______________________________________________________________________________ // // The \\kyway \\ // skyway@novia.net Issue #50 May 25th, 1997 ______________________________________________________________________________ (c) 1997 Bastards of Young (BOY/BetaOmegaYamma) Productions list manager: Matthew Tomich (matt@novia.net) technical consultant and thanks to: Bob Fulkerson of Novia Networking ______________________________________________________________________________ SKYWAY SUBSCRIPTION/LISTSERVER INFORMATION Send all listserver commands in the body of a letter to "majordomo@novia.net" To subscribe to the //Skyway\\: subscribe skyway To unsubscribe from the //Skyway\\: unsubscribe skyway THE //SKYWAY\\ WEB PAGE Check here for back issues, lyrics, discography, and other files. http://www.novia.net/~matt/sky/skyway.html ______________________________________________________________________________ Send submissions to: skyway@novia.net ______________________________________________________________________________ All of the alt.music.replacements articles were echoed to the list by the kind work of Duncan DeGraffenreid. Hoo-rah! ______________________________________________________________________________ 0. "DOES ANYBODY HERE KNOW WHO WE ARE? . . . NO? GOOD." (Tommy Stinson, Amsterdam, 1991) Yeah, what would a Skyway issue be without an apology about how long it took to put out since the last one? Ah, maybe I've got a good excuse this time. Thanks to the wonderful invention of 'vacation days' (where they pay you NOT to show up to work), I ran off to Europe for two weeks on social calls visiting old friends from college who had said, "Hey, you gotta come visit me in Europe sometime!" (There wasn't any guarantee that their offers were genuine, but I got to take them up on them regardless.) So how was it? AMSTERDAM: Didn't see the red-light district. Didn't smoke the magic green foliage. Instead, hung out at the train station, bars, flea markets, and a nightclub. Bad: an overwhelming gray tone of resigned over-educated despair; like hanging out with a bunch of graduate students, except with health insurance. Good: clean, liberal, good festivals, and the trains run on time. GERMANY: Germans smile alot more than you think they would. If you want some excitement, try going into a restaurant and ordering something without either butter or potatoes. ITALY: Priceless works of art. The best food in the world. Even the bums look good. And to top it off, I got my ass kicked by an old lady while in line for ice-cream. I didn't stop in London, Denmark, or the Czech Republic, but thanks to those who offered places to crash and evenings to obliterate. I'll be back next year as long as they keep paying me at work. Oh yeah, hey, this is the 50th issue of the Skyway! Uhm, I think this is where I'm supposed to think of something poignant to say. All I can really think of is that you all (as in, subscribers and contributors) are responsible for this deal getting up to issue 50 because I would've ran out of 'Mats stories long ago and would've had to start making 'em up. Ciao! (I don't know how they get 'chow' out of that...) Matt _____________________________________________________________________________ I. THE BIG NEWS (No, not a reunion.) Date: Sun, 11 May 1997 15:15:26 -0500 From: Daniel Contreras Subject: Article in Pioneer Press Here is the full text of the Friday, May 9 St. Paul Pioneer Press article regarding Paul and Capitol. ----- Westerberg tries label hopping Jim Walsh Pop Music Critic After 12 years with Warner Bros./Reprise Records, Paul Westerberg has jumped ship and made a verbal commitment to Capitol Records. ``I needed a breath of fresh air,'' the former leader of the Replacements said. ``I was there a long time, and it was time to move on.'' Westerberg had been with Warner Bros. since 1985, when the Replacements became one of the first Twin Cities bands to graduate from an independent label to a major. He ended his deal with Warners late this winter, which resulted in a courtship for his services by the five other major labels. In the end, Westerberg chose Capitol, due in no small part to the impression that Gary Gersh made on the songwriter. Gersh is the president of Capitol and will also act as Westerberg's A&R representative. For Westerberg, that was an important distinction from his other suitors' proposals, for in these supposedly volatile days of the music industry, if a label president gets behind a record, it can mean the difference between a million seller and a flop. ``Gary Gersh's commitment as president and A&R guy, who is going to personally oversee my record and my career, was hard to turn down,'' said Westerberg. ``I mean, I had fans at every other