of a version of ‘Androgynous’ sung by Miley Cyrus, Laura Jane Grace and Joan Jett must surely bring in a new generation of fans? “I don’t know. It’s not the best song to cover, in terms of the weight of its meaning. It’s not the best song to sing.” The line “He may be a Father but he’s sure not a Dad” appeals to me greatly. “Yeah, I probably wrote that about Tommy’s father, he never really knew his dad.”
“I’ve lost a lot of weight doing this. That makes me think perhaps a bit of this is good for me. But then getting caught up in this rock’n’roll thing, not knowing what to do with myself, I can’t relax. It’s a way of life that I am not comfortable with all the time. Right now everyone else is saying what club shall we go to, and I have no desire to do that. I’ve done that. And I’ve got to go now, I’ve done enough talking.“ With that, Paul gets up, bids me goodnight and disappears into the night in search of…what?
There are apparently no future plans for the Replacements beyond one final concert in Portugal. Tommy is recording with Luther Dickinson, the son of Pleased To Meet Me producer Jim Dickinson. Luther describes the music they are making together as good, straightforward rock’n’roll.
There exists professionally recorded footage of the Replacements September 2014 appearance before 15,000 rabid hometown fans at the Midway Stadium in Minneapolis which would according to Darren make a cool DVD. If this is the last hurrah, the Replacements have gone out on a high, with smiles onstage and in the audience and the greatness of the group re-asserted. Colour me impressed.
Songs Played – Tuesday 2nd June
Takin’ A Ride
I’m In Trouble
Favorite Thing
Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out
Valentine
Waitress In The Sky
Lost Highway (Hank Williams)
Kiss Me On The Bus
Talent Show
Achin’ To Be
Androgynous
I Will Dare
Dust My Broom (Elmore James)
Color Me Impressed
Merry Go Round
Wake Up
Treatment Bound
I’ll Be You
Maybellene (Chuck Berry)
Can’t Hardly Wait
Bastards Of Young / My Boy Lollipop (Millie Small)
Left Of The Dial
Alex Chilton
Encore:
If Only You Were Lonely
Unsatisfied
Never Mind
IOU
Another Girl, Another Planet (Only Ones)
Songs Played – Wednesday 3rd June
Takin’ A Ride
Favorite Thing
Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out
Little Mascara
I’m in Trouble
Waitress in the Sky
Valentine
Kiss Me on the Bus
Nobody
Androgynous
Take Me Down to the Hospital
I Will Dare
Color Me Impressed
I Want You Back (Jackson 5)
I’ll Be You
Hangin’ Downtown
Sixteen Blue
I Don’t Know / Buck Hill / I Don’t Know
Within Your Reach
Can’t Hardly Wait
Bastards of Young / My Boy Lollipop (Millie Small)
Be My Lover (Alice Cooper – sung by Dave Minehan)
Encore:
Skyway
If Only You Were Lonely
Seen Your Video
Left of the Dial
Alex Chilton
Twenty-nine songs per night and forty-one different songs played over the two nights. Songs such as ‘Dust My Broom’ and ‘Take Me Down To The Hospital’ were not planned but came about through a Paul Westerberg whim and a shout from the crowd respectively. There were a lot of people shouting requests on both nights: Paul’s response was to say “I’m just going to wait until someone says something that’s on the list” pointing to the setlist taped to the floor by his foot. Sound-mixer Andy Crow confided they were on their best behaviour in London: earlier tour dates had seen the agreed setlist pretty much abandoned. Initial reviews were ecstatic, with The Guardian, NME and the Evening Standard all fulsome in their praise. For me the band achieved the ideal balance between being professional, spontaneous, powerful and sensitive. The material from Sorry Ma… and Stink benefitted by being played in a more considered way: conversely songs from Don’t Tell A Soul and All Shook Down were greatly improved by the harder live sound. As for the material from Hootenanny, Let It Be, Tim and Pleased To Meet me – these songs sounded as great as they always have.
