Why did you choose The Replacements?
I chose The Replacements because they have had a bigger impact on my life than any other band. Since third grade I have been a fan of punk rock, and all these artists, like Green Day, Operation Ivy, and The Clash taught me how to question authority and the world around me. But it wasn’t until I started to listen to The Replacements a lot that I started to question myself. If it weren’t for The ‘Mats I don’t think I would be where I am today, or at least wouldn’t be as comfortable where I am. So I like the idea of preaching The Replacements gospel, so others may find the same joy I found out of their music.
What is your favorite story/tidbit about the band?
I don’t think it is possible for me to have a favorite Replacements story, as there are too many. Maybe them getting banned from SNL, maybe Tommy Stinson saying that his brother Bob is the only person he ever saw walk down the street, pee, and drink a beer all at the same time. I think more than anything I’m just happy that they are from Minnesota, it makes me proud to be from this state, more than I already am.
What is your favorite song and why?
My favorite Replacements song is probably “Kiss Me on the Bus.” It’s catchy, clever, and I have spent most of my life relating to everything the narrator sings.
Can you give a basic background story of the band?
The Replacements are for unassuming guys from the Twin Cities. With a career spanning the 1980s, the band consisted of Paul Westerberg on vocals and guitar, Chris Mars on drums, Bob Stinson on lead guitar, and his younger brother Tommy on bass. They started out playing pretty raw punk music, that matured (but not really) over the years into more of a power-pop sound. Paul Westerberg’s lyrics are incredible, with great wordplay and always some humor, he cuts deep into the human experience when he deals with subjects like loneliness, boredom, desperation, sexuality, and an overarching longing to be a better person. His heart on the sleeve style has inspired so many artists since, though no one, in my opinion, has ever equaled him. The rest of the group is pretty damn good too. While they were all pretty talented musicians, at least by the end they were, they were often times better known for their onstage drunkenness, half covers of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and inability to remember how to play. That being said, everyone who ever saw them live loved them. They never really put on any masks, they were who they were, which is something so few bands, let alone people, can pull off.
Tell us why you love DJing on KRLX!
I like DJing on KRLX because I spend most of my time thinking about music and/or talking to myself. It gives me a chance to not only do both out loud, but also get some validation for doing so.