Wronger: An Interview with Tommy Stinson & Show # 1008

Tommy Stinson’s Cowboys in the Campfire released their debut album Wronger in June 2023. The album collects a mix of alt-country, rockabilly, folk songs and features musicians Tommy Stinson and Chip Roberts. Stinson and Roberts’ history goes back many years, he even helped co-write a song on Stinson’s Bash & Pop album Anything Could Happen in 2007. But, for those of you who don’t know Tommy got his start playing bass in the Minneapolis band The Replacements, then went on to play in numerous groups such as Perfect, Guns n’ Roses, Soul Asylum, Bash & Pop. Wronger got its start with some sessions recorded in Texas with Christine Smith around 2016/2017 with John Doe on bass, the rest were recorded in Stinson’s New York studio. There are several different musicians on this album that all add to its makeup, but overall it comes off as a stripped down collection of songs that flows together so naturally.

“Here We Go Again” starts off Wronger with ukulele and horns. Lyrically drawing on themes of creativity and everything that comes along with it, “That’s It” is an upbeat and fast paced rockabilly track, while the third track “Mr. Wrong” is a sparse song reflecting a Bakersfield sound with lyrics such as “I see all your troubles playing out in a brand new light,” and “I hope your Mr. Next will be Mr. Right” that sketch out a catchy character study of love gone wrong. “Fall Apart Together” with its Nashville meets Bakersfield sound evokes a sense of giving it another shot, despite the fact that everything is in a destructive decline. “Hey Man” is another track featuring gritty soulful vocals and evocative country styled dynamics as a string section brings forth another element altogether. With lyrics such as “All the bridges that won’t go across the tracks/The grass is greener for the things that lax” and “To lead you onto war,” Stinson touches on several topics that dip into the realm of politics without overstating the message here.

“We Ain’t” begins with bass before a rockabilly guitar line comes in with locomotive-like acoustic guitars as Stinson sings lyrics such as “Waiting at the table/With your cemetery eyes,” and “We made a few mistakes/Make it hard to sleep alone/Except for all the ones/That I’ve learned to face right on” that draw on themes of determination and trials and tribulations that come along with it. This song has drawn comparison to Johnny Cash’s Folsom Prison album and it matches the energy found in the songs there. “Souls” arrives with a shuffle as the bass and drums float in the background as acoustic guitar, electric guitar and piano weave in-between pop melodies. “Dream” ends Wronger. One of the strongest songs found in this ten song collection, if features steady drums, pedal steel slides and impassioned vocals, the lyrics “It’s a been a while since you’ve released your spell/I was just a lonely so and so trying to make myself a home/I had a dream, you weren’t in it” bring a certain feeling. It is reflective, realistic, yet profound.

Throughout Wronger, Stinson and Roberts produce songs that incorporate so many different musical elements naturally. There are a lot of experimental aspects found throughout the album and the songs also have a loose and have a spontaneous feel to them. Wronger creates and delivers music on its own terms.

Listen to an interview Revolution Rock did with Tommy Stinson here:

  

Show 1008 Playlist (Tommy Stinson Interview):

1.  Yo La Tengo - Double Dare 
2.  The Afghan Whigs - Be Sweet 
3.  Uncle Tupelo - The Long Cut 
4.  Tea Leaves - Meet Me at the Mausoleum 
5.  Window Lamp - Laughing at Me(
6.  Jeff Rosenstock - Doubt 
7.  The Rural Alberta Advantage - Bite My Tongue 
8.  Pooched - Bats 
9.  Tommy Stinson’s Cowboys in the Campfire - Fall Apart Together 

TOMMY STINSON INTERVIEW PT.1

10. Tommy Stinson’s Cowboys in the Campfire - That’s It 

TOMMY STINSON INTERVIEW PT.2

11. Tommy Stinson’s Cowboys in the Campfire - Dream 
12. The Replacements - Having Fun 
13. The Replacements - Kiss Me On the Bus (Demo) 
14. Dion Lunadon - Secrets
15. Pierre Omer’s Swing Revue - Tropical Breakdown 
16. Autogramm - WannaBe 
17. Olinda - Reverie 
18. Psychic Void - Cemetery Eyes 
19. McLusky - Unpopular Parts of a Pig 
20. Tunic - Boss (Revised) 
21. Packs - Honey 
22. David Bowie - Dirty Boys 
23. Buzzcocks - Harmony in My Head 
24. Constantines - Lizaveta 

To hear this program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and click the October 7 file to download/stream the episode. 

Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash & Shows # 919 & 918

The first Replacements album Sorry Man, Forgot To Take Out The Trash was first released in 1981 on the Twin/Tone label. Although associated with other bands in the Minneapolis scene, they were different. While their uninhibited snotty energy tapped into punk, Paul Westerberg’s songwriting even in this early stage, stood out from the other bands at the time. Featuring Paul Westerberg on guitar/vocals, Tommy Stinson on bass, Bob Stinson on lead guitar and Chris Mars on drums, The Replacements first album featured 18 tracks.

The songs delved into themes of boredom, angst, despair, relationships, booze and everything in between. Containing now classic tracks such as “Takin’ A Ride,” “Customer,” “I Hate Music,” “Johnny’s Gonna Die,” “Shiftless When Idle,” and “I’m In Trouble,” throughout the Sorry Ma album, the songs are also filled a unique sense of humour and also abandon. Recorded at Blackberry Way in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the album was produced by Steve Fjelstad, Paul Westerberg and Peter Jesperson. Although it has been stated many times before, Peter Jesperson was instrumental in getting The Replacements not only gigs at The Longhorn (a venue he was helping book shows at), but he also helped get them a record deal to make Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash. Also a taste maker in the music scene in the Twin Cities at the time, when he first heard The Replacements 4-track demo tape, he flipped out. He became an instant lifelong fan and supporter. He also helped to record early demos of the band in addition to helping produce this album.

In 2021, a deluxe edition of Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash was released on Rhino Records. This edition, like the previous deluxe editions of their other albums that have come before this, expands a certain time period in the band’s history. This set features the original Sorry Ma album remastered with the B-side country ballad “If Only You Were Lonely,” along with 67 unreleased tracks and an unreleased live show live at 7th St Entry in Minneapolis on January 23rd, 1981. Included in the set is the original 4-track demo that got them their record deal, the demo that proceeded it (when they weren’t even known as The Replacements yet), a plethora of other early demos and recordings, there are alternate takes and outtakes from the Sorry Ma sessions as well. The 4 CD set also comes with a vinyl edition of the album made up from the alternate takes and some demos from this time period giving Sorry Ma a different sonic outlook called Deliberate Noise -The Alternate Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash. There is also a book with previously unreleased photos, interviews with the band members and associates as well as writings from band biographer Bob Mehr. Peter Jesperson, Rhino’s Jason Jones and Bob Mehr produced this deluxe set. Whichever version you listen to Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash is where it all began for The Replacements. There is chaos, reckless abandon and depth in the songs. Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash captures The Replacements in their earliest and rawest form.

Show 919 Playlist (Originally Aired On January 29th, 2022)(Destroyer, Teenanger, Cellos, The Replacements):

1. Broken Social Scene - Curse Your Fail
2. Gray - Wig
3. Ada Lea - Oranges
4. Fiver - Paid in Pride
5. The Sadies - Message To Belial
6. Bill Fay - Backwoods Maze
7. Good2Go - Hold Me Close
8. The Detroit Cobras - Bad Girl
9. The Retail Simps - Love Without Friction
10. Thee Headcoatees - Don't Try and Tell Me
11. Neu! - Hallogallo
12. Destroyer - Tinoretto, It's For You
13. Teenanger - Good, You?
14. Aversions - Sharp Left Turns
15. Devo - Strange Pursuit (Demo)
16. Trampoline Delay - Don't Let Go
17. Cellos - Moustache Rock
18. Lucy Dacus - First Time
19. Elvis Costello & The Imposters - Penelope Halfpenny
20. Basement Revolver - Tunnel Vision
21. Cat Power - Pa Pa Power
22. The Replacements - Lookin' For Ya (Demo)
23. The Replacements - Raised In The City (Demo)
24. The Replacements - Careless (Alternate Version)
25. The Replacements - I'm In Trouble (Alternate Version)
26. The Replacements - Don't Ask Why (Alternate Mix)

To hear this program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and click the January 29 file to download/stream the episode.

