______________________________________________________________________________ // // The \\kyway \\ // skyway@novia.net Issue #57 March 22nd, 1998 ______________________________________________________________________________ (c) 1998 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 ______________________________________________________________________________ 0. Friday Night Is Killing . . . (m@) I. Newest 'Mats-related News and Updates (G. Mitchell, Mike Monello) II. New Kids On The Block (Jennifer Rice, Flin Coleman, Mike Scaletta, Terry Linnig, James Lance, Eric Atwood, Adina Jaeger, Sarah Buckley, Kerry Fraser, Robert Yorga, Pat Aguiar, Clare Bentley, Collin Morrow, G. Mitchell, Jim De Roche) III. Tommy's mini East Coast acoustic tour (Gresch, Duncan DeGraffenreid) IV. New 'Mats Discography additions (Donna Brown, Mark Timmins) V. Wanted and will-kill-fors (Adam Gimbel, Sarah & Joe C., Mark, Ron Kohudic. Cypher) VI. Stuff about other bands that somehow relate to the 'Mats (Tiffany, Spikeblack, Charles Ford) VII. Your Band! (Mark Timmins) _______________________________________________________________________________ 0. FRIDAY NIGHT IS KILLING . . . It's Friday night and I was supposed to be somewhere on the coast tonight playing at a house show for thirty drunk high schoolies but there's this big El Niņo-fueled spring tornado tearing up eastern North Carolina so now I'm at home with T.V. dinner and this new caP'n Jazz comp. CD. Tonight there's a grindcore show at the house of a girl I used to have a crush on; a year ago, I would've dropped everything to be right there right now and sat through every loud throb and blare of a jarring genre of music that I hate. But that's the difference between having and had a crush, so tonight I'm home and this stuff is finally getting mailed out. - m@. _______________________________________________________________________________ ** Thanks for all the responses that everybody has sent in regarding Adam Gimbel's girlfriend's fight with kidney cancer. However, Adam has requested people not to forward the information on his girlfriend to other mailing lists; he plans to distribute future e-mail updates through a web site that he is setting up. _______________________________________________________________________________ I. LATEST MATS (RELATED) NEWS AND UPDATES Date: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 20:00:31 -0700 From: "Grub Dog" According to Allstar online magazine, Tommy Stinson is writing songs and planning to record with Whiskeytown's Ryan Adams. Adams has often been compared to Paul Westerberg (as much for his drunken public persona as his great songs). The collaboration may or may not result in a complete album. Tommy's band Perfect is finishing up recording their first full length album with Pleased to Meet Me producer Jim Dickenson. Allstar also recently reported that Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers will be backing up Paul on at least one song from his forthcoming Capitol release with producer Don Was. No release dates were given on either of these projects. On related news, former 'Mats manager and current head of Medium Cool records (Perfect & Slim's label) Peter Jesperson will be a panelist at this year's South X Southwest festival in Austin. Just thought I'd keep you updated. You can get a daily music update free via email by subscribing to allstarmag.com. It's got a lot of great music stories and one of their writers, Rachel Leibrock is a Replacements, Whiskeytown, Wilco and Americana fan. Grub --- Grub Dog and the Amazing Sweethearts show info (916) 443-8979 *3 Date: Wed, 11 Mar 1998 17:06:57 -0500 From: Michael Monello Subject: Bob's Barber Shop update. I've (finally) updated Bob's Barber Shop. New items are: STREAMING VIDEO! The four songs all have accompanying video footage, using the VivoActive plug-in. The new tunes are: COLOR ME IMPRESSED, from the February, 1986 rehearsal and CUSTOMER, RAW RAMP, and I'M A ONE MAN GUY(!), from the April 4, 1991, Rotterdam, Holland show. Point your web browser to http://www.magicnet.net/~mikem Enjoy, and lemme know what you think! --Mike. -------------------------------- Bob's Barber Shop http://www.magicnet.net/~mikem (for REPLACEMENTS fans only) _______________________________________________________________________________ II. NKOTB From: Jennifer Rice (handwritten letter) Date: January 20, 1998 Allow me to introduce myself. People call me Jennifer. It's unfortunate that I'm the only person I know who is a true fan of The Replacements. Notice I said KNOW not KNOW OF. A little over a year ago I sought some information about Paul Westerberg on my school's computer and so I found The Skyway. It's mind-boggling and somewhat of a relief to discover there are other appreciative listeners. No longer do I feel alone. I breathe a sigh of relief after a few years of thinking there was no one out there. I started reading how fans discovered and grew to love The Replacements. It occurred to me that it was most likely the first time for those people to fully spill their guys to fellow fans. The feeling of being left out quickly came over me. There was a man by the name of Tim in issue #46 who said something rather appropriate. He said, "I guess its funny how people don't understand why I like the 'Mats so much. It's hard to explain to an outsider. Anyone who loves the band knows what I mean. It's just a total package that has never been equaled by anyone else." I couldn't have said it better myself. I tried in vain to explain why I love The Replacements and Paul Westerberg to several people, but they're the outsiders Tim spoke of. Anyway, this is what I consider my one and only chance, and I'm trying to take it. I feel better already. There's one tiny fact I have to get out of the way. I'm probably part of the most resented group of fans. The YOUNGER ones. I'm 17 years old, but I discovered the Mats when I was only 13. Yes, I know - I exist as part of a small handful of us young ones. I discovered The Replacements during the summer of 1994 when a new radio station arrived on the local airwaves. They played obscure modern rock (or whatever label can be slapped on it) that everyone forgot or never heard. My ears were ready for anything. I kept hearing some