Music at Christmas time is the best. My wife picked up The Replacements documentary Color Me Obsessed from Ditch Records. The story is a second-hand account, told by the fans (and few producers/ancillary insiders, but no band members) of America’s unknown greatest rock & roll band.
The movie travels in a linear path through their creation, their records, the ups, the downs, and then the end.
I loved how the film went through every album and talked to fans who then said why different songs or records were their favourite.
I didn’t discover The Replacements until I was in my 20s and I first purchased the box set Left of the Dial, then later the compilation Don’t You Know Who I Think I Was? If you’re scratching your head going, The Replacements? there was Alternative music in the 80s? You’d do yourself a service starting with either of those compilations to get educated. Both solid collections that I still listen to often to this day.
Since the 2006 collection of Replacements songs I have gone on a mission to collect Replacements records/books/now films. I have most their discography except the first and last albums which JR at Ditch said can be a little harder to find unless I get all internety and pay some bucks. I am not there yet in my fandom. Just waiting for either to show up in the bin at Ditch for a moderate price. After watching the documentary I found out their live record, Shit Hits The Fans was a cassette only release. Limited and never re-issued. So maybe that might be a mission to track down one day. Their ’82 ep Stink was originally issued with a hand-stamped cover. That would be a fun thing to try to track down one day too.
Trolling the net today I stumbled on a cover from Edmonton singer Jessica Jalbert. She does a very pretty and dreamy cover of the Tim era cut “Swingin’ Party.”
Happy New Year! I’ll be DJing at The Veneto Lounge on the big night….. and this here blog has a Facebook page. I would appreciate a “like.”
Go with yourself.
The Morning After 