the // skyway \\ issue #72 (march 7, 2000) web page at www.theskyway.com send your submissions to skyway@novia.net list guy (say hi to) matt@novia.net subscription info: send in the body of a message to majordomo@novia.net to subscribe: 'subscribe skyway' to unsubscribe: 'unsubscribe skyway' always thanks to bob fulkerson __________________________________________________________________________ 0. one wink at a time (m@) I. all the young dudes (ray michno, jason gober, nelson, kristie poppell, michael porzondek, lara, heidi penix, ray decker, rebecca seiler, glen humphries, ryan seppi, ian baker, marco symonds, robert hankosky, kerwin so) II. bastards of young on mtv's top 200 (steve karsch, zach carter, brett schwartz) III. tommy stinson's minneapolis christmas revue (dignan, dan contreras jr.) IV. take it, bob! (static taxi, mark timmins, melanie miller, sean king) V. etc. (mark timmins, duncan young, michael, rachel dagmar, stefan, ralph bryant, lisa gray, zabic stanislav, dustin henderson, michael thompson) __________________________________________________________________________ 0. ONE WINK AT A TIME Alright, so there's this guy who runs this record store on Franklin St. where I live in Chapel Hill, NC. And one day last week he comes into my roommate's copy shop job and straight out of the blue, he says, "Hey, what do you think of 'All Shook Down'?" And my roommate, who had actually just rediscovered the album last week, goes, "Yeah, I was just listening to it before you came in. Why?" And this guy who runs this record store, John, goes, "Cause it's fucking great." I've remarked before on how much the people on the Skyway list have changed in seven years. When it started in 1993, the average contemporary 'Mats listener was either in or right out of college, were into the band when "Don't Tell A Soul" and "All Shook Down" came out, and were stoked that they could see Paul and Tommy on two separate tours in one summer. Now, a lot of those .edu addresses are .com's, and Sixteen Blue brings up nostalgia rather than epiphany. And with this change in time, people's opinions of the later 'Mats albums has changed too. You used to hear it all the time: "Man, what was up with that last album? All Shook Down, that doesn't rock. Paul started to lose it 'bout there." But maybe it's just a soundtrack for when you're not blown out of your shoes every Wednesday and weekend. "Nobody" is about a different point in your life than "Kiss Me On The Bus", yah know? I mentioned in the Skyway Valentine's Day letter how I was hanging out with this girl. She made me a mix tape and the last song on it is none other than "The Last". You know the song, the last song on All Shook Down, the final song that the Mats (in whatever form) had to say. Well, for the past decade, I confess that I've been either flipping the tape over or stopping the CD player at that point. That was the last rocker, and here's the piano ballad, I'm not ready to go to bed, yawn. Sure I'd heard it all the way through, but bring on the rock, right? But now, for the first time, at 27, it made sense. Like how Bastards of Young and Little Mascara rocks at the time and does even more in hindsight. And maybe this time in a decade, Suicaine will resonate far greater when you spend Friday night at, to counter-paraphrase Paul Westerberg, your home instead of your house. And as for valentines, hell, this could be the last, or this could be the last week. Ask me this time next year. - Matt P.S. Heard a rumor that Tommy's singing "Viva Las Vegas" in an upcoming Acura ad! That's almost as silly as that Guns n' Roses rumor (sic). __________________________________________________________________________ I. PRIMERO TIEMPO Date: Tue, 14 Dec 1999 07:26:09 -0800 From: "Ray Michno" Well I guess I should throw in my confessional Replacements story. I started to explore the alternative music scene back in the late 80's - early 90's. At that time I'd heard of the Replacements, but I only associated them with "Alex Chilton". A great song, but I considered it a little too polished for my tastes at the time. I was just beginning to discover bands like The Pixies, Ministry, Fishbone, Dinosaur Jr, and other great bands of that time. It's a funny feeling when you suddenly discover that there is other music out there besides the "classic rock" you've heard on the radio all your life. My awakening happened during my senior year of high school (in 1989). Some friends at school introduced me to a wide variety of music that forever changed me. I realized that there were hundreds of great bands that I'd never heard of before, and I wanted to hear them all. It was sort of like trying to take a drink out of a fire hose. There was just TOO much for me to swallow at once. Fast forward six years ahead in my life. I'm out of college, working full-time. There's less time to go to concerts, to read about new bands, to scrape up the money to actually buy new music. Around this time I picked up "Pleased to Meet Me" at a used CD store. I liked it, but it didn't grab ahold of me. I tossed it into my pile of CDs and listened to it infrequently. Last year a friend of mine from work loaned me "Tim". I think I borrowed his CD for about six months! I absolutely loved it. It really captured the feel and intensity of all those bands I listened to back when I was in high school. Around this time I also bought a CD burner and I started to hunt around the internet for interesting music to download. Somebody posted the 'Mats final show (Chicago 7/91) which I grabbed and have been listening to over and over ever since. There is just something about their sound live that cannot be captured on their studio albums. Today I'm still slowly buying all the 'Mats studio albums. I really want to take the time to discover and enjoy each one. I don't want to buy them all at once and lose track of how they sound. I'm also trying to hunt down other good-sounding Replacements bootlegs on CDR. I only have one 'Mats show to trade, but I'd love to set something up with any other generous fans. Ok, enough rambling from me. Time to go back to lurking! :) From: DJJUSTJ@aol.com Date: Fri, 10 Dec 1999 02:15:03 EST I first heard Bastards of Young in 1986, when I was 15. The anti-video on one of the few times MTV chose to play it. Besides being brilliant by any artistic standard, it struck a chord with me: It forced you to focus on the words. No fancy scenery, no dancers, no tits and ass. You had to listen to the song! What a fucking concept! No other song has had such an impact on me, and I was hooked. I have a small dream. A DJ friend of mine in Minneapolis is trying desperately to arrange a meeting to get a lampshade autographed. I don't see it happening, but it would be great at parties. Just to see who gets it. Thanks for all the hard work. If I'm ever in NC, I'll Buy. Jason Gober From: "Nelson" Date: Mon, 6 Dec 1999 13:21:54 -0600 When The Replacements released the cassette only "When The Shit Hits The Fans," singer Paul