band they were calling The Replacements. To be honest, I didn't pay as much attention as I should have. I Will Dare, Bastards of Young, Merry Go Round, Can't Hardly Wait...and a few more that I later found out they made. One experience has burned a place in my memory. The station was playing an AWESOME song and I planned to find out who made it. But NO, the DJ never even mentioned it. My memory did its best to remember some key lyrics. I wrote what I was able to: "lyrics = I'm in love with that song / What's that song? - beginning is awesome X107." After X107 was the loneliest blank because the song had no owner. I had no idea who made it. A few months later I had another life-altering Replacements experience. They just started playing "Achin' To Be." As I listened I though, "Who could possibly create something like this?" The name "Replacements" seemed only vague when the DJ said it. Everything was fine because I had most of it on tape. Then I got Don't Tell A Soul for Christmas. I put it in my trusted CD player honestly not knowing what to expect. "Talent Show" instilled a ray of happy hope. "I'll Be You" came along and took me totally by surprise. To this day I remember thinking, "Hey, wait a minute. I know this...THIS IS THE REPLACEMENTS!" Then I may have let out some sort of teenage girl squeal - I don't remember. It was just one of many songs from my summer. Briefly, this is how it happened thereafter. Trust me, it hurts to say it so concisely because I'm a sucker for details, even my own. Anyway, I was lucky enough to catch a re-run of Night Flight from 1991 that featured The Replacements. I was as happy as a person can be at 3 o'clock in the morning. Then one memorable day I discovered THEY made "Alex Chilton." The sun was shining and birds were chirping away in my little world that day even though it was cold and gloomy in reality. Following that I found Inconcerated in a dinky little record store in a local mall. I was supposed to get Pleased To Meet Me for my birthday that year from my brother John. Two days prior to when he was to visit I made him mad somehow. He said I didn't deserve it and failed to bring it. This was a man of 28 at the time! Get this - he saved it to use it as my Christmas gift. I'm not greedy or anything, but don't you think that's being cheap on his part? It made me so made because I wanted to hear "Can't Hardly Wait" again. The agony of Replacements deprivation! So I waited...and waited, until Christmas. To be honest, I didn't like all of PTMM. I felt some of it was sloppily done. Keep in mind that the only other studio album I'd heard was DTAS. No further explanation necessary. Only a few songs seemed good enough to listen to. After a month I lost interest and it sat with my other CDs unlistened to. I distinctly remember one tragic day thinking, "Oh, I never listen to that anymore. They're not as good as I though." Now we're entering Eventually territory. The first time I heard "Love Untold" I absolutely loved it. I was aware of Paul Westerberg's previous solo album and the fact that the Mats no longer existed as a band. I had found the interview PW did with Rolling Stone well after it came out, and I thought Paul Westerberg was an interesting person - I still think that. Anyway, I REALLY loved "Love Untold". For about 2 months I witnessed the song being played more and more on different stations - I even vaguely recall it making it on the Rick Dees Top 40 (YUCK). Then came July 17!! After watching all the special reports about Flight 800 I decided to put on Letterman. Just my grand luck...it was over. "Tomorrow on the show blah, blah, blah, Paul Westerberg. The following night arrived and I was debating on whether or not to record his performance. I thought about how some people make a great song but when they sing it live it's just not the same. Dumbly, I said that he's probably like every other singer out there these days. Punish me for being so doubtful. And so came the set of commercials before he was scheduled to perform and I made no effort to put my tape in the VCR. It's safe to say the moment he opened his mouth I was feeling regret. I sat literally 2 feet from the TV screen in pure shock...then I damned myself in the end for not recording it. Was this man ALLOWED to be as good as he was? From what I remember it was an excellent performance I hadn't expected. I'm still waiting to see it a second time. Sigh... I bought Eventually far later than I should have. My life was about to change on October 13 when I finally got my hands on it. the first time I heard it I was thoroughly impressed. Unfortunately the CD was scratched and I left it with my brother, who we were visiting, to exchange it. This was an hour away from my house and I was forced to wait two weeks to listen to it again. Imagine a tired 16 year-old girl staring out the window on the way home in some sort of shock after hearing Eventually _once_. No words can describe the emotion. In the 2 weeks without it I listened NON STOP to the three 'Mats CD's I had. PTMM was given a second change and I discovered it wasn't so bad. Not so bad...it was great. After what seemed like a month, I got Eventually back. There wasn't much time to listen that day, but Monday was a different story. I listened as if Tuesday wasn't going to come. Again, again, and again. This went on for about two weeks until I finally lied to myself and said it would break if I continued to play it as much as I was. Words will never describe what Eventually did to me. I will try to ignore what loyal 'Mats fans say about PW since the band broke up, you know - how he's not the same. Even music critics give him a hard time. There's really nothing I can find wrong in what he does now. I don't approach his music thinking, "how does it compare to old Westerberg." I listen to it for what it is and when it is. I don't expect to hear the 'Mats. In my quest to find some sanity amongst my peers I got a slap in the face...not literally. I had the chance to read all the reviews on the Internet from the Eventually tour and I came to the show he did in Massachusetts - the one at a racetrack [at a local 'alternative music' radio station festival in Agawam, MA]. My heart was broken the day I read it. There's shame when I realize I'm part of