---===---===---===---===---===---===---===---===---===---===---===---===---===-- Note: The file below may have several references to old addresses for the //Skyway\\. The new, correct addresses are: ** Skyway listserver: majordomo@novia.net ** Skyway submissions, to write to Matt: skyway@novia.net --==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==-- / // The \kyway \\ / Winter 1995 -- Issue #25 February 20th, 1995 (c) 1995 Bastards of Young (BOY/BetaOmegaYamma) Productions --==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==-- ** Subscriptions, comments, contributions, anything you want to read: ** --> skyway@phoenix.creighton.edu <-- ** Manager: ** i261%nemomus@academic.nemostate.edu (Matthew Tomich) --==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==-- The manager of this list, Matthew Tomich, and the school's facilities that this list is produced from, Creighton University of Omaha, Nebraska, are not responsible for the contents of the following mailing except for that which they themselves have originally contributed. --==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==-- ** To subscribe to the //Skyway\\: subscribe skyway ** To unsubscribe from the //Skyway\\: unsubscribe skyway * To get a listing of //Skyway\\ files available: index skyway * To get a description of available files: get skyway !readme * To get a file: get skyway SEND ALL COMMANDS IN THE BODY OF A LETTER TO: "lists@phoenix.creighton.edu" ---===---===---===---===---===---===---===---===---===---===---===---===---===-- Skyway note: This issue, I removed the table of contents-like section. I never really use the table of contents on any of the digests that I subscribe to and it was one of the most time consuming things to put together on the list when it came time to put together an issue of the //Skyway\\...however, this doesn't mean that everybody else use it! So, if the table of contents-thingie was something that you liked and used to brief through an issue and see what was interesting to read, or if it was your favorite part of the //Skyway\\, or it was your source for astrological or numerological portents, or something like that, drop me a line. If there's a public outcry and threats of rioting, looting, and general mass hysteria (like last time when I asked if people preferred an automated mail server), I'll be more than happy to bring the table of contents-thingie back. Hey, and again, when I was puttin' this thing together today, a few letters dropped compliments my way...and thanks...man, those things totally make my day (and considering how Organic Chemistry un-makes my day, that's something else.) But really, all this wouldn't be jack if I were sitting here typing to myself. Thanks to everybody who spent the time to write and say it all or risk carpal tunnel syndrome typing in decade-old articles. Thanks to everybody whose name shows up in the "From:" section of these letters...the //Skyway\\'s hit the two year mark already and it's largely because people just don't quit writing in. Lots of people corrected the lyrics files this issue since they're now easily available on the fully-functioning "Amazing Automated Kick-Butt + Hard Rockin'ly WayKool Accident-Prone //Skyway\\ listserver(c)". Thanks for sendin' those in...sometimes Paul's murmur ain't too easy to figure out. The corrections should be posted sometime within' a month. (Spring Break is coming up and I'll be out of town for a week and a half, excuses excuses, etc.) Personal note: I'll be in London from approximately March 3rd to the 12th. If anybody has a line on anything (bands, plays, great places to eat, want to go hang out), drop me a line! And congrats to Chris Kohler on his bouncing baby boy, Charles Robert...! -- M@ And now the bad news... ---===---===---===---===---===---===---===---===---===---===---===---===---===-- Date: Mon, 20 Feb 95 10:42:16 CST From: "M@" If you haven't heard it already, Bob Stinson is dead. Crazy goddamn Bob. The first one of the gang to go. Fuckin' what more can I say? -- M@ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Ironically, last week I typed in the lyrics to the acoustic version of "Can't Hardly Wait" from the 1985 Alex Chilton produced demo tapes for "Tim". The song had been in the 'Mats concert sets since 1984 but never made it onto an album until 1987's "Pleased to Meet Me" since the band could never get it to sound quite right when trying to record it in the studio. I heard in an interview with Westerberg from right after the release of the album that he wasn't necessarily happy with the finished results, saying that the horns weren't his idea at all, but the album's producer, Jim Dickinson's. The lyrics are significantly different than the PleasedTMM version. The focus was shifted from this version's darker subject to something more along the lines of 'can't hardly wait...to get home after this tour' and the song's subject was funnelled into "The Ledge" instead. Some of the imagery on the released version makes alot more sense when you see where it was lifted from... Peter Jesperson called the PleasedTMM version a "cop-out" and cites the original version as one of his favorite 'Mats songs ever. He swears that there's an alternate universe out there where "I Will Dare" sweeps the charts with the original, darker "Can't Hardly Wait" as a follow up. This version is nothing but Paul with an acoustic guitar and a snare drum with the ambience of a tape recorder in an elevator shaft with the inflection of "Here Comes a Regular". (Mark Timmins)) "I'll be there in an hour Take at least 2 weeks on foot ................ crummy water tower Climb to the top and scream all over if I could... I'll be sad in heaven, you won't visit me there Jesus rides beside me Never buys any smokes Hurry up, hurry up...I've had enough of that stuff Ashtray floors, dirty clothes, filthy jokes A lightning flash in the evening, Guess we'll follow him there. I'll be there in an hour If there's a hole in the gate Climb to the top of this crummy water tower screamin' I can't hardly wait I can't wait I can't wait I can't wait, wait... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 20 Feb 1995 01:42:03 -0500 From: SWCoupe@aol.com Subject: Bob Stinson found dead (fuck!) Matt -- I hesitate to publicize this, but I can't believe anyone could make a mistake about this stuff. REV105 has announced twice in the last hour (midnight Sunday/Monday) that Bob Stinson was found dead in his apartment on Friday. Nothing else available at this time. I'll post you as soon as I know more. Shit. The fuck. Following is the post I just dropped in the AOL forum. I'm gonna post in alt.music.alternative too. Why does this not leave me at all surprised, but very sad at the same time? Post follows: It's a little after midnight, and one of the local radio stations has just reported that Bob Stinson was found dead in his apartment sometime Friday. No additional information is available as I write this. A lot of the folks in this forum got into the Replacements far enough along their career path to recognize Bob Stinson as only a name on some early albums. Still, a lot of old farts (myself among them) relished the Bob Stinson-era Mats -- cartoon of a band or not -- over any subsequent permutation, and continue to hold that when he "left", a big part of the heart and soul of the band went with him. Bob, you shit, this wasn't fair. The following article appeared in this morning's news section of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, dated Monday, February 20, 1995 Head: Replacements' ex-guitarist found dead By Jon Bream Staff Writer Bob Stinson, 35, founding guitarist for the influential Minneapolis rock band the Replacements, was found dead in his Lake St. apartment Saturday night in south Minneapolis. No cause of death was available. Stinson, his younger brother Tommy, Paul Westerberg and Chris Mars formed the Replacements in 1980. The group became a national sensation on the rock underground, known for their freewheeling and often inebriated performances. Bob Stinson was widely regarded as the band's spirit, the chaotic force who took the band over the edge. He was kicked out of the band in 1986 because he couldn't curb his out-of-control lifestyle. After his departure, the Replacements achieved greater renoun on Warner Bros. records and performed on TV's Saturday Night Live. Among their better-known songs were "Bastards Of Young" and "Achin' To Be." The Replacements' punkish spirit was considered an inspiration to the 1990s grunge scene that spawned Nirvana and other hit-making groups. The Replacements disbanded in 1991. After his stint with the band, Stinson played with the Bleeding Hearts and other local rock bands. "Bob was a sad person in life," said veteran Minneapolis guitarist Slim Dunlap, who replaced Stinson in the Replacements. "Bob just needed a little peace and never found it." Dunlap said that he saw Stinson about two weeks ago and that Stinson "wouldn't tell me what was going on," he said. "He's had a rough time