Postscript: From The Guardian, June 6th 2015
“In a move that will come as a surprise to precisely no one who has followed their career, The Replacements have split for the second and, apparently, final time. Paul Westerberg, the band’s leader, announced from the stage at Primavera Porto on Friday that it would be their final show together. He also observed that the rest of the band had stayed at their hotel rather than sound-checking, calling them “lazy bastards to the end”.
So that would appear to be that (for now)
Confessions Of A Tour DJ
Having Dj’d at gigs by The Only Ones and The Flamin’ Groovies I approached promoters LiveNation to offer my services for the Roundhouse gigs. After 6 weeks of calls and emails I had got precisely nowhere. However one email to The Replacements management and I got the job.
Why play records in between bands?
- You get to see the gig for free
- You get to inflict your taste in music on 6000 music fans
- You get to hear what your favourite records sound like played very loud in a big room
- You get a really good view of the gig – my pair of Technics were set up on Dave Mineham’s side of the stage just beyond his amp
On Tuesday I had four sessions – before supports Jesse Malin and You Am I and then briefly before and after The Replacements themselves. Having only You Am I as support on Wednesday meant only three sessions, but more needle-time. You can see which records I played at www.onlyrockandroll.london – many have connections to the Replacements being either songs the band have covered, acknowledged influences on the group or songs recorded by other bands from Minneapolis. Which was why on Tuesday night I was planning to play ‘Surfin’ Bird’ by The Trashmen. I was just lining up the record when without me pressing go, the track began to play. Weird. Tums out the band were using the song as their introduction music. The following night they took no chances, entering to a rousing ‘Pool Hall Richard’ by The Faces.
Paul’s T shirts
On this leg of the tour every night Paul has worn a white T containing a large letter front and back. Over the course of 19 shows the letters have spelled out two messages. Fans speculated as to what was being said, particularly after Paul let slip that the message on the front is for the audience whilst the message on the back is for the band. Paul’s T shirts even received their own Facebook page. The London gigs saw an O and a U on the front and S and a T on the back, making I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED YOU and NOW I MUST WHORE MY PAST. The final gig in Portugal saw Paul adding BELA (front) and VIDA (back), Bela Vida meaning ‘Good Life’ in Portuguese.
Songs For Slim
This 5 track EP on New West Records was released in January 2013 as a fund-raiser for Slim Dunlap, whose severe stroke in February 2012 left him partially paralysed, and with big medical bills but no insurance. Whilst Paul Westerberg, Tommy Stinson and Chris Mars are all here Chris only plays on an over-produced solo rendition of Slim’s ‘Radio Hook Word Hit’, leaving Tommy and Paul backed on the other tracks by Kevin Bowe on guitars and Peter Anderson on drums. The record has an offhand feel, almost like original Mats gigs where whimsical cover versions such as ‘If I Only Had A Brain’ were de rigueur. Here they take a crack at ‘Everything’s Coming Up Roses’, possibly the bands none too subtle message to Slim. Producer Ed Ackerson makes the band sound like they’re in their rehearsal space, and it suits them. Slim’s ‘Busted Up ‘gets a Bo Diddley beat and too much piano. The real gem here is Gordon Lightfoot’s ‘I’m Not Saying’, where Paul copies Nico’s phrasing and slips in a little Johnny Thunders reference whilst the band reel off the chords in true beat group style. The following ‘Lost Highway’ by comparison is little bit ragged, a little bit pub-rock. But it’s heart is the right place, it’s in a good cause and the record is worth having just for ‘I’m Not Saying’ .
The Replacements Re-Released and Unreleased
In 2008 Rhino released all eight of the Replacements original LPs as remastered and expanded CDs. High quality Westerberg originals such as ‘Perfectly Lethal’ (Let It Be) and ‘Photo’ (Pleased To Meet Me) were thus available for the first time. Sound quality is excellent and each CD comes with full sleeve notes. Whilst a few studio outtakes are still to gain official release, the lack of a decent concert recording is more puzzling. Recommended unofficial soundboard CDs include Everybody Loves An Ego-Maniac! (CBGBs ’84), Putting On The Ritz (Ritz Theatre New York ‘87) and Shit Shower & Shave (the infamous Tom Petty tour ’89). Also worth locating is the CD Unintentionally, which combines home demos of released and unreleased songs with a good quality recording of Paul’s first ever solo gig at The First Avenue in Minneapolis on October 17th 1982.