label, but they weren't all necessarily the presidents of the label. I felt that having the most powerful guy at the label interested in my career would be the smart move to make.'' Since the Replacements split up in 1991, Westerberg's solo work on Warners has met with mixed critical reviews and commercial indifference. According to SoundScan figures, his first solo album, 1993's ``14 Songs,'' sold 165,000 copies. His second, and most recent release, 1996's ``Eventually,'' sold 89,000. If Westerberg's career is to be resuscitated, Gersh may be the man for the job. He made a name for himself as a talent scout for Geffen Records, where he signed Nirvana and Counting Crows. Since taking over the helm of Capitol in 1995, Gersh has replenished the label's roster with a number of hard-to-peg artists, including Rosanne Cash, Vic Chesnutt, Yoko Ono, Robbie Robertson, John Hiatt, Supergrass, Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Spearhead and Sparklehorse. ``I think Paul is one of the truly great songwriters of our time,'' said Gersh from his office in Los Angeles. ``And I'm hoping that with a renewed start for him at a new label will spark something in him that maybe we haven't seen in a long time.'' In the new edition of the ``Trouser Press Guide to '90s Rock,'' critic Ira Robbins sums up Westerberg's post-Replacements output like this: ``Had he not been the most important and compelling American punk-rock voice of the 1980s, a rebellious paradigm of trenchant, self-abusing irony, Paul Westerberg might be thoroughly admired (or at least forgiven) for his wistful, semi-acoustic pop solo career . . . [He] has turned into the James Taylor of post-punk, a sensitive, contemplative sweetheart.'' That widely held perception -- that Westerberg's most compelling records are behind him -- is not lost on Gersh. ``I think artists get into this thing where they have this revered and storied past,'' he said. ``Then, when they make their solo records, everybody expects them to live up to their storied past. And Paul is a very accomplished tunesmith and song craftsman. That is what we have to get out in a different way, and we have to stop competing with his past. ``Nobody could ever be the Replacements again. It's not possible. And there are so many bands that can do the Replacements copy thing better than Paul can right now. Why should he have to do that? He's much too talented to do that.'' Gersh will work closely with Westerberg on the record. And after the hands-off approach Warner Bros. took toward his recordings, Westerberg said he's looking forward to the input and the challenge. ``He's not a wallflower, that's for sure,'' Westerberg said of Gersh. ``He has opinions, and he's aggressive. And I do, too, so I'm used to it. He'll have definite ideas about what my record should sound like. And we may disagree, and it may be hell to pay. But that's better than that kind of wishy-washy `Paul doesn't matter' attitude. I have a feeling he might encourage certain sides of my music that weren't encouraged in the past.'' Terms of the Capitol deal were not released, but Westerberg and Gersh made a verbal agreement last Friday. Next week, Westerberg plans to present Gersh with a tape of songs he's been recording in his basement. From there, the two will enter into a dialogue about the actual recording of the record that both parties hope will prove to be fruitful -- artistically and commercially. ``All great records are about the songs,'' said Gersh. ``I think if Paul makes the best record he's capable of at this moment, and breaks the mold of what he's been in, then I think a lot of people will be attracted to it. I'm a big believer, because I have that faith, that great records find a way to sell.'' -------- [Demos recorded in his basement? I guess old habits die hard. I always read that Paul used to write songs in his parent's basement... - M@] From: JohnFA2@aol.com Date: Fri, 16 May 1997 18:21:19 -0400 (EDT) Subject: TONS OF REPLACEMENTS/WESTERBERG NEWS [This is from some music news thing...from AOL, I think. - M@] ------------------------------------------------------------------- Things are totally hopping these days! Three BIG pieces of news, all detailed below: The release of the first Grandpa Boy single, Paul's signing to Capitol Records (yea!) and the definitive word on Reprise's Mats compilation release. Read on! You may remember that Darren Hill played bass on the 1993 14 Songs tour. Well, Darren has co-founded a new record label called Soundproof Records and along with Monolyth Records, they are releasing the first (but not the last) single from the artist currently known as GRANDPA BOY. Who is GRANDPA BOY? Sorry....I can't tell a soul, but you won't want your money