Westerberg included a note in the liner notes. He signed it, "pray for us." The Replacements were the kind of band when you heard their music made you feel you should be praying _to_ them. The emotion involved in "Skyway" shakes your empathy to a point where you wonder if you should turn the stereo off so the guy can have his privacy. Yet at the same time, it was the voice in your head thinking the same thing two weeks ago. Like some sort of Jesus for the angst ridden, he was going forward in your place and you were better for it. But the Mats (as they are known to the faithful) were not infallible; if anything, what made them so endearing was their ultra-fallibility. I never saw them live but every fan from that time has a story. Most of them include various acts performed by one of the boys, which they probably would have found embarrassing if the pre-show cocktails had been skipped. On a Saturday Night Live appearance they had a chance to make themselves stars. They could have been soaking in money and fame but instead they soaked themselves in beer in their dressing rooms. The music has done so much for so many yet they get only small mentions in rock n' roll histories. The crime of it makes me on to obliged Paul on his request. I'll be praying or at least hoping really hard. The fact that they knew they needed it made them all the more great. Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1999 10:08:47 -0600 From: Kristie Poppell It's insane that it took me this long to personally check in, but up until now I didn't have decent access to a computer with ability to actually send messages. I'm a 31 soon-to-be 32 year old male who happily stumbled upon this excellent web site while surfing at my painfully dull job at a medical clinic. In short, the Replacements and their music have enriched my life, given me a soundtrack for the everyday, and have proven to be an ally during the dark, drunken moments when nothing seems to make sense anymore. I first came across the 'Mats through numerous music magazine articles praising them as the saviors of rock and roll. Seems in the 80's, the general public didn't want rock'n'roll saviors and apparently still don't, but when I first heard the opening chords of "Hold My Life" blare through my crappy car stereo tape deck you damn well better believe I was hooked for life. I was fortunate enough to see the boys in the summer of '89 at the UW-Milwaukee in a show that has been much documented in such forms as the "Inconcerated" EP. As sad as it is to know that the band is no longer a functioning unit, we can all rejoice in the fine solo output that has since come out. Paul remains America's most compelling songwriters, Slim is still touring and rocking out, Chris is...somewhere, and Tommy, well, I refuse to begrudge a person for wanting a decent paycheck. I only hope to hell another Perfect release will come along someday. Well, that's about it for now. I've taken up enough space. I would like to close in saying that I love the sense of community among 'Mats fans and have most of the rabid herd to be top rate human beings. Matt, thanks for keeping Skyway going and thank you for keeping alive an irreplaceable part of American music alive. Troy S. mrscamp@yahoo.com From: "Michael Porzondek" Date: Mon, 03 Jan 2000 08:00:34 PST copy of a letter I sent to shows@vh1.com I really think you folks need to do a "behind the music" on The Replacements....Talk about a story.....The best band ever not to make it big.... I've seen most of the shows and I think The Replacements would make for one of your best shows ever and would bring a bit of attention to their music that so many have missed.... Thanks, Michael Porzondek From: LaraLooooo@aol.com Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 03:30:56 EST Subject: Whoknowswhatthehelltotitlethise-mail....... You say it's customary for a new subscriber to write a little introduction about themselves, so I figger why not. It sounds like a good idea. Aaahh...where do I begin? First off, let me apologize for the length of this e-mail....it's just the way I am, especially when I get to talking about something that is so important to me! I tend to be verrrry wordy. So, have a seat, and get comfortable. So, let's see....to start with, I guess I had better get this out in the open... It'll come out sooner or later. I gotta confess--I do believe that "Don't Tell a Soul" and "All Shook Down" are my favorite Replacements albums. I know, I know....blasphemy, right??!! Aaah well. Anyone doesn't like that, screw 'em! What can I say? I guess it has to do with the way in which I was first introduced to the band. Here comes the REAL embarrassing, shameful part. I guess it all started when I was about fourteen years old...so, 1991, or something like that. Or maybe I was thirteen, and it was '90.... well, anyway....I was just a young'un. I guess most of the people at school considered me a "Loser", at best. I was a bit odd, and ever since I can remember, I have had these obsessions. When I was three years old, I thought I was Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, and that was the only name I would answer to. Well, by the time I was thirteen or fourteen, my obsession was... Winona Ryder. I won't get into the details, but it was pretty bad. I wanted to BE Winona Ryder.... so I read everything I could get my hands on about her, and lo and behold, I came across the fact that her favorite band was this group called the Replacements. Well, naturally, I figured this was quite an easy way to be more like my idol. So I went out to the record store and went to the "R" section. I browsed through all the Replacements tapes, and on a whim, picked out Tim. I don't know what made me pick that above any of the others. I think it had something to do with the fact that the title "Waitress in the Sky" made me laugh. I took my new purchase home, locked myself in my room, and popped it in the tape player. This was the point of no turning back. The tongue-in-cheek, irreverent, comical, satirical lyrics of Waitress in the Sky made me smile.... the rest of the album left me virtually speechless....it was at once haunting, melancholy, funny, and fun. It's hard to say just what, but something inside me changed that day. The Replacements, in all their incarnations, "Fit" me. No matter what kind of mood I am in, whether it be melancholy, lonely, happy, in love, pissed off, whatever....I can always find a 'Mats song to enhance the moment. Soon after I bought Tim, I decided to try another album. This was when "All Shook Down" first hit the stores, and the local record store had the posters up in their window.... I figured newer is better, so I bought it. Well, what can I say?? I LOVED it!!! I guess it's the lyrics that make or break a song for me, and All Shook Down has got so many great lyrics (in my opinion, anyway!)