The Replacements

The Replacements: “Androgynous”

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In the summer of ’88, a couple of months and a bit of luck changed everything. Financed by the sale of a pretty decent cassette collection, I dove headfirst into records. What I brought home would shape my entire musical DNA: R.E.M.’s Murmur and Reckoning, the Pixies’ Come On Pilgrim and Surfer Rosa, Hüsker Dü’s Warehouse, Dinosaur Jr.’s Bug, Violent Femmes’ debut, Dead Kennedys, Dream Syndicate, Giant Sand, Thin White Rope, Butthole Surfers’ Hairway to Steven, Minutemen’s Double Nickels on the Dime … and Let It Be by The Replacements.

The album cover had immediate appeal: Four restless hoodlums slouched on a Minneapolis rooftop, casually glancing in all directions and nowhere. Their previous record, Hootenanny, hinted at a more eclectic sound than their sloppy punk roots, but in 1984, Paul Westerberg’s bruised heart and melodic genius finally collided with the band’s booze-soaked, working-class swagger. The result is a rare moment of drunken brilliance.

The title, the hooks, the ragged beauty nods to the Beatles as much as the Clash. The grit, the rasp, the swing is pure Stones and Faces. The Replacements stumbled into adulthood chasing melody over mayhem, and created a blueprint for college rock, Americana, grunge, indie — hell, the whole underground map of the next decade. Their cover of Kiss’ “Black Diamond” collides arena-rock dinosaurs with alleyway punks. Opener “I Will Dare” has Westerberg crooning restless love while strumming mandolin, plus R.E.M.’s Peter Buck drops in on guitar. It’s like Springsteen for the post-Born to Run kids: Romantic, reckless and totally theirs. From there, it’s a beautiful mess with acoustic detours, punk blasts (“We’re Comin’ Out”) and aching ballads like “Androgynous” and “Sixteen Blue.” That marriage of chaos and clarity made Let It Be both a cornerstone of the 1980s and an eternal classic.

This album sounds like basement floors sweating into cracked sidewalks, spilling out into smoke-choked clubs. It’s the echo of a band that turned a suburban rooftop into a stage – and left the walls humming four decades later.

Originally published on tidal.com/magazine August 22, 2025

The Year In Music 2019: Legacy Albums

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Høydepunkter fra den store mengden historiske plateutgivelser i 2019, i alfabetisk, ikke rangert rekkefølge:

Arthur Russell – Iowa Dream (Audika)

The Beatles – Abbey Road (Apple)

Creedence Clearwater Revival – Live at Woodstock (Fantasy)

Ernest Hood – Neighborhood (Thistlefield)

Gene Clark – No Other (4AD)

John Coltrane – Blue World (Impulse!)

Neil Young – Tuscaloosa (Reprise)

The Replacements – Dead Man’s Pop (Rhino)

Terry Allen & The Panhandle Mystery Band ‎– Pedal Steal + Four Corners (Paradise of Bachelors)

Various Artists – Kankyō Ongaku (Japanese Ambient, Environmental & New Age Music 1980 – 1990) (Light in the Attic)

The Record Collection: 1988 (31-40)

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The album collection in chronological order from when it was bought. Revisited one at the time. Part 3, Spring 1988.

Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers | It’s Time For… | Rough Trade 1986 |

This album is summer to me. To be just about sixteen and hear “Just About Seventeen” for the first time was just about right on time. I immediately fell for Richman’s naive and almost childlike qualities, but behind the immediate charm are somber songs (“Ancient Long Ago”, “When I Dance”, “The Desert”) with enduring qualities lasting way past being seventeen and well into adulthood. This album still evokes the endless summer days of youth.

The Legendary Stardust Cowboy | Rock-It To Stardom | Big Beat 1985 |


Yee-haw, this is a way out rodeo ride from the cattle ranch to outer space and back by the one and only Legendary Stardust Cowboy from Lubbock, Texas. “Paralyzed” is the obvious novelty hit here; jaw-dripping hilarious and remarkably addictive. The Ledge made some wild rockabilly/psychobilly stuff back in the days, sometimes out of tune – “Who’s Knocking On My Door!” barely holds together and “Fly Me to the Moon” is, well, let’s say a bit weirder than Sinatra’s smooth version. “I Walk a Hot Wind” wouldn’t be totally off on a Cramps-album, and so it goes. Rock-it to Stardom is one helluva joyride even though it’s a bit overwhelming to digest all at once. Bowie was a fan and a friend, and supposedly invented Ziggy Stardust based on this here cowboy. The Ledge is still out there; whooping and a hollering to the moon.

Various artists | Don’t Shoot | Zippo/Demon 1986 |


Americana or alt.country were not frequently used terms when these (mainly) L.A cowpunks came riding into town. This collection serves as a great introduction to the scene, including core figures from bands like The Long Ryders, Green on Red, The Rain Parade, Giant Sand and many others doing a fine mix of covers and originals. Danny & Dusty kicks the whole thing off with previously unreleased “Bend in the Road”, the outlaw brotherhood anthem is still the highlight from an album filled with delightful neon dust from the sunset highway.

Dead Kennedys | Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables | Cherry Red 1981 |
Dead Kennedys | Plastic Surgery Disasters | Alternative Tentacles 1982 |
Dead Kennedys | Bedtime For Democracy | Alternative Tentacles 1986 |
Dead Kennedys | Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death | Alternative Tentacles 1987 |


In the summer of 1988 a friend of mine sold his LP’s when switching over to CD. I couldn’t afford buying a whole lot, but I managed to get hold of four albums by Dead Kennedys and almost completed their catalogue in one big swoop. Hit packed Fresh Fruit… and Give Me Convenience… became instant faves, and turned me on to a long and lasting relationship with not only Jello Biafra but to all the tentacles of the Alternative Tentacles universe. I learned a lot from the Kennedys, approving their anger and enjoying their satire. In the era of the Trump Empire a band like Dead Kennedys is sorely missed, even though much of their socio-political message is just as relevant today.

The Replacements | Pleased To Meet Me | Sire 1987 |


The transition from being a underground punk to gain mainstream fame reached its zenith with ‘Nevermind’ topping the charts in the early 90s. But the road to Nirvana started some years before, and The Replacements is a prime example of this journey (they even got their own “Never Mind” here). This is of course mockingly illustrated with the cover art, and in the music. Without losing sight of their punk roots in Minneapolis, this is the sound of a band growing up and – under the supervision of Jim Dickinson in Memphis – entangling deeper and wider than ever before. The Replacements were never about perfection, faults and flaws played an integral part of their sound and was something they built their entire recording career on. But they never sounded so imperfectly perfect as on Pleased To Meet Me. I’m still listening, looking at the stars and dreaming of the skyway.

Motor Boys Motor | Motor Boys Motor | Albion 1982 |


Taking their name from Joe Strummer’s 101’s song, Motor Boys Motor made just one album before guitarist Bill Carter and bassist Chris Thompson formed the Screaming Blue Messiahs. They were children of the pub rock craze, spiced up with avant rock influences (Beefheart, Pere Ubu) and R&B/blues roots. Some cool moments here and there, some silly ones (“Here Come the Flintstones”), they never really surpass the killer opening track “Drive Friendly” and never got quite as hazardous as the striking cover art.

deLillos | Suser avgårde | Sonet 1986 |


Det må ha vært sommeren 1985. Jeg hørte fast på Ungdommens Radioavis på den tiden – mediemangfoldet var noe begrenset – og den sommeren spilte de låtene fra rockemønstringen på høy rotasjon. Jeg husker ikke så mange av de andre finalistene, men “Siste sommerferiedag” med deLillos festet seg umiddelbart – den traff nok en dypt iboende melankolsk nerve – og ble min favorittlåt det året. Jeg satt hjemme og ventet på at den kanskje skulle komme, hver lørdag tror jeg det var, for det var ingen andre muligheter enn å sitte foran radioen og vente. Litt senere hørte jeg «Johnny Fredrik» og så viste Halvsju videoen til “Tøff i pyjamas”, og sammen med Jokke ble deLillos mitt første og største norske favorittband. Suser avgårde er den eneste LP-platen i samlingen som jeg faktisk kjøpte først på CD – i 1987 må det ha vært, deretter på nytt igjen på LP året etter. Uansett format, ‘Suser avgårde’ er en fantastisk bra plate, fri for dødpunkter, som hver gang gjenskaper følelsen av ungdom og sommer, der naivisme og uskyld møter gryende voksenalvor og usikkerhet. Jeg var allerede godt kjent med musikken til R.E.M, The Chills og Jonathan Richman, og det var først og fremst i denne musikalske tradisjonen deLillos hørte hjemme i mitt hode. Men de sang på norsk, og de talte til meg uten omveier. Det var ikke noe jeg heller ville bli enn en forsoffen student som flanerte langs brosteinslagte bygater, gå på fester med søte piker og drøssevis av vinkasser, ja bare suse avgårde inn i livet.