that mess of a generation. Please don't put me in the same category as those freaks. When I read how those monsters had abused a man I admire and respect... I was just crushed. It still irritates me. He obviously was the most talented performer that day. They threw things at the greatest man alive! I'm amazed half of the other crap passed as music. Paul Westerberg took the words right out of my mouth when he said somewhere that "bands these days are all bluster." He is so right. I have too much respect for music in general to succumb to the pressure of liking someone because they're all over MTV. Those are the vents that scarred and saved my life. You have no idea how hard it is waking up every day thinking I can't tell someone what I think of this song or that verse. Recently I started writing lyrics from Replacements songs and put them on my walls. Maybe that's a teenager thing - I don't know. I do know that when I'm sitting in my room crying for whatever reason, I simply look up and there's a line or verse that says someone unknowingly understands. I love Paul Westerberg just for saving my life. I think I've said more than enough. The website you and we the fans put together is a blessing only because it involves the greatest band I'll ever hear. Thanks. Sincerely, (signed) Jennifer Rice From: "flin" Date: Tue, 17 Feb 1998 17:42:28 -0600 My name is Flin Coleman. I was born and lived a lot of my life in Albany, Georgia. I lived a little in Atlanta also during that time. I got into The Replacements when I was a freshman in high school in 1988 or 89. At the time, I was coming out of a heavy skateboard phase, as many were, so I was also coming off of a few years of listening strictly to hardcore punk crap music. When the effects of that wore off, there was a new type of music that was just coming into its own (or at least by the standards of our south Georgia town) called alternative. Not being one for The Cure, The Smiths, or that sort of early 80's new wave fagotry, I was excited that something else was there for me to discover. The way that I discovered The Replacements specifically, is that my best friend Chuck, today the most avid Mats' fan I know, owned a copy of Pleased to Meet Me of which he let me partake. Then, sometime later, Don't Tell a Soul came out and I read of it in Rolling Stone. Naturally, I optioned a copy on cassette from the local crappy record store. (They had about 10 copies and I bought one of two that had been sold at the time.) From there, I just got more and more in to it until I went to college. When I went to college at Georgia Tech, it was around the time that many bands such as Widespread Panic, Phish, and Dave Matthews were gaining popularity. I got into that for a while and I admit, the Mats' slipped to the back of my CD collection. But soon I discovered that the good ones never die and I began to listen to them again. My buddy Chuck had moved to Alabama during this time and we saw each other very little. He worked at one of the greatest record stores ever, The Vinyl Solution, in Tuscaloosa, and met a lot of Replacements fans. He even knows the members of a strictly Replacements cover band. Now, I am living in Oxford, Mississippi and attending law school. Sometimes I forget about The Replacements for a time, and them I notice that old copy of Hootenanny or Pleased to Meet Me Back there, and I dust it off for another listen. And every time I see Chuck I get the Mats' bug again. I guess he keeps me in check, keeps me a Replacements fan. I recently bought "All for Nothing . . .", and it's great. I like the multimedia, nice touch. Flin Coleman From: Scaletta Michael Date: Wed, 18 Feb 1998 10:52:46 -0600 It gives me renewed faith in humanity to find this fine tribute/newsletter to the 'Mats. Having seen the band in various venues - a scummy former movie theater, a scummy former ballroom, and their last concert in Grant Park, I truly believe they are the quintessential American band - gawd, I miss them. And I'd like to know more about the tape exchanges with anybody. The pride of my CD collection is "It Isn't Over Until The Fat Roadies Play", a straight from the board bootleg of the Grant Park show. Quote from Paul during concert: "Now you can see why we're hanging it up. Here's another song you don't want to hear. And frankly, neither do I." Appreciate it. Keep up the good work. Mike Scaletta John Deere Manager, Golf and Turf Advertising and Promotions Raleigh, NC (919) 850-2659 rc05155@deere.com Date: Wed, 18 Feb 98 12:58:28 -0600 From: "Terry Linnig" Subject: Vitals Terry Linnig Born 03/29/68 in Okinawa, Japan Lived my whole life in Chicago and the surrounding areas. Recently married (02/13/98 - yes! Friday the 13th) Now living in Scottsdale, AZ. My initial exposure to the Mats was buying "Let It Be" because the album cover looked cool. The music soon took over and I bought everything I could find. Favorite Album - TIM Memories - I saw them play at the Riviera in Chicago on 8/7/87. We stuffed six of us in a VW Bug with a case of Mickey's and drove to the city. The band was all over the place as were we. I ended up crashing on a couch in the back of theatre. I later saw the Grant Park show (I believe it may have been the last show). The band closed out with Hootenanny with Tommy singing with the roadies backing him up. From: James Lance Subject: 'mats this & 'mats that.... Date: Fri, 20 Feb 1998 12:37:16 -0800 Thank the lord above that someone here on God's green earth was smart enough to establish an electronic info-shrine to the band we all know and love. Solo efforts included. No stories here folks. Mine would just be a carbon-copy of everyone else's. Yes I've met Paul. Yes I've seen Paul live. No I haven't seen the Mats (I'm just a Bastard who was too Young...). BUT - that does not stop me from collecting every stinkin' recordin' from the boys in Sixteen Blue. Along with almost everything else, I've recently acquired the Ledge double German 12". Emblazened on the front is the infamous words, "LIMITED EDITION". Simple question-how many were pressed up? For what AFN/NFA left out, the covers "Route 66" & "Tossin' & Turnin'" - do yourself a favor, hunt down these recordings! Is anyone selling a copy of "Shit Hits the Fans"? Sincerely, James Lance Date: Sat, 28 