"What are we doing here?"

[con]

With all of the Grammy's hullaballoo I can't help but think of The Replacements' performance at the International Rock Awards back in '89. You thought pop music was bad in the 80s?! Shudder to think what PW thinks of the pop propaganda landscape of today, with it's social-political activism revving in high gear. I didn't watch the Grammy's and haven't for years but I doubt any act has flipped the proverbial middle finger to an audience (and worn out their welcome) quite like the 'Mats did in this video. I can't tell you how refreshing it is, to me, to know that THAT happened, that The Replacements HAPPENED, that there are artists who can break through the veil of bullshit that passes for art at the mainstream level (feel like of the Grammy nominees Kendrick and maybe The War on Drugs are exceptions here). This happened almost 30 years ago, but it still gives me hope for the future of tomfoolery and don't-give-ahoot-ery, not to mention music with real soul. 

[curmudgeonman]

I remember watching it on TV, same with their SNL appearance. Youtube and the internet didn't exist back then, so to watch the Mats live on TV was gold, an extremely rare occurrence.

Cramming their "pills" line into the end of the song was funny. I later read that they were treated like they farted in church, nobody liked them. Par for the course...

[nyc1lkg]

Matt Dillon knew.

[firespirit]

I remember the night this aired. I still have the VHS tape i recorded it on. I had gone to a Dodger game in the aftenoon, so i was pretty sunburned. Lol. This clip and the Mats appearance on SNL are probably my 2 favorite live TV rock n roll moments.