The Replacements: All Over But the Shouting: An Oral History [Paperback]

Jim Walsh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 30, 2009

Formed in a Minneapolis basement in 1979, the Replacements were a notorious rock ’n’ roll circus, renowned for self-sabotage, cartoon shtick, stubborn contrarianism, stage-fright, Dionysian benders, heart-on-sleeve songwriting, and—ultimately—critical and popular acclaim. While rock then and now is lousy with superficial stars and glossy entertainment, the Replacements were as warts-and-all “real” as it got.

 

In the first book to take on the jumble of facts, fictions, and contradictions behind the Replacements, veteran Minneapolis music journalist Jim Walsh distills hundreds of hours of interviews with band members, their friends, families, fellow musicians, and fans into an absorbing oral history worthy of the scruffy quartet that many have branded the most influential band to emerge from the ’80s.  Former manager Peter Jesperson, Paul Stark and Dave Ayers of Twin/Tone Records, Bob Mould and Grant Hart of rivals Hüsker Dü, the legendary Curtiss A, Soul Asylum’s Dan Murphy, Lori Barbero of Babes in Toyland, R.E.M.’s Peter Buck, power-pop hero Alex Chilton, Craig Finn of The Hold Steady, and replacement Replacements Slim Dunlap and Steve Foley:  all have something to say about the scene that spawned the band.  These and dozens of others offer insights into the Replacement’s workings--and the band’s continuing influence more than fifteen years after their breakup.  Illustrated with both rarely seen and classic photos, this, finally, is the rollicking story behind the turbulent and celebrated band that came on fast and furious and finally flamed out, chronicled by one eyewitness who was always at the periphery of the storm, and often at its eye.

 

“[T]his consistently engaging and poignant work . . . . [is a] loving, appropriately ramshackle tribute to one of the most beloved rock-and-roll bands of the 1980s. . . . The band's story is an archetype of the joys and pitfalls of underground success.”--Publishers Weekly

 

“The Replacements were superheroes:  They rescued a whole planet from ’80s music.  Jim Walsh’s loving, engrossing oral history is the book they deserve.”—Nick Hornby, author of High Fidelity

 

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this loving, appropriately ramshackle tribute to one of the most beloved rock-and-roll bands of the 1980s, Walsh gives his subjects the oral history treatment, assembling a wide range of associates, friends and famous fans to put their memories on the record. The band's story is an archetype of the joys and pitfalls of underground success—a rabid and loyal local following leads to a major label contract that, with its attendant pressures and misunderstandings, brings about the band's slow dissolution and demise. The great moments in their history are all recounted here in warm detail: lead singer Paul Westerberg breaking copies of his new record Hootenany in the local record store; the drunk Oklahoma City show attended by 30 people that still led to a live album; the triumphant disaster of their first and only appearance on SNL. The self-destruction of Bob Stinson, the band's hilarious but alcoholic guitarist who died in 1995, is a fascinating and harrowing counterpoint throughout to the band's adventures. Walsh himself proves to be among the band's most eloquent and thorough defenders and explainers in his introductory essay and various excerpts from articles that appear throughout this consistently engaging and poignant work. (Dec.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

Publishers Weekly, Oct. 15, 2007

“In this loving, appropriately ramshackle tribute to one of the most beloved rock-and-roll bands of the 1980s, Walsh gives his subjects the oral history treatment, assembling a wide range of associates, friends and famous fans to put their memories on the record. The band’s story is an archetype of the joys and pitfalls of underground success – a rabid and loyal local following leads to a major label contract that, with its attendant pressures and misunderstandings, brings about the band’s slow dissolution and demise. The great moments in their history are all recounted here in warm detail: lead singer Paul Westerberg breaking copies of his new record Hootenanny in the local record store; the drunk Oklahoma City show attended by 30 people that still led to a live album; the triumphant disaster of their first and only appearance on SNL. The self-destruction of Bob Stinson, the band’s hilarious but alcoholic guitarist who died in 1995, is a fascinating and harrowing counterpoint throughout to the band’s adventures. Walsh himself proves to be among the band’s most eloquent and thorough defenders and explainers in his introductory essay and various excerpts from articles that appear throughout this consistently engaging and poignant work.”
                                                                                                                                           
Booklist
“The Replacements were a careening indie rock band of the 1980s that garnered more reputation than commercial success (of which they received hardly any). Somehow the scruffy Minneapolis foursome managed to last 12 riotous years. During that time, they staged some legendary “you had to be there” shows and were worshipped by fans with the fervor of the recently converted. What was it about these guys? Was it the goofy-looking guy in a dress, who played scorching lead guitar? Or the sensitive lead singer-songwriter, who shredded his vocal cords on cuts like “I Hate Music”? Walsh, pop-music columnist for the St. Paul Pioneer Press, doesn’t try to answer such questions as much as capture the time and place of the happening that was the Replacements. His oral history recounts the differing reactions of musical contemporaries such as Bob Mould of Husker Du, rock critics such as Steve Albini, and members of the Replacements themselves. But the best remembrances come from ordinary fans, who saw in these awkward adolescents kicking at the status quo something that made them say, “Hey, that’s us.” Recommended, maybe must reading for fans of the Replacements and indie rock in general. Album art, candid photos, and early handbill posters complement the text.”