 Show 918 Playlist (Originally Aired On January 22nd, 2022)(Fontaines D.C., Outtacontroller, Ronnie Spector, Dave Whitehead, Crissy DeVerbert, Hilary Bockham/Ida Red and Rachel Nagy Tributes):

1. Fontaines D.C. - Jackie Down The Line
2. Lammping - Everylasting Moors
3. Trampoline Delay - Personal Space
4. Outtacontroller - Parts Unknown
5. Matt Ellis - Everything Sucks/I Hate It All
6. Print Head - Only Being
7. Print Head - Trouble Doubt Brewin'
8. Howlin' Wolf - Who's Been Talkin'
9. Roy Orbison - Lana
10. Paul Simon - Run That Body Down
11. Al Green - La-La For You
12. No Frills - I Don't Want To Be Your Dog Anymore
13. Scarlet Drops - It's Time To Do
14. Tunic - Ex-Epic
15. L00ping - Wasn't There
16. Diamondtown - Stride
17. Lost Patrol - I’m Not The One
18. Lost Patrol - Grow Up Hard
19. The Guitar Army Ft. Dave Whitehead - Pills (Live at The Vic 1998)
20. Zellots - On The Dole
21. Zellots - Soldier
22. The Delmonas - Comin' Home Baby
23. The Delmonas - Peter Gunn Locomotion
24. Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band feat. Ronnie Spector - Be My Baby
25. The Ronettes - What'd I Say
26. Ronnie Spector - You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory
27. The Ronettes - Why Don't They Let Us Fall In Love
28. The Detroit Cobras - He Did It
29. The Detroit Cobras - Stay Down
30. The Detroit Cobras - Cha Cha Twist

To hear this program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and click the January 22 file to download/stream the episode.

The Replacements Live At Maxwell's 1986 & Shows # 695, 696, 697

On February 4th, 1986, The Replacements played a live show at Maxwell’s in Hoboken, New Jersey. It wasn’t a new venue for the band to play, in fact, they had played there several years before in 1983, during their first East Coast tour. This live show was recorded by Randy Ezratty on a multi-track mobile studio. The mobile studio that was used for this recording was the same New York-based Effanel recording unit that was used for U2’s Under A Blood Red Sky and The Unforgettable Fire album. This show captured the band in what many are saying is one of their last great live performances featuring original guitarist, Bob Stinson. Prior to this, the recording of this show had only been available in bootleg form.

In 1985, the band had signed to Sire Records and released their critically acclaimed album, Tim. This live show was recorded to capture and document The Replacements in their live element, it was intended to be used for some sort of promotional purpose. Head of Sire Records, Seymour Stein suggested a live recording of the band, he had seen them perform live in December 1984 at New York’s Irving Plaza, which led to them getting signed to Sire Records. This recording was set up by Michael Hill, the band’s A&R man at the time. It took place shortly after The Replacements infamous Saturday Night Live appearance in 1985, which earned them a lifetime ban from NBC.

For Sale: Live At Maxwell’s 1986, features 29 tracks made up of a collection of B-sides, covers and a mix of songs from all of the band’s albums up to that point in time. “Hayday” opens the album. Originally featured on 1983’s Hootenanny. This blistering take on this track shows the band starting off with high energy and in top form. Throughout this song and during various points of this concert, Westerberg can be heard shouting “Murder!” instead of the actual lyrics. This was done as part of an inside joke amongst the band, but also that warranted the title “Rock Like Murder” in an interview from Rolling Stone in 2012. It is followed up with a loose version of “Color Me Impressed”, “Dose Of Thunder” is a deeper cut from 1986’s Tim, while “Fox On The Run” is the first of several cover songs featured on this recording. Originally by The Sweet, this half-serious take of this song is cut short after about a minute.

