The Replacements In Profile

Minneapolis quartet The Replacements formed in 1980. Initially indistinguishable from other Punk bands, the group soon became the leaders of the American underground scene. Reckless partyers, The Replacements rarely took themselves seriously. (Their nickname, The 'Mats, was derived from a dig made against the band: calling them The Placemats.) Singer-songwriter Paul Westerberg composed the band's classic tunes, forming the heart of The Replacement's three great albums: Let It Be, Tim, and Pleased to Meet Me. It is these records that have inspired growing legions of fans and followers since The 'Mats' breakup in 1991.

The Replacements formed in 1980 when singer-songwriter Paul Westerberg joined a band called The Impediments, which was comprised of the Stinson brothers, guitarist Bob and bassist Tommy, along with Chris Mars on drums. The band changed their name to The Replacements after being banned from a Minneapolis bar due to disorderly conduct. Regional indie label Twin Tone issued their first album, 1981's Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash, a record which failed to distinguish itself from other better products of the current American Hardcore Punk scene. The same held true for their follow-up, a 1982 EP titled Stink.

If their first two releases were inconsequential, their second full-length, 1983's Hootenanny, found The Replacements stretching beyond their Punk beginnings and exploring Rockabilly, Country, and Pop, while maintaining the loose, off-the-cuff style that was beginning to work in their favor. Although Hootenanny sported a few examples of the tight and catchy songwriting that would soon make Paul Westerberg a darling of fans and critics, the record was quite uneven. Their final LP for Twin Tone, 1984's erratic yet highly compelling Let It Be, made greater strides toward a more focused, melodic sound.

The Replacements signed to major label Sire, who issued Tim in 1985. With each record, the band shed a little more Punk. Tim was their most polished record yet, but The Replacements remained disinterested in the trappings of fame. Their '85 performance on Saturday Night Live was marred (or, perhaps, enhanced) by drunkenness, while their video for the "Bastards of Young" featured nothing but a tape recorder. Between LPs, Bob Stinson was fired from the band due to drug and alcohol abuse. Recording as a trio, a cleaned-up Replacements released their third great album, Pleased to Meet Me, in 1987.

Soon after, Guitarist Slim Dunlap joined the band and for their next album, The Replacements finally took a shot at mainstream success with 1989's cautious and lackluster Don't Tell a Soul. The band traded the charisma of their reckless energy in an attempt at greater appeal. An artistic failure, the album did manage to crack the US Top 100, but The Replacements were still largely an underground band. Their final album, 1990's All Shook Down, was more ragged, but heavily acoustic. It was their first to rely heavily on session musicians. In 1991, after the ensuing tour, The Replacements called it quits.

Tommy Stinson formed two unsuccessful bands, Bash & Pop and Perfect, before joining Axl Rose's remade Guns 'N Roses in 1998. Stinson released a solo album, Village Gorilla Head, in 2004. His brother, Bob, passed away in '95 due to a lifetime of substance abuse. Chris Mars recorded several solo albums in the '90s. Certainly, the most notable post-Replacements solo career belongs to the band's singer and chief songwriter, Paul Westerberg. He has released six moderately successful and well-regarded albums. Westerberg also recorded eight of the 12 songs from the soundtrack to the 2006 animated film, Open Season.

The surviving Replacements returned to the studio to cut two new tracks, "Message to the Boys" and "Pool & Dive," for the 2006 career retrospective Don't You Know Who I Think I Was?: The Best of The Replacements. It remains to be seen whether or not this reunion will lead to further new material from The Replacements. In any case, the compilation provided an excellent musical summary of a highly influential foundational alternative & indie rock band.