ALARM Magazine

“Having literally grown up with The ‘Mats, as their fans affectionately refer to them, and remaining a friend and fan to this day, veteran journalist Jim Walsh, author of The Replacements: All Over But the Shouting: An Oral History, is perhaps the perfect person to tell their tale…Walsh presents the ‘Mats in a multidimensional light, illustrating their talents and charisma, while also depicting a band that struggled with many challenges that early success can bring, and showing how easy it can be to fall into a cycle of self-destruction. But rather than turning it into a tabloid, the impression he leaves is sensitive and human.

 

“Compiled from hours of personal interviews and research extracted from countless articles and reviews from years past, The Replacements is clearly a labor of love. The memories from those who were there are convincing enough that even if the reader had never heard of The Replacements, it is clear how they could become heroes to their fans. In cities across America, the names and places may have changed, but the story remains the same.”

St. Paul Pioneer Press
“Jim Walsh expertly navigates the divide between the truth and otherwise in his new book, The Replacements: All Over but the Shouting. It's a compulsively readable, passionately compiled oral history of the infamous Minneapolis foursome who spent the '80s writing a new rock 'n' roll fairy tale while simultaneously ripping out its pages.”

CMJ New Music Monthly

“For those who saw the Replacements in their prime, it’s odd to notice that their lasting influence seems to be congealed into the sappy sides of middling emo bands who really like Don’t Tell a Soul. But don’t blame the Minneapolis slop-rock gods for that foible. Get a feel of their real ragged soul from this bio, cobbled together by a guy who was in a Minneapolis band form back in the drunken daze and saw the Replacements at their very first bar show and a million times after that as a pal and sometime roadie....since we’ve rarely been privy to those fellas’ thoughts, or the cool old pics throughout, this tome is invaluable. Plus, it also helps cement the truly lasting and fruitful fact that the Replacements, and the everyman Minneapolis scene, saved punk from ‘80s bald-headed hardcore dogmatics.”

Minneapolis Star Tribune

“The Replacements is uniquely, proudly the story of the Minneapolis band from the vantage point of the Minneapolis scene…Funny, intense, sad and joyful.”

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Voyageur Press (November 30, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0760334943
• ISBN-13: 978-0760334942
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #127,350 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Long Overdue Pleasure, October 22, 2007

By 

Dusty Punch (McKinley, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Replacements: All Over But the Shouting: An Oral History (Hardcover)

It is an absolute travesty that it has taken this long for a book on the 'Mats to find its way to print. Kudos to Jim Walsh and Voyageur Press (a Twin Cities publisher) for rescuing the die-hard, Mats-starved fans. While many oral histories can be tricky reads, Walsh made the absolute best decision when he chose this format for his book. Rather than hearing only one voice tell the story--as legitimate as Walsh's voice may be--he tells the story through the many voices of those who had consumed the band in all its tragic greatness over the years. After all, the Replacements were never a band to simply be heard...they had to be experienced. This book helps readers who may have never seen the band live do just that.

On another note, I would like to provide some clarification as to a previous 2-star review of the book. The reviewer lodged a complaint about the author not letting us know who each person is throughout the book. I won't address how we disagree on the value of this book, but I did want to let folks know about a very helpful list starting on page 269 entitled "The Players." Each person quoted in the book is listed, along with a brief description of who they are.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, a great book about my all-time favorite band, October 20, 2007

By 

Brian P. Stack "BPS" (Sleepy Hollow, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Replacements: All Over But the Shouting: An Oral History (Hardcover)

While I loved the chapter devoted to The Replacements in the terrific book, "Our Band Could Be Your Life", I always hoped someone would put together a more complete history of this incredible band, and Jim Walsh did a great job putting "All Over But the Shouting" together. I'd highly recommend the book to any fan of The Replacements, and to anyone curious about 80's underground music in general. Oh, and in response to the person who found all the names in the book confusing, there's a list in the back of the book that briefly explains who all those people are, or in some unfortunate cases, were.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy it now!, October 23, 2007

By 

Gilligan (Minneapolis, MN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Replacements: All Over But the Shouting: An Oral History (Hardcover)

This is a fascinating documentation of one of the greatest, most unique bands that ever existed. The author was so much of a part of the band's history (he gave the eulogy at guitarist Bob Stinson's funeral!) that he wisely chooses to step back and let the participants tell their sides of the story, while filling in details when needed.
When you hear so many different viewpoints, you get a much more well-rounded feel for these characters who raucously carried the rock and roll torch through a generally bad decade of music.
This book is a must-read for anyone who loves The Replacements. It could be used as a textbook for any aspiring bands or musicians in the "school of rock".