The Replacements ability to balance their drunken reckless abandon with a seriousness and maturity in their music is exemplified perfectly throughout this album. They had a reputation live where they would sometimes play rowdy live shows in a drunken state, performing sets made up entirely of cover songs randomly, while on other occasions they would perform magnificently combining both originals and covers. “Hold My Life”, “I Will Dare”, “Unsatisfied”, “Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out”, and “Can’t Hardly Wait”, performed here before it was released as a studio recording, are some of the tracks on this release that exemplify this. This song had been part of the band’s live set since 1984, but wouldn’t turn up on a record until 1987’s Pleased To Meet Me. “Bastards Of The Young” and “Kiss Me On The Bus” featured here differ from the studio recordings found on 1986’s Tim. Lead guitarist Bob Stinson, as described in the liner notes by Bob Mehr, “Seesaws between pinpoint precision and reckless abandon” on this release. During the recording of Tim he began to withdraw from the band. The live performances of these songs originally found on Tim, arguably exceed the studio versions.

Songs such as “Takin’ A Ride”, “I’m In Trouble”, and “God Damn Job” rival the early recordings and for all intents and purposes may be superior to those versions. In addition to this, there are the other moments such as “Left Of The Dial” which is an excellent performance of the song until it falls off of the rails at the end and “Answering Machine” which begins in dissonance before the band launches into this track. “If Only You Were Lonely” captures an unpredictable spontaneity. This song Westerberg’s country lament was originally released as the B-side to “I’m In Trouble” and starts off as a solo Westerberg track as the band joins in.

The covers of The Beatles “Nowhere Man”, T.Rex’s “Baby Strange”, Kiss’s “Black Diamond” and Vanity Fair’s “Hitching A Ride” are injected with the band’s own brand of raucousness. The album ends with two tracks from The Replacements 1982 Stink EP. An EP that ventured into hardcore punk territory at times, “Go” provides a moody moment prior to the concert ending middle finger send off track “Fuck School”.

The only live recording that was released by the band prior to this was, the 1985 cassette only release, The Shit Hits The Fans. This recording features reckless versions of primarily cover songs. The Maxwell’s recordings sat in the Warner Bros. vaults for decades, until they were finally mixed in 2007 as part of a reissue campaign for the band. These tracks were mixed by Brain Kehw and Bill Inglot, but still it would be another decade until they saw the light of day.

Shortly after this concert and some tours in the US and Europe, Bob Stinson departed from the group. Paul Westerberg, Tommy Stinson and Chris Mars decided to regroup as a three-piece band and return to the studio. The result would be 1987’s Pleased To Meet Me, produced by Jim Dickinson. Seeing as how the band’s lineup had now changed, this live album was not released. The concert, a moment captured, was thought to be lost. Following the release of his New York Times best seller Trouble Boys: The True Story of The Replacements, this album was produced for release by author Bob Mehr. For Sale: Live At Maxwell’s 1986 may have taken 31 years to be released, but it captures The Replacements in a moment. Whether you were there or not when it happened, this moment that many thought had been lost forever, now lives again.