....I fell in love with it. It was the early summer of 1991, I believe... the Replacements were on what was to be their last tour. They were scheduled to play their only Massachusetts date (I live in Massachusetts) sometime at the end of June....I cannot remember the exact date now....I think it was like, the 22nd. I was soooo excited!!! I had never been to a concert before, and I was just DYING to go. Well, it turned out that my uncle's wedding was scheduled for the next day. Being only fourteen years old at the time, I had no license, so I would have had to have Mommy and Daddy drive me (oh, joy!). The place where the concert was to be held was a good hour and a half drive away, and being that it was the night before my uncle's wedding, needless to say, Mommy and Daddy deprived me of what would be my only chance, EVER, to see the Replacements live in concert. I was PISSED. As a way of protesting, I incorporated as much black as I could into the outfit I wore to the wedding. As I watched my uncle and his bride walk down the aisle, I could not help humming "Nobody" to myself, with a wicked little grin. At the reception, after having spent the obligatory half an hour at the table, and exchanged pleasantries with all the relatives (and people I'd never met before), I somehow managed to get my Dad to hand over the keys to the car. No, I didn't go for any under-age joyride. My sister and I simply went out to the van, put "All Shook Down" into the cassette player, and spent the remainder of the afternoon listening to Paul and the guys... lamenting over the fact that "we coulda been there last night!!". There we sat in the old van, listening to that tape over and over again. It was nearly dark out when my parents finally came out. I went home that night with a sort of self-satisfied devilish look about me. I knew I had made my little statement....even if no one else even noticed. So I guess that's the reason why "All Shook Down" holds such a special place in my heart....I could go on to tell you how I got "Don't Tell a Soul" for Christmas that same year, and my sister and I (having been forced to share the same room for the holidays because we had company who needed to use her room) stayed awake til the wee hours of the morning, figuring out the lyrics to "I'll Be You" and "Asking Me Lies".... and falling asleep to "They're Blind", or "Back to Back". After having fallen in love with Tim, All Shook Down, and Don't Tell a Soul, I figured "Hey....wow...this band can do no wrong!!". So I went on to buy Let It Be, and Pleased To Meet Me. I got a real kick out of "Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out", "Gary's Got a Boner", and "Androgynous". I considered "Let It Be", the tape I would listen to when I was feeling lighthearted and just wanted a laugh. Pleased To Meet Me was another story. For some reason, I just didn't like it back then. It just didn't seem to "click" with me. Something just didn't feel right. So I listened to it once, maybe twice....and tossed it aside. I recently splurged and bought myself "All for Nothing....Nothing For All".....and was duly BLOWN AWAY. Wow....!!!! Okay so maybe I'm easy to please when it comes to The Replacements, but.... I LOVE THIS ALBUM!!!! In listening to the first CD (All For Nothing), I was given a second chance at listening to "Alex Chilton", "Skyway", and "Can't Hardly Wait". I don't know WHAT the hell I was thinking when I tossed aside Pleased to Meet Me. How I could have missed the beauty in those songs....is just unimaginable. Maybe it's because I've grown up. Or maybe it's just that some things take time, and have to grow on you. Whatever the reason, I cannot stop listening to those three songs. The second CD (Nothing For All) just amazed me, as well. I swear on all that is good and right in this world-- I got CHILLS the first time I listened to "We Know the Night" and "Portland". Listening to this CD makes me soooo happy. Singing along with Birthday Gal, Beer for Breakfast, Jungle Rock, All He Wants to Do is Fish, and Cruella DeVille....not to mention the surprise bonus track "I Don't Know".... all I can say is....WOW. Praise God (Goddess? Whatever) for bringing us Paul Westerberg and the rest of the band. Aaaah....I'll save my ravings about Paul's solo "Eventually" for another e-mail....perhaps that wouldn't even be appropriate for this mailing list. All I'll say is this: I don't care what ANYONE Says.... "Eventually" has got to be my favorite album of all time. Now, maybe that means that I'm more of a Paul Westerberg fan than a Replacements fan. Well, maybe so. I don't know. All I know is that if there were no such thing as the Replacements, and no such thing as Paul Westerberg, there would be a HUUUUUGE part of me missing. Enough said. From: Heidi Penix Subject: greetings Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2000 09:40:46 -0500 i started to write yesterday but my computer had some sort of nervous breakdown (it's a very sensitive creature). so I'll give this another shot despite the fact that i feel this irrational fear that i will be deemed unfit to participate in this mailing list. i'm heidi, a new subscriber. the Replacements have always been extremely important to me, particularly when I'm feeling lonely. i can remember them at different points in my life. i first heard them in 1990 when i was a freshman in high school. my family had moved and i was (am) too painfully shy to speak to anyone let alone make friends. so i was solitary. for some still unknown reason, a very kind boy reached out to me. he made me a tape that had two Replacements songs on it, "Achin' to be" and "Skyway". it made an instant connection and made me feel more than I had in long time. fast forward to freshman year in college. same tedious story. not fitting in, descending into my own antisocial chain-smoking poetry writing weirdness, laying on my dorm bed and listening to paul's words and his voice and not feeling quite as alone. this is the twisted logic: this music means something to me, other people like this music, therefore there must be other people like me. i became a dj for the college radio station and had access to all of the Replacement's music and was able to appreciate them on a new level. not just the lyrics but the way the music actually felt. fast forward to present life. washington dc. reaching whole new heights of bizarre antisocial behavior (actually choosing to climb eight flights of stairs in my apartment building instead of taking the elevator and being forced to interact) and trying to find what I want, what the hell will make me happy (other than cigarettes and beer), what the fuck i'm supposed to be doing. and the 'Mats are here again for me. and i know i'll pass through this rough period like i passed through the others. but the music really helps. and this cool site helps too. so thanks. From: Raymond_D_Decker@armstrong.com Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2000 15:04:02 -0600 I'm sold. Subscribe me to Skyway. Reading some of the back issues really puts a smile on my face. I was introduced to the Replacements in 1990. I was a sophomore