the last year or so. He'd been bumped out of every band he'd joined. He was one hell of a guitar player when he was on. But it's hard to get old as a guitar player. Bob was finding that out." Dunlap said that Stinson was "incapable of anything vicious toward anyone else. He was a nice person, which doesn't jive with his wild man reputation." Steve Groseth, Stinson's neighbor, said that the guitarist moved into an apartment above a Lake St. business about a week ago and that he was found by a friend Saturday night. Stinson is survived by his mother, brother, sister and a son. Funeral services are pending. (Reprinted without permission of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.) Here's more of what I know... Callers are apparently lighting up the switchboard at REV105 here in Minneapolis -- all expressing the sentiments you'd expect over the death of Bob Stinson. According to the announcer of this morning's show, a syringe was found next to the couch, leading one to "suspect" etc etc....... Bob's mother is certain it was an accident, not intentional. She said he had been having a hard time the past year -- he was diagnosed as manic depressive a year ago. But generally, she said, "he was Bob." There have been some extensive quotes by Peter Jesperson (for those few here who may not know, the guy who "discovered" the Mats, signed them to TwinTone Records, and managed them till they sacked him shortly after they booted Bob). This carries additional import because Jesperson has a weekly two-hour show on REV105, and it's tonight. His shows wander all over the map, and he's a chatty SOB with stories to tell and a tape library to illustrate those stories. Twin Cities listeners should definitely be tuned in tonight (Monday) from 10-midnight on REV105 (105.1 and 105.3 FM). I would expect a lot of info. An operating cassette deck might not be a bad idea, either. An aside: REV105 (Revolution Radio) is not the biggest, but is the best, hippest commercial alternative (can I say that together?) radio station in the Cities. They are on-line at REV105@aol.com. The best station overall, of course, remains tiny KFAI, Fresh Air Radio, a community station broadcasting at 90.3 in Minneapolis and 106.7 in St. Paul. Check out our program Friday night for a musical nod to the Bob Stinson-era Mats. We'll be yanking our own tapes from the vaults, guaranteed...... Later. Ron -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 3 Jan 1995 22:39:25 -0600 From: Keith Subject: My first post (with commentary) Hello all. I read a couple of editions now without writing in, unfortunately. Being a grad student slave, I kept telling myself I didn't have time, but if I keep doing that, I'll never write. Here goes. My name's Keith, and I hail from Ann Arbor, city of inspiration for Westerberg's "212-313" screaming at the end of "Answering Machine". I'm now attending grad school at Northwestern. I first started listening to the Replacements in 87, sometime before Pleased to Meet Me came out. My girlfriend (and her father, actually) at the time, Angela Baker, got me into them. I started on Let it Be, then Tim, then through the entire back catalogue. In short, I was blown away. I've seen the 'Mats five times. The best of which was when they opened their Don't Tell a Soul tour in Ann Arbor. My best friend Mike travelled all the way from Kansas for the show. Paul started the show with "Color Me Impressed" and continued to play a load of songs off Hootenany, Let it Be, and Tim. Perhaps they didn't have confidence in their new stuff yet. Regardless, it was fantastic. Oh, I've also seen Bash n' Pop once and Paul solo once. Since then I continue to listen. Frankly, I'm always slightly disappointed by the new albums but also always find them better than most music out there. Now onto to my commentary on things said in the last edition: To Jason Kreitzer: Yes, I've heard "We're the Replacements" by TMBGs. It started a rather untrue rumour that TMBGs were 'Mats roadies way back when. To whoever wanted The Shit Hits the Fans, I've got a decent copy of it. It's a copy of an original (it's so damn hard to convince those record store guys to part with the original). Now, what I really wanted to discuss: Pablo Louseorama When I was going to High School I lived in Lawrence, Kansas. Todd Newman then fronted the aptly named Todd Newman Band who were actually from Topeka, Ks. I think everyone says they were from Lawrence for a couple reasons. Mainly, that's where they played the most. Lawrence has an amazing music scene for its size, and many of the college students were into alternative music before it went nuts. This is due to the phenomenal college station, KJHK. "KJ" would play the TNB fairly often, and yes, they were damn good. I don't know how many days their new single would come on the radio, we'd wonder why they weren't a national band, and run down to the shitty local record stores only to find nothing. The only song I'm left with on tape is the amazing live version of "Off the Top of My Head." Lawrence, being a self-important local scene, had its fair share of stupid music rumours. In 87, after Bob was tossed from the 'Mats, the rumour around town was that Todd Newman had been asked to be the new guitarist. Me, being the big 'Mats fan and cynic, told them all they were full of shit. However, sometime after I graduated and went back to Ann Arbor for college, Mr. Newman disappeared from the scene. Finally, in 90, I took my first trip to Minneapolis. I picked up a local entertainment mag in order to find a play to see. I was amazed at the quantity of Replacements news. Evidently the writer was close not only with the band but with their spouses as well. Paul was currently working with the Leatherwoods while Chris was doing cover art for various bands was amongst the news. I kept my eyes open from that point out for Leatherwoods stuff, but never saw any. Finally, in 92, I saw the first Leatherwoods album, titled curiously "Topeka Oratorio." Could this be Todd Newman's new band? Nah, I thought. Well, it was, and yes, Pablo Louseorama co-wrote two songs and played guitar, bass, and keyboards on the album. Evidently, Todd Newman had moved to Minneapolis. I new that it had to be Paul working on the album. It's also recorded at the famed Blackberry Way with Peter Jesperson and Brian Paulson doing work on it. Now, as for the rumour that they made up the name to get back at Paul, unless I hear contrary, I doubt it. When Paul wrote the lyrics for "We Are the Normal" for the Goo Goo Dolls, he told them that he was going to make up a pseudonym for his writing credits. However, when he heard how well the song turned out, he asked them to put his real name on it. That's direct from an interview with the Goo Goo Dolls. So, I bet Paul just created the pseudonym for himself. Anyone who plays a show as Thadeus Moonbeam (I think that's right) could've easily called himself that. The album is, by the way, decent, but certainly not great. The songs Todd Newman writes and sings are strong, but his co-Leatherwood (it's really a two man band), Tim O'Reagan tends to write sappy tunes with low lyrical quality. The band also suffers from coffee-shop-itis. Someone should've convinced these guys to plug in and give the songs a little more bite. Color Me Impressed Lyrics: Are Rick's lyrics correct? I always thought they were different than that. I guess I'll have to hop on gopher and consult them there. He's missing one of the greatest PW lyrics, "giving out their word because it's all that they won't keep." I also thought it was "Put the party on the mirror/oh shit, pass the bill to Chris/intoxicated lover ending our french kiss." Hey, but what do I know. Well that's it for me. It was nice to finally put this down. I've got more, but we'll let those stories come out in time. Take it easy. Keith Cook -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 12 Jan 95 13:23:30 EST From: Eduardo Taboada Subject: God Save The 'Mats Hi Matt, Thanks for writing back Matt. I have been extremely impressed by how nice the people at Skyway are...You have started something great !!! Very much appreciated, I've found myself a home. It's so incredibly grass-roots... I hope to become an active part of it all. I'm so glad you took the initiative to get it all together. If you ever need help for anything just say the word. I'll be proud to help you in any way. It's funny, I was going through the lyrics at the FTP site...it was nice to see that somtimes we all have our own takes on a given phrase. It was then that I realized precisely what makes the Mats mean so much to us, it's that feeling that even though we don't have it all 100 % perfect, it really is OK and that it really is not so important after all. Pretty much sums up life doesn't it (sorry, I don't mean to get too philosophical here). Suffice to say that I really appreciated getting that message from you and that I think Skyway kicks ass. Leave it to a biologist to pull it off eh ? I suppose any of you might have come across some