Show 697 (Originally Aired On December 9th, 2017):

1. The Iguanas - Wild Weekend
2. The Novas - Take 7
3. Mach Kung-Fu - Bamboosville
4. Jackie Shane - In My Tenement
5. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - Sail On!
6. Grassy Knoll & The Magic Bullit - Around Under Your Feet
7. Grassy Knoll & The Magic Bullit - Bonberry Blues
8. The Holy Gasp - Stomp Out The Man
9. Chad VanGaalen - Static Shape
10. King Krule - Slush Puppy
11. Angel Olsen - Fly On Your Wall
12. Husker Du - Diane
13. Husker Du - Do You Remember?
14. Husker Du - Chinese Rocks
15. The Replacements - Anywhere's Better Than Here
16. The Replacements - I Won't
17. The Replacements - Portland
18. The Minutemen - Self-Referenced
19. The Minutemen - Cut
20. Wilco - Monday
21. TUNS - Throw It All Away
22. Chang-A-Lang - Throwaway Litres
23. Paul Jacobs - Stay At Home
24. The Fuzzy Undertones - Empath Blues
25. Torres - Helen In the Woods
26. The Runaways - School Days
27. The Revelons - The Way You (Touch My Hand)
28. Richard Lloyd - (I Thought) You Wanted To Know
29. The Replacements - Kiss Me On The Bus (Live At Maxwell's 1986)
30. The Replacements - Baby Strange (Live At Maxwell's 1986)

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for December 9.

Show 696 (Originally Aired On December 2nd, 2017):

1. Link Wray - American Sunset
2. Link Wray - The Swag
3. The Velvetones - Doheny Run
4. The Scarlet Ribbon - Four in The Morning
5. Lucille Furs - The Fawn Of Teal Dear
6. (Those) Rogues - Wish I Could See You Again
7. Sultans 5 - You Know You Know
8. Link Wray - Son of Rumble
9. Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile - Outta The Woodwork
10. Craig Brown Band - Shoulda Been Fishin'
11. James O-L & The Villains - The Road In Between
12. Jerry Jerry & The Son of Rhythm Orchestra - Dumb Love
13. King Khan - It's A Lie
14. The Dirtbombs - Your Love Belongs Under A Rock
15. Flat Worms - Motorbike
16. The O Voids - Next Week
17. Pale Lips - Hiding From The Moon
18. Actual Water - Having Fun in 2001
19. The Diodes - Mercenary Flight
20. The Replacements - Fox On The Run (Live At Maxwell's 1986)
21. The Replacements - Takin' A Ride (Live At Maxwell's 1986)
22. The Replacements - Bastards of Young (Live At Maxwell's 1986)
23. Television - I'm Gonna Find You (1974 Ork Loft Rehearsal)
24. Television - Double Exposure (1974 Eno Demo)
25. The Neon Boys - That's All I Know (Right Now)
26. Ariel Pink - Another Weekend
27. The Chills - The Oncoming Day
28. Ancient Shapes - Public Hymns
29. Ancient Shapes - Ancient Shapes
30. Jack O & The Tennessee Tearjerkers - Make Your Mind Up
31. The Damned - I Just Can't Be Happy Today
32. The Lost Patrol - Blue's Theme
33. The D4 - John Rock And Roll Sinclair

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for December 2.

Show 695 (Originally Aired On November 25th, 2017):

1. The Traditional Fools - Davey Crockett
2. Dusty Mush - Ugly Buddies
3. Priors - Got in Me
4. Cold Warps - Sleepist
5. Century Palm - Echo Divide (CJSW Session)
6. Fake Palms - I'm Not There (CJSW Session)
7. Trout - Long Hair
8. The Sliders - The Lamb Shake
9. The Flamethrowers - The Knight's Caper
10. Bloodshot Bill - Outta The Rain
11. Carl Perkins - Boppin' The Blues
12. Doctor Ross - The Boogie Disease
13. Bloodshot Bill - Shick Shack
14. Tom Waits - Gin Soaked Boy
15. Jonathan Richman - You're Crazy For Taking the Bus
16. Diane Motel - Okemah
17. Chad VanGaalen - Host Body
18. Ty Segall - Cherry Red
19. Expedition To Earth - Expedition To Earth
20. The Fall-Outs - Alone
21. Wolf Parade - Valley Boy
22. Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet - What I Like About Grease
23. The Blazers - Beaver Patrol
24. Elevator Through - The Only See To Thought
25. The Makers - It's Hard To Be Human
26. The Adverts - I Will Walk You Home
27. Radio Birdman - I-94
28. Television Personalities - Look Back In Anger
29. Richard Hell & The Voidoids - Down At the Rock and Roll Club
30. Richard Hell & The Voidoids - Who Says?
31. Richard Hell & The Voidoids - Blank Generation

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for November 25.