back, I promise. And if you're STILL not sure who Grandpa Boy is, you can find out from The Boston Phoenix. I just got mine today and it's great. I think the B-side "Undone" is the standout track, let me know what you guys think: "I WANT MY MONEY BACK" b/w "UNDONE" featuring full color picture sleeve done by GRANDPA BOY himself is now available by mail order only---only $4 postage paid: Soundproof/Monolyth Records P.O. Box 990980 Boston, Ma 02199-0980 BIG NEWS!! According to Jim Walsh in the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Paul has signed with Capitol Records! I'd link you to the article but they charge for access to their Web site (boo) so here are some salient quotes: After 12 years with Warner Bros./Reprise Records, Paul Westerberg has jumped ship and made a verbal commitment to Capitol Records. ``I needed a breath of fresh air,'' the former leader of the Replacements said. ``I was there a long time, and it was time to move on"....Westerberg chose Capitol, due in no small part to the impression that Gary Gersh made on the songwriter. Gersh is the president of Capitol and will also act as Westerberg's A+R representative. ``Gary Gersh's commitment as president and A+R guy, who is going to personally oversee my record and my career, was hard to turn down,'' said Westerberg. ``I mean, I had fans at every other label, but they weren't all necessarily the presidents of the label. I felt that having the most powerful guy at the label interested in my career would be the smart move to make.'' ``I think Paul is one of the truly great songwriters of our time,'' said Gersh from his office in Los Angeles. ``And I'm hoping that with a renewed start for him at a new label will spark something in him that maybe we haven't seen in a long time....Nobody could ever be the Replacements again. It's not possible. And there are so many bands that can do the Replacements copy thing better than Paul can right now. Why should he have to do that? He's much too talented to do that.'' It looks like Reprise's best of the Mats collection is a done deal - Microsoft's MusicCentral just published a story on that collection, as well as the possibility of Peter Jesperson releasing some of his vast collection of unheard Mats gems. The Reprise collection sounds awesome. Some of you may have read in Rolling Stone that Paul has written two songs with Carole King. Neither one of them is going to record them - they are for other artists - but it will be interesting to hear the results of that collaboration. [The last minute scoop on Reprise's Mats collection! It's going to be a two CD set: one CD a best-of with some remastering one CD with rarities. - M@] From: Buzz Gordo Newsgroups: alt.music.replacements Date: Thu, 15 May 1997 16:25:03 -0700 From this week's Boston Phoenix, from an article about Darren Hill and his Boston indie label, Soundproof.: "But Soundproof's status will get a substantial boost from its link-up with Paul Westerberg . . . oops, we mean with Grandpa Boy, whose identity is being kept a badly guarded secret (his name won't appear on the CDs, but nobody minds if his fanbase finds out). Currently between major-label deals, Westerberg was knocking out demos in his basement; he and Hill had kept up a friendship and the deal proceeded from there. 'You'll be surprised when you hear it; it sounds like something he would have done 10 years ago. It's totally out of character with what he's doing now.' In other words, it's the rock-and-roll album a lot of us were hoping he'd finally make? 'Exactly.' Date: Tue, 20 May 1997 12:43:00 -0500 (CDT) From: "Tony R. Buechler" allstar daily music news May 19, 1997 http://www.allstarmag.com Edited by Carrie Borzillo Former Replacement Releases Secret Single Grandpa Boy Said To Be 'Out Of Character' Shrouded in a veil of secrecy riddled with gaping holes, a former member of The Replacements has released a CD single on the Boston-based start-up label Soundproof records. Titled "I Want My Money Back," and backed with "Undone," the single is the first of several the label plans to issue by the artist who goes by the pseudonym Grandpa Boy. "We're gonna see how far we can get," says label head Darren Hill, who hopes to release a full CD of Grandpa Boy material in the fall. (Hill, by the way, has played bass with Grandpa Boy on tour.) "We'll definitely get the second single out, probably near the end of June. It's called 'Psycho-pharmocology,' backed with 'The Homeless Sexual'." News of the release was accompanied by a manifesto from the mystery 'Mat himself, which reads: "Grandpa Boy was born somewhere. He plays the guitar. Do not try to be his friend -- he will not like you." Other biographical data includes: "He shaves with a potato peeler. He