at San Diego State University and my roommate was a huge 'Mats fan. I remember hearing "Treatment Bound" for the first time and saying. "Who the hell is this? These guys suck!" Within 2 weeks I was screaming at the top of my lungs, every drunken lyric to that song. Growing up in Denver and living most of my adult life on the West coast, I've been delighted and appalled at how ignorant this part of the country is to the genius of the Replacements. I am a one man crusade at spreading the 'Mats gospel and I've managed to convert a grand total of 1 person, my wife. About 100 plays of "Pleased To Meet Me" broke her down. I'm working on my father-in-law who prides himself as a 50 something hipster. It delights me to no end to see the look on his face when I see him digging the 'Mats. He always says the same thing when he comes over. "Who is this?" He should know the answer by now. Give me some time and he'll be on this list. That's the thing, isn't it? The Replacements can't be categorized, they can't be pigeon holed. It's called talent and they had so much. From the achingly beautiful "Nightclub Jitters" to the raw crunch of "Customer", and everything in between, before and after. The Replacements were unabashed, pure music. Something so rare and so wonderful that is seldom experienced, and that's why we listen again and again. That is why we feel compelled to write to complete strangers who share a kindred ear. And maybe it's that Paul sings a bit off key and we can relate. It's not polished, overproduced nonsense. It's honest and from the heart. A Replacements studio album is pretty much a live album and that is what made them great. I've got two bands for everyone to give a good hard listen, because I consider them to be in this category of music. Sublime and Buffalo Tom. And before you close minded folk who feel a band can't be commercially successful and great start belly aching. Buy Sublime's "40 Ounces To Freedom" and listen to every word and every lick. Bradley was brilliant and it's scary to imagine what Sublime would have achieved had he not left us too soon. Thanks for the 'Mats forum and I look forward to reading everyone's Mats anecdotes. Ray Decker Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2000 13:24:57 -0800 (PST) From: Rebecca Seiler Subject: I love the Replacements! Hey everyone - my name is Rebecca and I'm a huge Mats fan. I love the magazine! I grew up in Mpls. am 30 and I'm in the band booking biz. Seen the band many times, also love Husker, the Burbs, Run Westy Run and other Mpls. bands of that generation. Miss it terribly but live in NYC. Most of my friends have moved away from there - used to frequent First Ave. - met a lot of great bands over the years there and at the Uptown, CC Club, etc. Mpls. music is the best! Would like to meet/chat with other fans. Take care and thanks for the great mag! - Rebecca Date: Thu, 4 Nov 1999 22:01:00 +1100 From: "glen humphries" Thought I'd fall into line and talk about me and the Mats. My name's Glen Humphries, though I more often go by the nickname Bear (I share my surname with a bear in an Australian kids TV show). I'm 29, and I live in Wollongong, on the east coast of Australia. I came to the Replacements backwards. In 1992, I was listening to the radio and heard World Class Fad. At first I thought it was John Lennon singing (don't know why, the two don't exactly sound the same) but the radio announcer told me it was Paul Westerberg. The next day, I went out and bought the album and single, despite the fact I had no CD player to play them on. Through reading a story about Westerberg, I found he'd been in this band called The Replacements. Feeling a little embarrassed that I'd never heard of the band before, I hunted down a few albums. Sorry Ma was alright (though I wouldn't appreciate the breakneck style for a few years), didn't mind some stuff on Let It Be but Tim really grabbed me. Reading into the Mats history, it seems Tim ain't one of the hardcore fan favourites, but I don't care. I like it. Just wish I'd seen them live. The reports I've heard lead me to think they never played a crappy gig. Even when they were drunk and stumbling over their instruments. Top five: Alex Chilton, Satellite, Kiss Me On The Bus, Left Of The Dial, Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out. Great idea Matt, keep it going ... BEAR From: Ryan Seppi Subject: my $.02 Date: Thu, 4 Nov 1999 14:47:36 -0600 Like most of the rest of people on this list - I love the Replacements. Actually, I just ran out to my Jeep to get "Pleased to Meet Me" out of the CD player so I could listen to possibly the greatest album ever made while I drop this note. To be fair, the CD I took out of my computer was "14 Songs". I have been a fan of The 'Mats as long as I've loved music....being from Minnesota, this is not too hard to imagine. Unfortunately, the closest I ever got to seeing them live was on Saturday Night Live...and I didn't even get to see the whole show. If any of you are coming to Minneapolis, look me up....I'll bring you on a mini-tour of some of the more famous places where the 'Mats have played. If you already live in Minneapolis, look me up...maybe you could bring me to some of those same places! A few years back, I was in a ski shop in Breckenridge Colorado, and "Dyslexic Heart" came on over the intercom, and I couldn't help but overhear two of the attendants begin to comment on it. At first, I was happy to just eavesdrop, but eventually I had to jump in. While both were at least more knowledgeable than the average person about the 'Mats, it seemed neither were very impressed with the new Paul. To be honest, I wasn't that impressed either (only that song). It wasn't long before this musically inspired conversation turned into more of an argument than anything else (being from Minnesota didn't help), and I was escorted to the door, asked not to return. That's fine with me....their lack of taste in music turned into a nice profit for the next shop down the road! I only wish I had talked to the owner....I would have asked him one simple question...."What do you think of The Replacements?" You can tell a lot about a person by asking them that question.....well, back to work. Thanks for taking the time to listen to my endless ramblings.... Ryan Seppi ryan.seppi@schwans.com Date: Thu, 4 Nov 1999 13:11:19 -0800 (PST) From: Ian Baker I'm pretty new here. First got into the Mats right when Hootenanny was released. I was in Madison, WI so they were "home" to me. Somewhere in my parents basement I still have a promo poster for Hoot. Things like "Stuck in the Middle", well that was it. Middle of nowhere, middle of the days, middle of nothing. Hey... the Replacements were the first band I ever saw in a bar. Was 17? They were opening for X for Big Black Sun. I REMEMBER EVERY FUCKING SECOND OF BOTH BANDS. I remember thinking "Wow, all bar bands must be this good." Well, I was young as you snicker. Tommy had the Sid V hair and jumps. All of them were VERY