Riot Fest 2013 & Show # 470

 

It has been 22 years since The Replacements have last played live. Their last live show was on July 4th, 1991 in Chicago. That concert ended with the band switching instruments and playing the song “Hootenanny” then passing their instruments off to their roadies. The show ended in tones of feedback. In October 2012, The Replacements reunited to record an EP entitled Songs For Slim. The EP was recorded for Replacements guitarist Slim Dunlap who had suffered a stroke and the EP was released to raise some money for Slim and his family. In June 2012, it was announced that The Replacements would reform for three live shows as part of this years Riot Fest. Riot Fest runs in Toronto on August 24-25th, in Chicago on September 13-15th and in Denver on September 21-22nd. The current line up of The Replacements set to play at Riot Fest is Paul Westerberg (vocals/guitar), Tommy Stinson (bass), Dave Minehan of the band The Neighborhoods on guitar and Josh Freese on Drums.

Iggy and The Stooges will also play this year’s Riot Fest in Toronto. They have been playing with this current line up featuring Raw Power-era guitarist James Williamson since 2009. The Stooges released an album with James Williamson entitled Ready To Die. It was released on Fat Possum Records in February 2013. The album has received favourable reviews from many critics, often being cited as a stronger release than 2007’s The Weirdness. The album features notable songs such as “Burn”, Job” and “The Departed”, which is apparently an homage to pre-Raw Power guitarist Ron Asheton who passed away in 2009. Iggy & The Stooges have been said to play many Raw Power-era songs and songs from Iggy’s solo career live. This year’s Riot Fest in Toronto will also feature bands such as Dinosaur Jr. Best Coast, The Weakerthans, Rocket From The Crypt and more.

This Week's Play List:

1. Dinosaur Jr. – In A Jar
2. Dinosaur Jr. – The Lung
3. The Weakerthans – Civil Twilight
4. The Mooney Suzuki - Oh, Sweet Susanna
5. The Little Boy Blues – You Don’t Love Me
6. Graham Bond Organization – Harmonica
7. Davie Allan & The Arrows – High Rise
8. John Ward’s Electric Séance – Meatmare
9. Contradance – Trouble In The Darkness
10. The Sturgeons – Danger Zone
11. Pow Wows – Plastic Factory
12. Indian Wars – Who Needs A Girl Like You
13. Brazilian Money – Bones, Bones, Bones!
14. Repetitor - Laka Zabava
15. The Vibrators - Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
16. Iggy & The Stooges – Open Up and Bleed (July 1973 CBS Studios)
17. Iggy & The Stooges – I’m Sick Of You
18. Iggy & The Stooges – Shake Appeal
19. The Replacements – Wake Up
20. The Replacements – Can’t Hardly Wait (Outtake - Electric Version)
21. The Replacements – Treatment Bound

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for August 20 Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

The Replacements Let It Be & Show # 458

In September 1984, The Replacements released their third full length album entitled Let It Be. The album's title is a reference to the album of the same name by The Beatles, however Paul Westerberg has been quoted numerous times about the title's origins and meaning saying that it "was our way of saying that nothing is sacred, that the Beatles were just a damn fine rock & roll band. We seriously were gonna call the next record Let It Bleed." This is no surprise given this Minneapolis bands previous history. Prior to this album's release, The Replacements earlier sound was very fast and Punk oriented. Let It Be built on the sounds that the band first experimented with on 1983’s Hootenanny, an album in which they played other styles of music breaking from the Punk mould that they had been associated with. This album took that differing of styles to another level.

