Westerberg told the audience that the band stayed at their hotel instead of attending soundcheck. “Lazy bastards to the end,” he reportedly declared before smashing his guitar on stage.
You know when you tune into PBS to catch a few minutes of an oldies act from the ’60s performing their 2 big hits? Maybe it’s “The Troggs,” with 2 original members and a backline of relative “kids,” veteran garage rockers in their mid-40s. (Maybe it’s a doo-wop group with only a single member old enough to have lived during the time when doo-wop was even remotely relevant.) The day “The Troggs” had enough of playing to a room of gray hairs for public television fundraising wasn’t really a “breakup,” was it? They retired. Paul Westerberg should retire. He hasn’t done anything of worth since whatever you felt was the last half-decent Replacements album, right? Were you actually into Sentimental Hygiene or Existential Hairline or Youth Floss or whatever that first ignored solo album was called? When’s the last time you listened to the actually half-decent CD of 49 minutes of nonstop lo-fi throwaway recordings? Westerberg doesn’t care; why do you? Has he even cared enough to make a lame “roots” album or a covers album or something NPR worthy like that?
Paul Westerberg can bite me. I’ll go on believing that The Replacements produced a half dozen good songs. Most of you can go on telling me to suck on it, that I didn’t know a great thing when it really existed. At least we give a shit. Good riddance, “Replacements.”
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.