was born in a burning house. All we really know for sure is that he wants his money back." The idea to release the songs came about while Grandpa Boy's alter-ego was between major label deals. (He's expected to officially sign with Capitol this week.) The material was recorded by the former 'Mat at his home studio in Minneapolis, and is described by Hill as "out of character with what he's become." Soundproof plans to promote the new single by hiring a small propeller plane to fly a sign around a couple of select cities. And although Grandpa Boy has indicated he would like the CD to be sold only in liquor stores and gas stations, you can buy the single by sending $4 postage paid to: Soundproof Records, P.O. Box 990980, Boston, MA 02199.=20 - Russell Hall --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Tony Buechler tb8@evansville.edu |Owner of the fan run WWW site: | | Education Major@Univ. of Evansville IN|www.john-mellencamp.com | | |and operator of the mellencamp | | Home Address: |internet mailinglist | | 8774 E. St. Rd. 164 | | | Celestine IN 47521 |Live Audio/Video tape collector | | http://spruce.evansville.edu/~tb8 |for list email w/Sub. of GET LIST| --------------------------------------------------------------------------= ____________________________________________________________________________ II. NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK From: BRAAA@rhodes.edu Date: Mon, 14 Apr 1997 09:56:21 -0500 (CDT) Subject: me, my brother, and a microphone I first heard the Replacements in the autumn of '94, when I was seventeen, clumsy and shy. I was spending a few weeks in Pittsburgh with my older brother Jason and deciding whether or not to spend my next four years at Pitt. Jason took me with him to the college radio station where he worked, and I got to pass a few evenings stuttering excitedly into those ratty microphones with a goldmine of vinyl in my lap. I played all the old standards, The Muffs and Urge Overkill and My Bloody Valentine and some others--more embarrassing ones that I won't mention here. When I had run out of songs to play, Jason took over for a while, and he put on a song called "Customer" by a strange old band called the Replacements. We taped the show and listened to it again and again, driving across the cold steel bridges of downtown and sharing cigarette after cigarette under overcast skies. Too soon it was time for me to head down to the airport and say goodbye to Jason until Christmas-time. I took the tape of our show with me, and as the 737 rushed me back to Memphis I listened to that song over and over again, and remembered the lonely little happiness that Jason and I had shared. Date: Thu, 17 Apr 1997 12:26:39 -0700 From: "K. Segal" Subject: Some Replacements info Hello. I've recently gotten into The Replacements and was lucky to stumble upon your page and have been using it as a springboard for my surfing whenever I'm in a Replacements moon. Yesterday, I read Charles Ford's two pieces; the ones on collecting videos & demos. Well, call it beginner's luck, but I have a show on video in decent quality titled "The Entry 1982" that isn't mentioned. I think its about 40 minutes (22 songs) and the quality is pretty good. It's on a comp tape with the videos for "Bastards of Young" and "When It Began", Live in NY 8/18/89, and a few bites of Paul & Slim talking about "The Ledge". I got it for $20.00 at the Pasadena, CA record swap last month from a guy I'd never seen there before. I asked if he had more bob-era Replacements video and he wasn't sure and didn't think so. If there's another copy of what I have, I'm willing to pick it up for Charles, or yourself, if there's a copy. If anyone wants to do a trade, I'd love some more Bob-era live stuff on audio, I can dub my copy with my one good new hi-fi deck and my not so new, non-hi-fi Panasonic video camera, using line in. I'm not sure if It will take that kind of dub well. Anyway, If you guys at the page are interested, let me know. I really enjoy the page. -Ken From: c2mxconn@fre.fsu.umd.edu Date: Thu, 01 May 1997 13:31:01 Subject: Introduction Greeting and Salutations. This is my first post to this list and like everyone else I decided to introduce myself with first Mats experience. I saw heard alot about the Replacements from my favorite other bands, like Buffalo Tom, who cited them as an influence. I saw Singles and like Westerberg's pop sensibility and so I decided to pick up a Replacements tape at the local used record store. The album I bought was All Shook Down. I liked it immensely, and when it came to a placing a BMG order I got Tim and Pleased to Meet Me. I instantly fell in love with the latter, but wasn't instantly fond of Tim. I didn't take long before