Let It Be opens with the song “I Will Dare”, a Pop song that was originally written by Westerberg on an acoustic guitar, one of the first that was written this way. On this track Westerberg plays a 12 string electric guitar and Mandolin, while R.E.M’s Peter Buck provides the guitar solo, the rest of the band plays along with a certain intensity. With lyrics such as “Ain’t lost yet/So I gotta be a winner” which captures a certain Midwestern angst and a chorus that states “Meet me anyplace or anywhere or anytime/Now, I don’t care/Meet me tonight/If you will dare/I will dare” these lyrics are not only relevant in the context of this album's content, but also Westerberg’s intentions as a songwriter. “Favorite Thing” follows next which sounds like a more up tempo song as Westerberg rants in a Joe Strummer style with lyrics such as “I don’t give a single shit”, this displays the bands Punk attitude, which is still found on this song and through out this album. “We’re Coming Out” starts off with a breakneck Hardcore Punk-like speed and also features a Jazz breakdown, it is followed up by the Punk/Proto Punk “Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out".  Lyrically the song references an actual incident with Replacements bassist Tommy Stinson, while it also portrays the band's sense of humour as throughout the song we learn of a doctor that is more interested in his tee times than doing his job.



Alternate front cover photo for Let It Be

“Androgynous” comes in at the opposite end of the musical spectrum following “Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out” it is a slow Jazz influenced song, featuring only Westerberg on Piano/Sand blocks and vocals. Lyrically the song is a character study seemingly with lyrics such as “Now, something meets Boy, and something meets Girl”, and “He might be a father, but he sure ain't a dad”, this song proves that Paul Westerberg’s song writing capabilities can be as diverse as going from Punk to Jazz, achieving the same response regardless of genre. “Unsatisfied” is a haunting Folk/Pop-like rant, an anthem for disaffected youth with lyrics such as "Look me in the eye and then tell me/That I'm satisfied/Are you satisfied?...I'm so, I'm so unsatisfied” and “All of the time/Everything you dream of/Is right in front of you/And everything is a lie” Westerberg hits a nerve that taps into the social sub consciousness. Other tracks on this album worth noting are the Hard Rock “Gary’s Got A Boner”, “Sixteen Blue” which features what many fans believe the best guitar solo Bob Stinson had ever recorded and the bitter love song “Answering Machine”, which ends the album.

Overall, Let It Be showcased not only Paul Westerberg’s song writing abilities, which were developing into something other than fast Punk songs. The Replacements as a band and their chemistry is also evident on Let It Be. Bob Mould of Husker Du, another Minneapolis band from that time described The Replacements live shows in The Replacements: All Over But The Shouting: An Oral History by Jim Walsh as this “If you see ten Replacements shows, one of them you’re going to think they’re the greatest that ever walked the face of the earth, and the other nine might degenerate into drunken covers.” That quote is relevant when describing this album. Let It Be has the greatest moments, but also the drunken degenerate ones. From the songs to the now iconic photograph that was taken on the roof of Bob and Tommy Stinson’s mother’s house for the albums front cover, Let It Be captured something that was hard to define, it had something that until this point in 1984 other Replacements albums did not.

This Week's Play List:

1. Human Eye – Alligator Dance
2. Young Benjamins – Less Argue
3. Daniel Romano – He Lets Her Memory Go (Wild)
4. Talking Heads – Psycho Killer (1975 CBS Demo)
5. The Rapture – Caravan
6. Charles De Goal – Synchro
7. Sheep Look Up - Burning
8. Thrush Hermit – French Inhale
9. Syzslak – Turquoise
10. Cold Warps – Hole In My Head
11. The Vondells – Go Go Gone
12. The Vondells – 2 Tone Blue
13. The Zeros – Beat Your Heart Out
14. The Basements – I Don’t Want you No More
15. Raised By Weeds – Here’s A Story
16. The Replacements – I Will Dare
17. The Replacements - Favorite Thing
18. The Replacements – Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out
19. The Replacements – Unsatisfied
20. The D4 – Invader Ace
21. Ty Segall & Mikal Cronin – Reverse Shark Attack

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for May 28. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

Interesting and Controversial Moments on SNL & Show # 360

This week I thought I would visit three interesting and exciting moments in the musical history of the television program Saturday Night Live. While a whole radio show could be made out of the excellent musical performances that this show has produced over the years its beginnings, and numerous TV specials have been made surrouding such performances, i'm not sure if a radio program has focused on these performances.  Today I will focus on three moments, two of which created controversy with the show and the shows producer Lorne Michaels.