The Record Collection: 1988 (1-20)

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The album collection in chronological order from when it was bought. Revisited one at the time.

Fetchin Bones | Bad Pumpkin | Capitol 1986 |

Underrated and sadly forgotten North Carolina quintet combining a kind of Southern jangly vibe with restless proto-grunge. They supported R.E.M and the B-52’s, whom they both are sonically related to. This is their second album, marking their move from small db Records to a major label without losing their spark. Rather this LP still holds up thanks to careful production by Don Dixon and tight songs throughout the record. And Hope Nicholls was a great singer back then, and she still is.

Ben Vaughn Combo | The Many Moods of Ben Vaughn | Restless/Making Waves 1986 |

‘I got a 1969 Rambler American/Baby aren’t you impressed/Sure I could have a Datsun 280 Z/But I’m not like all the rest’ Ben Vaughn blends humor and wit with classic American music; rock’n’roll, rockabilly and country twang. He’s been doing his thing since the early 1980’s, and has released albums better than this during his long career. But Vaughn and his Combo had such an irresistible charm on songs like “I’m Sorry (But So Is Brenda Lee)”, “I Dig You Wig” and “Wrong Haircut” that makes his debut album still a treat to listen to.

The Dream Syndicate | This Is Not The New Dream Syndicate Album… Live! | A&M 1984 |

Recorded live at the Aragon in Chicago one hot July night in 1984, when The Dream Syndicate toured on ‘The Medicine Show’ (released a month prior) with R.E.M. Only five songs long, but these are all classics – from a band in blistering shape. The classic line up of Steve Wynn, Dennis Duck, guitarist Karl Precoda on his last album with the Syndicate, and newcomer Mark Walton. Tommy Zvoncheck guests on keys, but this performance is first and foremost about four guys and great songs; long jams, feedback orgies and the joy of a sweaty club night. That’s rock and roll.

Guadalcanal Diary | 2×4 | Elektra/Asylum 1987 |


Producer Don Dixon is synonymous with some of the finest guitar rock of the 1980s, with a jangly signature sound that mainly captured the spirit of Southern indie and mostly known for his work with early R.E.M. Guadalcanal Diary, also from Georgia, never earned the same levels of commercial success. A new listen to the hands down masterpiece ‘2×4’ serves as a reminder on how that is just unfair. They shared some obvious similarities, but this quartet had a more direct and extrovert approach to their songwriting. This is their finest moment, an energetic and eclectic set of pure excellent songs.

The Screaming Blue Messiahs | Bikini Red | Elektra 1987 |


London based Screaming Blue Messiahs rose from the ashes of Motor Boys Motor (named after a 101’ers tune) exposing a crew owing debt to the likes of Bo Diddley, Little Richard and Captain Beefheart. With some adjustments to the line-up, the smokin’ trio was finally settled as the highly skilled outfit of Bill Carter on guitar and vocals, Chris Thompson on bass and Kenny Harris on thundering drums. Soon after they were renamed the Screaming Blue Messiahs. The Vic Maile produced ‘Bikini Red’ saw the band dwelling even deeper into iconic American pop and trash culture. Complete with references to Elvis, cars, booze, TV evangelists and fast living, the music itself proves an amalgam of rockabilly, rhythm & blues, hillbilly and surf fronted by Bill Carter who (with an American accent) declared that “Jesus Chrysler Drives a Dodge,” “I Can Speak American” and even “I Wanna Be a Flintstone.

Various artists | I Was A Teenage Zombie | Enigma 1987 |


Still haven’t seen the movie, but suspect the soundtrack is superior to the comedy-horror flick. This is a decent selection with some of the finest indie artists of the time picked from the Enigma roster. The db’s, Smithereens, and Los Lobos are all in here, and the Fleshtones got a minor hit with the theme song. The highlights are Violent Femmes’ “Good Feeling” and The Dream Syndicate with the haunting masterpiece “Halloween.”

R.E.M | Chronic Town | I.R.S 1982
R.E.M | Murmur | I.R.S 1983 |
R.E.M | Reckoning | I.R.S 1984 |


I discovered R.E.M with ‘Life’s Rich Pageant’ as a 13-14 year old kid, and immediately fell in love, not only with R.E.M but in alternative American guitar rock in general. So when I finally switched over from cassettes to LP’s in 1988, purchasing their back catalog was obviously a high priority. One lucky day I went home with ‘Chronic Town’, ‘Murmur’ and ‘Reckoning’ bought from a friend, meaning days and weeks of deep listening. Humming along to barely recognizable lyrics. R.E.M might went on to release better albums later in their career, but these three albums, they’re all equal to me, really captures all I love about them. And they still sound as adventurous and amazing as they did on that February day in 1988.

Green On Red | Gas Food Lodging | Enigma 1985 |


Green On Red released nothing but excellent albums between 1982-88, and some great moments in the years after. This is the band in its prime; Dan Stuart, Big Dog MacNicol (RIP), Jack Waterson, Chuck Prophet and Chris Cacavas made one helluva great line up, supported with fine production from Paul B. Cutler of the Dream Syndicate. From the blazing opener ‘That’s What Dreams’ to the campfire version of ‘We Shall Ocercome’, this is rootsy ragged rock at it’s finest, but side 2 with ‘Sixteen Ways’, ‘The Drifter’ and ‘Sea Of Cortez’ are particular standouts. Heck, all of them are.

Thin White Rope | Bottom Feeders | Zippo/Frontier 1988|

Not too many bands can boast a recorded history without any major flaws. But Northern California’s Thin White Rope are one of those. They made great studio albums throughout, well known for their even more ferocious live shows of massive wall of guitars and bulldozer sound. The group never really fit into the categories used for branding guitar dominated rock in the 1980s. Thin White Rope were too harsh to be labeled as jangle, too loud for the emerging alternative country movement and too dark to fit into the flowery Paisley Underground. ‘Bottom Feeders’ is an EP of four originals and two covers (Jimmy Reed’s “Ain’t That Loving You Baby” and highlighted with a blistering live version of Suicide’s “Rocket USA”) and tucked between the bleak masterpieces ‘Moonhead’ and astonishing ‘In The Spanish Cave’. But there’s no reason to ignore this little beast of chainsaw guitars, raspy vocal and spooky vibes. Great cover art by Steve Blickenstaff.

The Dead Kennedys | Frankenchrist | Alternative Tentacles 1985 |


In an ideal world, songs about corrupt government, robots replacing the working class, suburban decay and structural racism would be of out of date some 30 years down the line. Alas, as we all know, the topics raised on ‘Frankenchrist’ are more relevant than ever. “No wonder others hate us/And the Hitlers we handpick/To bleed their people dry/For our evil empire”, Biafra sings on the album standout ‘Stars and Stripes of Corruption’ like an omen for the presidency and leadership in 2018. ‘Frankenchrist’ might lack the immediate punk anthems of its predecessors, but musically this is also Kennedy’s best and most diverse album, where they expanded their punk roots and embraced a far more eclectic sound to include surf, Latin, psychedelic and synth elements. The album is mostly remembered for the massive controversy that followed, when the band was brought to court – and to their knees – due to the inlay poster ‘Penis Landscape’ by H.R Giger. Such fools, when the real concern should’ve been on solving the real problems outlined here. ‘Frankenchrist’ is an underrated gem in the band’s catalog.