Feb 1998 03:28:48 +1300 From: Eric Atwood Subject: Women Ya know, its not till its 330 in the morning and your listening to All Shook Down for the 10th time tonight after finishing off abottle of leeds and a 6 pack of Natty that you realize what a brilliant poet Paul is, just thought id share that with you, if it wasnt for him, im sure id blow my sucking brains out 3 hours ago after reading loris' letters to her new boyfriend. Date: Sun, 01 Mar 1998 01:21:31 -0600 From: Adina Jaeger I am from St. Paul MN, right across the river from the birthplace of The Replacements. I am a very young person at age 16, but I enjoy The Replacements music and am very proud to be so near to the scene that they helped to develop into a small wonderful subculture. The only live "Replacements" experience I've had is Goldfinger covering Skyway. They do it every time they play in Minneapolis, bringing up the fact that The Replacements are from here and that they are an influential band. Anywho, that's my little piece. ~ Adina *************************************************************************** "Firewater, call it liquid rapture, into the flash and flames of my crazy nature. Firewater, the world's a mixture, of broken liquored people, get the picture?" ~ SA Martinez "Firewater" *************************************************************************** Date: Mon, 9 Mar 1998 17:14:23 -0800 (PST) From: Sarah Buckley Subject: how do you say hello to a 'mats mailing list? not many people i know understand my preoccupation with westerberg & the 'mats. 17yr old girls aren't usually big fans, or so i've been told. to date, i have gotten into seven separate arguments about the band ("no, really, he was twelve!" "the smiths?!? you think the smiths are better than the replacements?!?" blah, blah, blah). and right now i'm going to go cry myself to sleep because tommy's playing at t.t.'s tomorrow night and i haven't got the scumbag connections to get a fake i.d. love and other projectiles, girlcalledmalice (you can call me sarah) Date: Wed, 11 Mar 1998 13:15:41 -0400 From: Kerry Fraser Subject: A Replacements Reflection..... Imagine a 15 year old girl living in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Now Saskatchewan, a great prairie province is located north of North Dakota and squeezed in between Alberta and Manitoba. Saskatoon is the largest city in the province and is home to the University of Saskatchewan. Home of Gordie Howe & Joni Mitchell. Anyhoo, one day in 1988 I stumbled upon a vinyl record store that rented records. Something about the cover of Pleased to Meet Me caught my eye and I took it home and slapped it on. I couldn't believe what I heard. I remember feeling so rejuvenated after hearing "Alex Chilton" I kept the record way past due and taped it on a used blank cassette until I could afford to buy it myself. No, I wasn't savvy enough to realize that the 'Mats were losing some potential royalties...but I have yet since put a couple of Twin/Tone's kids through college. Anyway, at that time, none of my friends listened to music that even came close to what the 'Mats were up to. They are infectious. You hear a song like "Alex Chilton" or "Left of the Dial" and you are driven to find out more...and this is the beauty of great music...you find out about the 'Mats which might lead to some Alex Chilton bootleg from Paris, or a Superchunk EP... or checking out an old Tom Waits album.. My friend used to say liking The Replacements is like belonging to a secret society... so true.... Kerry Date: Fri, 13 Mar 1998 22:45:21 -0600 From: "Robert A. Yorga" well, well, well, so it's going to be like this, Bob Stinson would just freak, thinking were here typing away about shit that went down 10-plus years ago, he'd say "let's get a beer!" O.K. not very original, but maybe closer to some truth, well the first I heard of them was at a friends house in shit am I that old I guess it was '82. My friend was teaching me guitar and he played the beginning to Kids Don't Follow, 'hello this the Mpls Police, the party's over.....' off of Stink... ahh Stink yeah I could go on for hours, about reeling in a beer soaked-induced meditation, while it's new year's eve and Pleased To Meet Me is being played not too much in the background, it had just come out not to much before that, people singing in the kitchen, at a swinging party, I'm laying on the stairs drinking from a champagne bottle, and then it's gone and it was better for that, that it wasn't turned into something commercial, and became ugly.....those parties in Mpls. were something....for all the brain cells expended at those events, it was certainly worth it. It's strange I just found SKYWAY tonight, but earlier I listened to Stink, and I can still hear Paul screaming FUCK SCHOOL, FUCK SCHOOL, FUCK MY SCHOOL!!!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what's the matter buddy? Date: Mon, 16 Mar 1998 17:02:59 -0500 From: Pat Aguiar Hi, I'm new. I was once a happy MTV watching alterna-geek until I realized that I had gradually begun to hate every damn band they were playing. In a guitar magazine I read an interesting article on the 80's Minneapolis rock scene. Most of it was devoted to some strange band called the 'Mats. Well the next day I got to the record store and browsed I got around to the R's and saw them of ours. They had three of 'em Let It Be, All Shook Down, and Pleased to Meet Me. I got Let It Be went home and listened and you know the rest. By next week I got the other two. Now the only alternative music I hear comes from the stereo in my nerdy brother's room and I swear if I hear Metallica or Creed or something coming from it I'm gonna take a sledge hammer to it. The Mats are my favorite band, I'm 14, my fave album is Let It Be cuz it was my first and it's a good mix of the slow stuff and the fast stuff. I disagree with the people that dismiss the early stuff as crap. Sorry Ma is one of the jolliest punk albums I own. My fave song is...........argh I can't decide ... I know I'll make a list of my top ten in no particular order of course (I don't got Hootenanny or Stink cuz Rhode Island has crap for record stores!!!!!) Sixteen Blue Alex Chilton I Hate Music Hold My Life Here Comes a Regular Skyway Favorite Thing Love You Till Friday Seen Your