good. Fucking brilliant. And Billy Zoom was not too bad either. At the end of the X show, Exene told everyone to buy the Replacements LPs. Talked to Tommy between shows briefly. My age! I was hooked. Well, as time went on I must have seen them 20 odd times, the last of which would have been was for Tim. I still remember the show cause I had to help set up and tear down the stage. It was weird. They were HUGE by 'those' standards. I mean, over time I'd seen them so much, in tiny venues where you could trip and fall onto them on a six inch stage. Opening for The Suburbs in old dance halls. By Tim it had gone to a few thousand people. They had long hair. No more drunk requests and covers. Not that I'm complaining. I'm not saying they lost anything. They were still great. Probably better. But it had changed. Dumb misc memories..... everyone, band included drinking and eating gyros outside Merlins on State Street..... Bob wearing JUST long underwear, furry slippers and a fake fur vest coming up to my brother and I at a show inquiring about a much needed bathroom. I dunno. I am rambling. I loved them. Still love them. They've been a soundtrack to 20 years of my life. Good and bad. Plus.... I really like Suicane. I got so depressed about Eventually (or whatever it was called) that I wrote a song called The Greatest Could Have Been. Nice Westerbergy title, eh? The song is kind of half about a girl I had a thing for and half about Paul. At the same time. Make any sense? I was just really bummed about what he was up to cause it felt like a empty shell. Well if Suicane is at all empty it's because he carved it out with his own knife. All it's faults are on its sleeve... which in a ~very~ different way is kind of what the Mats had done in a way. We all change and it's the first post Mats LP that doesn't sound like he did it just because he can or it's something he does. It feels a bit more necessary. OK... shutting up now. If anyone wants to listen to my PW inspired ditty check out ~ http://www.WorldsTallestThing.com ~ I think I mentioned them in the Interview on the site with Tim McKenna. The Greatest Could Have Been Tune is on the MP3 link in a mellow version. A louder version will be out soon.... anything else? Nah. All for now. Ian Date: Thu, 04 Nov 99 17:58:44 Eastern Daylight Time From: Marco Symonds Just wanted to let you know how great the Skyway is. In the future I will tell the story on how I was introduced to The Replacements (friend's older brother in Venezuela), but for now I'll let you in on a funny incident involving the Mr. Westerberg. I was flipping through the channels, not really watching, but hoping something would grab me, when I stopped on a show on VH-1 called The List? Anyways the "famous" guests list the artists that have influenced them in some way. One of the guests says "Well I would have to say Eric Clapton..." Bob-Cat Goldwait of "Police Academy" fame barks back, "Come on, he's a Wimpy Westerberg!" Classic.... Cheers, Marco Date: Tue, 29 Feb 2000 16:46:16 -0800 From: robert hankosky <"thepogo@pipel Subject: The Regulars Here in San Antonio there are not many people who seem to know who the Replacements are, but there are a few. And we put together a tribute band called The Regulars. We all play in other bands and have the tribute band on the side. We play everything from Stink thru a couple of Westerberg's solo stuff. Its been great fun. I truly can't believe I'm playing a whole list of Mats songs after being such a huge fan. I grew up in Houston, about 3 hours from San Antonio and saw The Replacements four times. I've seen Westerberg twice in Austin. Does anybody have any news on whats going on with him? It seems like he vanished. I think SG is an awesome cd. I only wish he had enough courage to get out and play. It's pretty dissapointing that I hear absolutely nothing about him. Coming from a guy who used to say "just get out there and play and make your own mark," I thought he continue . Things must be pretty dark. Anyways I'll always treasure the tapes and live shows I've seen. OUT Rob From: "Kerwin So" Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2000 14:51:53 -0800 Subject: The Big Takeover #16, 1984 This is my first time posting to the Skyway. Perhaps later on I will send all my heart-rending stories and first-time experiences, but for now I wanted to reprint a review of a Replacements show from 1984 just to give us all a sense of perspective. (I'm not sure of the exact date of the show, sorry.) The review comes courtesy of The Big Takeover #16 (still in print after 20 years!!), which for those of you unfamiliar with it is a massive zine (over 220 pages) published twice yearly covering "Music with Heart," from punk to Britpop to indie rock. The most recent issue features an excellent interview with Joe Strummer. Go to yr local newsstand and support this great rag! Reprinted without permission, but I doubt Jack will get too incensed since I write for him. ;) THE BIG TAKEOVER #16, VOLUME 5 ISSUE 1, WRITTEN BY JACK RABID LIVE SHOWS REPLACEMENTS The Replacements's show at CBGBs was easily the most exciting concert of recent memory, not because it was extraordinary, in fact it was very much an average performance by this group, it's just that they seem to be (finally) making some headway (their inclusion in the pazz and jop poll [Village Voice] was the only surprise in an otherwise overtly predictable chart) in the higher circles for their ferocious, charging, sledgehammer rock/blues/folk/younameit mixture coupled with their refusal to make concessions to the dancebeat crowd despite their constant meanderings. At CBs they both teased and gave in, all but altering the hard, aggressive songs with the slow, sensuous mood setters, in the manner of the first three Cure LPs (though the music is different, it was the same feel of not knowing what to expect next). Their version of T Rex's "Twentieth Century Boy" was a particular highpoint (even better than Girlschool's recent rendition), and they even encored with an impromptu blues jam with the roadie taking over the vocals, sort of similar to the song "Hootenanny." The Replacements' ability to cut across so many boundaries without losing their definitive edge is what makes them special, throughout their three great LPs and 45, and their strong, flailing physical presence just completes the image. They are a prime example of a group that actively defies any neat classification thrown at them, and their obvious love of playing is a quintessental joy that so many bands lack. They just have IT, and if given a chance, they should be advancing faster than the snail's pace they were before recently. (This issue also has some nice live shots of the band in black-and-white on the cover, you can order it from the website at www.bigtakeover.com) __________________________________________________________________________ II. BASTARDS OF YOUNG ON EMPTY TV From: "eSteve Karsch" Subject: gone, but not TOTALLY forgotten Date: Tue, 07 Dec 1999 