Yes! Love The Replacements! I came to them somewhat late, not sure how they stayed off my radar when I was young, but my first exposure to them was hearing “I’ll Be You” on the radio in the late 80’s. That song was my gateway drug to The Replacements and Paul Westerburg and I’ve enjoyed the catalog immensely over the years.
The Replacements are my desert island band, although I'd be hard pressed to pick if you added Dave Alvin, Steve Earle, John Hiatt and Jason Isbell (whom I view as solo artists with bands) to the list. I saw them (finally!) on the reunion tour and it still ranks as the top concert of my life.
"Valentine" is, has been, and continues to be a great track on what I think is their best album. ("Tim" perhaps has better songwriting, but the production is shit.) The song is right up there with "Can't Hardly Wait." But "Never Mind," despite its dated production, is the one that sticks with me from this album. I'd love to see you dig into that one, as well as the outtake "Portland" (best represented on the box set, Dead Man's Pop).
Hiatt is on my Desert Island list, too. A road trip isn't really a road trip until he gets played.
I'd love to take on both of those--especially Portland since it's' my hometown. Any time I write about the 'mats I wonder if I'm doing them any sort of justice.
Love to see the GC Map!
I was hoping you’d see that.
Once an Ops guy, always an Ops guy. 😎
Love this! Didn't Todd Snider also graffiti a tunnel in PDX with something like "Todd Snider Rules"?
Lol. Maybe! I’m not sure I ever saw that one, though.
I don't think I ever saw it when I lived in Portland, either. But I recall it maybe from his book, I Never Met A Story I Didn't Like.
Well now my curiosity's piqued! I'll have to see if any friends from back home remember seeing it.
Keep me posted!
Yes! Love The Replacements! I came to them somewhat late, not sure how they stayed off my radar when I was young, but my first exposure to them was hearing “I’ll Be You” on the radio in the late 80’s. That song was my gateway drug to The Replacements and Paul Westerburg and I’ve enjoyed the catalog immensely over the years.
Thanks for posting this!
It’s never too late! Glad you liked it. 🙂
Oh Kevin, mwwa, perfection. Easily my favorite ‘mats album. I mean, who can’t identify with wishing on a star that turns into a plane? So. Damn. Good.
So damn good indeed!
I love them!!! Thanks for sharing the story!
The Replacements are my desert island band, although I'd be hard pressed to pick if you added Dave Alvin, Steve Earle, John Hiatt and Jason Isbell (whom I view as solo artists with bands) to the list. I saw them (finally!) on the reunion tour and it still ranks as the top concert of my life.
"Valentine" is, has been, and continues to be a great track on what I think is their best album. ("Tim" perhaps has better songwriting, but the production is shit.) The song is right up there with "Can't Hardly Wait." But "Never Mind," despite its dated production, is the one that sticks with me from this album. I'd love to see you dig into that one, as well as the outtake "Portland" (best represented on the box set, Dead Man's Pop).
And if you have a few minutes, take a look at the essay I wrote on the band's Forest Hills show here: https://glenncook.substack.com/p/weekend-read-the-replacements
I'm on it!
Hiatt is on my Desert Island list, too. A road trip isn't really a road trip until he gets played.
I'd love to take on both of those--especially Portland since it's' my hometown. Any time I write about the 'mats I wonder if I'm doing them any sort of justice.
Give Alvin’s solo work a listen if you haven’t. Esp King of California, Ashgrove and Eleven Eleven (live album). I enjoy him almost as much as Hiatt.
Will do, and thanks!
I.O.U.