The Replacements | Let it Be | Twin/Tone / Zippo 1984 |


This is just the ultimate album when you’re 16 and life to go. The Replacements’ combination of restless energy and slacker attitude, teen angst and drunken confidence hit like a bomb when I bought ‘Let It Be’ in 1988, and it became the soundtrack into adolescence. “How young are you?/How old am I?/Let’s count the rings around my eyes” is just an ace opening statement into an album packed with classic coming of age tunes miles ahead from their previous more punk based efforts, sometimes like a mix of the Stones’ swagger and ‘Born to Run’ era Springsteen. The album cover is perfect too, remember how I just wanted to climb that roof and squeeze in between these four hoodlums from Minneapolis.

Green On Red | Gravity Talks | Slash 1983 |


I first heard Green On Red on the ‘Slash Cuts’ compilation, where “Five Easy Pieces” was a standout. Driven by Chris Cacavas’ psychedelic keyboard swirls and Dan Stuart’s snarling vocals, the band found their own place in their infancy combining 60’s garage/psychedelia and Dylanesque folk-rock. Gravity Talks is a very fine document of this epoch, provided by a bunch of clever outlaw kids from Arizona still not sure about where to go. I love the nervous desperation that hangs over the whole album, a youthful energy impossible to replicate later in a career. ‘We don’t pretend to know everything or speak out loud like our parents did’, Stuart sings on the anthemic “Brave Generation”, name checking Fitzgerald and Faulkner on a coming of age story of growing up between the Vietnam war and Cold War anxiety: ‘We’re not beat, we’re not hip, we’re the Brave Generation, what a trip.’

The Del Fuegos | Boston Mass | Slash 1985 |


Yet another album bought off the ‘Slash Cuts’ compilation I guess. There was nothing hip or super fancy about the Del Fuegos in 1988, still aren’t. But their basic and credible urban heartland rock ‘n’ roll has some strong timeless qualities – and time has fared rather well with this one, their second album. Fronted by the Zanes’ brothers and produced by Mitchell Froom, Del Fuegos’ hammered out a couple of easy to like bar room and streetwise backroad tunes – equally perfect for both purposes (not at the same time though). This is the ‘sound of our town’, that’s the sound of Boston, Mass all right.

The Dream Syndicate | Medicine Show | A&M 1984 |

Following their raucous debut full length, The Dream Syndicate signed with a major label, teamed up with renowned producer Sandy Pearlman (Blue Öyster Cult, The Dictators, The Clash) and spent five months in the studio to finish their Medicine Show. It was met with various receptions at the time, but has gained favorable to classical status over the years. Pearlman and Syndicate shaped a far different sound for this album, more related to Television, The Cars and Neil Young than Velvet Underground. This is American gothic stories filled with some of Steve Wynn’s most memorable characters on songs like “Burn”, “Armed With An Empty Gun” and “Bullet With My Name On It.” But the panoramic widescreen vision reveals in its full on side 2: The title track, the blistering jam “John Coltrane Stereo Blues” and “Merritville” are all epic and has deservedly so become standards in the band’s catalogue. Medicine Show was obtained at a time when learning the lyrics was part of buying an album. I memorized all of these songs by heart, and they’re still holding on to me.

Hüsker Dü | Warehouse: Songs And Stories | Warner 1987 |

Could have been the one to boast Zen Arcade or New Day Rising as my entry points to Hüsker Dü, but as it happened their swan song Warehouse: Songs and Stories became my gateway album. I discovered them without any anticipation or deep knowledge about their astonishing back catalogue. I was just thrown into this sprawling sonic assault of thin fuzz, frenetic pace and way to clever poetry for a kid my age. It was almost too much. I guess the sheer intensity and emotional depth did resonate very well at the time. And the songs are catchy as hell. I didn’t care to much about the front cover though, but adored the back cover; those three weird and average looking guys laying on the grass surrounded by psychedelic blasts. 30 years down the road it still sounds like an amalgam of 60’s pop anthems filtered through a punk psychedelic odyssey, I particularly recall “Ice Cold Ice”, “Could You Be the One” and especially “She Floated Away” being played nonstop. Warehouse: Songs And Stories is a breathtaking kaleidoscopic soundtrack of youth, the sound of a band that had finally grown up – but also a band that were falling apart. In the end, I guess everything does.

The Del-Lords | Johnny Comes Marching Home | EMI America 1986 |

Of all the albums bought in my pioneer days, this is the one I probably know the least. I don’t recall the actual purchase, nor the songs in detail. So with a bit of excitement I drop the needle and press play. Just like the first time. The archetypal 80s sound aside, time has fared rather well with Johnny. The cover doesn’t lie. These four tough, denim and leather dressed New York guys could’ve been lifted straight outta ‘American Graffiti’, cruising down the main drag and looking for trouble at the soda shop while hanging round the jukebox. And it’s pretty much that kind of music they make; no nonsense rock rooted directly back to the 1950s with a modernized and radio friendly sound – and some nice parts of chiming Byrds-like guitars. Not bad at all, formerly Dictators’ and front man Scott Kempner is a great songwriter and assembled a more than decent cast of characters, including Eric ‘Roscoe’ Ambel, for The Del-Lords. Sometimes all we need is to rock out, have a good time and don’t worry too much. The sound of carefree times has no expiration date.

Danny & Dusty | The Lost Weekend | A&M 1985 |

When you’re 15-16, life’s at the crossroads. Your path is not yet set, there are choices to be made; sports, school, or well, smoking and drinking. Now, I’ll never blame Danny & Dusty for leading me down the wrong road, but those two fellas on the cover sure seems to have a good time! Who doesn’t wanna join in on their drunken choir? And Danny & Dusty sounds just like a couple friends having the time of their lives. It certainly helps when they happened to be Dan Stuart and Steve Wynn, joined by a fine group of likeminded ramblers from The Long Ryders and Green On Red/The Dream Syndicate. They dropped most of their gloomy credibility and pretensions outside and entered the bar with nothing but good intentions: to sing, drink, shoot stories, long on talk and short on cash, and drink some more. ‘One’s too many, and a hundred’s not enough’ as they say in the legendary movie The Lost Weekend (I watched it immediately after buying the album.) The result is loose and spontaneous, but not too sloppy, rather it’s rowdy, confident and has actually aged very well. The songs are great, from when the word is out until we knock on heavens door begging for hangover relief on Sunday. Chris Cacavas is perfect as the barroom pianist, Dan and Steve know how to tell stories about winners and losers in the shadow of the Hollywood neon glimmer. Lebowski might be the dude, but these guys, they were the real dudes.

The Cramps | Psychedelic Jungle | I.R.S. 1981 |

‘Primitive, that’s how I live.’ Lux Interior holler and howls all the way through ‘Psychedelic Jungle.’ The Cramps’ second album is onehelluva slow burning garbage crate digging bonanza of 1950s sleaze and dark shades, a wild, weird and wicked entry to a world of voodoo rockabilly, haunted garage rock and deranged punk. I discovered the band, as far as I remember, with a live version of “Sunglasses After Dark” played on radio, and was immediately hooked. I don’t play this too often though, must’ve been years since I was reminded to not eat stuff from the sidewalk

5 Videoer: The Replacements

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Topp 5 musikkvideoer av salige The Replacements, hvis 1987-skive Pleased to Meet Me just har rundet 30 år.