good bootlegs ? I would dearly love to maybe trade for some of those if that's OK... Sound quality really makes no difference cause here it's absolutely impossible to get any Mats bootlegs. The only time they swung by Ottawa I HAD to tape something but all I had was this little portable recorder like one uses to record lectures...you know the kind. Suffice to say that the quality is horrendous but what the hell, it was MY night with the Mats anyway, and that's all that matters. If you like Sugar, I have some excellent sounding boots from their current tour if you're interested...I also have quite a bit of Husker, Mould, etc. It's Mats stuff that I crave cause they've been my favourite band for soooo long now. Once again, thanks for the Skyway. It's a dandy. Ed Taboada, (slave of the ...)Department of Biology University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. ed@bio01.bio.uottawa.ca ___________________________________________________________ | If you were a pill, I'd take a handful at my will | | and I'd knock you back with something sweet and strong... | | | | -Paul Westerberg | |___________________________________________________________| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 18 Jan 1995 09:07:03 EST From: fine@saturn.rowan.edu Subject: Left of the Internet... Matthew, Whew! I can't believe this mailing list exists and Paul isn't a millionaire yet! But hey that's my new go in life- to make him as rich as Bon Jovi or Green Day at least... I found this address through alt.music.alternative. I'm way too old for most of the stuff people write about there- I just look for any Paul-related stuff. I am Annette Fine and I've seen The Replacements lots of times and I even remember some of those times!! I found out about them pretty early '82-83 because I was in college then, I followed them up and down the East coast for most of their 86 (with Bob) and '87 (with Slim) shows. The band was great but I always thought that Paul was the genius behind everything. I know many people don't agree with me but I feel that the songwriting was the only left standing after the dust clearedso.... I've had the opportunity to talk to Paul a lot during the band's heyday- they would always come out and hang around after a show if they could stand-I'm not a groupie type (not that there's anything wrong with it) I just had this maternal thing for Paul and Tommy. The whole feel is very different without Tommy, I think Josh (his new drummer) is sort of his road bud, the other two (Dave andDarren) don't hang in Paul's dressing room. I got depressed when he had to play small clubs in the summer of '93 to "prove" that he could fill bigger venues!! He told me that William Morris (his booking agency) said that they thought he would ony attract a quarter of the Replacements draw!!! When the band was together, I didn't really care that they didn't have a hit, but I was in my twenties then I wasn't supposed to care about anything except keeping the vodka cold... but now that I'm a 34 year old mother of two I'm disgusted that there are new bands out here cashing in on Paul' genius. God, I hear Replacement riffs all over the place in alternative music (not that that's a bad thing but Paul still rents!!!) By the way, I don't think you should have the words to the songs available... Paulie really liked it when the fans figured them out for themselves (most of them are easy) or when we came up with different words like I always thought Valentine went "when you wish upon a star that turns into a flame" - I told him that once and we had this great discussion about how your hopes for a great relationship blows up in your face (then he threw up on my shoes - my biggest Replacement claim to fame). I also liked when Paul would use different words on tour ("Tommy rides beside me - too young to drive and he smokes" ). Favorite Replacement record? Hmmm, I clumped the records into eras, you simply cannot put them all into one group: 1. Sorry Ma-Stink-Hootenanny days: many great ones many throughaways I guess. My faves would be Customer, Trouble Shiftless, I hate Music and Lovelines. 2. The Let it Be-Tim era where Smokin' Bob shined- Love 'em all except for Lay it Down Clown 3. The we're-almost-famous Pleased To Meet Me Era- songwriting peak experience 4. The Don't Tell A Soul- All Shook Down era- left Tom Petty without a clue just lookin for someone to screw... The record I listen to most often is All Shook Down which is really Pauls first. I heard that there is Westerberg/Tom Waits stuff floating around - would love to get that!! This letter is getting too long and the kids are playing basketball with the tv so I'll write you again sometime... Date: Thu, 19 Jan 1995 22:44:19 EST From: fine@saturn.rowan.edu Does anyone know where I can get a copy of Joan Jetts "Backlash" video? I just heard that Paulie is in it and I wanna see it and what's with all this "You never changed for me Joan" stuff in his live shows? I always thought she was gay (not that there's anything wrong with it). I never really asked him any personal questions- I would just tell him how great he is tee hee. I know he is happy with the devoted Replacement fans out there, I sort of think he likes selling out places without ever having a hit. Once he called me from Asbury Park and said that "the suits" were coming out that night to check up on him. I guess they wanted to make sure that Dave Minehan kept his pants on. There's a bootleg of that Asbury show (Aug 7 93) and you can hear that attitude that the record companies always loved about the Replacements. [The bootleg is "Gravel Pit" if I remember correctly. - M@] Back to the survey: My favorite Replacement cover was [R.E.M.'s] "The One I Love"...great version during the '87 tour if my memory serves... Favorite Replacement Cover Song Moments: Slim doing "Hey Good Lookin'", Paul doing "The Look of Love" by Lesly Gore and "Never Take The Place of Your Man" by Prince. My Cover Song Request Claim To Fame: "She's A Lady" by Tom Jones I shouted it out and they did a really keen version of it ...Passaic New Jersey if I'm not mistaken... I loved Paul's version of Wreckless Eric's "Whole Wide World" and I also dug his slow versions of "Seein' Her and "Down Love". Oy here we go- comparing the Bobs; two different Replacement eras. Bob was more out of control Sex Pistoly, Slim was more Stonesy and disciplined. I liked them live much better with Slim simply because it was safer to be in the audience!! Slim really only played on "Don't Tell a Soul" so it's hard to compare them studio-wise. Best material Paul is capable of? Hard one for me to answer uh Paul's songs are sort of like chocolate, it's always great. He is a genius, I expect more masterpieces... Lose all this analyzing why the band fell apart stuff..bottom line: The Replacements had a great time playing and recording, when they got bored they called it quits. Replacement Reunion? I think Paul and Tommy (maybe Slim too) will do something again but not in the near future... Of course I dug Dyslexic Heart and Waiting For Somebody and I got a MAJOR kick out of seeing Paul's name in the movie credits!!! 14 Songs? "Runaway Wind" is Perfection, "Something is Me" isn't quite perfection. I liked Tommy and Slim's efforts - I felt they both needed better production and it would've been nice if I could hear their voices!!! Who am I? I'm Michael Bolten's worst nightmare. No really I'm a 34 year old former English teacher who stays home with two wonderful little boys and bakes cookies. My husband Ira is a Yale-y who is working on his Master's Degree on Fractals - go ahead ask any question about Mandlebrot or Julia set - the man's obsessed - but he does put up with my Paul thing...well he had no choice. I put it in our Pre-nups. This really happened to me: when we bought our mini-van (yes I said mini-van - every South Jersey housewife with two kids has to have one) the salesman pushed a pen and form my way and said "I want it in writing that I owe you nothing." By the way it's "giving out their word cause it's all that they won't keep" on Color Me Impressed...sort of reminds me of the Dice Behind Your Shades line "you know they're lyin' cause their lips are moving". Here's my joke that will only be appreciated on this mailing list: Did you hear about the book that the three Russian brothers who were Replacement roadies wrote? It's called "The Brothers Carry Mats Off". Get it? Where are all the English majors? Date: Sun, 22 Jan 1995 21:12:48 EST From: fine@saturn.rowan.edu Subject: comic books,the Bible, romance.. See, I knew this would happen, I'd see something in the Skyway or think of something and have to write you all the time....let's all say a quick prayer for my marriage while we're at it o.k.? Against my better judgement, I looked up some lyrics from the Gopher thing and I found a few mistakes that I just had to clear up before Paul buys a computer... On "Left of the Dial" it's: "....on the radio once, WE SOUNDED DRUNK, NEVER MADE IT ON" A big mistake was found on Le Ledge