The Replacement have & always will be Paul.  I saw them about 30 times from
"Hootenanny" (playing to 30 people @ The Dragonwood Pub off State St in
Madison) til the end - back-to-back shows of Summerfest in Milwaukee & Grant
Park in Chicago w/ thousands of people.  In college, I borrowed our bass
players student loan & booked them in LaCrosse, WI so that we could open for
them on the "Let It Be" tour.  I'll admit that the albums got less
interesting w/o Bob, but I blame this more on Paul mellowing/burning out
than the "impact of losing Bob".  BTW - They played a very "Shit Hits The
Fans" type show in LaCrosse.
[see http://www.theskyway.com/issues/056feb0698.txt for the whole story].  

"Let It Be" is the obvious peak (ask any critic or check any fan polls), but
I'll put "Pleased To Meet Me" right up there with it and Bob was gone by
then.  I'd even have to call a draw between the next spot, with "Hootenanny"
& "Don't Tell A Soul" getting equal status for very different aspects of
their career.  Might as well finish my list - "Sorry Ma...", "Tim" (most
over-rated...I hate the production), "All Shook Down" and last (and probably
least) "Stink"...which has too many bluesy throwaways, much like the new
Grandpaboy "Dead Man Shake".

Given the time/space/distance, I've grown to like the Westerberg solo stuff
and I'm really happy that he's recently found a new creative spark -
"Stereo" & "Come Feel Me Tremble" are great.  Tommy has some stuff coming
out this year too...a new solo disc & a (re)issue of the bootlegged, but
shelved, Perfect record.  BTW - Twin-Tone has video clips on there website
of a "Sorry Ma..." era show with never released songs like "Staples In Her
Stomach" "D.E.A.D." and "Junior's Got A Gun".
http://www.twintone.com/video/mats/

'mats Rule!
Dan FrankE

NP: Weakerthans - "Reconstruction Site" & Live on CBC Radio 3

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