that changed and Tim has since become one of my favorite records. Still I didn't have Let it Be, what everyone seemed to talk of as essential. One day I went out and bought it, and music has never been the same for me since. I play guitar and Paul's songwriting has been more influential to me than McCartney or Lennon could ever be (I know that is a bold ass statement.) That when I began to learn everything I could about this amazing band. I got all the albums, except Stink and Sorry Ma.., just because my local shitty record stores don't carry them and I am too busy working my ass of in school to place and order for them. What I really desire is When the Shit Hits the Fans, and I know alot of people on the list have asked for that, but I still am unaware if anyone has an at least half-decent copy. I have Paul Westerberg's Gravel Pit in trade and soon my order from the now non-existent KTS should be coming in with Shit, Shower, and Shave (can anybody let me know if before it comes whether it's a good boot). Anyway, I can offer anyone who makes me a copy a blank cassette in trade for making me a copy (or if ya like Buffalo Tom, I have a boot of them, and several Pearl Jam boots that are excellent.) I saw Westerberg in August at the 9:30 Club show in Washington D.C. and was floored. Do any of you out there have this show taped, I would love to own that too (I also need a copy of If Only You Were Lonely). Still the best band in rock n' roll that Mats have got me through good times and bad. Thanks Paul, Tommy, Chris, Slim, and of course Bob. Kevin Conn c2mxconn@fre.fsu.umd.edu "My courage is at it's peak, do you know what I mean?" - PW Date: Wed, 07 May 1997 19:44:47 -0400 From: Monika Lupean "I'm in love... with that song" I guess I got into the `Mats through a Gina Arnold book about Alternative music. Anyway, I grew up on R.E.M. Ever since I heard "Fall on Me" when I was about 7 or 8 I guess... I was hooked! Then in my teen angst years I discovered a little band called Nirvana (maybe you've heard of them?) Anyway, I fell in love with Alternative Rock (or at least what it was then.) I read every book I could about Nirvana, which eventually led me to bands like Fugazi, Sebadoh, and Sonic Youth. Oh, and the Replacements. I found a book, ok, I remember. The title was "On the Road to Nirvana" a brilliant book by an Occasional Rolling Stone Writer, Gina Arnold. One of the chapters had the heading "Look me in the eyes and tell me I'm satisfied. Now are you satisfied?" It was perfect. I'd never heard the band, but they were the best thing I'd ever heard. So when I finally found a copy of Let it Be, and Pleased to Meet Me, I found out I was right! They were perfect! Drunk and depressed and in love and despondent, and jaded and beautiful. Since then I've discovered the other sad prince of indie rock, Lou Barlow of Sebadoh. He is the closest thing we'll ever have to Paul and the gang. I've also recently came upon Superchunk, which I was delighted to see in Matt's bio. Besides that, the brilliantly scary (and occasionally sensitive) Afghan Whigs, Pavement, Guided By Voices, Girls Vs Boys, (you get the idea?) I still love the idea that someone like Thurston Moore, or Paul Westerberg can reach an audience, and touch people, but without following the rules. There is no Babyface on SUP POP, Matador, or Touch and Go. And they're not all great. And although none of them ARE Paul Westerberg, his spirit still thrives in our hearts, making each and every one of us, at least a bit less unsatisfied. Josh "We're not much to look at so, close your eyes here we go!" - Talent Show Date: Fri, 16 May 1997 22:57:09 -0500 From: Jarratt Rolfe Hey everybody. I'm new to the list and thought I'd throw my two cents in. Started listening to the Mats a few years ago. I stumbled onto them by one of my favorite bands, Dash Rip Rock, always playing some Mats covers. The rest is history. Bought one album which led to two to three and you know the rest. If anyone would like to be nice and trade some Mats stuff with me I would appreciate it, because as of now I only have one tape of them. I've got a pretty extensive list. If anyone is interested just e-mail me privately. I'd like to thank Matt for getting this thing started and keeping it up. I know it takes some time, but let me reassure you there are many that appreciate it. Well, that's enough babbling for a first timer. later, Jarratt Date: Sun, 25 May 1997 00:02:02 -0400 (EDT) From: pnardo@en.com (Jasper) My full name is Nikolaus Von Jasper Zierenberg (Jasper is my confirmation name, I ripped Jasper off from the Dead Milkmen's guitarist Jasper Thread) I am 15 years old and am a quite boring person I guess...I like to listen to punk, but find it boring sometimes, so