it's "I smell coffee, I smell donuts FOR THE PRESS" ... see, he was trying to convey what a circus his impending suicide was becoming, and isn't that line even more relevent today, yes my friends "the medium is (most definitely) the message". (and I thought I didn't learn anything as an undergrad.) A funny mistake was found on One Wink At A Time it's "Only one way to EXORCISE him", not "exercise" but hey maybe the devil could stand to lose a few... On Bastards of Young it's "Elvis in the ground, there'll be no beer tonight". And it is "Spacklin' another heartache" see the tea is soothing or fixing yet another failed attempt at love (sigh). I loved this: in the November 14, 1994 issue of The New Yorker magazine, they listed Sugar's upcoming show at Roseland with this blurb: "....Mould is a dangerously inventive guitarist and a fine frontman, but he's certainly NO PAUL WESTERBERG." Did everyone catch Jay Leno's intro to Big Star (10-31-94)? He said "Rolling Stone magazine calls this band the missing link between the Beatles and The Replacements" that was just too sweet... oh and another cover I liked from the Replacements was September Gurls... Another Paul tidbit: remember during "Can't Hardly Wait" on Saturday Night Live (12-4-94) Paul burst out laughing during the second break in the song? Well, I asked him what was so funny and he said that Josh (the drummer) just yelled out "Burt Reynolds" for no reason... When you replay the tape you can hear it.. Seriously one question I always forget to ask him is "How many phone calls did you get the day Johnny Thunders died?" I'm a late seventies-early 80's punk so I like The Clash, Ramones...My second fave band is The Stones and I am a blues fan ...don't get me started on who I like etc... I simply cannot type that much... The first version of Bash'n'Pop had Steve Foley's brother on bass and Max Brantsig on guitar- they were tighter than the last version of them I saw... yeah I guess Tommy is still into some bad stuff but it's something you really have to wake up to on your own blah blah blah...he's living in LA last I heard so let's hope he finds God and health food..... So millions of Replacement fans are gonna read this stuff that I write, man that's a scary thought!!! [Well, more like 383 or so.] how do you say goodbye on this machine anyway? Annette -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 7 Feb 1995 18:02:56 PST From: Mccarthy.wbst311@xerox.com Hey, I'm new to the list. Good to be here. First thing I did was grab the lyrics to _Let It Be_ and _Tim_, my two faves. Somewhere in "Unsatisfied", there's listed: >Everything you dream of >Is right in front of you >Another tearful lie Didn't I read somewhere that Paul said the lyrics to this part were "... but liberty is a lie". Something about the 'Mats manager being on a payphone with a critic at Rolling Stone who asked what the line was after "Everything you dream of/Is right in front of you", and the manager asked Paul, and Paul shouted back over the highway - "Liberty Is A Lie". Maybe he was joshing. And from "Kiss Me On The Bus", on _Tim_, there's listed: >And everything ain't O.K. >I might {die for my lady?} That last part sounds like "I might die before Monday". In other words they're on the bus Friday going home, and he's saying you better kiss me now, cuz I might die over the weekend. Whaddya think? I've got a tape of a boot I need to identify, so if I see it called something else I'll know to skip it. I think it's CBGB's 1984 (shit, maybe that's the name of it). It starts with Paul drunkenly lambasting the crowd for their enthusiasm - "Fuckers..Next person that compliments us...grrr". They go on to do "Easier Said Than Done", and stuff from "Stink" done to the tune of other songs, like "Fuck School" done to the tune of The Beatles "Let It Be". Hysterical. There's some other stuff in there that's kinda crappy where someone else is singing - can't tell if it's one of the mats, or what. What is this thing, and does anybody have any more info? Also, there's some stuff tacked onto the end with just Paul and an acoustic guitar, at what sounds like a different locale. He sounds bitter - "How long I been up here? Jesus." He does "Lawdy Miss Clawdy", and "Take Me To The Hospital". This may be part of a separate boot. I lost the address of the guy that taped it for me... Thanks! Bob -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 24 Jan 1995 15:37:53 -0500 (EST) From: "Michael C. Shannon" Subject: someone take the wheel lyrics matt- i was going through the back issues which is about the best way to not study here. i looked through one which mentioned the line in someone take the wheel that y'all said was "turn it up so i don't have to think" i talked with some of my fellow mats fans and we think its "turn it up so i dont have to fade". it might be wrong but i think it makes more sense and sounds cooler. casey -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 27 Jan 1995 01:08:52 -0500 From: Antho511@aol.com Subject: Corrections!!! Thank you, //Skyway\\ for sending me the lyrics. I do have some corrections: In "I'll Buy", does he say, "Give my regrds to Broadway (not Boston), ask 'em who'll buy the beer?" In "Kiss Me on the Bus", doesn't he sing, "and everything ain't OK, I might die before Monday" "I.O.U", I think he starts off saying, "Gimmie a rest and good, fresh air". "Someone Take the Wheel", the line is "it's so fucking lame" not "in some fucking land" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 29 Jan 1995 15:34:28 EST From: fine@saturn.rowan.edu Subject: squeezing life into a letter... This is the absolute last email from me regarding Paul type trivia....I'm pretty sure I finished skimming all of the back issues of the Skyway...like I said you guys are incredible, your detail amazes me!!! Just a couple things I may be able to clear up: The story I heard from Tommy way back when regarding the name Tim...I was standing next to him after a show(waiting for Paul to emerge from his dressing room as usual) and someone asked him where the name came from Tommy told the guy that they got the name from a movie named "Tim"...I looked the movie up and it was released in 1974, it stars Mel Gibson and Piper Laurie and it is about a retarded guys relationship with an older woman...that's the story I heard. Don't be offended when he said something like he doesn't want to be delivered any more issues of the Skyway - he REALLY doesn't like reading about the band etc...he was always like that..he said he never looked at the Rolling Vogue interview or the Spin thing... Last time I talked to him was On Dec. 11, 1993 and he said his back was okay - he was seeing a chiropractor in LA... Johnny Thunders really did die on April 23, 1991. "The public is wonderfully tolerant, it forgives everything except genius." -- Oscar Wilde Annette -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 1 Feb 1995 08:56:50 -0600 From: mmarts@students.wisc.edu Matt- Just to let you know -- my real name is John Garey (aka G-Man) and I'm using my girlfriend's account for right now until I buy my own computer or go back to Grad School. I can't tell you how excited I am to be a part of this unique group. I have a hard time listening to the radio or any other music because it doesn't sound like The Replacements. If you have any suggestions or advice I would love to hear it. First of all, people like ourselves, who are die-hard fans of The 'Mats are more than fans.......It's More Of A LifeStyle or Attitude Or Religion. Most people don't realize the impact the 'Mats had on the music industry. Like most of us the 'Mats touched a nerve when we heard "UNSATISFIED" or made us just get drunk and act stupid when we heard "HEYDAY" and "COLOR ME IMPRESED" and the many other incredible songs they put out. In my opinion the were and are and will remain THE GREATEST GROUP OF ALL TIME.....THEIR MUSIC WAS RAW, PUNK AND BLUES MIXED TOGETHER IN A POTENT AND MOVING WAY.....AND FOR THEIR CONCERTS...THAT'S THE STUFF LEGENDS ARE MADE OF. I would love to swap any videos, bootlegs, or whatever cool stuff you have for my videos, bootlegs, B-Sides, posters,and other memorabilia. Next time I write I'll tell you the story when I bought Tommy Stinson a DOUBLE BLACKJACK DRINK and got the request of my choice at a Bash 'n Pop concert at Shank Hall Milwaukee, WI year ago. To make a long story short I asked him to play SEPTEMBER GIRLS and he did so, solo.....It was amazing. My friend and I also talked to him for about 15 minutes after the show....WOW what a character. I've also met and talked to Slim. I'll go into more detail next time. Also do you know of anyone who has photos of The 'Mats. If you do let me know. Thanks for the SUPPORT G-MAN P.S. I still have to finish the survey, but is there's the question, as far as who was a better guitar player SLIM or BOB S.. Slim is a great guy but BOB's guitar riffs made the Replacements first 5 albums the most memorable. He was an innovator and his guitar player can be found all over the radio...especially DINO JR. I mean WOW! BOB was playing this stuff in 1980. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 18 Jan 95 08:27:04 CST From: "Scott A. Wickman" Subject: Review of the last Mats show This article appeared in the _Chicago Tribune_ on July 5, 1991. I was at this show, and I've got it on tape if anyone is interested in trading. Also, one song (I think "Merry Go Round," but I might be wrong) from this show appears on a local WXRT compilation CD. From the audience, the perspective was a little different than what's written here. The sound was just ok, but we couldn't understand what Paul and Tommy were saying, so we didn't know it was their final show together. We were just thinking, "Another great Replacements concert." Anyway, here it is: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Taste's finale may be swan song for Replacements, too by Greg Kot It wasn't a particularly great performance, but it may prove to be a historic one. Certainly, the Replacements have given better shows than the one they played Thursday at Grant Park before a crowd numbering in the tens of thousands, the musical finale of Taste of Chicago. But as the concert stumbled to a close, it became apparent that one of the best American bands to emerge in the 1980s was probably playing together for the last time. During the Memphis soul-styled "Can't Hardly Wait," guitarist Paul Westerberg and bassist Tommy Stinson--the two surviving original members of the band-- exchanged smiles as they bawled, "I can't wait." And they couldn't wait-- to get off the stage, that is--and the two ran off a few seconds later. For the encore, Westerberg attempted to play drums, drummer Steve Foley fumbled through a guitar solo, and Stinson handled a rare lead vocal on "Hootenanny." "The last (expletive) time you'll ever heard it!" the spike-haired bassist crowed. Then, as band members left the stage one by one, they handed their instruments to the road crew, who proceeded to finish the song in at least as professional a fashion as the band began it. It was a grinning, grimy kiss-off that will go down in Replacements lore, one final surprise from a band that had seemingly lost that ability in recent years. After firing guitarist Bob Stinson in 1986 and drummer Chris Mars last January, the Minneapolis band gained the musicianship of guitarist Slim Dunlap and Foley. But it never quite recaptured the glorious recklessness that once put it in a class with the Faces, Sex Pistols, and New York Dolls. Yet, in the early going Thursday, the band needed no apologists. The rhythm guitars of Westerberg and Dunlap crunched on "Happy Town" and whined with honky-tonk authority on "One Wink at a Time." Westerberg and Stinson yowled their vocals like stray cats, and Foley crisply, deftly negotiated the rhythmic turns on "Merry Go Round." But the momentum nose-dived during lackluster covers of the Only Ones' "Another Girl, Another Planet" and Hank Williams' "Hey Good Lookin'," with Dunlap croaking the vocal and Westerberg making the least of his guitar solo. "Here's another one you don't wanna hear ... and, frankly, neither do I," Westerberg said as he introduced "Someone Take the Wheel." In another year, it might have been just another taste of Replacements sarcasm. On Thursday, it sounded like good riddance. The free concert, the fourth annual July 4th show sponsored and broadcast by WXRT-FM 93.1, would've been memorable even without the Replacements' dramatics. Chicago trio Material Issue opened with a set of songs that have become more than predictable because the band has played them so often on its home turf in recent months, but their power and tightness couldn't be denied. Should-be rock legends NRBQ shined even through a brief shower, with guitarist Al Anderson singing "Crazy Like a Fox" as many in the audience danced giddily amid the raindrops. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scott /***********************************************************************\ | | | Scott A. Wickman | BitNet : swickman @ siucvmb | | P.O. Box 2731 | Internet: swickman @ siucvmb.siu.edu | | Carbondale, Il 62902-2731 ! AOL : SOMOS 1 @ aol.com | | | \***********************************************************************/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 13 Feb 95 17:17:01 CST From: Matthew Proud Subject: SXSW Matt, I recieved some information on the Uncle Tupelo list that I am list member of (you may be a list member too) about the performers at the SXSW music fest in Austin, TX. One of the performers will be Slim Dunlap. matt proud [I saw a list of EVERYBODY who was invited to that thing this year...it makes Woodstock look like a cover band festival at the local smokey dive. I'll tell yah, if North Carolina doesn't end up bein' my cup of tea, I think I'll be writin' Ted James and seein' if I can crash on his couch in Austin! - M@] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 02 Feb 1995 14:20:39 EST From: fine@saturn.rowan.edu Subject: kick me off the bus Also in countless reviews of the band they always talk about being drunk, I remember one show when I asked Paul who used to drive home after a show when they were home (before the bus status) he said (dead serious) "Whoever can stand." There was something else oh yeah...Matt: you're probably the only Replacement fan who never drank..you deserve a medal or something..I'LL come up with something... Me Again "I told them what the smile on my face meant, I didn't need a REPLACEMENT." -- Peter [Gabriel, "Solsbury Hill" =) ] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 8 Feb 1995 08:12:58 PST From: Mccarthy.wbst311@xerox.com Subject: Favorite Thing Hey again, Just got the welcome message, so I didn't realize it was CUSTOMARY to spill my guts. Ok, here I go: I bought my first Replacements record based on one song and two reviews. The song was "I Will Dare", which I heard on college radio. A perfect song, catchy, with wonderful lyrics that are both smartass and heartfelt. The reviews were by Robert Christgau of the Village Voice who gave _Let It Be_ an A (since upgraded to an A+ in his "albums of the 80's book", and it was one of the few "rock" records on his ten best of the 80's list (the rest was mostly world music)), and Peter Buck, guitarist of REM, writing in a now-defunct mag called The Record (I think). Buck gave the album an A-, and said he would have given it an A+, but because he loved _Hootenanny_ so much (and maybe cuz he plays on _Let it Be, thereby being biased), he just couldn't. I had heard OF "Hootenanny", since I had a copy of the Village Voice Poll, and some people had voted for it (but despite what the intro message to //skyway\\ says,it did NOT win the poll, not even close. Michael Jackson's _Thriller_ was #1, and R.E.M.'s _Murmur_ was #2. _Stink_ may have won the EP poll the year before, but I'm not sure). I went and bought the _I Will Dare_ single, and loved it, including the b-sides "20th Century Boy" and "Hey Good Lookin'" (sometime later I bought Big Star's _#1 Hit Record_, and heard the opening riff to "Feel", and gave a big smile, recognizing it from being tacked onto the end of "Hey Good Lookin'"). My brothers liked the single, too, except "Hey Good Lookin'" which my brother Joe said "probably has Hank Williams rolling over in his grave". I bought _Let It Be_ immediately after its release, and it took a few listens, but it's now my (watch out) FAVORITE RECORD OF ALL TIME. An amazing rock and roll record, so careless, and yet so true in its execution. I was 18 at the time, and I could relate to everything these guys were talking about, - all the yearning, and the dissatisfaction, and the humor, and the hope, and the shit. Great, great stuff, everything else pales in comparison. One of those rare reords - you could be walking down the street, and then you start thinking about one of the songs on it, and it just bowls you over how great it is. Yeah, well-written songs are usually good enough, but that record was my whole life. I played it endlessly, and nothing else came close to connecting with me that year - REM's _Reckoning_, Husker Du's _Zen Arcade_, are great records, but by comparison wih _Let It Be_ , I could care less about them. I love the other albums, too, but by the time _Don't Tell A Soul_ came out they were starting to write songs I just plain disliked ("We'll Inherit The Earth" - yecch). One of the things I'm hoping to get from the list is maybe some boots from '84-85, as I only have a couple, and they're both wonderful. Looks like it's time to fill out that er, EXTENSIVE survey. Talk to ya in a year or so. Bob -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 14 Feb 95 14:55:11 EST From: jloughney@riasmtp.riatax.com Subject: Bootlegs, tapes and song index Hey Matt, I know several 'Mats obsessives, and was wondering if anyone has attempted a complete song index of every known song played by the Mats? The same for tours and tour dates. Finally, I would be interested in some sort of tape trading database or list or something, so people could post their lists to (Mats releated, of course) and we could see what sort of coverage there is of live performances out there. Just a thought, John -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 03 Jan 1995 16:35:48 -0400 (EDT) From: NESTER%athena@cliffy.polaroid.com Subject: Mats Songs in the Boston Globe Hi all, Charles Ford asked in issue 24 for circumstances where Replacements lyrics just come out of nowhere, so here's one. Every spring, the Boston Globe sports section features a 10 page baseball preview section, containing capsules of each team, strengths, weaknesses, projections, etc. For a few years (they stopped doing it this year, I think), the author of the column (Steve Fainaru?) would include a song title that corresponded to the team's prospective fortunes, and, each year there were at least FIVE Mats titles, along with several other even more obscure punk tunes. Unfortunately, I can't remember any specifics, but I always got a chuckle out of picturing the average Globe sports reader puzzling over the song titles. -- Steve Nester nester@hydra.polaroid.