Minneapolis Blues II – Part 1

The Replacements are proof that not all ‘80s music was slick garbage and if anyone was carrying on the rebellious spirit of rock during the Reagan years then it was Paul Westerberg, Chris Mars, and the Stinson brothers, Bobby and Tommy. Their music not only helped me get through my awkward teenage and college years but taught me that if you stay true to your own sound and vision then people will eventually catch on and respect it. In a world awash with fake music, the Replacements always stood out for me as the real deal and listening to them didn’t insult my dignity or make me feel guilty in the morning. If I had to pick my top ten favorite musical artists/influences then they would be on the list.

The Replacements’ sound- from their punk/garage rock debut Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash right up until their almost commercial breakthrough album Don’t Tell a Soul- still holds up remarkably well three decades later which leads me to believe they were not just four crazy kids from Minnesota but actually knew what they were doing- and exactly what sound and message they wanted to convey from the underground to rest of the world. “Left of the Dial” may be their best song as it captures everything great about the Replacements in one tune and was written at a time when the band was touring through the thriving American underground music scene, meeting all the other bands, and college radio was at its peak- and there was no Internet. Here are some more of my favorite Replacements songs. Enjoy!

01. The Replacements – “Left of the Dial” (1985)

02. The Replacements – “Something to Dü” (1981)

03. The Replacements – “Answering Machine” (1984)

04. The Replacements – “Shutup” (1981)

05. The Replacements – “Androgynous” (1984)

06. The Replacements – “I’ll Be You” (1989)

07. The Replacements – “Rock ‘n’ Roll Ghost” (1989)

08. The Replacements – “Waitress in the Sky” (1985)

09. The Replacements – “Hold My Life”  (1985)

10. The Replacements – “Can’t Hardly Wait (Outtake -Electric)” (1985)

Listen to the playlist on Spotify...

... or check out the playlist on YouTube

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