Video Unsatisfied If anyone knows what Tommy Stinson's bass gear could you e-mail what it was when he was in the Mats because he sounded great and I play bass in a band called Coheety. None of our songs are a fraction as good as anything Paul ever wrote but we try. The first song we ever covered was I Will Dare. I you have the time I suggest visiting Coheety's website at: http://members.aol.com/Math6/coheety.htm if you feel like downloading something form there download the song Tickle Me Matthew........it's good! Please send any feedback on the website or the songs on it to me cuz the AOL and yahoo addresses to much mail! Sorry for taking up so much space. This is the greatest site on the internet! From: Clare G Bentley <9705085b@student.gla.ac.uk> Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 10:28:37 +0000 Subject: intro thingy Hi. Can't believe how cool the Skyway is. I can't remember where I first heard of The Replacements, which is extremely weird, but I suppose it must have been through Soul Asylum; a reference in an interview or maybe even from the little picture of the Trouble single on their Clam Dip record. For two or three years the only Replacements records I had were Sorry Ma... and Don't Tell A Soul. I used to listen to Don't Tell (which was a very dodgy recording) on my walkman in bed every night for months. Listened to Trash loud on my stereo in the summer holidays. Who knows why it took me so long to get the other albums (lack of availability was a big factor, though - I'm from England). But now I can't believe that I ever didn't know these songs. Anyway, I recently got a copy of Don't Tell A Soul in a CD sale and I realised how long it had been since I'd bothered to listen to it. It gets slagged off but it's a great record and it always sounds so different to me, from all the hours I spent listened to it before I even knew who The Replacements were. I saw that they played King Tut's in Glasgow in '91 - so I only got here 6 years too late. You probably notice that I only came across the band after they'd split, which is why I think Nothing For All (the second CD) is so cool. It's probably different for everyone who knew stuff about them, but I'd never seen any pictures apart from the ones on the record sleeves, and the little booklet with the CD, even though you all might think it's throw-away, was really cool to me. I only had the music, which is the best way, but it's still interesting to find out stuff. Also just coming across it how I did in a record shop - I always look to see if they have a little section (strangely, if they do, the only record they usually have is Pleased To Meet Me). Who knows what my face was like when I saw that CD. I didn't even know it had been released. 'Portland' is one of my favourite songs. I've recently converted my brother to the 'Mats, which is good because now I can sit there and go, 'wow, listen to that bit, listen to how the guitar comes in there..........blah blah blah'. Which is impossible if the other person doesn't think the same because they have no idea what you're talking about. Anyway, is this too long and too boring? Sorry I don't have any little tales or things to say which you don't already know. I'm now eagerly awaiting 'The Shit Hits The Fans' which I've ordered for the 3rd time now - maybe this time I'll have some luck. Need to get that Grandpa Boy EP!! Seeya, Clare From: Colin Morrow Subject: My first Replacements experience Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 09:58:17 -0800 Matt, I guess it's time that I share my story of how I first discovered The Replacements. My name is Jon Morrow and I live in Seattle. I first heard The Replacements sometime in 1986. I was a student at the University of Washington and was at a friend's fraternity house. He said that I had to hear this band and he put it on. I was not impressed by what I heard. He had put on Let it be and forwarded the tape to "I Will Dare". Well, that was it. My first experience with the Replacements was not positive. I just didn't understand what was so cool about them. I didn't take the time to listen. That was it until 1989. A friend was a buyer for Tower Records and had about 4000 CD's in his Capitol Hill apartment. I brought a tape to his place and recorded a compilation of songs from a myriad of bands and genres. He grabbed "Let it Be" and said that I had to put something from this disc on the tape. Not remembering that I was once repulsed by what I heard, I popped in the CD and listened to a few intros until I came across "Unsatisfied". I can't explain what happened next, but I knew that I had discovered something that had been missing from my life. I had just heard a song that someone seemingly had written for me. I listened to every track on that CD religiously and thought that whoever wrote these songs was a genius; a sad, insecure, funny genius. I borrowed the CD and gave it back several months later. I went out and started buying all of their CD's at that point and every song had the same connection for me. I read articles about the band and generally immersed myself in the life of a "mat head". The first new release that I got the opportunity to wait in anticipation for was All Shook Down in 1990. When I first heard "popcorn for dinner, last night I had cheesecake, a little sleepy time tea, spiked with another heartache" I knew I was in trouble. The following line has stuck with me everyday since then: "I smell your hair, the clothes I wear, I miss your face, You've got me bent all out of shape" I tried to convert everyone to be a Replacements fan. Most people would say, "Yeah, that was a neat song", but they never would listen enough to get it. That's the thing about the Replacements, you either get it or you don't. I think that the people that get it are just like Paul, Tommy, Chris, and the late Bob; introspective, intelligent, shy romantics who don't have a clue how to express their feelings most of the time. I first saw the Replacements at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle. Oddly enough, I don't remember whether it was on the DTAS or ASD tour. I'm pretty sure it was ASD, because I faintly remember "Bent out of Shape". Not that I was incapacitated by alcohol, but I screamed and shouted in awe at what