Les mer her: The Replacements: Getting Nowhere Fast

5.Merry Go Round
Album: All Shook Down (Sire, 1990)

You wake to another day and find
The wind’s blowing out of key with your sky
Only you can see
And the rain dancing in the night
Everybody stands around in delight

Merry go round in dreams
Writes ’em down, it seems
When she sleeps, she’s free
Merry go round in dreams

4. When It Began
Album: All Shook Down (1990)

Long ago, or yesterday
The queen sits quietly, the jester plays
She plays off with their heads and on with my pants
Oh and it was something, when it began

3. I’ll Be You
Album: Don’t Tell a Soul (1989)

Lonely, I guess that’s where I’m from
If I was from Canada
Then I’d best be called lonesome
And if it’s just a game
Then I’ll break down just in case
Oh yeah, we’re runnin’ in our last race

Well, I laughed half the way to Tokyo
I dreamt I was Surfer Joe
And what that means, I don’t know

2. Alex Chilton
Album: Pleased to Meet Me (1987)

I never travel far
Without a little Big Star

1. Bastards of Young
Album: Tim (1985)

Clean your baby womb, trash that baby boom
Elvis in the ground, there’ll ain’t no beer tonight
Income tax deduction, what a hell of a function
It beats pickin’ cotton and waitin’ to be forgotten

We are the sons of no one, bastards of young
We are the sons of no one, bastards of young
Now the daughters and the sons

Unwillingness to claim us, ya got no war to name us

The ones, love us best are the ones we’ll lay to rest
And visit their graves on holidays at best
The ones, love us least are the ones we’ll die to please
If it’s any consolation, I don’t begin to understand them

Bjørn Hammershaug

Craig Brown Band: Detroit Country Rock City

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Detroit is rightfully considered one of America’s great music cities, counting Motown, MC5, Iggy & the Stooges, Bob Seger, Alice Cooper and The White Stripes among its notable exports. Now go ahead and add Craig Brown Band to Motor City’s roster. Their effortless and ragged mix of classic rock’n’roll, honky-skronk and garage rock follows a proud lineage, and Brown and his band have naturally found a home at Jack White’s Third Man Records.

Craig Brown is no newcomer to the scene, having played in various Motor City punk bands through the years, most notably the trashy electro-punk outfit Terrible Twos. But with Craig Brown Band he’s adding some country/folk twang into the blue-collar rock mix, described by the Detroit Metro-Times as “straightforward without being boring; as composed as it is relaxed; a touch of folk and heartland rock, just enough to remind us a little bit of Tom Petty here and a dash of Nashville Skyline-Dylan there…”– and we have to add for the record that Craig Brown Band also shares a similar raucous barroom feel to, say, The Replacements or Danny & Dusty.

Recorded by Warren Defever (Thurston Moore, Yoko Ono, Iggy & the Stooges) and loaded with classic songwriting and wry and humorous observations on fishing, baseball and drinking, their new album The Lucky Ones Forget is a one helluva debut. We had the opportunity to chat with Craig Brown about his new album.

***

Who is Craig Brown Band – can you please introduce yourself?

My band consists of Jeff Perry on drums. He is one of my oldest friends. We’ve been playing together since 6th grade. Eric Allen on rhythm guitars. He is a great front man and I’ve played guitar in his band throughout the years. He’s a great friend and player to have around. Andrew Hecker is on the bass. He’s the youngest member by a handful of years. Bass is in his blood. His dad is an incredible player as well. Andrew has all the talent in the world and is just as much a total knuckle head… I’ll leave that at that.

Lastly, I have been graced with The Drinkard Sisters. Bonnie and Caitlin Drinkard singing on backup harmonies. Being sisters they’ve been singing together their whole lives and it really shows in their almost effortless work ethic. They’re just great!

I’m Craig and I play all of the bendy guitars and just about everything else you hear on the record: all the acoustics, some harmonica, some organ, some percussion, bells, etc.

Congratulations with a great album. What do we get and what’s it about?

Thank you! Well… about that… You get an album that is basically mixed of some songs I’ve had for over 5 years, and some really new ones. It’s hard for me to label it myself in any sort of category. Some people say country. Some say just rock ‘n’ roll. I’m fine with either.

The record is a lot about relationships, insecurities, and basic wonder about past and future endeavors.

Can you share the story behind the album cover?

[Laughing] Sure, I guess. The album cover was just a shoot with my friend Zak and me in the middle of this field at this old school in Detroit. It was actually a shot for the gatefold in the inside. Which it still is. He wanted to try me hiding under it. So we kept that as the inside and that was supposed to be that.

We had a completely different idea originally for the cover. One day I was showing the fotos to my friend Dan Clark and he had the idea for the cover being just a zoomed in version of the inside. I liked it, Third Man loved it. And there you go.

What inspired you the most when you started writing the songs that ended up on The Lucky Ones Forget?

Girls.

What can you share about the recording process and working with this material in the studio?

We recorded with Warren Defever. He’s just fantastic! He’s brilliant and he has been doing it for a very long time. He knows what he’s doing and he’s also open to suggestions, which is usually a very hard combination to come by these days. We recorded it all as the four guys live. Then I came in and did all the extra little things and lead vocals. Then the Drinkard sisters came in and sang their parts with brief run-throughs before every one of their takes with me on a baby grand piano and us just singing. I wish there was some recordings of that actually.

The final sessions was just Warren and me mixing the record together. The record was mastered for vinyl down in Nashville. We recorded the album at Warren’s studio here in Detroit.

Did you have a clear idea or vision on how the album should be from the get-go, or did it develop along the way?

Yes I did. I did because I recorded over half of the record by myself in a little 4-track studio at my house throughout the years playing all the instruments. I never really dreamed I would land a band as good as mine and these were just songs I’d make and record sort of as a hobby. Basically, I knew what I wanted because I already did what I wanted. Just not with a totally pro sound.

What kind of feelings or sentiment do you wish leaving for the listener after hearing it?

Man… Hopefully a whirlwind of emotions. Or maybe just makes you hungry. I dunno…

Please describe a preferred setting to ultimately enjoy the album?

Driving, or loud as fuck in the other room while taking a shower I guess.

What’s the best debut album ever made and why?

Well, three really come to mind and I feel I can list all of them because they are all from different worlds:

Ready to Die by Biggie
It’s just my favorite rap album. It makes me feel cooler than I am when I listen to it. It really set the bar so much higher for rap and it all stopped being cute at that point forward. He was just so damn smart lyrically. He’s truly inspired me in being funny and dead serious at the same time.

Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. by Dwight Yoakam
This album is just perfect sounding and written. Every aspect seems nothing of a debut. This guy and his band really had their shit together from the very start. Pete Anderson (fellow Detroiter) who produced and played lead guitar for Dwight’s band for years has really inspired me in playing country guitar. It’s just so fun to do once you “get it.”

Kill ‘em All by Metallica
It is just incredible from start to finish. It was such a life-changer for me growing up. So powerful! Also, I just can’t believe it’s the same band now. Wow!

Bjørn Hammershaug

1980-tallet: 200 Favorittalbum

/ Bjørn Hammershaug / Leave a comment

80s_albums_final_1200
Denne lista over de 200 beste albumene fra 1980-tallet er ikke satt sammen av et panel med eksperter som har kåret en objektiv og endelig avgjørelse (som om det skulle være mulig). Dette er en liste over mine favoritter. De fleste ble oppdaget på 80-tallet, spesielt etter 1986, og står dermed selvsagt ekstra sterkt i internminnet. Andre har blitt ervervet og verdsatt i ettertid, og bidrar (heldigvis) til at sjangerbredden er noe variert og at tilsiget er konstant økende.

Et kjapt blikk på de 200 avslører at amerikansk gitarrock stod – og står – høyere i kurs enn, la oss si britisk synthpop. Ei heller er sjangre som hardrock og hip hop overrepresentert for å si det forsiktig – og mange av tiårets storselgere innen pop og rock gikk under denne radaren da, og har blitt liggende senere. Men noe skal man også ha til gode. Dette er min liste pr nå, og den er på langt nær hugget i stein. Tvert i mot, jeg gleder meg til å flikke på den, og bytte ut med nye favoritter ettersom de kommer min vei. Dette er uansett alle vinnere.