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 6 Jan 1995 17:05:14 -0500 (EST) From: "shannon d. armitage" Subject: replacements references in "heathers" Has anyone else noticed the numerous mats references in the movie "heathers"? First of all, the name of the school is Westerberg High. Then there's the line where christian slater says "color me impressed" to winona ryder. Coincidence or something more? Personally, i'm convinced that winona played a part in adding these little subtleties that only an avid matsfan would notice. Since she's from minnesota and a self-proclaimed matsfan, i think she included the mats trivia. It seems to me, though, that there was some other mats reference in the flick, but i can't remember it. Or maybe i just dreamt it up. Anyway, that movie was about the most mainstream (yet still very obscure) place i ever saw the mats crop up. Somehow, i don't think there'll be too many references to paul and the boys in "little women." Anyone else come up with anything in The Great Replacements Search? shannon sda@umich.edu -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 12 Jan 1995 20:45:05 -0500 From: Stax920@aol.com Subject: MST3K Hi all, C. Ford (I think) mentioned how slowly but surely the Mats are pervading certain corners of our culture. Maybe too little too late. But I remember a few months back I was watching Mystery Science Theater 3000 on Comedy Central and there was a really terrible movie (of course) with Kathy Ireland. When a man in a purple plad shirt came on the screen either Joel, Crow or Tom Servo said, "Look, it's Paul Westerberg." Of course, I think the show is based in Minnesota... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 12 Jan 1995 22:14:43 -0500 From: Stax920@aol.com Subject: Shirts, Posters etc. Hi all, If anyone out there knows where I can get Replacements shirts, posters, stickers, buttons, etc., please advise. Thanks. Derek Caney Stax920@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 23 Jan 95 12:12:23 EST From: cford@VNET.IBM.COM Subject: Replacements Lyrics Watch I can't help but continue my lookout for Replacements lyrics. They're everywhere. In a recent Spin magazine article the author describes Francis Bean, the daughter of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love, as "sadly beautiful." I could be grabbing at straws here, but I'd honestly never heard that expression until Westerberg wrote the song. In the movie The Client, the young character, Mark, shouts to Susan Sarandon, "Take me back to the hospital!" Ok..I've definately stretched things here. But, if he had said "down" rather than "back" it would be a keeper. Of course, the best movie line of all time is in Heathers, when Winona Ryder tells Christan Slater, "Color me impressed." Charles Ford -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 03 Jan 95 14:17:55 EST From: David Nicholson Matt et al., Hey, just finished up the latest //Skyway\\ - this being break and all I have 9 hour shifts on my hands in the ol' computer center and nothing to do, so I can finally read one of these things all the way through. I'm almost embarrassed to admit this, but I too caught the 90210 episode in question which contained the Bash & Pop tune (the description Susan gives of the circumstances surrounding watching the show must be correct - vacation, nothing else on, etc., cause I'd seen the show maybe twice besides this). Anyway, all that aside, I'm almost 99% sure the track was "Never Aim to Please". It was just used as incidental music during a hallway scene, but I'm pretty sure that's the song. Maybe that episode'll come up in syndication before long - that damn show runs 5 days a week out of Boston now. Geez, my one contribution to this list in like a year and it's a 90210 reference. Ugh. Hey, I think I got the first copy of _Gravel Pit_ to make it into Maine, though, which may raise my respectability level back up a notch. Good CD, well worth the 260-mile round trip to the state's one decent record store (actually, I was in the neighborhood for Thanksgiving anyway). I think Matt's right, different feel from _Lucky's Revenge_ (Paul gets downright pissed at times on _Pit_), but really a great show just the same. Well, I s'pose I should go earn my money or something - keep up the good work! Dave _______________________ David S. Nicholson io20762@maine.maine.edu Authentic UMaine Journalism Degree for sale - Make Offer -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 3 Jan 95 18:07:20 EST From: cford@VNET.IBM.COM Subject: Norm From Cheers Regarding the song 'Norm (from Cheers)' mentioned in the last Skyway...It's probably more than coincidence that a band of Mats lovers would write such a song.. I read somewhere that the actor that played Norm on 'Cheers' is a big Replacments fan.. Charles Ford -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 3 Jan 1995 23:51:59 -0500 From: Stax920@aol.com Subject: My intro to the wonderful world of westerberg Hey folks, I'm posting two articles from the zine i started with my best friend Jason. The zine is called Underdog and these come from my column called "Shiftless When Idle." (Note: We write about everything, not just Mats stuff) This is the first of two. It's about my first Mats experience. My weekly search for Bruce Springsteen bootlegs was coming up a bust on a cold February afternoon in 1989. Never wanting to return home empty-handed, I ducked into Tower Records thinking I might find some obscure B-side by Dire Straits or Talking Heads - something that would impress my friends back home in Cherry Hill, N.J. I didn't recognize the band that was playing over the loudspeaker. The musicianship wasn't anything special. The singer had a distinctive voice that was passionate and sincere even if all he was singing about was shooting dirty pool. Not a pretty voice. But definitely beautiful. A buyer led me to the Replacements file and pulled out Pleased To Meet Me. They were on the cover of Musician magazine that month so I decided I'd give it a go. Records sound better in record stores. But when I played it at home, they sounded like noisy white kids who can't write a song. "Where's the craft? Where's the story-telling. Where's the grand statements? These songs don't mean anything." So it gathered dust on my shelf for a while. At that time, I worked on a college music magazine with a couple of friends, who were going apeshit over Don't Tell A Soul, the new Replacements album that was supposed to turn them into international stars. They must have played it 6 times that night. By the time the bottle of Jack Daniels was kicked I was begging to hear Exile On Main Street. The only two songs that stuck in my head were "Rock and Roll Ghost" and "Darling One," because I thought they sounded like mediocre U2 songs. That summer, Stefan, my elementary school chum got word that Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were playing the Mann Music Center in Philadelphia. Singing "Don't Come Around Here No More" at the top of our lungs, we crossed the river from the Jersey side. The opening act was already on when we arrived. We heard the strains from the parking lot: "Meet me anyplace at anywhere at anytime/Well, I don't care, meet me tonight/If you will dare I will dare." "They're not bad. Who are they?" Stefan asked me. There couldn't have been more than 500 people scattered around the 12,000-capacity indoor-outdoor arena. So there was no one there to stop us from moving to the front row. I noticed immediately the Marshall stacks with "-hall" blacked out of the one behind drummer Chris Mars. Paul Westerberg (guitar and voice) and Tommy Stinson (bass) were getting pissed at a drunk guy in the front row who kept yelling "Red Red Wine.". They did a send-up of UB40/Neil Diamond's "Red Red Wine." They stumbled their way through "Downtown" by Petula Clark and "Happy" by the Rolling Stones. This was my introduction to the Replacements. They tore