Also of note is the new Replacements CD Box Set, The Complete Studio Albums 1981-1990 (Rhino). All eight albums feature the improved sound found on the 2008 remasters but do not contain the extra tracks or sleeve notes found on the individual discs. However since this means you can pick the entire Replacements catalogue up for around £20 this represents a bargain (the best I ever had) for any newbie or luddite.
Reading About The Replacements
In 2007 Jim Walsh published All Over Bar The Shouting: An Oral History the first ever history of The Replacements. Paul was unimpressed: “A mish mash of lifted quotes and misquotes”. Late 2015 will see the publication of band-history Trouble Boys by Bob Mehr, about which Paul is more enthusiastic.. “Bob Mehr has interviewed me. God, he knows more about the band than I remember”. Also recommended is The Replacements Bible 1.4, which can be readily found via Google and contains reprints of seemingly every article written about the band, plus a useful discography and list of live sets.
Watching The Replacements on DVD
The Replacements do not appear in Color Me Obsessed, Gorman Bechard’s two hours plus essay about a band and its fans, released as a DVD in 2012. Paul found it hard to watch. “At first I found it embarrassing. I was surprised at how much we meant to people. But surely all bands are like this, right? AC/DC or Slayer have their die-hard fans. So I try to keep some perspective, I don’t think we’re special.” A compilation of the band’s live performances is long overdue, although the Twin Tone website has some good quality clips from 1981 ( http://www.twintone.com ).
The Replacements Online
There is a vibrant online community of Replacement fans, centred around keeper of the flame Kathy and her site Man Without Ties ( http://www.paulwesterberg.com ) and the associated fan forum site (http://paulwesterberg.proboards.com ). For an astonishing array of live concerts visit The Replacements Live Archive Project ( http://replacementslivearchive.blogspot.co.uk ) whose mission is “to track down, digitize, share and archive all Replacements and related recordings.” A good reference for unofficial Replacements CDs can be found at The Foshay Tower ( http://www.22designs.com/foshaytower2/index_net.html ) whilst Nowhere Is My Home has collated many articles on the band ( http://nowhereismyhome.blogspot.co.uk )
Thank you managers Darren Hill and Ben Perlstein, UK production rep Simon Balmy and US tour manager Rick Marino
Photo credits: Robin Pope (Instagram @RobinLDN)
Having seen Steve Conte play with Michael Monroe back in New York, I jumped at the chance to see this intimate gig, the first stop on his UK tour. Since Conte was chosen to replace Johnny Thunders in the New York Dolls, I was excited to see the man who so generously filled these boots fronting his own three piece.
The set opened with Dark in the Spotlight, the first track from his latest self release, (Steve Conte NYC) a mid-tempo groover dripping in Thin Lizzy melodies. From there Conte, drummer Jeroen Polderman and bass player Jan Verdoorn gained momentum throughout the 16 song set. Conte is a rock and roll fundamentalist, right down to the zipped up leather jacket he refused to shed even under the heat of the stage lights.
Conte delivered each of his original songs with passion and robust authenticity. Open chords morphed into melodic solos, just teetering on the edge of indulgence. I would have loved more solos but Conte’s agenda was clearly to establish that he is much more than a rock ‘n’ roll guitar player whilst letting the songs tell the story. Conte has it all: star presence, hooks, chops and a truly magnificent rock haircut. Plus the acoustic segment showed just how well he could hold the crowd even without his trusty SG Jr.
Material from Conte’s newest release proved even stronger than old favourites such as 2009’s garage swamp mash-up Gypsy Cab and Romance on the Rocks from his former band Company of Wolves. One of many highlights was Steve’s cover of Happy, and although this one didn’t mention a room without a roof, the roof was still suitably raised. The set ended with a cover of Pills, provoking an exuberant singalong from the hardcore Dolls fans present and proving that although Steve Conte has forged his reputation as the quintessential sideman he now belongs up front and centrestage.
Brijitte West
Only Rock 'n' Roll 
