My older brother (and my best friend) Matt went to college for his freshman year in Fall of 1989. By the end of that school year, he returned home with a multitude of new records to which he would introduce me in short order. Jane's Addiction's Nothings Shocking, and the Smashing Pumpkins' Gish were on that list - but he also brought home Let It Be and Pleased To Meet Me by the Replacements. I remember him specifically telling me that these two records "were considered to be their best ones." I was in the eighth grade.
Matt was always more inclined to listen to super heavy and aggressive music, from speed metal to thrash, to hardcore. And though I loved punk rock and shoe gazer music, I always had a soft spot for pop rock records. So, when I first heard the Replacements that summer, I fell in love. I remember listening to songs like Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out and Alex Chilton constantly. The Replacements seemed to seamlessly combine punk rock with well written pop songs - and I was smitten.
That following fall, I went on to buy All Shook Down (I still have the CD that I purchased from Record Exchange that year) upon its release. Jessica and I still listen to it A LOT.
By the time I was in high school, the Replacements were long since gone, and Paul Westerberg was recording songs (like Dyslexic Heart, for one) for the movie Singles. I still loved what he was doing, and continued to listen to the Replacements catalog. For the same reasons that I loved them as a 14 years old, they have simply remained one of my favorite bands.
They reunited the last few years and played various shows (one of which with my favorite band of all-time Superchunk), which garnered positive reviews. So last month, when they re-released their first four albums on vinyl, I bought Let It Be immediately. And now I am (once again) listening to the Replacements. All. The. Time.
So, when I learned that the first comprehensive history of the band was being published this month, a book entitled Trouble Boys, by journalist Bob Mehr - I sort of lost my mind. As many of you know, I consider the act of combining historical writing with rock n roll to be one of the greatest gifts ever given to humankind - so I am insanely excited about cracking open this book, and geeking out for the next month or so.
Enjoy this short video below, walking you through a brief history of the Replacements' rise and influence.
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| Let It Be re-released on vinyl - an exciting day |
Matt was always more inclined to listen to super heavy and aggressive music, from speed metal to thrash, to hardcore. And though I loved punk rock and shoe gazer music, I always had a soft spot for pop rock records. So, when I first heard the Replacements that summer, I fell in love. I remember listening to songs like Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out and Alex Chilton constantly. The Replacements seemed to seamlessly combine punk rock with well written pop songs - and I was smitten.
That following fall, I went on to buy All Shook Down (I still have the CD that I purchased from Record Exchange that year) upon its release. Jessica and I still listen to it A LOT.
By the time I was in high school, the Replacements were long since gone, and Paul Westerberg was recording songs (like Dyslexic Heart, for one) for the movie Singles. I still loved what he was doing, and continued to listen to the Replacements catalog. For the same reasons that I loved them as a 14 years old, they have simply remained one of my favorite bands.
They reunited the last few years and played various shows (one of which with my favorite band of all-time Superchunk), which garnered positive reviews. So last month, when they re-released their first four albums on vinyl, I bought Let It Be immediately. And now I am (once again) listening to the Replacements. All. The. Time.
So, when I learned that the first comprehensive history of the band was being published this month, a book entitled Trouble Boys, by journalist Bob Mehr - I sort of lost my mind. As many of you know, I consider the act of combining historical writing with rock n roll to be one of the greatest gifts ever given to humankind - so I am insanely excited about cracking open this book, and geeking out for the next month or so.
Enjoy this short video below, walking you through a brief history of the Replacements' rise and influence.
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