How'd did you get into the 'Mats?

[chisel93]

Not sure if this topic has been covered but thought it would be fun.

I remember hearing of the band while I was in high school.  I was a HUGE R.E.M. fan and there was a girl in my one class that had The Replacements written on her book cover.  I asked her about them (she LOVED Tommy) and that was my first notice of them (I'm a dope as I'm pretty sure she had a crush on me and she was so cool).

I really didn't end up getting into them until 1989.  I had bought a few of their albums and then my brothers and I went to see them at the 2nd Beacon Theatre show.  I remember going to a record store afterwards and buying "Let It Be" on CD.  The CD had a funky smell to it, sort of cologne-y......still does today!  I've been hooked ever since.

Saw them at Rutgers for ASD tour and then Paul on a few solo tours......then Riot Fest last year and NY this year and ACL coming up!

What's your story with the band?

[kdennis57]

For me, it was reading a magazine article interviewing John Doe of X. This was sometime just after the release of Let It Be, and he mentioned that Peter Buck had played on The Replacements' I Will Dare and it was truly great. I routinely trust Mr. Doe's expert musical opinions, so I went and bought the album. Been buying Mats albums/reissues/compilations/solo stuff ever since.

Not long after that I was my first "show" - The Mats minus Tommy Stinson (arrested earlier in the day for underage drinking, if memory serves) in Norman, OK, sloppy drunk and attempting an all-covers set. I think Paul was on drums, cannot recall what Bob and Chris were doing. They never got past an opening verse on anything except Nowhere Man. I loved it, but a dear friend - to whom I had been raving about The Replacements at length for months - was thoroughly disgusted and has never let me forget that day.

I got to see the Mats twice more in Denver - a headlining show that was broadcast on the radio, and a dismal opening act slot for Tom Petty. Caught Westerberg a couple of times in Colorado, and both had memorable moments. In Boulder, around the time of 14 Songs, Paul was playing a radio station convention, the final act before headliner Patti Smith. Paul went over his allotted 45-minute time and the promoter pulled the plug! And in 2005 or so, PW appeared a bit gimpy onstage. He said he was hurting and proved it, dropping his pants and revealing a heavily bandaged knee. A roadie pulled up PW's pants as he swung into the next tune. And I was privileged to witness the epic Riot Fest 2013 show in Byers, CO - seriously, after coming out in pink poodle skirts and oversize cowboy hats, the band didn't have to play. But play they did and it was brilliant. Also got lucky and saw the recent Midway Stadium show in St. Paul.

I know there are a lot of folks here who have seen dozens of Replacements shows - I've treasured the few I've attended. It's great when one of your favorite bands makes a killer comeback!
'

[anarkissed]

I first heard of them from a positive Rolling Stone review of "Let It Be"...I liked the way they looked on the album cover, and as an R.E.M. fan, noted that Peter Buck had played on one of the tracks...Later, took an overnight trip to the beach to meet some girls with a friend of mine who brought a homemade cassette copy of "Tim", which we listened to in the car all weekend...Bought PTMM when it came out and saw them for the first time on that tour...Later caught them during the tour for DTAS, then opening for Petty, then during ASD...Saw Paul on the "Eventually" tour...

[someguyiniowa]

I was aware of the Replacements through Rolling Stone but never heard them til we got satellite tv and MuchMusic, from Canada, which played the "Bastards of Young" and "The Ledge" videos. I liked them, and from what little I could see of the band, I thought, "I *know* these guys- they could have grown up out here in the sticks, too"

Around the time "Don't Tell A Soul" came out RS ran an article, I think focusing on the Petty tour, and one thing always stuck with me: an anecdote about a fan coming up to Paul, and telling him, "You wrote that song for me!" [can't remember which song it was]  Paul must have been feeling good that day, because he answered, "I did. I don't know you, but I knew you were out there"- which, to this day, is *the* coolest quote I have ever read/heard from a musician

[unfknblvbl]

I first heard of them on the local college radio station in 1983?, could have been 84, anyway it was a commercial promoting their upcoming show. I was at work at an arcade in the mall called Nickles and Dimes and was stoned out of my mind (like I was every day back then) so I kinda forgot about the whole show.