I heard and saw. After all, I was in the front and was seeing the greatest band in the world. The details just didn't seem to matter. I'll always regret not listening to what I was hearing in 1986. I guess that is a lesson in not judging the book by its cover. It's so important to take some time to understand where we all come from. If I had just paid attention to my friend in 1986, I could have been a fan from then and seen all those sad/great/drunken performances that I missed. Not a day goes by without me humming a Mats tune. Well, that's it. Thanks for reading... Date: Thu, 05 Mar 1998 00:31:29 -0700 From: "Grub Dog" Subject: Replacements stories You want to know how I got into the Replacements? I guess like a lot of people did, judging from some of the stories I've read in Skyway. I grew up in a small town in central California where there was nothing much at all to do, listen to or see. No decent college radio stations, not even a decent Rock station to be heard. But I've loved music and songs since I can remember. I've been a musician since the age of 7 and I've been writing songs since I was 13. In high school I hated punk rock - I was a total metalhead, but my senior year I got into U2 and Peter Gabriel and such. I was working at Taco Bell. The only record store in town only had about 30 tapes, most of it top 40 stuff. But I walked in one day and they had REM's Life's Rich Pageant and my life was truly changed. After that I read and tried to get a hold of anything "Underground" or "Alternative". The next year one of my best friends went to college in Fresno and whenever he would come home he would always play us bands that he had seen or heard on the radio there. So one night after many drinks, we were heading home. I was tired, drunk and lonely and my friend put in "TIM". And by the end of "Swingin' Party" I was hooked. It was the perfect soundtrack for the way I felt. Ragged, reckless, heartsick and lost in America. I've been a raging fan ever since. My one chance to see them live was ruined when all of my musical gear was stolen the day I was supposed to drive to Davis and see them on the last tour. I'll never forgive myself or the bastard who took my stuff. But I've seen Paul twice in SF. I saw Tommy do an "acoustic" show with Bash & Pop for $5. And my band has opened up for Slim twice at Old Ironsides in Sacramento. My band is called Grub Dog and the Amazing Sweethearts. Our most recent tape release "State Fair Talent Show" has a great song called "Sounds Like Paul" and it goes: "She likes my band/ She's a Replacements fan/ And she says I sound like Paul/ I took it as a compliment/ If that's what she meant/ Though I don't sound like him at all..." Anyway, thanks for listening and thanks for doing the //Skyway\\ and if anyone's in Sactown come out and see us. You won't be disappointed. Love Grub Dog --- Grub Dog and the Amazing Sweethearts show info (916) 443-8979 *3 Date: Mon, 9 Mar 1998 14:59:18 +0100 From: Jim De Roche [Here's a review Jim wrote of "All For Nothing. . ." for another publication.] Sometimes it's hard to fully understand or appreciate the significance of a particular band in its present-day. You might have an inkling that this could be "one of the good ones", but you really have no way of knowing at the time. As music history passes and groups of all genres come and go, the importance and the influence of The Replacements has become abundantly clear. Long-time fans may have known this for a while, but it's also surprising how many people haven't even heard of the Minneapolis legends. An excellent reminder of one of the greatest American rock'n'roll bands ever came to us this past month in the form of All or Nothing. I had heard most of these songs a hundred times before, but it seems that the significance of this music was all put back in perspective upon hearing them again on this neat little package that just kind of popped out with little hype or fanfare. For some reason or another, repeated listens of All for Nothing reminded me of why I love music so much. Somehow, this one album seemed to make up for putting up with the Celine Dions, the Garth Brooks and the Marilyn Mansons of the world. The double CD includes one disc of "greatest hits" -- even though The Replacements never really had a hit-as well as another disc of rarities, unreleased stuff and B-sides from the group's four Reprise albums. While many people consider the 90's to be a wasted decade in terms of musical importance, the nine-year, eight album career of The Replacements - spanning 1981-1990 - has to be considered a highlight. Tracks on the new package from Tim and Pleased To Meet Me-arguably the group's two best albums, along with Let It Be from the Twin Tone days-have aged so gracefully that it's hard not to recall a band whose reputation as beer-soused maniacs always seemed to overshadow its incredible songwriting. The group was always a little rough around the edges-far from perfect, but something really special happened when Paul Westerberg, Chris Mars and the Stinson brothers, Bob and Tommy (and Slim Dunlap who replaced Bob after he was ousted following the Tim sessions) wrote and recorded songs. The songs seemed to gain an exciting and unique quality just by combining the legs spread, guitar slung low, cigarette hanging out of the side of the mouth, straight up American rock'n'roll with a punk ethic and attitude. By the time I got into the band it was a shadow of its once mighty self. All Shook Down was a great record, but the band had made many better that I had yet to discover. I picked up Let It Be on the advice of Dave Kuzenko over at Records On Wheels and I later scooped vinyl copies of Pleased To Meet Me and Tim. After that, I just kind of forgot about what I thought was "a fairly decent" group at the time. I got reintroduced to the band in 1995 during a telephone conversation with another Minneapolis musician, Gary Louris of the excellent roots rock band The Jayhawks. Louris was doing promo for his band's Tomorrow The Green Grass album and I was fortunate enough to have gotten a phoner. It was on that same day that original Replacements guitarist Bob Stinson had died. We talked about what The Replacements meant to American music and rock'n'roll in general. He burst into