Elvis Costello & The Attractions – Less Than Zero/Radio Radio (1977)

In December of 1977, Elvis Costello & The Attractions appeared on Saturday Night Live as a last minute replacement for the Sex Pistols, who were unable to get passports. This is perhaps the most infamous appearance that a band had on the show. There have been a few reasons thrown around as to why the band were not supposed to play the song “Radio Radio”. It has been said that his US record label wanted Costello to play an already known song “Less Than Zero” for an audience for better promotional purposes of the American release of My Aim is True and This Years Model. Another reason given was that SNL producer Lorne Michaels did not want the song to be broadcast because of its lyrics which negatively portrayed the commercialized state of radio and media, and also that it would put the show off schedule. Regardless of what happened, in true Punk Rock fashion Costello stopped the band from playing “Less Than Zero” after a few bars and then launched into a furious rendition of the then unreleased “Radio, Radio”. Costello was banned from the show for 25 years, until 1989. Also in 1999 as part of SNL’s 25th anniversary The Beastie Boys began playing “Sabotage” only to be stopped by Elvis Costello, they then ran through an energy high version of “Radio Radio”.

The Replacements – Bastards of Young (1986)

In January of 1986, The Minneapolis Punk band The Replacements appeared on Saturday Night Live to promote their new album Tim, released on Sire Records. They got banned after their performance, but it was due to a few factors. For one, they showed up wasted for their performance, the second thing that occurred was apparently during the performance of this song and the second song (“Kiss Me On The Bus”) the band were uttering profanities. While they may have been off mic and not heard very clearly, this was most definitely due to their inebriations. The most obvious slip was apparently before the solo of “Bastards of Young” where singer Paul Westerberg said the F-word to the audience. As a result, the band were banned from Saturday Night Live. In re-runs of the episode this part was edited out. Paul Westerberg appeared on the program later on to promote his solo career, redeeming himself.

The Specials – Gangsters (1980)

The Ska revival act The Specials appeared on Saturday Night Live in 1980. This performance was not controversial per-se, but rather a highly energetic and fascinating live moment that occurred in the TV show’s history. This version of the bands then single “Gangsters” featured a band jumping around with excitement and guitar solos that grip you and suck you in. The band is clearly on playing excellently, they would also perform the song “Too Much Too Young” in a similar fashion. After watching this performance you can see and feel the energy of not only Punk attitude, but Rock and Roll.

This Week's Play List:

1. The Dundrells - Big Chunk of Fudge
2. The Cassettes - Reverberate
3. The Dials - Get Up and Dance
4. Planet Smashers - Hippopotamus
5. The Specials - Gangsters (Live SNL)
6. Bob Marley - Punky Reggae Party
7. King Tubby - Dub Seven
8. Arctic Monkeys - The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala
9. Hooded Fang - ESP
10. Pink Mountaintops - Single Life
11. Invasions - Rat Bastard
12. The Davey Parker Radio Sound - I Gotta Know
13. Chang A-Lang - Listen Up Buttercup
14. Young Circles - 2012
15. Audrey and The Agents - Don't Think Twice
16. Sloan - I've Gotta Know
17. Luger Boa - New Hot Nights
18. Dirty Pretty Things - Run Fatboy Run
19. Harlem - Gay Human Bones
20. Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Radio Radio (Live SNL)
21. The Replacements - Bastards of Young (Live SNL)
22. Motorhead - Too Late, Too Late
23. Nick Lowe - American Squirm
24. Magazine - My Mind Ain't So Open

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for July 12. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.