Jer
Beagle Scout
Posts: 1,182
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Post by Jer on Oct 28, 2011 15:53:39 GMT -5
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Post by brianlux on Oct 28, 2011 17:15:40 GMT -5
Intersting article- thanks for posting it! I'm a little unsure by what Tommy meant when he said, "I think he's [Paul] still stuck in that mindset a little bit, you know?"
Any thoughts?
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Jer
Beagle Scout
Posts: 1,182
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Post by Jer on Oct 29, 2011 6:56:19 GMT -5
Strictly conjecture, but I think he means that Paul might feel more of a responsibility to live up to the legacy, or maintain the persona of Paul the amazing songwriter and leader of the greatest band ever rather than just getting together for kicks and having some fun. Tommy might be more likely to say what the hell, do it "just for fun" and Paul might be bound to that albatross that he'll never really be able to live up to in most people's eyes. There's probably some truth to what he's saying. Given Paul's recent interviews, all this talk of testing the waters and whatnot, it seems like Paul's not really in the "what the hell, why not" kinda mood. Sounds like he feels the need to be coaxed, persuaded and convinced. Unfortunately, that's probably not going to happen on a grand scale, and when it does, the results are usually disappointing.
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Post by brianlux on Oct 29, 2011 10:54:01 GMT -5
Thanks, Jer for an excellent summation. That all sounds about right. Of course, having heard nothing new from the man in some time, it's hard to even guess what Paul is thinking these days. Sounds like we should probably not have expectations of him.
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Post by dee on Oct 30, 2011 3:44:26 GMT -5
Ten years ago Paul was blasting Slim about not being excited to go out on the road with him and now Paul is at that age and he seems less willing to play than Slim did.If Paul doesn't put the band back together, then the imaginary slot machine of credibility just keeps paying out to him/them I guess.That's what Valentine was sorta about,wasn't it?
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Jer
Beagle Scout
Posts: 1,182
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Post by Jer on Oct 30, 2011 9:44:44 GMT -5
Well, dee, I'm not sure I am exactly following you there, or even what exactly Valentine is about for that matter, but I don't think this has so much to do with getting the band back together. I think it comes down to Paul doing anything beyond hiding in his basement, releasing these occasional super-underground downloads, and writing the occasional tune for other artists. It could just as well be a proper PW record and tour, possibly with involvement from Tommy at some level (which I would personally greatly prefer to a mats reunion) or whatever.
It just seems to me like he wants to be begged to do it rather than having that musician drive to make and share music because it's in your blood. I can't knock the guy for wanting a pay-day and not wanting to tour. My problem is this reocurring theme of "i'm not sure if there's any interest" and "testing the waters." It's coming off like he wants this mass movement of people to demand a record - like Betty White on Saturday Night Live or something.
I say - if you have the drive to do a proper record and take a band out on the road, do it. if you aren't into it and wanna stay in your basement - that's ok too - you've earned the right to do that. But don't look for a mad rush of accelades and offers to get you into a studio and on the road. First of all - it's not going to happen. There's a lot of great music out there, and not a whole ton of money. Secondly - if you're doing it to please someone else then the result is going to suffer. The demand is there so that he can record and tour if he want's to. This mindset, to me, is almost an excuse not to do it.
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Post by thepogo on Oct 31, 2011 9:04:29 GMT -5
Thats a great story of how One Man Mutany was written. I think it sounds a lot like Paul vocally. Kind of a sluggish vocal style, and the chords played
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Post by FreeRider on Oct 31, 2011 10:23:26 GMT -5
jer,
that's an interesting take on the "baggage" stuff. I'd have figured that Paul wouldn't about care about any legacy and get together just for fun with Tommy and maybe Chris. Yet, I always kind of thought that maybe it did bother him the way it just kind of fizzled in the end.
Perhaps what he was hoping for was that there would be a greater way to go out so he could get the band a proper ending and the right kind of resolution. From his past comments in interviews, I discerned that maybe he felt like there was unfinished business, that the band needed something else to go out on. Not just turn your instruments over to the roadies and walk off. While it's pithy and humorous for him to say that's just the way it should've ended, in typical Mats humor, I don't really buy it.
As for him wanting to see how much interest there is, maybe he's afraid of having it fail and wanting to ensure that there IS some sort of demand. Which would be the wrong ending for him again if it quickly fizzles out after the first week. And I've always wondered about the size of the fanbase too. In one of the interviews i posted, I think, he made a response to someone talking about the success of the Pixies reunion tour.
I think he said something like, "they always had a bigger fanbase than ours. We only have something like around 70,000". I don't know where he got that figure (record sales?) or if it's true. And maybe he's worried that the Mats were too much of a "cult" band to really make it worth their while (apart from the fun factor of going out with Tommy, etc) to go out on tour.
Additionally, maybe he feels like the timing isn't right or that their time has already come and gone. Didn't he say that the time to have done it was for Karl Mueller's benefit concert?
And again, pure speculation on my part. We don't really know what Paul truly believes. thinks, or feels on this matter. Who knows? Only he and Tommy do.
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skunky
Second Class Scout
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Post by skunky on Oct 31, 2011 10:33:49 GMT -5
I spoke to one of PW's bandmates of recent years and he said that Paul mindfuc$s everything. For a guy who appears to have the "i don't give a fu#k attitude", he really does give a fu#k". I bet the pondering of the Mats/tommy reunion, just is the ultimate "mind fu#k" for PW...so much it can never get off the ground.
Yeah Tommy has a real loose, cool attitude about get back with Paul. I'd be happy to see a non mats reunion/Paul and Tommy show. That would be great.
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Post by dee on Oct 31, 2011 11:27:52 GMT -5
I was responding directly to what Tommy was saying in the interview about Paul having more baggage reguarding a Replacements reunion.If they don't do it,the legacy remains sealed up and untarnished forever.