19:24:56 EST I still can't believe this is happening: I was flipping through the channels during a break in a Simpson episode and came across MTV showing their 100 Greatest Videos of all time. Usually, I skip right over this crap but this time was different...what do i see but "Bastards of Young" at #96! And they showed the WHOLE video. I can't believe it. I'm sure they'll be showing many reruns - so be sure to check it out fellow 'Mats fans. One of their videos on MTV 8 years after the breakup! From: "Zach Carter" Subject: Bastards of Young Date: Tue, 07 Dec 1999 18:50:55 PST I was flipping channels today at around 11:00 AM, I think, when I heard something I don't usually hear from anything but my CD player: this killer guitar riff, an anthemic howl-- hey! that's "Bastards of Young!" MTV was doing a 100 best videos of all time show and BOY was #96. That is undoubtedly my favorite video, I'll describe it for those of you who haven't seen or heard about it yet: There's a speaker of a stereo through which "Bastards of Young" is playing and at the end somebody kicks it over. That's it. I don't think anything in music video has ever been as defiant, and I think MTV said a little something to that extent afterwards, but I don't really remember. Oh yeah, and Carson Daly was in a similar room after the video. He dusted off a similar speaker and said, "Whew, kinda lost my temper there." Ha ha. Interesting that MTV would recognize greatness in that video, and ironic that something mocking everything MTV stands for would earn a spot in an MTV best-of show. And to show the influence of that damned media source: A friend of mine decided that the 'Mats weren't "bad" because he saw it 'em on MTV. He bought Tim, and he swears he's never heard anything so good in his life. He didn't feel that way when it was playing in my car. Zach Carter Date: Wed, 08 Dec 1999 02:23:22 -0500 From: Brett Schwartz Subject: bastards of young Saw something quite ironic today. I was bored and had nothing better to do with my life, so I made my way through the shitty channels found myself at MTV. They were counting down the 100 greatest videos of all time. Lo and behold between the Human League and I think LL Cool J, there was the Replacements at 96 with Bastards of Young. I had to smile that the band who had such contempt for videos had easily their most 'Fuck you MTV' video in the top 100. Thought that all you 'Mats fans would get a kick outta that. Brett __________________________________________________________________________ III. TOMMY STINSON'S ANNUAL HOMETOWN CHRISTMAS SHOW From: dignan22@aol.com (Dignan22) Newsgroups: alt.music.replacements Subject: Tommy Stinson's Annual Show Date: 20 Dec 1999 03:10:21 GMT I went to see Tommy Stinson at the Uptown Bar [in Minneapolis, MN] on Saturday night. A band called "with." opened, they were like a retarded Metallica. Nothing special. Tommy played a great solo acoustic set for about 50 minutes. He is a spark plug - dancing around, getting drinks, pulling his folded up setlist out of his pocket after every song. He kept retuning his guitar and telling us how he "just paid 200 bucks for it a few days ago and it was a piece of shit." As for his setlist, I wish I could say I recognized more than one song, but I haven't been a fan for long. He did a cover of "You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory" by Johnny Thunders from the 'Bringing Out the Dead' soundtrack. The rest of the songs were, as the newspaper indicated, Bash & Pop, Perfect, and Mats covers. P.S. - The Uptown Bar is a hole in the wall. Tommy had to walk through the crowd to get up to the stage and to leave. Halfway through his journey to the exit, right in front of me, he was stopped by a woman. She gave him a framed picture of herself with a bow on it. She pointed out that her phone number was on the back. Tommy smiled and walked away. From: "Daniel P Contreras, Jr" Newsgroups: alt.mu sic.replacements Subject: Re: Tommy Stinson's Annual Show Date: Sun, 19 Dec 1999 23:35:44 -0600 I also attended and got there halfway into Tommy's set. I thought he was headlining as he had done at the other Uptown shows, but Dander was the closer. The part I saw was really good though. Tommy is always having equipment trouble at Uptown shows, so that was no surprise. It appeared that he had practiced much more for this show than others I have seen. He played stuff from Bash n Pop's 'Friday Night is Killing Me', Perfect's "When Squirrels Play Chicken', and Perfect's as yet unreleased album. "Friday Night is Killing Me" was a standout song, as was "The Making of an Asshole". The Thunders tune was very cool as always. A pretty good set. Tommy raps with the crowd a lot and was pretty engaging last nite. I have a correction to the previous poster's mention of "the woman with the picture." The picture she gave Tommy was actually a great black and white picture of Tommy tuning his guitar at the 1998 Uptown show. The woman in question is a photographer named Shelly Hawes, and she has lots of great concert pictures of Tommy, Paul Westerberg, Slim Dunlap, Golden Smog, etc. In fact, I received a print of the very picture she gave Tommy for my birthday last year. Some of her stuff is (or was) posted at the 400 Bar in Mpls if anyone wants to take a look. Speaking of the 400, there are some great 'Mats pictures, including Bob playing guitar bottomless, and a "Don't Tell a Soul" era pic of the band in drag. I don't know if Shelley took those or not, but I got her number last nite too and I am going to find out. I couldn't help but smile at the 'hole in the wall' comment about the Uptown. I guess I can't refute it, but I've seen bars that make the Uptown look like the Copa Cabana! It's a tough place to move around in when it is full, but on 'normal' nights it can be a fun place to hang out, eat, or see a band. Later, Dan __________________________________________________________________________ IV. BOB STINSON April will see the release of a CD of one Bob Stinson's post-Mats bands, Static Taxi. Recorded 1989-1990 at studios around Minneapolis with John Reipas on drums/vocals, Ray Reigstad on vocals, and Chris Corbett on bass. For more information, write statictaxi@hotmail.com. From: Mark_Timmins@bd.com Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1999 15:05:48 -0500 Do you know how to get a tape of the Bob memorial show or a T-shirt? ---------------------- Forwarded by Mark Timmins [deletia] The talented lineup for the tribute speaks volumes about the influence Bob Stinson had, and continues to have, on the music community. The acts read as a veritable history of local indie rock: Bob's replacement in The Replacements, Slim Dunlap; former Husker Du (the 'Mats informal 'rivals' on the scene back in the day) drummer Grant Hart, Twin/Tone alums Curtiss A and The Magnolias, local faves The Mighty Mofos, Whoops Kitty, Dander, and The Swingin' Teens. Plus Carleen's band Superloser, and Bob's old band The Bleeding Hearts have all signed on. Rule and the SPMC have also commissioned 25 limited edition T-shirts with a rare photo of Bob taken by Dan Corrigan, and will offer copies of the SPMC Tribute To The Replacements CD for $5. Copies of the issue of Squealer Magazine that featured an interview with Bob will be available, and all proceeds (as well as the $10 cover charge) will go to the Bob Stinson Memorial Fund. The Bob Stinson Memorial Tribute will be held on Saturday, November 20 at The Turf Club. (Minneapolis, MN) 9 p.m. $10. 