Jun 092015
What nerve of Paul Westerberg to announce that The Replacements are breaking up again! Really? That money grab of a “reunion” tour with 2 actual members of the band’s once-active recording career was fine for what it was. I hope they made some money. They added something to ’80s rock culture that ’80s rock consumers didn’t give back to them. I hope fans of the band enjoyed hearing those songs performed live again. I hope a bit of their youth was rekindled as they watched Paul and Tommy Stinson shamble about like they were a little too cool to care. However, ceasing to carry on as a greatest hits act is not the same as breaking up. Is it?
Shocked, I tell you, I’m shocked!
I asked a few weeks ago who was going and why. Most (all?) reports were favorable. This announcement, far from making me sorry I didn’t bother going to one of these reunion shows, makes me glad I didn’t.
Dyslexic Heart is the only post-‘Mats song I’d rate as grade A. In fact, I rate this higher than any ‘Mats song. But it’s not much to show for a 20+ year solo career.
PPPhhhhhhhtttttt……Ppptthhtttt!
C’mon, you already don’t like them one way or the other, and Paul’s solo career in particular, but why would it bother you that they are done and officially broken up? I wasn’t that interested in going to see them, and I’m kind of glad I didn’t since I’d have gone to Pittsburgh and seen a sign that said, “Canceled.” So I really didn’t plan to partake too much in this anyway, but can’t you see someone not being all that interested in doing what they did when they were in their twenties anymore? I can. Tommy probably gives him a hard time when he’s writing the kinds of songs he wants to write and he figures he’s pretty much had enough.
Besides, I’ll trade a lot of Replacements records for Paul’s Mono album pretty much any day. That’s some real good stuff right there! I’d rather he get back to doing things without Tommy because Tommy thinks he can sing and write songs. That’s why he works for Axl Rose. Reality just isn’t his thing.
I am aware that this is probably the lamest thing I’ve ever complained about here in the Halls of Rock. As I thought about it last night, I’m not sure that the real target of my unnecessary ire is Westerberg or if it’s really ongoing fans of the band, and the media, in particular, who made such a big deal about the reunion tour. I accept the fact that I can be a small man now and then. I’ll try to come up with more productive thoughts on music that moves me in some way.
Mono and Stereo were both great.
Well I went and saw them in DC – and it was a damn good show. There are many reasons I think Paul agreed to this whole thing, including a divorce and a college age kid. The other reason was to help Slim Dunlap get through a pretty tough time and raise some money to help him out.
As for not making any good music since Dyslexic Heart — that’s just BS. Westerberg
That’s okay. I understand where you’re coming from. With The Replacements, I don’t care if Bob’s the guitar player or Slim. I don’t care if All Shook Down is practically a Paul solo album. I either like the stuff or I don’t, but I was a little late to their party.
I wasn’t too interested in this reunion, mainly because I knew Tommy would want to be more than the bass player and Paul would bring his issues. I hope their fans had fun at the shows but I’d just as soon get moving on to a new Paul Westerberg album.
“I’m not sure that the real target of my unnecessary ire is Westerberg or if it’s really ongoing fans of the band, and the media, in particular, who made such a big deal about the reunion tour.”
And yet I don’t recall you making a big fuss when bands like the Pixies reformed to much greater hype. I’ll consider taking another shot at explaining to you why you are so misguided. But first I’m going to attempt to explain to Rush Limbaugh why he’s a complete asshole. One strident contrarian at a time…
Meant to include this Soundcloud link to his 49:00 which has some great stuff on it — check this thing out.
https://soundcloud.com/paul-westerberg/49-00
Yeah, I had the Grandpaboy disk first, and then it came out with the Stereo disk. I really like Paul’s solo stuff. he’s kind of like Ryan Adams and could use an editor sometimes, and I’l really like it if he’d at the very least get a drummer. I think Paul’s best drumming is just about mediocre.
I spent enough time years ago defending why I know the Pixies were not worth my attention! At least the leader of that band seems to care about whatever he’s into for a given 3-month stretch. He had to put up with a crappy bassist who was governed by issues.
He appeared to be very committed for about two and a half of the three reunion shows that I saw. I don’t think it’s a sustainable thing, so I’m not surprised that it’s ending.
Alex Chilton also seemed ambivalent about his greatest work but I still loved the Big Star show that I saw (with only two original members).
If you don’t like the music, that’s fine. But surely there are more deserving targets for the extra jabs.
Care for some moldy cheese with those sour grapes, Mod? (Referring not so much to the commentary on the “reunion” or the “break-up,” neither of which interest me, but on the “they were never any good in the first place” and “Westerberg sucks” discussion.) Anyway, see you at the Bash & Pop reunion!
I’m less surprised by the break up than I am that the tour went on that far with out some falling out. This seems like par for the course for rock’s “enfant terrible”.
Echoing cdm’s observations, Westerberg seemed to be really enjoying himself and not just “whoring himself”. I would have been quite pissed off if he just phoned in the performance, but it his enthusiasm seemed sincere. I can’t believe that this is the last time he resurrects The Mats.
I don’t feel like a sucker for geeking out over this reunion.I guess it would be better to catch this flicker in time, than going to see a band who tours every summer giving audiences lackluster and uninspired shows.
What’s sour grapes about me never liking them that much? There were plenty of bands I was jealous of or felt sour over, but they were not one of them.
Nevermind.