I listen to lots of other shit too... I became a Paul Westerberg fan probably when I was 11 (which wasn't too long ago), I really didn't get into the Replacements until Bob Stinson died, and I read an article in HuH about his life with the 'Mats and Mr. Westerberg's name was dropped, so I was like "If Paul Westerberg was in the band, they must be cool"...so one day when I was at Best Buy getting a bunch of old skool alternative/garage/punk type shit, I saw Let It Be for like $7.00, and I had never really heard them, but I was like, "It's $7.00, what the hell" so I bought it, and to this day is probably one of my favorite albums (of all time, and of the Replacements.) But anyway I had heard a Paul Westerberg song from the Singles Soundtrack, and I found the 2 songs he did absolutely thrilling...don't ask me why, but I really did. Something you must understand about me is that I would like to think that I am a music fanatic for as long as I can remember...I owe this to my father who has been playing me music from all genres of music from all time periods throughout my life. He has written a rock game with 6,000 questions and I adore him. Anyway, after hearing Paul's songs, I wondered "Who is this man?" and with that thought I became interested in the newer type music that was on that Singles soundtrack... Then in about 1993, I got 14 Songs, listened to it, loved it blah blah blah blah... My favorite albums of theirs are probably "Let It Be", "Sorry Ma'...", "Tim" & "Hootenany". I know Let It Be is my favorite, but the other 3 listed above are really hard to explain....I like them all, and some songs on those albums are absolutely brilliant, while others are just kinda fillers, but none the less, those are my very favorite albums of theirs... Because I kinda got into them after it was too late (as I do with all of my other favorite bands) I really don't have much of a story, but I did meet Mr. Paul about two years ago this month. My father (god bless the man) knew the coolest DJ who worked at 107.9 in Cleveland, and he always got me concert tickets and introduced me to the band and such, then one day I turned on the radio, and by God, it was a Replacements song, I was wowed. Anyhoo, I listened to the whole song while fixing my bike and when the song was over, there was an interview going on live with Paul himself. I nearly lost all bowel control, called the station hot-line, and all I wanted to do was to talk to Rick, my DJ friend who wasn't conducting the interview, but instead got picked up live on air and I had to ask a question (which SUCKED, cuz I wasn't prepared), so I asked "What song that you have written were you most unsatisfied with..." I don't even remember his answer...but anyway I raced the 20 miles down to the station to try to meet him, I did, he autographed a picture for me, and I got a picture with him in his suit and sunglasses...it was a nice day... Other bands I like besides the Replacements are: The Dead Milkmen (maybe favorite band of all time, I have tracked them down, and I harass them now) King Missile (I tracked John S. Hall down, and harass him now too) (BTW: those are the two other bands I got into after it was "too late") KmFdM, Thorazine, The Subverts, Dr. Bob's Nightmare, Touch Me Zoo, Burn Witch Burn, Frank Zappa (best composer of the 20th century) & The Mothers Of Invention, Ween, Z, X, XTC, The Town Manager's, The Stuntmen and WAY to many others to list... I like to collect boot type vids, tapes and such, on most tape trader type lists, no one will do shit for me who have Replacements stuff, if anyone would like to help a poor kid start his collection of 'Mats boots please e-mail me we can strike up a deal.... Thank you for reading, if anyone is into 'zine's then e-mail me also, you can read the 'zine I write for......toddles, =-=Niki---> _____________________________________________________________________________ III. MATS COVER BANDS Date: Tue, 15 Apr 1997 11:49:49 +0000 From: Mark Hyland Subject: 'Mats cover bands Christian Mayville wrote: > going to play is Replacements, Westerberg, Bash & Pop, Perfect and songs > like 'Another Girl, Another Planet'. We have been rehearsing for a while > (when we can) and we have quite a set list already spanning their whole > career. The only thing we haven't settled on is a name...got any ideas? > Also, do you know of any other Replacements tribute bands? Names: Everybody At Your Party (tried that one for my band but the others didn't like it) Drazzle Drone Wednesday, October 13th, 1982, volume 4, number 79 etc etc etc Other tribute bands: There's been two that I know of here in Sydney, Australia. The first was around 6 years ago and they went by the name Little Mascara. Saw them three or