651-647-0486. From: Melanie Miller Subject: Turf Club benefit Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1999 15:53:15 -0500 This is in response to a post by John Moulton from the last Skyway that gave a review of the benefit for Bob on November 19th at The Turf Club, in particular the following part: >Then the Swingin teens played. The guitar player had his Marshall >definitely on 11! I think at the last Mats tribute show at the Turf Club >I went to a few years ago they played "Something in the Way" from >Nirvana's Nevermind. The Teens' did a cool Ramones song called "I Lost My >Mind" - the lyrics are "gimme some skin, gimme some gin..." They said it >was one of Bob's fave songs. I would just like to make a brief correction. I believe the band he is referring to that played "Something in the Way" at the show at the Turf Club a few years back was not the Swingin' Teens, but was in fact Carleen Stinson's band at that time (hi Carleen if you're out there somewhere!!). My boyfriend, who had been playing in a band with her for the past few years, played with Carleen at the Turf Club one winter a few years ago (late '96 or early '97) and they played "Something in the Way", along with a few other songs. Since the band name they played under that night was a one-time thing we aren't completely sure, but we think they were calling themselves The Carleen Stinson Revue for this particular show. Also, it wasn't really a 'Mats tribute show that night, it was actually a benefit show for Carleen and Bob's son if we remember correctly. I don't mean to nit-pick, I just wanted to set the record straight. Or maybe I'm just jealous because we no longer live there (Mpls.) and I'm stuck here in some overpopulated, crappy city so far from home...sigh... Cheers to all! From: "Mr. Sean M. King" Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2000 03:44:36 -0600 Howdy Wanderlands! Look, I love the Replacements like you all do, but come on the '80's are gone. Bob is gone (sad to say). THE MUSIC REMAINS. We're seeing the fallout from a great band. Any band that plays a BOB tribute show is just lame. And who cares. Tommy, Paul, Slim, and Chris still remain to show everybody that people get old. Life is worth living. DON'T live it in the past. Live it while you got! KING. [Hey, tell that to Slim Dunlap! - m@.] __________________________________________________________________________ V. ETC. From: Mark_Timmins@bd.com Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2000 14:46:27 -0500 Subject: Paul Westerberg video interview on web. http://www.launch.com/musicvideos/view/not_start/1,1279,161938~570,00.html You can right click the viewer and choose "Full Screen" should you wish to. There are some fairly cool videos on this site. From: "Duncan Young" Subject: Re: [SKYWAY] Happy Valentine's Day! Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2000 22:36:29 -0800 Hey Matt- I've got a new web site up called The Band Next Door (www.thebandnextdoor.com)- a gateway site for local/underexposed music. There's plenty of Mats related stuff in the first issue (article on Perfect's unreleased full length, Peter Jesperson's top albums of 1999, etc.) and I was wondering if you could give it a plug in the next Skyway and link to it off the Skyway site. Also, I'm assuming you're still with Sorry About Dresden- if you'd like to submit something (band profile, etc.) I'd be glad to work you guys in as a featured band on the site. Thanks, Duncan Young Date: Fri, 24 Dec 1999 02:08:24 +0000 Subject: TheMats.Com From: "Left Of The Dial" The Replacements Misheard Lyrics page has a new home: www.themats.com -michael From: "Rachel Dagmar" Date: Tue, 01 Feb 2000 17:17:02 CST I wanted to see if anybody knows of any sources who have copies of Westerberg's appearances on U.K. chat shows he made in early 1999. There was a guy who wrote a small review on these shows in a Skyway newsletter, but I know of no one else and thought that perhaps you could help. Cue the violins, will ya? Any info you provide would be greatly appreciated. Take care and I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks-Rachel Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 21:52:41 +0100 From: Liesbeth & Stefan First off, I really enjoyed taking part in the Christmas tape trade! I got a great tape and two cool cd's so I'm quite happy indeed. Now then. Let's get down to business. You guys have probably done something like this before, but I had some time to kill and made a Replacements Quiz. A lot of it should be a piece of cake for die-hard fans, but some of them may actually be a real challenge.. Send your answers to: megalies@worldonline.nl The winner, obviously the one who has the highest number of correct answers, gets to compile three tapes of his favourite stuff from my list of goodies, which I will then tape and send to him/her. So here goes....GOOD LUCK! Stefan QUIZTIME WITH THE MATS...... Section A: The Mats and other bands / artists 1. Paul Westerberg is mentioned in the song "Rock 'n Roll Hall of fame" by _________? 2. Which British punk pop band imitated the cover of "Let it be" on the inner sleeve of their debut LP? 3. Who said what about The Mats? Match the right quote with the right person. a) "Nirvana were nothing but a second-rate Police with Paul Westerberg-vocals." b) "People should thank us for saving the world from bands that pride themselves on being incompetent, like The Replacements." c) "I heard that when Paul Westerberg wrote Here Comes A Regular, he was trying to write a Jacobites-song." d) "People always mention J (Mascis), but I think The Replacements had a much bigger influence on us." 1) Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins) 2) Bill Janovitz (Buffalo Tom) 3) Chris Robinson (Black Crowes) 4) Epic Soundtracks (various acts) 4. Alex Chilton cooperated on 3 Replacements tracks. He sang backup on _________ He did "guitar fills" on _________ He produced ___________ 5. What is the name of the band that recorded "Hi, We're The Replacements?" Section B: Stolen Property 6. Ted Nugent is mentioned as co-writer of "Gary's Got a Boner". Actually, the Mats just stole the opening riff of his song: 7. Paul says the chord progression used in "Unsatisfied" is stolen from a Kiss song. Which one would that be? 8. The chorus of "Mr. Whirly" sounds an awful lot like a certain Beatles song. Which one? Section C: All Talk The following words were not sung, but spoken on a Replacements record. Sometimes before a song, sometimes after, and sometimes in the song. Which songs? 