“Starting in the 1980s, the Replacements injected a much-needed dose of mischief into a musical environment close to being overtaken by poseurs and synth-rock. Westerberg and his bandmates Tommy Stinson, Chris Mars and Bob Stinson took their direction from romantic songwriters and glam bands from the coasts — sentimental troubadours like Eric Carmen and Neil Diamond and party hounds like Thin Lizzy and Kiss. Ambitious, skilled, and swaggering but not stupid, they were the Clash without the notion that they had something important to say.

“Originally content to play simply fast and loud, Westerberg’s often comic and daring music grew increasingly more ambitious. By the band’s third and fourth albums, he was throwing off evocative tales of heartbreak, pain and confusion at a level that most bands would be lucky to stumble upon once in a career. Commercially, the Replacements mostly went nowhere, but you have to remember, this was the decade of Phil Collins.”

Do you think that means we’ll get a new, non-basement tapes album from the weirdo?

I sure as hell hope so. What say ye?

BONUS Random Skyway video with David de Young of Howwastheshow.com helping Jim Walsh and friends with the lyrics to “Skyway.” (P.S. click that link to see some awesome pics of the ‘Mats tribute a few weeks back)

One of the main characters has an undeniable similarity to our own Mr. Paul Westerberg (cult-rocker turned soccer dad). I’d like one of y’all who are vastly more knowledgeable about the history of rock & roll and The ‘Mats to see if there are anymore similarities, or who Tucker Crowe (that’s the character) could be based on.

Read it! It’ll be fun.

It’s sad. Condolences to friends, family, and fans.

Embarrassing 3:42 p.m. UPDATE: Now City Pages is reporting that Allen is still alive, but will be taken off life support sometime tonight.

Bitchy editor’s note:Are you fucking kidding me City Pages? Is it so important to get the scoop that you prematurely announce the death of a dying man. That’s so gross. I hope everyone at the rag is ashamed. Damn.

UPDATE: the STrib’s Jon Bream has a nice article about Allen, also make sure to take a peek at the comments for people sharing memories/condolences.

Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Let It Be and the paperback release of The Replacements: All Over But The Shouting at 7 p.m. on Friday, November 27th at First Ave. Tickets are $6 in advance and $8 at the door. The event is also a benefit for the Twin Cities Music Community Trust and will feature:
The Let It Be House Band
The Idle Hands
Gospel Gossip
High On Stress
Jennifer Markey
Jeremy Messersmith
Martin Devaney
Ashleigh Still
Stook!
The Bottom Forty
The Tisdales
Patches and Gretchen
The Hard Left

And probably much, much more. You can get all the details at on First Ave’s site here.

Did you know there was going to be a new Paul Westerberg EP released on Tuesday, September 22nd? Me neither. I’m a bad fangirl. But there it is, PW & The Ghost Gloves Cat Wing Joy Boys. You can also order it on CD.

Super sweet, it’s about damn time.

Swinging Party from Kindness on Vimeo.

Here is talking about making Big Star’s Third/Sister Lovers.

I love Can’t Hardly Wait (I have 26 versions of it in my iTunes, and that’s only because I am too lazy to go cherry pick the song out of the rest of the bootlegs laying around). It’s in the all-time top three Holy Triumvirate of iconic ‘Mats songs (along with Left of the Dial and a song that I usually slot in depending on my mood).

Go read the discussion, you’ll be happy you did.