four times and they were great. Neither the 'Mats nor Westerberg has ever been out here so you gotta get it when and where you can. The second, The Stinsons, have only ever played one show, midway through last year with Solid Mould (a Husker Du covers band) on a night billed as Minneapolis Madness. Pretty cool. Stinsons were made up of guys from local indie bands Hammerfish, The Welcome Mat, Skinflick and Asteroid B612. I've been trying to get them to reform with me on guitar for ages now but they're all lazy. They were pretty sloppy too, which I guess is the whole point. On another almost related tangent - Australian bands who do Mats covers!! The Welcome Mat - Unsatisfied Shout Brothers - Alex Chilton Challenger 7 - Left Of The Dial McBodybag - Achin' To Be Hammerfish - Answering Machine Later pop kids Mark Na-Na Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 15:12:35 -0700 From: christian Subject: Re: crud check out the -racecar- page. there's no mats stuff here, but the guitar player is also in a mats tribute band. _____________________________________________________________________________ IV. NONE OF THIS STUFF FITS IN ONE CATEGORY Date: Mon, 14 Apr 1997 23:34:46 -0500 From: ayindaath@worldnet.att.net (A'yin Da'ath) Subject: Classes Hey folks- I'm a Minneapolis High School student. During the month of May, for about two weeks, we do this May program thing which is a bunch of fun classes on stuff like the Beatles, Dylan, Weird science type stuff, film studies... sorta like a teacher's "here's my hobby." Anyway, I've been talking with one of the teachers, and he's interested in doing a class on the Minneapolis rock scene from 60s to present, except he doesn't know much (except what he likes). Anyway, the class is going to try to focus on: Trashmen 'Mats (of course) Husker Du Jayhawks Soul Asylum (this list was chosen mostly because between us, the teacher and I have all the CDs, and are just the major foci. We'll probably do a lot of small stuff on other bands). Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone has any info hanging around (ASIDE from the 'Left of the Dial' article) about any of these bands that they might want to send me. A'yin You know, I'm writing a research paper on pornography laws, and haven't seen ONE piece of pornography yet? Isn't that depressing? Every other male on the planet would jump at the excuse. I'm so pathetic. You know about Ginsberg and REV105, so I won't whine about 'em any more. Date: Fri, 25 Apr 97 13:04:28 PDT From: Anna Gerber and Nick Johnstone Subject: PW IS IGNORED YET AGAIN Matt here's a ridiculous tale for the next Skyway: I stayed up until the wee wee hours a few Sunday nights back to watch a documentary on Minneapolis/St. Paul. I couldn't resist seeing it in case KING PW was namechecked. Anyhow, I sit through 45 minutes of crap until a focus on F. Scott Fitzgerald leads to the weather and mood being described as romantic. Then Prince comes-a-blaring out of my TV and I prepare for a music focus. Then the fuckhead says: "It really is incredible that a city that produced the romantic writings of F. Scott Fitzgerald has NEVER produced any romantic singer- songwriters." I was speechless and wanted to stick my foot through the TV screen. Have you ever heard anything so retarded in your life? It made me really sad. ------------------------------------- "The world is held together by the wind that blows through Gena Rowlands' hair." -- Mark Eitzel. From: "deGraffenreid, Duncan" To: Skyway Subject: So What Date: Tue, 6 May 1997 19:49:00 -0400 After seeing discussion on the So What Austin-bands tribute to the Mats, I took a flyer on it (after asking Charles Ford's opinion on it). I'm quite glad I did. Charles' critique was that he wished it included some songs from the post-Bob period, but for me I'm satisfied. It's the rare cut among the 18 here I would do without. The sound is by and large excellent, and all the artists here (none of them recognizable to this Northern Virginian) exhibit great respect for the material, and at least (but usually better than) mediocre talent. So what's on here? Faithful renditions of: Kiss Me On The Bus; Left Of The Dial; Bastards Of Young; Trouble; If Only You Were Lonely; Shiftless When Idle; I Hate Music; and White And Lazy. Mostly faithful versions of: Androgynous (more rocking); Can't Hardly Wait [ver. 2] (gee, its nice without horns; love the "one more time"); Within Your Reach (heavier); Sixteen Blue (the ska approach, with nice harmonies); Johnny's Gonna Die (kind of a mirror image of the original); and Answering Machine (heavy drama). Countrified versions of Treatment Bound and Favorite Thing (the latter superb). And a wonderful take on Stuck In The Middle that is awfully