tears collected himself and then laughed a bit as he recounted a few f unny stories about his experiences with Stinson and the rest of the guys. Outside of his friendship memories, I guess Louris must have been remembering the body of work that his pals have left behind-with and without Bob. Just last week, I too got a reminder of that body of work. The frayed yet romantic quality of songs like Skyway, Here Comes a Regular, Can't Hardly Wait, Kiss Me On the Bus, Anywhere is Better Than Here, and the group's ode to the leader of Big Star, Alex Chilton, gave me some much needed music that I could feel as well as hear. Many fans of The Replacements feel as if the group was their own personal secret. The group never got real big. Anytime they were in the music news it was because of some drunken escapade, not because of the music they were consistently creating. Having this chance to go back with All For Nothing and make up for lost tome is a valuable one for real rock'n'roll fans. People always ask me, "What's your favorite band?" I have 10 or 12 that I usually think of, but I always forget to mention The Replacements. All For Nothing has ensured that will never happen again. _______________________________________________________________________________ III. TOMMY ACOUSTIC From: gresch7475@aol.com (Gresch7475) Newsgroups: alt.music.replacements Subject: Just Saw Tommy solo in NYC Date: 6 Mar 1998 19:29:15 GMT I saw Tommy Stinson do his solo acoustic thing last night in NYC. Other than going on at 10:45 when doors opened at 7 (luckily Coney Island High has a very liberal re-enter policy), the show was good. Very off-the-cuff stuff. Tommy didn't bring a tuner, so he stopped about 20 seconds into song 2 when he realized he was in the wrong key. Someone brought him a tuner and he stopped for about 3 minutes to tune onstage. He played about 12 songs in all, with at least 3 covers (Big Star, Johnny Thunders, and The Partridge Family theme). I say at least 3 because one song I didn't recognize at all and he didn't say it was new. I was told it was a cover. Who knows for sure. New Perfect songs sounded good, and he told how the new album will be out in June or July. Funniest stuff was some guy kept on yelling out "play 'Satellite'", to which Tommy responded, "yeah, THAT's going to happen". He later explained it would sound shitty by himself after the guy persisted in yelling it throughout the show. All in all a good time for $7. From: "deGraffenreid, Duncan" Subject: Tommy Stinson solo in DC Date: Wed, 11 Mar 1998 22:16:00 -0500 We saw Tommy Stinson March 8, Sunday night, at the tiny Iota in Arlington, VA. The show was excellent, including the opening act the Put-Outs, a Perfect-like combo Tommy said he's contemplating producing (perhaps a bit of joking on Tommy's part). After their hour set, Tommy regaled the SRO crowd with an acoustic performance similar to boots I've heard (thanks to Bill R), but with a couple new songs from the album (due this June-July) spicing up the more familiar stuff: Friday Night, First Steps, Miss Self Esteem, Me, Makes Me Happy, Come On Get Happy, Can't .... Memory (J Thunder), Nightime (Big Star) ... (I'm forgetting another cover here). Tommy exhibited his potty mouth as normal. Requests were laughed down, but Tommy was extremely congenial with the crowd, both while the Put-Outs played before him and during his set. After the hour set, the Put-Outs returned to the stage where, joined by Tommy on guitar, they rampaged through Crocodile Rock to end the evening (rather suddenly). Requests for an encore were ignored, unfortunately. Duncan _______________________________________________________________________________ IV. DISCOGRAPHY ADDITIONS (what to look for next time you hit the record store) Date: Mon, 03 Nov 1997 10:12:49 +0000 From: Donna Brown Subject: re: the discography I assume you intend to include every bit of recorded Replacements history, however minute. Here's a Paul guest spot you might've overlooked - I have an LP by some obscure mid-80s Minneapolis combo called Sometimes Y on which Paul plays lead guitar on a song called "(She'll Get) Pregnant." Yeah, it's pretty minor, but thought I'd mention it. Donna Brown From: mark_timmins@mail.cbpi.com Date: Fri, 06 Feb 98 12:31:44 -0500 Subject: Promo Y'Alternative Comp features HCAR For what it's worth, I wanted to let people know that I recently came across a 1997 Warner Bros. compilation in the used CD store called _Lucky 13 Strikes Again_ which features the track "Here Comes a Regular" from _All For Nothing/Nothing For All_." I think this is one of those promo-only deals, but you can usually find them at used CD stores. Anyway, there's a definite alt-country (or "y'alternative" or "grange" or whatever we call that genre) flavor to this comp, which is intriguing, as it features newish tracks from kd lang, Dwight Yoakam, Steve Earle, Wilco, Neil Young, Son Volt, John Fogerty, etc. I'm not sure how they decided to include HCAR on this comp, but the fact of the matter is if you dig y'alternative, it's actually a decent comp. - Mark _______________________________________________________________________________ V. WANTED: T-SHIRTS, BAND MATES, VIDEOTAPES, AND COPIES OF SHIT HITS THE FANS Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 10:44:18 -0800 (PST) From: dumyhead@mill.net (Adam Gimbel) Subject: Matsish musicians wanted! My friend Mike Flinn is moving to the Bay Area and is looking for a bassist and drummer. His band, the Cables, is/was a power pop trio in a Lemonheads/Replacements/Matthew Sweet vein. Catchy stuff. I print out the Skyway for him and he loves it as much as I do. He's moving up in March. If anyone's interested, please let me know. Adam CD for the day (I've brought 1 to work everyday, alphabetically, since Nov 95): Say Anything (Alphabet & comps RIP. On to soundtracks!) "What do we love?" "Pain!" "Workthatbagworkthatbag...." The movie that gives nice normal guys hope (sigh). What can you say about a soundtrack that has Skankin' To The Beat by Fishbone and Within Your Reach by the Replacements? Well, I can say the rest of it is forgettable. The best songs in the movie ("Joe Lies" & "That'll Never Be Me") aren't even on it! Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 18:32:43 -0500 From: "Sarah & Joe C." Hi Skywayers. I am a huge Mats fan, but I have hit a wall. I own every official Replacements album, including Boink and The Shit Hits The Fans, but I can't seem to find any live material. I would be interested in trading tapes of any half-decent shows. I have a tape of Paul solo at the Stone Pony (in NJ) and The 'Mats at the U of Wisconsin from '89 I believe. Those are both really good recordings. Then I have this scratchy, crackly tape from their Pleased To Meet Me era. It's got these two nasally, college peckers giving a play-by-play and critiquing the show in the back. It's a classically sloppy show, full of Westerberg zingers to the crowd, band miscues and Paul doing Nightclub Jitters in total Las Vegas lounge impersonation..."Look 'ere at the singer...right in frunna ya...nite...club.....JJYYYITTERRRS!!" (doing a Jerry Lewis imitation.) He doesn't make it through the song without laughing. Though it's the worst quality, that last tape is my favorite to listen to. So, that's what I got. If anyone is interested in trading drop me an E-mail. Thanks. L.L.Y.F.F. From: marmstro@imap4.asu.edu Date: Sat, 14 Feb 1998 12:08:05 -0700 (MST) I'm new to the Skyway mailing list. I'm 26, a Minnesotan Mats fan living in Arizona for graduate school. I've always wondered - where can a person find a copy of "If Only You Were Lonely" in this day and age. Such a classic track and I don't know where to get it. Mark From: Typecast84 Date: Sun, 15 Mar 1998 19:23:33 EST What I would like to know is how I could go about getting some of these bootleg videos that are going around. I am not trader. I don't have anything to trade for these videos, but I am willing to pay. If you have some or know how I could get them, please send me something back. Anything would be good. Thanks, Ron Kohudic typecast84@aol.com From: Cypher7465 Date: Sun, 22 Mar 1998 01:52:38 EST I need help. I was wondering if you knew of a place (on the internet or not) where I can get a Replacements T-shirt? Can you even find them anymore? Or am I going to have to search thrift stores endlessly for one? Thanks for any advice you can give. [Considering that the band never officially printed up tour shirts until the Don't Tell a Soul tour in 1989, there's not that many out there to find! However, a little over a year ago, Burning Airlines advertised a t-shirt of the cover of "Pleased to Meet Me." Also, in Skyway issue #52 (September 1, 1997) a cool homemade 'Mats iron on was advertised. You can write Michael for more info at MyclARC@aol.com. - m@.] _______________________________________________________________________________ VI. Other bands that relate to the 'Mats somehow Date: Thu, 5 Mar 1998 17:38:16 -0500 (EST) From: Tiffany M Wilson Subject: Jon from Superchunk Just thought I'd let everyone know about this little amusing story. I saw Superchunk here in Pittsburgh last week. I wore my Replacements t-shirt (I had a copy store silkscreen the bumper sticker logo on a plain shirt). After the show, my friends and I were hanging around outside. The drummer, Jon, came out. He came up to me and complimented me on my shirt. We talked about the 'Mats and Paul's solo stuff for 15-20 minutes. He was really nice. Anyway, he's just another fan. -Tiffany (formerly Tankgeek3@aol.com) From: Spikeblack Date: Sun, 1 Mar 1998 18:10:18 EST Tommy Keene's new record Isolation Party is out and he should be touring in May. He has an email list you can sign up to get the tour dates as soon as they're available and/or send a fan letter: TommyKeene@aol.com He's doing a SXSW show in Austin on March 18th along with the Liquor Giants (their new record is great too! Every Other Day At A Time -- even better than their last!). Also Geffen is supposed to be re-releasing Run Now and Songs From the Film this summer with extra tracks included. If you only know Tommy from Paul's '96 tour you gotta check him out with his own band! Subject: Tommy Keene SXSW From: cford@vnet.ibm.com (Charles Ford) Date: Thu, Mar 19, 1998 12:58 PM EDT I caught Tommy Keene's show at SXSW in Austin last night. I had never seen him before (outside of the Westerberg tour). He's really quite a talent and true to his "pop" roots. (Didn't Westerberg introduce him as "The real King of Pop" or something at one of his '96 shows?) He blasted through a 40 minute set that rocked from start to finish...even the slow songs ended up rocking. I gotta get the new CD! P.S. Even my boss, who's more of an ambient/techno kind of guy thought he was "pretty cool". VERY high recommendation there. _______________________________________________________________________________ VII. Your Band! From: mark_timmins@mail.cbpi.com Date: Mon, 16 Mar 98 09:23:34 -0500 By way of additional background info, I have had conversations with several people interested in the project, and it's looking as if we can do the whole kit & kaboodle for ~$1000, with the costs and final product divided equally by how ever many bands decide to partake. The more bands, the lower the cost per band. What would the $1000 buy us? - 500 CD's with 2 color printing on CD (no jewel case or booklet but all shipping costs included); no limit on length of CD - Preparing the film for artwork - Mastering or transferring the DAT to a CDR (reference CD) - Instead of buying jewel cases we could put the CD in sleeves (like 45's use with a clear plastic window to see the CD) - We could place a sticker on the sleeve with additional info. - For the //Skyway\\ comp we could even print up an information sheet and slide it in the sleeve - The whole cost is just about $1000 and the product will be very professional If you spread the word and get other bands interested, the cost per band will go down.... Please let me know whether you are interested in participating in this project. -Mark timmins@bdl.bd.com fin. ________________________________________________________________________________ The //Skyway\\: The Replacements Mailing List (digest only) http://www.novia.net/~matt/sky/skyway.html The //Skyway\\ | c/o Matt Tomich | 311 S. LaSalle #43g | Durham NC 27705 | USA ________________________________________________________________________________ "A friend is somebody who doesn't think you did a permanent job when you make a fool out of yourself." - Unknown