Over the next few weeks the station kept playing their songs and I really dug 'em, then I remembered that I'd missed the show and was bummed out. Over time I became more of a rabid fan and was so happy to hear they were coming back! In 1987 I saw them for the first time with my friend Mark, he basically put up with my obsession and went with me. When we got inside I spotted Paul sitting at a table with some chick, I told my friend that it was Paul and he said let's go talk to him and I was like fuck that, well he went up to Paul and he invited us to sit with him! We sat and watched the first band with him while he bought us drinks and made fun of the local opening band (who I hated). It was so effing cool, a night to remember. When they got on stage they started playing 'I will follow' by U2 and Paul said they were imitating the opening band!

Saw 'em again in 89 with my Sis Beth on campus at the local college, there was no alcohol served there so it was pretty low key.

Saw Paul in 05 at House of Blues in Anaheim with one of my other great friends Brian and got to meet him after the show, he acted like he remembered that show in 87 when I told him how cool he was to us.

And now I'm seein' The Mats again this weekend in Tempe with my Sis Julie and my 14 y/o Daughter! 

It truly never ends with me...

[gkurb]

Back in 1986, both John Doe and Exene from X were promoting the film "The Unheard Music",on Rodney Bingenheimer's "Rodney on the ROQ" show on LA's KROQ. During the show, Rodney asked Exene what music she had been listening to, and Exene said she was really into the Replacements. I figured that Exene had good taste, and wouldn't sell me a bum steer.
Subsequently, I saw the band for the first time at LA's Variety Arts Center in June 1987. At this concert, the drummer from the Young Fresh Fellows took over at some point.
My second Replacements show was at the Reseda Country Club on 07-07-87 for a free KROQ noontime concert. I recall the show was great(with the club packed to capacity), and post concert, instead of the MATs heading to their dressing room, they hung out in the club's back parking lot, smoking cigarettes(near the dumpsters). My friend and I noticed immediately, and a few of us encircled them, throwing out all sorts of questions, I shook hands with them all, and questioned Paul as to what inspired "Waitress in the Sky",(he mentioned how his sister was a flight attendant, and took her experiences into account).
I vividly recall that as hundreds exited the club, not many noticed that the Mats were right there,hanging out near the dumpsters, waiting for their ride.

Earlier that morning, this "Pleased to Meet Me" promo was filmed in the club.  

[evin]

high school. it was either uncle tupelo or the replacements being played on a stereo setup at some party where we were drinking or in the tape deck of the car we were parked in and drinking. 16-17 years old. 1988-89-ish. a guy in our small group of friends had an older brother that had great musical tastes. this was one that came down the pike and we ate it up. worked our way back to sorry ma.

[landshark]

1985, friend across the street pressed LIB and Tim into my hands and told me to listen. Put everything on cassettes and a few weeks later drove from west coast to chicago to visit a girlfriend, pounding the wheel along with the Replacements the whole time. Girl broke my heart; Mats mended it for good.

[hootenanny58]

For me, it was back in '87 around the time PTMM was released.

I was rolling down the Pennsylvania Turnpike about halfway between Pittsburgh and Philly. I always had the radio on, picking up college stations wherever I could. Just ahead of the Blue Mountain tunnel, I'd flipped to a station that was playing this great rock song I'd never heard before. I got a verse and a chorus, the bridge and solo, and then lost the signal in the tunnel. By the time I emerged out the other side, the station was in commercial break. Couldn't get the tune out of my head all the way to NJ.

So for three weeks I stopped into Towers' and NRM's, having to hum the bits that I could recall cause I never got the band name or the song title. This is kind of embarrassing because I know I can't sing worth a sh*t. It was bound to happen that I'd come across someone who knew something, and he goes, "Oh yeah, Alex Chilton." I says, "What? The Box Tops fella?" I caught my first Replacements show at the Tower in Philly shortly after and that was that. My dream band come true.

Now I've got a binder-sized CD wallet that is stuffed to the last page with Mats' studio releases, promos, re-issues, boots, solos, tributes - must be a hundred CD's in there. "I'm (still) in love, with that song."

[Schecky]

I came in the house and found my little sister and her friend Thet in the bathroom. Thet turned around and had a 2 ½" needle sticking out of her nose. They were ice cube freezing/piercing it.
Later my sis played me Waitress in the Sky off of Thet's cassette. I was hooked, and spent the next few weeks collecting the back catalog including a rare copy of Boink that I later lost when the high school friend I lent it to left for college.

as far as "How'd did you get into the 'Mats?"
I saw them one time at the Hollywood Palladium and was able to get into the backstage (sneak) and shake a couple hands.
George Wendt (Norm!) was at that show.

[chisel93]

Gkurb, great vid! Thanks for posting!

Love the stories all, keep 'em comin'