faithful, but works better for me than the original. Rounding out the disc is an unadvertised original called Ballad Of The Opening Band. And in many cases you get to hear the lyrics clearly! I think in the last Skyway it was stated only 2000 of these discs were created. So this isn't going to be available for long, which is a shame. If you loved the above Mats material, pull out that old Skyway and order this sucker. It never hurts to hear these old chestnuts interpreted by someone new. I have no affiliation with the guys who are distributing this, and I can't see how the $12 (?) per disc will make them rich, so get it for the material. From: hwang@us.oracle.com (Howard Wang) Subject: Re: Wilco in S.F. Date: 12 May 1997 17:33:00 GMT Newsgroup: alt.music.replacements > Wilco covered a replacements song last night at the fillmore, with Jeff > tweedy (the lead singer/songwriter) saying right before playing it that > "everything we do is based on the replacements" or something very close to > that. I saw them at the Fillmore on Friday night. They were great! On Friday they did a rollicking version of "Color Me Impressed". Tweedy dove into the crowd during the middle of the song, and I got to touch his butt to help prop him up! (not that I get off on that kind of stuff :) After one pass over the crowd, he waved over a kind of hefty guy and got on top of his shoulders and rode him around the floor as he sang. They did do a lot of random covers at the end. They had to cut one short because Tweedy didn't know the words and started singing the words to "Box Full of Letters" instead. "Why don't we just do what we planned before?" he pleaded to his bandmates who wouldn't stop playing the song he didn't know. All these antics did give me a decidedly Mats-like impression. Howie _____________________________________________________________________________ V. PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR COPIES OF "THE SHIT HITS THE FANS" (AND MAY CONCUR ABOUT THE NAME) From: myclarc@aol.com (MyclARC) Newsgroups: alt.music.replacements Subject: What is this? Date: 27 Apr 1997 09:45:03 GMT Anyone heard of this : "The Replacements: Paddles... Stand Clear... O.K... Hit 'Em Again" Is it some kind of audio or video boot? -M From: Munkeenuts@aol.com Date: Sat, 29 Mar 1997 01:44:13 -0500 (EST) Subject: Please Help!! I have been searching for the past six years for a copy of the Replacements "The Shit Hits The Fans" and have had no luck. I have been to many record conventions and nobody has been able to get me a copy. If you have any information on how to obtain this album, please email me at Munkeenuts@aol.com. Any information that you can provide is greatly appreciated. P.S.: The Skyway website is the greatest. I am so glad that someone has dedicated a site to the greatest rock-n-roll of all time. Thanks you from all the devoted Replacement fans out here!! Date: Sat, 03 May 1997 10:10:53 -0700 From: "Robert D. Shipp" I've got gobs of Mats stuff that I've been thinking of selling. Do your any of your subscribers have any interest? I have press kits, acetates, vinyl and CD bootlegs, digital metal masters, over 200 (more like 225-250) live and studio alt./outtakes, radio broadcasts and videos from US and overseas, rare LPs, EPs, 45's, picture sleeves, magazines, local Mpls newspapers, MANY items autographed by Paul and Tommy. Way too much to list. I can be reached by phone (no collect calls please) at 602-942-1504 Please note: I am not a dealer. I was a hardcore Mats collector for about 12 years. ciao! Robert Shipp 525 W. Wood Dr. Phoenix, AZ 85029 USA Phone # 602-942-1504 Date: Wed, 07 May 97 07:28:25 -0500 From: Perfect Sound Forever Subject: "Knockin' On Mine" 4-Trk Promo CD For Sale Hey all -- I have one extra copy of the "Knockin' On Mine" 4-trk promo CD (Warner #PRO-CD-6674-R) for sale. The backing tracks are "Dice Behind Your Shades (Festicle Version), "Man Without Ties," and "Seein' Her." Minimum bid $8. Please send inquiries by private E-mail and not to the list. ///////WB willb26@earthlink.net From: CraigNine@webtv.net (Craig Cholette) Date: Fri, 9 May 1997 06:32:45 -0400 I need live mats tapes... I want live mats tapes... must have live mats tapes.... will trade from my small list of shows... email me puh-leeze... anybody!!!! _____________________________________________________________________________ fin. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The //Skyway\\: The Replacements Mailing List (digest only) To subscribe, send a letter saying "subscribe skyway" to "majordomo@novia.net" http://www.novia.net/~matt/sky/skyway.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "And the only drummer around plays in every band in town." - Raygun Theater (1994 - 1997)