through their catalog with the grace of a battering ram. I'd never seen anything like this - four guys drunk off their ass just floundering and giggling their way through a set. And for the last song they finally obliged the drunk in the front row and did a roaring version of "Red Red Wine" from Pleased To Meet Me, that sputtered and ultimately stalled by the last verse and they stumbled off the stage without a word. I had read the Musician interview and I'd known they were looking to garner a bigger audience. But I saw a different band that night in Philly. This was a band that didn't give a shit about what the audience thought. The party was onstage and everybody else could fuck off (in fact, you can get an aural glimpse of this on the Shit Shower And Shave boot, which was recorded in Connecticut). Petty delivered a perfunctory set as I'd seen three times before. "Well, it's great to be back in Philly," he said from the stage after playing "American Girl." But I could not get my mind off that opening act. By figuratively flipping the audience off, the Replacements put forth a more honest and endearing performance than 12 Petty shows. The message was: You can't shine shit. Who could get excited about playing to 500 Tom Petty fans who were indifferent to them? So they turned the whole opening act exercise into a joke - a joke that was ugly and beautiful at the same time. A joke that thumbed its nose at the entire rock aristocracy that I had worshipped up to that point. And nothing was really the same for me after that. Date: Tue, 3 Jan 1995 23:52:15 -0500 From: Stax920@aol.com Subject: Hanging It Up This is the second of two articles from my zine Underdog. It's a review of Hanging It Up, the Mats boot. Every year, my aunt calls my mother and asks her, "What does Derek need for Christmas?" And each year, my mother runs down a list of clothes or books that she thinks I might enjoy. And each year, my aunt buys me...a tote bag. I have more tote bags than most people have underwear. My Christmas was saved by an old friend who by now has made a welcome habit of coming through in the clutch for me. Thanks, Tony. The Replacements - Hanging It Up: One of the most depressing albums I've heard in a long time. It's a bootleg of the band's last show before splintering. Clearly they're tired of the music and probably tired of each other. On "Bent Out of Shape," Paul Westerberg can't be bothered to sing the words of the songs and instead sings, "Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck..." Inspirational stage patter: "Here's another song you don't want to hear." But what's amazing is that despite how little they care, the songs rock out like nobody's business. Even half-assed, this band was one of the greatest live acts in the business. They end with "Hootenanny" in which they gleefully switch instruments as they did in the studio eight years before. The difference is that eight years ago, these guys sounded thrilled to be playing music. Here they sound thrilled to be to done with each other. "We're going to go on like this for 20 minutes," Paul laughs. But do they go on because they're thrilled? Or do they go on because they're afraid to stop? The song peters out after about four minutes, forming the perfect metaphor for their career: They stopped when it wasn't fun anymore. And they didn't blow their brains out either. Other rockers should take note. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 11 Jan 1995 21:48:55 -0800 From: Steve Holtebeck Subject: 'Mats Euro Tour 1986 from obscure fanzine article To the //SkyWay\\ - Here is a fan's eye diary of the Replacements first ever European tour, written by Fran Murphy. It originally appeared in Issue#4 of the REM fanzine "Perfect Circle" in the Fall of 1986. This was the article that first turned me on to them nine years ago. Enjoy... %-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-% CONFESSIONS OF A 'MATS FANATIC by Fran Murphy Cardiff, Wales I can't recommend the Replacements highly enough - at the first four shows I saw, they were brilliant. First was London, at Dingwalls, their first British gig where they got a great reception. In the great tradition of the 'Mats, they were totally pissed [drunk], fell over a lot, and played for nearly two hours (with a set including such covers as "Another Girl, Another Planet" by the Only Ones and many others started and then discarded after the opening few bars.) At Dingwall's, being drunk, I grabbed Paul Westerberg (Dutch courage) and told him I'd traveled up from Cardiff (about 170 mi.) He was so surprised that anyone would bother to follow them that far that he promptly put me on the guest list for Manchester International Club a week later. After they had done a few dates in Europe ( Germany was "OK", Italy was "totally shit") and the British TV show "The Old Grey Whistle Test" (they did "Kiss Me On the Bus"), I never really expected Paul would remember me, so imagine my surprise when he did! The Manchester gig was better than Dingwall's, shorter and lighter. Not a bad crowd, but not as many as should have been there. They did plenty of old stuff off _Hootenanny_, and _Sorry Ma_ mixed in with covers and newer classics like "I Will Dare", "Little Mascara", etc. The Bristol Gig the next night was really weird! The club-called the Moon was really difficult to find, set in a run down boarded area called St. Paul's, scene of some wicked riots in past years. The club had only been open a month and used to be part of the mortuary next door. The crowd was odd too- about 30 of us going totally CRAZY near the front of the two foot high stage, several interested onlookers, and back near the bar the usual Saturday night crowd who frequented the club whoever was playing just to drink and smoke, looking totally bemused at and slightly irritated at all this loud thrash. The 'Mats played only for an hour, but they played their little/BIG hearts out. They didn't do an encore, but Paul jumped down from the front of the stage and strode manfully straight to the bar (Surprise!!) The best date of the tour was the final one, at the Mean Fiddler in London. Good crowd, great atmosphere, and the 'Mats were in a fine mood. They looked good and sounded great, did some wild covers - "Substitute", "I'm Evil", "Take Me Home Country Roads", etc. (I can't remember). They played for ages but it never dragged, did two encores, and then it was all over. Talking to them later, it seemed they had a good time and are hopefully set to come back before the end of the year. I'd certainly do it all over again in a second - they were great onstage and off and were helpful to me. I can't stress enough that you should all go see them if you haven't already got the chance. I know their albums are wonderful, but live they are a whole new experience- even if they are almost totally rat-assed. [we're learning all sorts of British synonyms for "drunk"] A few other FUZZY memories: -"Hootenanny" at Dingwalls, with Paul on drums and Chris on guitar. -Taking millions of photographs of Tommy in Manchester when all of a sudden he grabs the camera and started photographing US from the stage! -Bob grunting through a whole song (God knows what it was !?!) with unintelligible shouts and snorts and looking really very pleased at the end cause he hadn't forgotten a single word (there weren't any). -Listening to ENDLESS shouts for "Radio Free Europe", which they never played. -Bob keeping his clothes on! And not wearing any dresses! Hooray! -Paul shouting out "Don't call me a retard!" before playing "Kiss Me On The Bus"- a reference to a bad review of the single which called the boys a bunch of retards trying to capture their lost high school days (Ooh Bitchy! Did they even GO to high school??) -Searching for HOURS for the Moon Club in Bristol. Finding it and asking the blokes at the door "Are the Replacements playing tonight?" only to be told "Um..er...Who are They?" (They were and they did, Thank God) -Bruised and broken hearted on the bus going home, just waiting for them to come back before they'd even gone..... -"Bastards of Young", "Color Me Impressed", "Answering Machine", "Run It", etc. P.S. Why did Paul have a hole in his trousers?? Fran Murphy, travelling fanatic Cardiff, South Wales %-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-%-% As many of you know, The Replacements did not return to the other side of the pond until their final tour in 1991. If anybody has a video of the OGWT performance of "Kiss Me on the Bus", I will be more than glad to trade for it. Even Charles Ford didn't mention it in his writeup of 'Mats videos in Taper's Quarterly (probably posted somewhere in a back issue of the S-Way). Steve Holtebeck smholt@ix.netcom.com "men without ties don't dress for dinner"-PW -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 10 Jan 1995 00:37:33 -0500 (EST) From: James Leftwich Hello, I'm an old time Replacements fan who's been away from the music for a while. I've recently resurrected my interest in the 'Mats and PW. So I figured I'd go out and buy the most recent bootleg and trade. Not so. I get the feeling you all have _Gravel Pit_. Could you steer me toward someone who doesn't have said CD? Keep up the good work! Thanks. Jim Leftwich leftwich@cloud9.net "I'm on Cloud9!" :) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 15 Feb 1995 15:41:27 -0500 From: Bilner@aol.com Subject: Replacements live tapes I'm looking for tapes of Paul live, esp. at the Whisky in LA or any broadcasts. [The second night of the two Whisky-A-Go-Go shows is in almost its entirety on the CD bootleg "Lucky's Revenge", while 'Left of the Dial', 'Another Girl Another Planet', and 'Can't Hardly Wait' from the first night are on the UK import CD single of 'World Class Fad'. - M@] Anyone need dubs of these 'Mats shows? 