Utvalget er begrenset til to album pr. artist, så her er det mange darlings som er killed. Albumene er satt opp i rekkefølge, men etter de 20-30 første må det sies at den eksakte plasseringen er noe lemfeldig organisert. Uansett, skal du først ha med deg 200 80-tallsskiver på en øde øy ville jeg startet omtrent her.

doolittle1-10:
Pixies: Doolittle (1989)
Sonic Youth: Daydream Nation (1988)
Dinosaur Jr.: You’re Living All Over Me (1987)
Nirvana: Bleach (1989)
The Replacements: Let It Be (1984)
R.E.M: Murmur (1983)
Violent Femmes: s/t (1983)
Pixies: Surfer Rosa (1988)
Beastie Boys: Paul’s Boutique (1989)
Giant Sand: Valley of Rain (1985)

miami11-20:
Gun Club: Miami (1982)
The Feelies: Crazy Rhythms (1980)
The Dream Syndicate: The Days of Wine and Roses (1982)
Hüsker Dü: Warehouse: Songs and Stories (1987)
Wipers: Youth of America (1981)
Minutemen: Double Nickels on the Dime (1984)
Butthole Surfers: Locust Abortion Technician (1987)
Thin White Rope: Moonhead (1987)
Green on Red: Gravity Talks (1983)
Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988)

reckoning21-30:
R.E.M: Reckoning (1984)
Mudhoney: Superfuzz Bigmuff (1988)
deLillos: Suser avgårde (1986)
Meat Puppets: II (1983)
Sonic Youth: Sister (1987)
Dinosaur Jr.: Bug (1988)
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: Tender Prey (1988)
The Smiths: The Queen is Dead (1986)
Nomeansno: Wrong (1989)
Hüsker Dü: New Day Rising (1985)

freshfruit31-40:
Dead Kennedys: Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables (1980)
Brian Eno & Daniel Lanois: Apollo – Atmospheres & Soundtracks (1983)
Talking Heads: Remain in Light (1980)
Black Flag: Damaged (1981)
Giant Sand: The Love Songs (1988)
Slayer: Reign in Blood (1986)
David Bowie: Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) (1980)
Jokke & Valentinerne: Et hundeliv (1987)
Joy Division: Closer (1980)
Julee Cruise: Floating Into the Night (1989)

fugazi41-50:
Fugazi: s/t EP (1988)
The Replacements: Tim (1985)
The Stone Roses: s/t (1989)
Raga Rockers: Maskiner i Nirvana (1984)
The Rain Parade: Emergency Third Rail Power Trip (1984)
Tom Waits: Rain Dogs (1985)
Jane’s Addiction: Nothing’s Shocking (1988)
Green on Red: Gas Food Lodging (1985)
N.W.A: Straight Outta Compton (1988)
Killdozer: Intellectuals Are the Shoeshine Boys of the Ruling Elite (1984)

songsabout51-60:
deLillos: Hjernen er alene (1989)
Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man (1988)
Godflesh: Streetcleaner (1989)
Arthur Russell: World of Echo (1986)
Naked City: Torture Garden (1989)
Descendents: Milo Goes to College (1982)
Cosmic Psychos: Go the Hack (1989)
Tad: God’s Balls (1988)
Big Black: Songs About Fucking (1987)
Swans: Children of God (1987)

brownreason61-70:
Butthole Surfers: A Brown Reason to Live (1983)
The Dream Syndicate: Live at Raji’s (1989)
Thin White Rope: In the Spanish Cave (1988)
The Cramps: Psychedelic Jungle (1981)
The Pogues: If I Should Fall From Grace With God (1988)
Barracudas: Drop Out With the Barracudas (1982)
Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers: It’s Time For… (1986)
Bad Brains: s/t (1982)
The Fall: This Nation’s Saving Grace (1985)
Sunnyboys: s/t (1981)

suffer71-80:
Bad Religion: Suffer (1988)
The Soft Boys: Underwater Moonlight (1980)
Faith No More: The Real Thing (1989)
Bruce Springsteen: Nebraska (1982)
American Music Club: California (1988)
Metallica: Master of Puppets (1986)
Napalm Death: Scum (1987)
The Waterboys: This is the Sea (1985)
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: Kicking Against the Pricks (1986)
Hasil Adkins: He Said (1985)

ultramega81-90:
Soundgarden: Ultramega OK (1988)
Lounge Lizards: s/t (1981)
Cowboy Junkies: The Trinity Sessions (1987)
Rapeman: Two Nuns and a Pack Mule (1989)
Orchestra Baobab: Pirates Choice – the 1982 Sessions (1989)
Massacre: Killing Time (1981)
Michael Jackson: Thriller (1982)
Guns N’ Roses: Appetite for Destruction (1987)
King Sunny Ade: Juju Music (1982)
Knutsen & Ludvigsen: Juba Juba (1983)

junkyard91-100:
The Birthday Party: Junkyard (1982)
The Jesus and Mary Chain: Psychocandy (1985)
XTC: English Settlement (1982)
Prince: Sign ‘O’ The Times (1987)
Tom Waits: Swordfishtrombones (1983)
The The: Infected (1986)
Talk Talk: Spirit of Eden (1988)
dePress: Block to Block (1981)
Brian Eno & David Byrne: My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (1981)
Motörhead: Ace of Spades (1980)

***

graceland101-110:
My Bloody Valentine: Isn’t Anything (1988)
The Pogues: Rum, Sodomy and the Lash (1985)
This Heat: Deceit (1981)
Paul Simon: Graceland (1986)
Richard & Linda Thompson: Shoot Out the Lights (1982)
Dire Straits: Making Movies (1980)
The Go-Betweens: 16 Lovers Lane (1988)
Young Marble Giants: Colossal Youth (1980)
Echo & The Bunnymen: Ocean Rain (1984)
Prefab Sprout: Steve McQueen (1985)

nightfly111-120:
The Cure: Pornography (1982)
The Wipers: Over the Edge (1983)
Neil Young: Freedom (1989)
Dumptruck: for the Country (1987)
The Jesus Lizard: Pure (1989)
The Gun Club: Fire of Love (1981)
Donald Fagen: The Nightfly (1982)
Elvis Costello/The Costello Show: King of America (1986)
Lou Reed: New York (1989)
Dexy’s Midnight Runners: Searching For the Young Soul Rebels (1980)

lost_weekend121-130:
Scratch Acid: Berserker EP (1987)
Pylon: Chomp (1983)
David Sylvian: Secrets of the Beehive (1987)
Anthrax: Among the Living (1987)
Scientists: Weird Love (1986)
AC/DC: Back in Black (1980)
Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense (1984)
Orange Juice: You Can’t Hide Your Love Forever (1982)
Flipper: Album – Generic Flipper (1982)
Danny & Dusty: The Lost Weekend (1985)

donut_comes_alive131-140:
Mission of Burma: vs (1982)
Iron Maiden: Number of the Beast (1982)
Slint: Tweez (1989)
Roky Erickson: The Evil One (1980)
Alice Donut: Donut Comes Alive (1988)
Died Pretty: Free Dirt (1986)
The Legendary Stardust Cowboy: Rock-It to Stardom (1984)
U2: War (1983)
Killing Joke: s/t (1980)
Circle Jerks: Group Sex (1980)

houndsoflove141-150:
Saccharine Trust: Paganicons (1981)
Squeeze: Argybargy (1980)
Radka Toneff: Fairytales (1982)
Kate Bush: Hounds of Love (1985)
Fang: Landshark (1982)
Steve Earle: Guitar Town (1986)
Moving Targets: Burning in Water (1986)
The Long Ryders: Native Sons (1984)
Swell Maps: Jane From Occupied Europe (1980)
Tears For Fears: Songs From the Big Chair (1985)