9. "Tape rolling." "So what." 10. "Christopher Mars." 11. "Are we gonna record this one?" 12. "I've got blisters! Blisters on my thumbs!" 13. "Fucked 'em up.." 14. "Oh, yeah. I remember" 15. "Booooooob!" 16. "This is the Minneapolis Police..the party is over..." Section D: The Early Days 17. What was the name of the band before they changed it to The Replacements? 18. Why did the band play their first gig without Tommy Stinson? 19. What is "Buck Hill", and where is it located? 20. Which fellow Minneapolis-based artist is behind "Fake Name Graphx" and was responsible for the cover art for "Hootenanny" Section E: The Sire Years 21. Which is the only song on "All Shook Down" that features all members of the band? 22. Who replaced Chris Mars during the last tour, and what is the name of the band he and Tommy Stinson started after the Replacements split up? 23. Who drew the cartoon figure playing the sax on the Pleased To Meet Me inlay? 24. Which former American president is mentioned as a guest musician on "All Shook Down"? 25. Mention at least 3 links between The Replacements and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Section F: Now that the party's over... 26. Which Mats-member: a) wrote the lyrics for the Goo Goo Dolls song "We Are The Normal"? b) played on the first Golden Smog album? c) played trumpet on "Trumpet Clip" (Paul Westerberg)? d) played guitar on 3 tracks on Tonio K's 1997 album "Ole"? e) assisted Slim Dunlap on his CD "The Old New Me"? 27. Which fellow Twin City Heroes assisted Chris Mars on his first solo album? 28. Who is "Homelessexual" and wonders if "Psychofarmacology" will work for him? Section G: Liner Notes The following fragments appeared in liner notes of Replacements + related releases. Which? 29. "It's Always a pleaaassuuuurrre" 30. "Recorded at a warehouse in some godawful suburb north of Mpls" 31. "Thank you Jim, without whom car camping would not be car camping" 32. "Do not try to be his friend. He will not like you" Section H: Producers 33. Who produced The Replacements as well as The Bee Gees and Willie Nelson? 34. Which producer of a Replacements LP has a rhythm & blues band with his son? 35. Tommy Erdelyi, who produced "Tim", is an ex-member of ________ From: "Ralph Bryant" Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 20:51:08 -0600 I recently was able to acquire some great show flyers for Mats shows (thanks Dean!) I am interested in obtaining more from any era....although the earlier the better. I have many CD-R's for trade and would be willing to work something out. If you have anything, please contact me! pwig@revealed.net Thanks, Ralph Bryant P.S. Does anyone have a GOOD scan of the cover of Boink? From: Lisa Gray Date: Thu, 9 Dec 1999 17:00:00 -0600 Hi. I'm looking for anyone interested in doing some tape trading (audio or video) or who would be willing to do 2:1's trades for me. I have a few Mats odds and ends and would like to build up my collection. Thanks! Lisa Gray Date: Thu, 16 Dec 1999 21:09:10 -0800 (PST) From: Zabic Stanislav If you have a chance, please browse my new page dedicated for promotion of new bands. And let me know what you think. It's not exactly Mats related, but I mention them at some point on the page, and every band that is influenced by them is more than welcome on that page. http://www.geocities.com/zabasmusicbox Stanislav From: JJPAINT16@aol.com Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 18:00:19 EST I'm along time Mats fan who has finally gotten off his ass and purchased a computer. For years I have searched, begged, bribed, & cajoled for anything & everything Mats related. I've amassed a rather large collection over the years but just about shit when I saw the list of recorded live shows. I NEED THESE SHOWS! PLEASE somebody, anybody with shows to trade or purchase PLEASE contact me. I figure if Deadheads can have like every fuckin show on tape Mats fans can come close. Regards, Dustin Henderson JJPAINT16@aol.com P.S. I couldn't help but note I'm not the only fan that was screwed by Greg Verdusco. Stay away from this guy he took me for $27.00. Date: Thu, 16 Dec 1999 23:34:47 -0800 (PST) From: s thom Subject: I have Verdusco news I just happened to be reading through some letters to the Skyway, and found a guy named Justin Martin bitching about being ripped off by Greg Verdusco. Well, he tried to do it to me but I figured out how to beat him at his own game, and I got my merchandise from him. I went through basically a month of going back and forth with the guy about a videotape he advertised on Ebay at auction, which I was outbid on. However, he contacted me a few days later, saying he had extra copies. I agreed to send him my bid price, which was 25 bucks, after I checked out the ratings for him on Ebay, which were uniformly positive. So I sent the check. Nothing for nearly two weeks. Then he emails and said there was a delay, the tape was going out that day. Another week, nothing. So I'm pissed now, and I email again. Still nothing, but he emails back and says he'll send another tape priority mail. Well, still no tape. Now I'm furious, and I'm thinking...this guy is gonna rip me off unless I can figure something out here. He of course, had already cashed the check. So I send him another email and told him that if I didn't have that tape in my hands in 3 days, I was going to smear and slander his ass all over Ebay, Yahoo, AOL and any and all auction sites I could find. So he sends me back another email with his home phone number, begging me to call him. So I do, and he swears he will send me another tape overnight express if I'll just keep my mouth shut. So I tell him, I get the tape, you're off the hook. Well, I got the tape. Along with another email, whining and bitching that he had sent 3 tapes to me and he figures now I'm selling them. I almost went to Ebay just because of that. But being the almost gullible guy I can be, I said, well, it's POSSIBLE he sent the tapes. But tonight I read that letter from Justin. And obviously, he's been ripping left and right. So it's 6 months old, but I've got the guy's email, home address and phone number. If you want it, email me back. If he's ripping off Mats fans, all bets are off as far as any deal he and I had regarding my silence. Let me know. Michael Thompson P.S. I have a Mats board up on the Yahoo message boards under the rock and pop section called The Replacements-Finally. I'm a regular on those boards as well as a musician, and I have a Rep as the resident Mats expert. You're welcome to drop by and read and comment if you'd like. fin. ______________________________________________________________________________ The //Skyway\\: The Replacements Mailing List (digest only) http://www.novia.net/~matt/sky/skyway.html Matt Tomich | 117 Green Street | Chapel Hill NC 27516 | USA ______________________________________________________________________________ "Do not use this vehicle as an ambulance." -Ford F150 Owner's Guide