I heard Paul talk about Valentine in terms of the Replacements,where he said how other bands just do whatever it takes to make it big right away by jumping on the latest trends(tonight makes love to all your kind),but that after all those bands come and go the Replacements will be remembered because they were true to themselves.
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Post by thepogo on Oct 31, 2011 12:08:07 GMT -5
I will add that I wish PW would watch the great dvd "Let's Rock Again" about Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros. Strummer sat idle for a long time playing here and there. Showing up on soundtracks. He played with Mick Jones once or twice. Played some Clash tunes, they rocked it. FOR THE PURE JOY OF PLAYING.
Strummer was playing for the love of the music. The DVD shows him going to radio stations and even out on a boardwalk passing out flyers to his show that night. The legendary Joe Strummer passing out flyers for his show. Strummer had a HUGE legend to live up to. If he can get past not worrying about what people think of him playing new and old songs, Im sure PW can get over it.
My point is, that if playing out live is in your blood you dont give f*@k what anyone thinks, you just do it. To hear PW say hes testing the waters to see if his product will be bought seems to go against every reason why I liked him and The Replacements in the first place. Very disappointing.
I've been a huge fan for a very long time and I think whats tainting whatever legacy there is, is his comments about maybe coming back live. "Testing the waters..." I've never heard such utter nonsense in all my life.
Maybe he needs to take a page out of the Joe Strummer handbook and get on with it.
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Post by bobstinsonsghost on Oct 31, 2011 13:19:17 GMT -5
the only thing westerberg needs to do is what he wants to do. i don't think hes owes anyone anything. if he wants to do some shows for whatever reason he will. if he doesnt want to do any shows or put out new music he won't. its his life after all, the guy should be able to do whatever makes him happy and if that means sitting in a basement making music by himself then so be it. yeah it sucks for his fans but its not our decision to make.
my take is that he'll be back someday soon,probably when we least expect it. and i would'nt read too much into his interviews,he strikes me as the kind of guy who will answer the same question a different way each time depending on his mood.
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Post by FreeRider on Oct 31, 2011 15:06:21 GMT -5
i think i agree with what fritz has said...he's going to do what he wants to do, our wishes be damned or blessed. that's just how it is.
and true, sometimes you have to take what he says with a grain of salt. as for the "testing the waters comment", that was actually from the Village Voice blurb about the Glen Campbell CD:
Q: As far as the grown-ups go, are you thinking of putting out a proper solo album again, or have you had it with the industry?
A: I'm always writing and I have plenty of songs, but I think the Glen Campbell record is a bit of a test to see if people still buy records. Or go for my stuff. I'd like to go on record and say something concrete, but I can't. So, we shall see.
To be fair, the question really wasn't about touring or reunions; it was about another "proper album release". And if you really parse it down, I take it as meaning he's mulling over "do CD's still sell? should i do another formal record label thing? or is it easier to just do digital downloads on my own?"
That he says he can't make anymore specific comments could mean that something is in the works. Or he could be toying with us and purposefully being vague. Who knows? Like he says, "we shall see."
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Post by bobstinsonsghost on Oct 31, 2011 16:18:01 GMT -5
for him i think digital downloads is the way to go. think about it,no pressure from record companies,producers,a & r men(if they even exist anymore)a$$holes who want to change this that or the other to make your art more 'commercial',no promotion,interviews etc. if you don't feel like it. the music goes right from the studio(basement)to your fans unvarnished and untouched by anyone but you. aside from the limited availibility it seems like the perfect way to get your stuff out there. i'm not sure capitol records(or some other big company) would have released 49:00 because of its sheer weirdness but i think alot of folks here would agree its his best solo work. what i'd like would be a 'song of the month' download kind of thing...12 songs a year. but as i said before pauls gonna do what paul wants to do and ain't nothing gonna change that ;D ever.
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Post by ClamsCasino on Oct 31, 2011 19:25:22 GMT -5
Taking that Tommy quote in context, it sounds like he's saying that a reunion is a tougher thing for Paul because it's an admission that the solo career didn't reach those heights. Tommy said it's easier for him to get over that hurdle, but he doesn't have to be Paul Westerberg and carry all the baggage that goes along with it.
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Post by anarkissed on Oct 31, 2011 19:37:24 GMT -5
I think a salient point is that Paul never really seemed to enjoy playing live...Most musicians seem to prefer playing before a live audience, and sometimes regard the recording process as drudgery...I think Paul isn't even particularly big on recording, either, and that what he enjoys most is just writing songs...
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Post by ClamsCasino on Oct 31, 2011 19:53:56 GMT -5
I think it's the touring he hates, not the playing. In the past, he's clearly loved playing live. He used to play shows like that was all that really mattered.
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Post by timtoast on Oct 31, 2011 20:50:33 GMT -5
So far there are fourteen "I think"s in this thread. I'll go in a different angle and say that "I know" that I have no idea what Paul thinks. And I am cool with that. ;D
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Post by bobstinsonsghost on Oct 31, 2011 21:09:14 GMT -5
i think you're right tim
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Post by anarkissed on Oct 31, 2011 23:11:25 GMT -5
O.K., but if we didn't engage in a lot of empty speculation, we'd pretty much just have to go ahead and shut this board down, since there's rarely anything real, tangible, or newsworthy to actually discuss...My take on Paul playing live (and this is purely what I "think") is that in the handful of times I have seen him (mostly Mats; once solo) he seemed o.k. with it, and professional enough to put in a compelling performance...These were mostly good, occasionally great, but I never got the impression that this is what he lived for...At least twice, once opening for Petty, and on that last Steve Foley/ASD tour, he was clearly just going through the motions, and just wanted to be through with it...
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