oceanrain151-160:
The Triffids: Born Sandy Devotional (1986)
Motor Boys Motor: s/t (1982)
Living Colour: Vivid (1988)
P.I.L: Metal Box (1980)
X: Los Angeles (1980)
The db’s: Stands For Decibels (1987)
Hoodoo Gurus: Stoneage Romeos (1984)
Agent Orange: Living in Darkness (1981)
The Psychedelic Furs: s/t (1980)
Eyeless in Gaza: Red Rust September (1983)

repareres_jokke161-170:
ESG: Come Away With ESG (1983)
RUN DMC: Raising Hell (1986)
Galaxie 500: On Fire (1989)
True West: Drifters (1984)
Minutemen: What Makes a Man Start Fires? (1982)
Jokke & Valentinerne: Alt kan repareres (1986)
Black Flag: My War (1984)
Minor Threat: Out of Step (1983)
Divine Horsemen: Devil’s River (1986)
Naked Prey: 40 Miles From Nowhere (1987)

rotorvator171-180:
The Feelies: Only Life (1988)
Stan Ridgeway: The Big Heat (1985)
Green River: Rehab Doll (1988)
Coil: Horse Rotorvator (1986)
D.O.A: War on 45 (1982)
Dead Kennedys: Frankenchrist (1985)
David Lynch: Eraserhead (1982)
The Cramps: Songs the Lord Taught Us (1980)
Wall of Voodoo: Call of the West (1982)
The Beasts of Bourbon: Sour Mash (1988)

paganplace181-190:
The Waterboys: A Pagan Place (1984)
Beastie Boys: Licensed to Ill (1986)
Dead Moon: In the Graveyard (1988)
The Pretenders: s/t (1980)
Los Lobos: How Will the Wolf Survive (1984)
Suicidal Tendencies: s/t (1983)
Camper Van Beethoven: Telephone Free Landslide Victory (1985)
Violent Femmes: Hallowed Ground (1984)
Lloyd Cole & the Commotions: Rattlesnakes (1984)
The Rainmakers: s/t (1986)

deadcops191-200:
Rockpile: Seconds of Pleasure (1980)
The Crucifucks: s/t (1984)
Glenn Branca: The Ascension (1981)
M.D.C: Millions of Dead Cops (1982)
Dumptruck: for the Country (1987)
The New Christs: Distemper (1989)
Bitch Magnet: Umber (1989)
Oxbow: Fuck Fest (1989)
Lard: The Power of Lard (1989)
Alphaville: Forever Young (1984)

Bjørn Hammershaug

Adjø Solidaritet: 1980-tallet – 100 Favorittlåter

/ Bjørn Hammershaug / Leave a comment

For noen er musikken på 80-tallet ensbetydende med spjåkete metal eller dyster synthpop. For meg var 80-tallet først og fremst synonymt med en musikalsk oppvåkning, der første halvdel stort sett handlet om barndommens tilfeldigheter, men som i siste halvdel fant en form som har vært et fundament siden: Amerikansk undergrunnsrock, både i ulike punka varianter og i mer roots-orientert form.

Denne lista preges ikke uventet av nettopp låter fra denne opplysningstiden: Fra undergrunns-pionerer som The Feelies og Sonic Youth og punk fra Descendents og The Dead Kennedys, via janglerock (R.E.M) og ørkenrock (Giant Sand). Men i denne – for mange sikkert ensartede – miksen er det også funnet rom for mer enkeltlåtfavoritter fra artister som Jona Lewie og David + David. Kun én låt pr. artist, likevel er det altfor mange som ikke har fått plass, for mange til å nevnes, men dette summerer i det store og hele opp mitt 80-tall på låtsiden.
mudhoney

Sonic Youth: Teen Age Riot (1989)
Dinosaur Jr.: Freak Scene (1988)
Fugazi: Waiting Room (1988)
Pixies: Debaser (1989)
Violent Femmes: Blister in the Sun (1983)
Nirvana: School (1989)
The Feelies: The Boy With The Perpetual Nervousness (1980)
Mudhoney: Touch Me I’m Sick (1988)
Wipers: Youth of America (1981)
R.E.M: So. Central Rain (1984)

replacements

Tad: Loser (1989)
The Dead Kennedys: Holiday in Cambodia (1980)
Giant Sand: Thin Line Man (1986)
The Replacements: I Will Dare (1984)
The Dream Syndicate: Halloween (1982)
Butthole Surfers: Hey (1983)
The Gun Club: Carry Home (1982)
Julee Cruise: Falling (1989)
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: The Mercy Seat (1988)
Brian Eno: Weightless (1983)

jokke

Thin White Rope: Red Sun (1988)
Hüsker Dü: She Floated Away (1987)
deLillos: Sveve over byen (1989)
The Church: Under the Milky Way (1988)
World Party: Ship of Fools (1986)
Echo & the Bunnymen: The Killing Moon (1984)
Jokke & Valentinerne: Tida er inne (1987)
Slayer: Angel of Death (1986)
John Cooper Clark: Beasley Street (1980)
Minutemen: This Ain’t No Picnic (1984)

cramps

Raga Rockers: Når knoklene blir til gele (1983)
The Cramps: Sunglasses After Dark (1980)
Meat Puppets: Plateau (1984)
The Smiths: Bigmouth Strikes Again (1986)
Black Flag: Rise Above (1981)
Alice Donut: Lisa’s Father (Waka Baby) (1988)
The Dicks: The Dicks Hate the Police (1980)
Nomeansno: It’s Catching Up (1989)
Lard: The Power of Lard (1989)
Green on Red: Sea of Cortez (1985)

nwa

Cosmic Psychos: Quarter to Three (1988)
Kjøtt: Jeg vil bli som Jesus (1980)
NWA: Straight Outta Compton (1988)
Jane’s Addiction: Mountain Song (1988)
The Cure: Just Like Heaven (1985)
Suicidal Tendencies: Institutionalized (1983)
Lillebjørn Nilsen: Aleksander Kiellands Plass (1985)
Laibach: Across the Universe (1988)
Public Enemy: Bring the Noise (1988)
Lounge Lizards: Incident on South Street (1981)

pogues

Pylon: Crazy (1983)
American Music Club: Highway 5 (1988)
The Pogues: Thousands Are Sailing (1988)
David + David: Welcome to the Boomtown (1986)
Rod Stewart: Young Turks (1981)
dePress: Bo Jo Cie Kochom (1981)
Tears For Fears: Head Over Heels (1985)
Imperiet: Märk hur vår skugga (1987)
Swans: New Mind (1987)
Killdozer: Man of Meat (1984)

bigblack

Young Marble Giants: Searching for Mr. Right (1980)
Big Black: L Dopa (1987)
Bad Religion: I Want to Conquer the World (1989)
Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers: Just About Seventeen (1986)
Agent Orange: Bloodstains (1981)
Naked Prey: What Price for Freedom (1986)
The Jesus Lizard: Blockbuster (1989)
Died Pretty: Blue Sky Day (1986)
Flipper: Sex Bomb (1982)
Bad Brains: Pay to Cum (1980)

l7

Tom Waits: Cold Cold Ground (1987)
Dire Straits: Tunnel of Love (1980)
Helmet: Born Annoying (1989)
Scratch Acid: Mary Had a Little Drug Problem (1986)
Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band: Against the Wind (1980)
L7: Bite the Wax Tadpole (1988)
Prince: Sign O the Times (1987)
Green River: Swallow My Pride (1988)
Bitch Magnet: Americruiser (1989)
The La’s: There She Goes (1988)

bangles

The Waterboys: Church Not Made With Hands (1984)
Wall of Voodoo Mexican Radio (1982)
Faith No More: Epic (1989)
Zero Boys: Livin in the 80’s (1980)
The Bangles: Manic Monday (1986)
Descendents: Suburban Home (1982)
Motor Boys Motor: Drive Friendly (1982)
Massacre: Killing Time (1981)
Stan Ridgeway: Camouflage (1986)
XTC: Dear God (1986)

soundgarden

Soundgarden: Ugly Truth (1989)
Arthur Russell: Treehouse (1986)
The Stone Roses: Fools Gold (1989)
Madonna: Like a Prayer (1989)
The Rain Parade: Look At Merri (1983)
Yo La Tengo: The Evil That Men Do (1989)
Jason & The Scorchers: Broken Whiskey Glass (1985)
The Boomtown Rats: Banana Republic (1981)
Bruce Springsteen: Atlantic City (1982)
Metallica: Master of Puppets (1983)

