1979-1991, 2012-2015Paul WesterbergVocals, guitar
Bob StinsonGuitar
Tommy StinsonBass
Chris MarsDrums
The Replacements were a rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, primarily active from 1979 to 1991. They were an important bridge between '80s hardcore punk and '90s alternative rock, honing a melodic-yet-raw sound that presaged grunge. Their self-deprecating, confessional lyrics of alienation and angst were similarly predictive of '90s musical trends. They had a fanatic fanbase but never sold very well to the masses - not well enough to be a viable long-term business, anyway. Their influence and appeal to their fanbase far outshined their commercial success.
The precise origin of the group's name is uncertain, but Chris Mars has written that it refers to subpar bands brought in to replace acts who have to cancel shows. The name fits the band's approach and image perfectly, as they characterized themselves with self-deprecation approaching self-loathing and a lack of professionalism that made recording executives reluctant to deal with them. Throughout their tenure they were known for getting absolutely loaded at shows, playing disjointed bits of cover songs, insulting the audience, and trashing dressing rooms. Their behavior in the recording studio wasn't much better.
They played their first show at a former church that was serving as a halfway house for alcoholics (appropriately enough) under the name the Impediments. Their show was so horrible, they were told they would never get another gig anywhere. They changed their name to The Replacements, in effect "replacing" the original name.
One of Paul Westerberg's favorite targets when the Replacements were together was Axl Rose. Heads were sent spinning when Tommy Stinson, former 'Mats bass player, was given the job of bassist for Guns N' Roses in 1998. Westerberg cited Rose's impossible demands as a reason the Replacements couldn't reunite, although he was never big on the idea himself.
The Replacements thrived on unpredictability. Westerberg told Rolling Stone: "A rock & roll band needs to get under people's skin. If it can't, then you ain't worth nothing. You should be able to clear the room at the drop of a hat."
In 1990, Bob Dylan visited sessions for the final Replacements album. Engineer Cliff Norrell recalled in Trouble Boys: The True Story of the Replacements: "He was saying, 'My son's really into your band.' You could see their eyes light up, and then Dylan goes: 'You're R.E.M., right?'"
The band's nickname is "the 'Mats." Rumors long swirled that it was an abbreviation of "matte," but the name stemmed from Paul Westerberg drunkenly calling the band "the Placemats" in his usual self-deprecating humor. Some female fans shortened it to the 'Mats, and the name just stuck. Among fans and the band themselves, "the 'Mats" is used in reference to the band much more than "the Replacements."
The band's creative highwater lasted from 1984 to 1985 with the releases of their third and fourth studio albums, Let it Be and Tim (Tim was their first album with a major label, Sire Records). True to the band's legacy, the albums didn't smash sales records but won great critical acclaim. For children of the '80s, they're temporal touchstones.
The band kicked Bob Stinson out in 1986. It was an intensely personal moment, as the four core members literally grew up together. Accounts vary, but the split has been credited to creative differences, Stinson's substance abuse problems, and grudges over outside guitarists being brought in to play his parts.
Stinson was a big part of the band's edge, while Westerberg was trying to take them in a more commercial direction, largely because record labels were starting to look at them as a black hole that needed to produce a hit.
Stinson played in Model Prisoner, Static Taxi, and The Bleeding Hearts, but never again knew the kind of success that the 'Mats had. He died of poor health resulting from his alcoholism and drug abuse on February 18, 1995.
Minneapolis guitarist Slim Dunlap took over for Stinson and played lead guitar for the band from 1987 to 1991. In February 2012 he suffered a major stroke.
The Replacements reunited and made an EP titled Songs for Slim to raise money for his medical bills, with 250 vinyl copies auctioned online. In discussing the EP with Rolling Stone, Westerberg said that upon hearing the news of the fundraiser, a hospital-bed-ridden Dunlap whispered, "You guys get together. Go play a song."
The EP inspired the band to tour again, and they did a bunch of shows from 2012 to 2015.
A popular Minneapolis nightclub named First Avenue honored Slim Dunlap with a star on their outer mural, similar to stars presented to actors in Hollywood. The Replacements also have a star.
The
1992 Cameron Crowe film Singles was at the forefront of the grunge phenomenon of the '90s. Fittingly for a musician who did so much to influence the era's sound, Westerberg contributed "Dyslexic Heart" to the soundtrack.
Shortly after their formation, the band recorded a four-song demo in Mars' basement. In 1980, they gave it to Peter Jesperson, who was managing a punk record store named Oar Folkjokeopus, which has since
become remembered as a cultural landmark in the city. He'd also founded Twin/Tone Records, which wasn't making any profit, and deejayed at a bar named the Longhorn. The 'Mats played their first-ever live show there on July 2, 1980, about two months after delivering the demo.
Jesperson called the band the day after receiving the tape and asked if they'd like to record an album or just a single. Twin/Tone signed the 'Mats shortly after. The amateurish approach to the signing would later prove to be a major headache for all involved, especially when the bigger labels came calling.
Jesperson proved to be a stalwart friend and ally for the band and was a big part of their success. In their early days playing empty rooms, Jesperson's enthusiasm was often the only thing that kept them going. He was a true fan, and he was good at selling the band because his enthusiasm was authentic.
The 'Mats kicked Jesperson out in 1986, shortly after the breakup with guitarist Bob Stinson. Jesperson took this personally. Many reasons have been thrown around for these changes, but looking back objectively, it all seemed driven by the simple pressure to make some money. This is a delicate topic for Westerberg, who crafted his legend out of being anti-corporate and immune to "selling out." But as the band's tenure ran without producing much profit, Westerberg started driving changes to their longstanding traditions. Whether he miscalculated or whether it was simply too little, too late, the changes weren't able to stop the band's dissolution.
The Replacements held a long, good-natured rivalry with fellow Minneapolis act Hüsker Dü. The song "Somethin to Dü" from their debut album Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash was about them.
A year after their debut album, The Replacements released an EP titled
Stink. It contained "
Kids Don't Follow," which many 'Mats fans still consider the band's defining song. It wasn't a hit, but it did further expand their fanbase and establish them as a rising underground indie act at a time when being "underground" still meant something.
The band recorded Pleased to Meet Me, their fifth studio album, as a trio. Bob Stinson had already left at this time and hadn't yet been replaced.
Westerberg cowrote "We Are The Normal" with the Goo Goo Dolls in 1993 for their fourth studio album, Superstar Car Wash. Goo Goo frontman Johnny Rzeznik called Westerberg one of his biggest influences.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced the 'Mats as nominees n October 16, 2013, but the band didn't get voted in.
The Replacements toured with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in 1989 and clashed with the ever-professional Petty. Westerberg was hesitant to do the tour but needed to promote Don't Tell a Soul, their sixth studio album.
Petty often watched the group perform from the wings and took a liking to Westerberg, seemingly wanting to mentor him, but the feelings weren't reciprocated. The Replacements played their usual disjointed performances, complete with heckling the audience, and Petty eventually threatened to fire them. He didn't realize The Replacements wanted to get booted, but he got a hint of it the next night when they performed while wearing Petty's wife's dresses. For whatever reason, Petty refused to kick them off the tour, and The Replacements were forced to complete their contractual agreement to the end.