10-26-84 Club Lingerie, LA [usually advertised as "Live at Lingerie"] 4-11-85 The Palace, LA 4-23-85 Al's Bar, LA 12-13-85 Fender's, Long Beach 12-16-85 Roxy, LA 12-17-85 Roxy, LA Email me to discuss swaps or send (2) 60's and a SASE for each show to: Bill Wilner Box 93033 LA, CA 90093 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 10 Jan 1995 10:50:56 -0500 From: timmins@polysci.umass.edu Subject: Liquor Giants Hey, Recently I picked up a CD entitled _Here_ by a band called the Liquor Giants. I must admit that I was initially intrigued simply because the band's name seems so similar to my own band's -- King Alcohol). But that wasn't enough to propel me to drop $14 to check it out! But then I saw a favorable review of the album somewhere (_Rolling Stone_?) that compared them to the Replacements crossed with the Gin Blossoms, or something like that. So then of course I had to check it out, especially since I like to think such a description might be fitting for King Alcohol (although I think we're a little less overtly pop than Gin Blossoms) ... end of shameless self promotion! :-) ... Anyway, I got the album, and it's not bad, but I haven't yet figured out why the reviewer raved on so much about it. And while I can see where the Replacements / Gin Blossoms comparison comes from, I think it would be more to the point to say they sound like Big Star -- some of the songs very much so. Like Big Star, they have a definite pre-punk sort of barband feel, basic (old fashioned) rock'n'roll, with subtle Beatles influences. Some songs even have a Rolling Stones-ish honkytonk edge to them. However, also like Big Star, I think they pale in comparison to either the Replacements or the Gin Blossoms (or the Beatles for that matter!). Now, I've only listened to the album twice through now, so it might grow on me a little, but I can't see it ever reaching "classic" status. But then again, that's how I first felt about the Slim Dunlap solo album -- it too is good basic, if a little underinspired, rock'n'roll. Slim's album will also never be a "classic" to me, but I do like it. I think what really bugs me about the Liquor Giants so far, though, is that, by and large, the lyrical content is not there. I mean, there are lyrics, of course, but they're borderline inane, generic rockwords. Not quite "ooh baby baby," but definitely not Paul (or even Slim, Tommy, or Chris!). Actually one of the songs seems like a half-hearted Paul ripoff: Did they tell you on the first day of your life That someday you'd be somebody's wife Well, that's just my opinion, of course, but I thought I'd share it. We can't let reviewers compare just anyone to the Replacements, can we? -Mark [I got a copy of this CD from Mark Fisher and I thought it definitely sounded like Bash n' Pop...that song that you quoted from...he even sounds like Tommy. I've played it for a couple of people telling them that it's the new Bash n' Pop song and they didn't even blink. (I told them the truth afterwards, of course.) -- M@] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 17 Jan 95 9:24:14 CST From: Teddie James-CSIC_Publications Subject: New York Dolls The other day, a friend lent me a New York Dolls tape. I knew who they were (David Johannsen, Johnny Thunders, etc.), but I had no idea what they were like. One listen took me back to '60's-era Rolling Stones. However, it also took me up to early to mid '80's-era Replacements. Everybody mentions the Stones when it comes to bands that influenced the Replacements, but I don't think I've ever heard anyone mention the New York Dolls. If you've never listened to the New York Dolls, you should definitely give them a shot. Great rock & roll! Ted James tedj@oakhill-csic.sps.mot.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 4 Feb 1995 20:57:31 -0500 (EST) From: "Michael C. Shannon" Subject: ALL SHOOK UP AND DOWN (post if you'd like) matt- it's amazing how easy the b.s. comes when i can write about the mats. for the paper i told you about, i figured i'd send you the part relating to the replacemnts. tell me what you think of it. The universality of Elvis and his music can been found in the alternative crowds of the 1990's. While Elvis may seem to kids to be the epitome of the establishment, the demigods of the alternative scene can have many parallels drawn with the King. The Replacements, a Minneapolis 80's outfit led by Paul Westerberg, are considered to have influenced the majority of today's big stars. Their final album was called All Shook Down, a not so subtle reference to Elvis's song. Listening to the title track, the lament of a rocker, Elvis's life could be seen. "Praises they sing/ a register rings/ one of the time/ that nobody brings," and "The fifth gripping week/ an absolute must/ one of the years/ best ain't say'in much/ throw'in us trunks/ as we're starting to drown/ we're all shook down," seem to relate to the sense of alienation that Elvis felt and conveyed in his telephone interview after singing to a basset hound on the Steve Allen show. The whole idea of the public and the record comanies (and for Elvis, the hated Col. Tom Parker) making artists jump through their hoops to boost sales or exposure. I doubt Paul Westerberg meant for this to be a dedication to Elvis, but the applicability of the song to him is undeniable. The Replacements and Elvis, to me, can be paralleled in another aspect. A critic once said of the Replacements said, "If the rock 'n roll spirit is your bottom line, you'll love 'em!" And I know of no one better than the young Elvis who exuded the rock 'n roll spirit. Neither the Ômats nor Elvis were considered to be musical virtuosos, but rock 'n roll is about heart and soul, not crescendos and pianoissimos. Anyone who forgets that needs to listen to Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters. The Replacements' use of Elvis's "All Shook Down" represents the absolute omnipresence of Elvis in American pop culture. Shakespeare it's not, but i figure i'll get away w/ it. btw, when's the next issue comin' out. [In about ten minutes. - M@] casey [Keep talkin' and you'll have your PhD. in no time! - M@] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 15 Feb 1995 15:30:34 -0800 (PST) From: Ric Dube Subject: Help me make a tape After reading the story in the Valentine's Day Skyway supplement about somebody having a tape of a fight with their boss, I'd like to start a project and I need your help. I'd like to make a tape filled with nothing but interesting recordings like this. I will include two of my own, a brother and sister discussing who does more of the chores around the house (circa 1984), and two teens discussing whether or not they should put coolant in an overheated car radiator. These kinds of tapes are best when they are candid, but it's not completely necessary. Bizarre phone messages are great too, but I'd like people to keep these real, don't put something together for this collection, just paw through your tape collection and find something great. I guess maybe crank calls would be funny, but don't just try to be the Jerky Boys. And anyone who wants a copy of this tape when it's done, let me know. Naturally the best way to insure you'll get a copy is to send me a submission. Submissions should include as much info as possible -- dates, first names, geographic location. SOUND QUALITY DOES NOT HAVE TO BE GOOD. CONTRIBUTE BECAUSE THE RECORDING IS INTERESTING OR FUNNY!! And do it now. I'd like to have this done by the end of March at the latest. Thanks for your time. _____________________________ Ric Dube dube@u.washington.edu -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- fin. --==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==-- || Matthew Tomich || <<>> || || 1111 S. Mulanix #207 || ----> skyway@phoenix.creighton.edu <---- || || Kirksville, Missouri 63501 ||(administrative, contribution, all purpose)|| || (816)-785-4808 ||--==--==--==--==--==-*-==--==--==--==--==--|| || "You are not what you own." || ** Non-Skyway address: ** || || /\\/\\/\ - Fugazi /\\/\\/\\ || i261%nemomus@academic.nemostate.edu || --==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==-- "I was 21 She was 16 It was love You know what I mean ...take it Bobby!" -- Bob Stinson and the Bleeding Hearts