Bjørn Hammershaug

—

…the longlist….
Cowboy Junkies: Misguided Angel (1988)
Eldkvarn: Kungarna Från Broadway (1988)
Talking Heads: Once in a Lifetime (1980)
Buffalo Tom: Sunflower Suit (1989)
Go-Betweens: Was There Anything I Could Do (1988)
Mission Of Burma: That’s When I Reach For My Revolver (1981)
Neneh Cherry: Buffalo Stance (1988)
Opal: Happy Nightmare Baby (1987)
The New Christs: No Way on Earth (1989)
Billy Joel: A Matter of Trust (1986)
Lee Clayton: 10 000 Years/Sexual Moon (1983)
The Triffids: Wide Open Road (1986)
INXS: Never Tear Us Apart (1987)
Dinosaur L: GoBang! (1982)
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: The Waiting (1980)
Naked City: The Sicilian Clan (1989)
Chris Isaak: Blue Hotel (1987)
E.S.G: Dance (1983)
Sunnyboys: Happy Man (1981)
John Mellencamp: Rain On The Scarecrow (1985)
Glenn Branca: Lesson No. 2 (1981)
Beastie Boys: High Plains Drifter (1989)
Electric Light Orchestra: From the End of the World (1981)
Steve Earle: Guitar Town (1986)
Joy Division: Islolation (1980)
The db’s: Bad Reputation (1981)

The Hold Steady: Paradise By The Dashboard Light

/ Bjørn Hammershaug / Leave a comment

The Hold Steady viderefører en stolt, fordrukken tradisjon fra Minneapolis. Craig Finn & co følger etter The Replacements med sin rufsete og ’ærlige arbeiderklasserock’, slik som ikke har like gode vekstvilkår i et land mettet av oljepenger og med tette sosiale sikkerhetsnett. For dette er ’the real deal’. The Hold Steady er på ingen måte et ’kult’ eller ’tidsriktig’ band, de kunne like gjerne eksistert i 1975 – eller i 1985 der de befinner seg et sted på tidslinjen mellom Bruce Springsteens gateband og Green On Reds velmaktsdager. Det som selvsagt sikrer Hold Steady mer enn vanlig spaltegjemsel, ved siden av lyrikken, er at de spiller med tjukk nerve og ektefølt sjel, alfa og omega om man skal forhindre gubbestempel og utdatert vare påklistret leveransen.

Separation Sunday (French Kiss, 2005)
Born To Run
’She said always remember, never trust me’ sier vokalist og låtskriver Craig Finn innledningsvis, han har en slik slitt stemme man får av for mange lange kvelder ute på byen, ikke spesielt bra, men du verden så effektfull. Bandet kommer så inn og ruller opp med en tungt gitarladet og melodisk sugende ”Hornets! Hornets!” der man umiddelbart legger merke til det fyldige orgelet som følger oss platen ut. Åpningslåten legger til grunn en gjennomgående mørk tone på tekstsiden, geografisk konsentrert i Minneapolis:

I guess the heavy stuff ain’t quite at its heaviest
by the time it gets out to suburban Minneapolis
We were living up at Nicollett and 66th
with three skaters and some hoodrat chick

I dette urbane midt-vestuniverset tegner Finn bilder han tydeligvis kjenner godt, som en nyfødt Lou Reed beskrives gatelivet meget stilsikkert, med et blikk som er både sløret og skarpt, og med en penn som er likedan. Persongalleriet er levende, fortellingene, gjerne tragiske og tunge, troverdige med gjengangere som går på tvers av låtene (protagonist er ’hoodrat’ Holly Halleluja). Humoren er av det svarte slaget. Det skrives med rene ord for pengene, men forfattere som Algren og Yeats kan gjerne dukke opp i samme låt, side om side med en Pogues-pastisj (”Fairytale Of New York”). Det er definitivt mye street-smarts over godeste Craig Finn.

Musikalsk er stilen passende til tekstene; rått jordnære, ubehøvlet og direkte, med en sårbar undertone. Blåsere og orgel gir soul feeling, de hvasse, huggende gitarene trekker mot punken og asfaltrocken, den tidvis episke rockmytolgien mot Meat Loaf, med den samme svetten som drypper ned ryggen til Greg Cartwright i Reigning Sound. Sa jeg classic rock? FM-radio? Åpne veier og fullt volum. Jepp, jeg gjorde visst det.

Boys And Girls In America (Vagrant, 2006)
On The Road
Da vi forlot The Hold Steady i 2005 var de full fart ut av nabolaget hjemme i Minneapolis og suste inn i den håpløse og håpefulle amerikanske drømmen i en åpen bil – der paradis er dashboardet, nabojenta kaster seg inn i passasjersetet og sørstatsflagget blafrer under hagla bak sjåførens trippelnakke. Jo, det var radioen på full guffe, det var Meat Loaf, Bruce Springsteen og Tom Petty, det var møkk under fingerneglene, ‘a hard earned livin’ for the blue collar worker’.

Ett år etter en alle tiders hangover-søndag jakter Craig Finn og hans kumpaner fremdeles etter lykken og finner stort sett dritt. Det blir gjerne gode toner ut av den slags søken, håp og med en solid dose resignasjon. The Hold Steady har på sett og vis gitt avkall på sine mest rufsete og ubarberte sider, til fordel for en mer klassisk stor-rock. Ut med The Replacements, inn med Thin Lizzy. Og ikke minst Bruce Springsteen. Både i tekst og musikalsk innpakning ligger Boys And Girls In America nær det sjefen rendyrket for 30 år siden. Særlig tydelig med de hamrende pianoakkordene på åpningssporet ”Stuck Between Stations”, der Finn umiddelbart søker den samme energien som Springsteen i sin tid hadde. Ikke mye har skjedd siden Mary svinset ut hageporten, på vei mot lykkelandet langs tordenveien på det som er den beste teksten amerikansk rock noensinne har gitt oss.

The Hold Steady skriver ikke spesielt minneverdige melodier, og da hviler mye på utførelse og tekster. Låtene preges av litt for lik oppbygning, med litt for sterk hang til seige pop-punk riff som løser seg opp i oppblåste refreng. De tar et par fornuftige grep her, for eksempel på ”Chillout Tent” hvor Dave Pirner (fra Soul Asylum) og ikke minst Elizabeth Elmore avlaster Finns ikke altfor brede vokalregister.

Tekstene til Craig Finn er stort sett gode. Han forsøker i hvert fall å si oss noe, men snubler litt som stor lyriker. Innledningslinjen drar oss rett inn i Jack Kerouacs On The Road: ’There are nights when I think Sal Paradise was right, boys and girls in America have such a sad time together…’ Lovende! Men selv om de aspirerer mot de store ting, så har kanskje ikke bilen kommet så langt avgårde likevel. Mye universelt kan også sies i de nære ting, og når de på avsluttende ”Southtown Girls” synger om Nicollett Avenue og Lyndale så er vi fremdeles stuck i Minneapolis. I mellomtiden har det blitt veldig mye gutt og jente, med en ikke uvesentlig dose rusproblematikk som spenningsmoment og lokalt småbytrøbbel som bakteppe. Klassisk amerikansk rock, på godt og vondt, altså.

The Hold Steady har forsøkt å lage en Stor Amerikansk Plate, og Boys And Girls In America er slett ikke noe dårlig forsøk. Jeg er ikke sikker på hvor vesentlig den er. Solid rock harves ut med tidvis glød og tidvis forutsigbarhet, tekstene veksler mellom hardkokt dop-poesi og rødmende high school-svermerier. Og står igjen et sted mellom Springsteens Born To Run og Thin Lizzys Night Life.

