Bob Mehr has a nice piece in the May 2008 issue of SPIN on one of YuppiePunk World HQ’s all-time favorite bands, The Replacements. To celebrate Rhino’s reissuing of the band’s first four Twin/Tone LP’s (see the sidebar below), the author sat down with Paul Westerberg, Tommy Stinson and Chris Mars to discuss the band’s lasting legacy, their tumultuous end, and the chances of seeing a ‘Mats reunion.

Part of what we’ve always loved about the band was their brashness, their “we don’t give a fuck” attitude, which in all the years since the band’s demise, doesn’t seem to have waned one iota. As evidence, our ten favorite quotes from the article:

On the band’s origins: “That was the thing about the Replacements: We were all nowhere — we came from nowhere, we were going nowhere. And the band gave us something.” -Tommy Stinson

On the band’s first gig: “All I know is that Bob and I were in the basement doing blow, and by the time we came upstairs, Chris [Mars, the band's drummer] had already been ejected from the premises.” - Paul Westerberg

On the band’s notorious live shows: “I figured out that danger was what people sought. And there was a certain danger that we were capable of that wasn’t your usual thing about destruction, or ‘We’re going to hurt you.’ It was: What if we get up there and played a song by Hank fuckin’ Williams.” - Westerberg

On the death of original guitarist Bob Stinson: “I think of him every single day. Mainly ’cause I got a ringing in my left ear from having him blasting away next to me all those years.” - Westerberg

On their shot at major success: “When it came our turn, we visited the record distributors and met with the radio programmers and did all of that stuff. But, in the end, we just felt like we had to piss on the guy’s shoe. Look, we got to the party. But instead of embracing it, we huddled together in the corner and said, ‘Fuck it — let’s get out of here.’” - Westerberg

On the commercial aspects of the band’s last few albums: “The goal became simplistic and unrealistic, which was to have a hit. And that’s where we died. We weren’t made of the stuff that makes popular music. The fact that we came up short is the thing that’s kept us interesting. We’ve retained the mystique. And I don’t know how, ’cause goddamn it, we tried. We tried to have hit records there at the end. And someone was looking for us that we didn’t.” - Westerberg

On the state of his relationship to Tommy Stinson: “The answer to the million dollar question is yes, when Bob died, something died in me and Tommy, and we’ve never been the same since. And it’s always been awkward, and it’s always been unsaid and unsayable and strange and weird between us.” - Westerberg

On aging: “When I listen to those first few records, I hear myself, and that guy is closer to being born than I am to his age right now. And I think, ‘Could I go out and do that again?’” - Westerberg

On a possible reunion: “I told Tommy, ‘Let’s have auditions. Let’s you and me go onstage and play 25 songs, and we’ll have a different guitarist and drummer come up for each song, and that’ll be the show.’ That would be the only thing the Replacements could do to keep up the honor of the name, rather go and just cash it in.” - Westerberg

On the future of the ‘Mats: “If Tommy pulled up in my driveway in a flatbed truck with instruments and a band and the songs ready, on the right day, I might hop on and go. If it was this afternoon, I wouldn’t. I’ve gone each and every way with it, and I really don’t know anymore.” - Westerberg

Replacements - “You’re Getting Married (Solo Home Recording),” from Stink
Replacements - “Within Your Reach,” from Hootenany!
Replacements - “Love You Till Friday,” from Sorry Ma, Forgot to…
Replacements - “Perfectly Legal,” from Let It Be

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