Bjørn Hammershaug
(Omtalene er tidligere publisert på groove.no)

Green On Red: L.A Noir

/ Bjørn Hammershaug / Leave a comment

Da jeg ble oppmerksom på den nye amerikanske rocken på midten av 80-tallet var det som å bli slengt inn i et parallellunivers som det viste seg å være vanskelig å komme ut av. Etiketter som Zippo, Enigma og Frontier, og artister som Giant Sand, The Dream Syndicate og Thin White Rope ble dyrket. Noen av de mange artistene som åpenbarte seg ble senere berømte (REM), noen lever fremdeles i beste velgående (Giant Sand), enkelte var kortvarige gleder (Naked Prey, The Long Ryders), mens atter andre raskt vendte tilbake til glemselens daler (Rave-Ups, Dump Truck, Rank And File).

Green On Red startet opp som punkbandet The Serfers hjemme i Tucson på slutten av 1970-tallet, men endret navn og flyttet tidlig i karrieren til Los Angeles. De fant sin plass i Paisley Underground-scenen, sammen med blant andre The Bangles, True West, The Rain Parade og The Dream Syndicate. Det betyr countryrock, psykedelia, ringende gitarer, storby og ørken i skjønn forening, der hele dere katalog fram til 1987 står som hjørnesteiner i en rik periode av amerikansk gitarrock. Deres beste album, Gravity Talks, får behandles ved en senere anledning.

Les mer:
The Paisley Underground: Los Angeles’s 1980s psychedelic explosion (The Guardian)

Green On Red: s/t (Down There, 1982)
Green On Reds første utgivelse på Steve Wynns Down There Records føyer seg inn blant etikettens stilige EP-debutanter. Dere med god husk minnes sikkert Naked Preys oransje, Dream Syndicates grønne og Green On Reds røde. Den er merkbart spinklere i lyden enn deres senere produksjoner, men forsterket av de samme psykedeliske overtonene og den angstfulle nevrosen som dels kjennetegnet bandet fram til 1987.

Gitarene ligger gjemt bak Chris Cacavas’ alltid tilstedeværende tangenter, og man hører deres new wave/punk innflytelser plassert langt fram i lydbildet. Uferdige og vinglete øyeblikk til tross, fyrverkeriene ”Aspirin”, ”Apartment 6” og ”Black Night” bidrar til at Green On Reds debut står som et av deres mest markante utgivelser, med preg av både skranglepop og surfrock som de egentlig aldri spant skikkelig videre på. Jeg synes bloggen Detailed Twang beskriver stemningen best: ’A cool trip through a flickering, late-night Los Angeles where speed is plentiful and troubles come in bunches.’ Slik blir det bra musikk av.

Gas Food Lodging (Enigma, 1985)
Fra bakgater til landeveien: Det er en stund siden jeg har hørt Gas Food Lodging i sin helhet, men den har holdt seg overraskende bra. Selve låtene er jo av tidløs karakter, og lydbildet er fortsatt slitesterkt. Dream Syndicate-gitarist Paul B. Cutler var hentet inn som produsent, og med ham på laget framstod Green On Red med mindre psykedelisk garasjepreg, og som noe røffere i kantene enn på sine foregående utgivelser. De skjærende gitarene som også preget tidlig Syndicate ble mer markante, og den æren må nok tilfalle nytilsatte Chuck Prophet IV. Chis Cacavas’ el.piano ble erstattet med en fyldigere orgellyd, Dan Stuart skrev noen av sine beste låter og hele kvintetten virket rett og slett i solid form. Bare et par år senere falt jo bandet fra hverandre i en salig blanding av pills & booze & rock’n’roll.

’It seems that no one has any faith anymore, but isn’t that what we invented heroes for…’ Slik åpner platen med ”That’s What Dreams” som en leksjon i realistisk booze’n’roll: ’Guess I’ll just be poor the rest of my life, but that’s better than giving up the fight…’ Sammen med den rufsete dagen-derpå slageren ”Hair Of The Dog” og honky-tonken ”Black River” understreker Green On Red et bemerkelsesverdig sterk debutalbum.

Det er likevel side 2 på Gas Food Lodging som er bandets magnum opus. ”Easy Way Out”, ”Sixteen Ways”, ”The Drifter” og ”Sea Of Cortez” er alle sentrale låter innen skitten amerikansk hverdagsrealisme. De fortjener å bli spilt sammenhengende, helt til versjonen av protestklassikeren ”We Shall Overcome” bringer oss tilbake rundt leirbålet, etter en tunge ferd fra Seattle til Mexicogulfen. Her viser Green On Red sin tilhørighet, og de bør med rette plasseres et sted mellom Velvet og Creedence, Neil Young og Johnny Thunders, Hank og Stones. Dan Stuarts predikerende klagesang bærer fortellerstemmen om drapsmenn, sosial urettferdighet, fyll og elendighet. Sinte, troverdige og mørke historier fra USAs bakgater rulles frem med en fandenivoldsk energi og en seig knurring med jordnære røtter. Det er fra slike frø det vokser klassisk rock.

The Killer Inside Me (Mercury, 1987)
USA, 1987: Reagan-perioden drar seg mot slutten, økonomien er relativt svak, kriminaliteten og arbeidsledigheten høy, klasseskillet økende. Dette er den politiske og sosiale virkeligheten som vibrerer bak Green On Reds mørke odysse The Killer Inside Me.

Stemningen illustreres på omslaget. Bilkøen som slurer avgårde mot kveldsmørket, mens solen sukker langsomt farvel over neonglorien langs motorveien. Tittelen er hentet fra Jim Thompsons kritikerroste krimklassiker ved samme navn, om den paranoide og schizofrene politimannen Lou Ford. Han er en tilsynelatende sympatisk fyr som beskyttet av sitt presentable ytre begår en rekke ugjerninger. Boken er skrevet i første person, slik at leseren kommer tett under huden på drapsmannen. The Killer Inside Me anno 1987 er også en under-huden historie om drapsmenn, helter og andre skikkelser fra den amerikanske hverdagen.

Green On Red er rufsete og rå i formen, med Dan Stuarts piskende stemme i rollen som samfunnets anklager og småkårsfolkets forsvarer. Chris Cacavas, Chuck Prophet og Jack Waterson har blitt en tight gjeng, og rocker langt hardere enn det Green On Red tidligere hadde vist på plate. Her kommer det fra, både røttene til Neil Young & Crazy Horse på midten av 70-tallet iblandet en dose Exile On Maine Street. med rølperocken til The Replacements. Produsent Jim Dickinson sjonglerer lyden av rock, country og gospel og unngikk stort sett å skru den flate 80-tallssoundet som har ødelagt så mange fine utgivelser fra denne tiden.

Vi beveger oss inn i Clarkesville ’where the rich get richer and the poor get less’ og småbyen som symbol på vrangsiden av den amerikanske drømmen. Sosial kritikk er et tema som er gjennomgående for hele albumet. Her handler det om ’cheap labour’, om å bli hengt ’for the color of your skin or for the church you go in’. Det handler om å være ’a pilgrim in a no man’s land’ og om mannen som ’painted flagpoles for a living’. Det handler om rotløshet, der Mexico er eneste utvei. Det tyktflytende tittelsporet er en mektig avslutter. Etter en tung rundreise på det amerikanske kontinentet er vi tilbake i Clarkesville. Bare håpløsheten og oppgittheten er tilbake, og illusjonene er fraværende. ’There’s a light in your eyes that always finds the darkness in my soul.’

’I haven’t been sober lately’ tilstår Dan Stuart på et sted her, og ble sørgelig nok heller ikke edru på noen år etter sitt katarsis. Bandet ble spådd en lysende karriere etter Gas Food Lodging (1985), men The Killer Inside Me floppet for et større publikum. Medlemmene gikk også hvert til sitt, selv om navnet fortsatt bestod i en noen år. Dette er for meg deres virkelige svanesang. Solen stod aldri helt opp igjen for Green On Red.

Bjørn Hammershaug