1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: Disgraceland is a production of Double Elvis. This is a 2 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:31,200 Speaker 1: story about the Replacements, one of the greatest rock and 3 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 1: roll bands of all time. It's also about a teenage 4 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: bass playing fuck up Prodigy and his big brother in 5 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 1: an ill fitting bodysuit on national television. It's about a 6 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 1: drummer playing chicken on his motorcycle with the cops, and 7 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:50,520 Speaker 1: about one of the greatest singer songwriters to ever pick 8 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 1: up a guitar and stumble toward a microphone. The Replacements 9 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 1: were chaotic, shambalic, devoid of any fucks to give, and 10 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: they were most definitely a band that made great music. 11 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 1: Unlike that music I played for you at the top 12 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 1: of the show. That wasn't great music. That was a 13 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 1: preset loop for my melotron called color Me Possessed MK two. 14 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 1: I played you that loop because I can't afford the 15 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 1: rights too. That's what friends are for. By Dion Warwick 16 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:28,440 Speaker 1: featuring Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder. And why 17 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 1: would I play you that specific slice of I can't 18 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:35,400 Speaker 1: believe your mom loves this crap cheese? Could I afford it? 19 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:39,800 Speaker 1: Because that was the number one song in America on 20 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:43,960 Speaker 1: January eighteenth, nineteen eighty six, and that was the day 21 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 1: the Replacements delivered a legendary performance on Saturday Night Live, 22 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 1: a performance that came with a major consequence, one which 23 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 1: ensured their short term demise while cementing their long term legacy. 24 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 1: On this episode, age Bass playing fuck up Prodigy, an 25 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 1: ill fitting body seat playing Chicken with the cops, pissing 26 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 1: off Lorne Michaels and the Replacements. I'm Jake Brennan and 27 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 1: this is Disgraceland Lorne Michaels, creator and executive producer of 28 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:47,079 Speaker 1: NBC Saturday Night Live. Listen to the voice on the 29 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 1: other end of the phone drone on and on, one 30 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: excuse after another, and it pissed Lauren off. And the 31 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 1: longer the call went on, the more it wasted his time. 32 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 1: So Lorne responded diplomatically with just two words, I see. 33 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 1: He said it calmly, but with a touch of menace. 34 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 1: He hoped his tone delivered his real message, and that 35 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:16,840 Speaker 1: message was, what the fuck do you mean? The Pointer 36 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:21,080 Speaker 1: Sisters are pulling out a next week's show. In early 37 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty six, after ten years of groundbreaking sketch comedy, 38 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: Saturday Night Live was in trouble. Ratings were in the toilet. 39 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 1: NBC executives were openly talking about canceling the show. Lord 40 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 1: Michaels had just returned after a few years hiatus. He 41 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 1: had to write the ship, which meant he couldn't afford 42 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:48,680 Speaker 1: any screw ups, like, for instance, having a musical guest 43 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 1: canceled at the last minute, which is exactly what was 44 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 1: happening now with the Pointer sisters. Laurene panicked he had 45 00:03:57,120 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 1: one week to find a new musical guest. Lauren knew comedy, 46 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 1: but he did not know music. Luckily, he surrounded himself 47 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 1: with people he could trust, like g. E. Smith, SNL's 48 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 1: musical director and Moe Austin, head of Warner Brothers Records. 49 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:17,320 Speaker 1: Moe had hooked Lauren up with Madonna as a musical 50 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:20,680 Speaker 1: guest for this year's season opener, and ratings went through 51 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:24,919 Speaker 1: the roof. Lauren remembered that Ge had been raving about 52 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:28,800 Speaker 1: some up and coming indie band. They had recently graduated 53 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 1: to a major label for their fourth album, just out 54 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:35,120 Speaker 1: of Warner's Sire Records in print, and just like they 55 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 1: were graduating from writing juvenile songs like Gary's Got a 56 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:43,719 Speaker 1: boner to more sophisticated tunes. So Lauren figured an up 57 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:46,159 Speaker 1: and coming band with a new record plug would be 58 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:50,360 Speaker 1: hungry for this kind of opportunity. So Lauren called up 59 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:54,800 Speaker 1: Moe Austin once again. He needed a favor for SNL. 60 00:04:54,920 --> 00:05:01,000 Speaker 1: Next week, Laurene needed a replacement, Actually, he needed the 61 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:09,280 Speaker 1: replacements halfway across the country. The replacements. Lead singer Paul 62 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:12,920 Speaker 1: Westerberg woke up on a couch in Chicago. His head 63 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:18,000 Speaker 1: was killing him yesterday when the band left their hometown Minneapolis, 64 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:21,280 Speaker 1: he told himself he wouldn't drink too much. The gig 65 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 1: was supposed to be just to tune up for the 66 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:26,400 Speaker 1: huge East Coast run and supported the band's new album, 67 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:30,680 Speaker 1: their major label debut, called Tim, So Paul thought it 68 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:33,040 Speaker 1: might be a good idea for Once to lay off 69 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 1: the booze and focus on nailing the new songs. But 70 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 1: lead guitarist Bob Stinson was drunk before he even got 71 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 1: in the van. Bob's little half brother, bassist Tommy Stinson, 72 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 1: may have only been nineteen, but he wasn't far behind Bob. 73 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:52,560 Speaker 1: With the brothers already shit faced, Paul figured they should 74 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:55,839 Speaker 1: all go down in flames together. One for all and 75 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:59,280 Speaker 1: all for one and all of that. So halfway to Chicago, 76 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:02,160 Speaker 1: Paul talked to Can of Old Style, the drummer Chris Mars, 77 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:05,640 Speaker 1: and they started playing ketchup, and by the time they 78 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:09,479 Speaker 1: made it to the club, Paul was wasted. His memory 79 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:12,840 Speaker 1: of what came next was spotty, like a series of 80 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 1: blurry pictures. Paul forgetting words, Paul smashing his guitar to pieces, 81 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 1: people booing and throwing full cans of beer at them. 82 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 1: Replacements gigs weren't always good, but at least they were 83 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 1: never boring, just like the lives of the Replacements members 84 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:35,720 Speaker 1: were never boring. On one particular night, Paul and Chris 85 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 1: were knocking back beers at Bob's house. Not Bob Stinson, 86 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 1: but Bob Moold, guitarist of Whoskerdoo, the Replacement's friends and 87 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 1: one of their fellow bands in the early eighties Minneapolis 88 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 1: hardcore scene. Chris, who was feeling real good after this 89 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:55,159 Speaker 1: drunken hang session, hopped on his motorcycle and Paul rode 90 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 1: on the back. Chris was fucked up so much so 91 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 1: that he decided to play chicken with him oncoming car. 92 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 1: It was late dark the approaching car's headlights were bright. 93 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 1: The driver laid on the horn. Chris state the course. 94 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 1: Paul dug his nails into Chris's side and hung on 95 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:18,679 Speaker 1: to your life. At the last minute, Chris swerved narrowly 96 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 1: missing the vehicle, and as the car went screaming past them, 97 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 1: the driver slammed on the brakes and spun around. A 98 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:28,119 Speaker 1: hand came out of the driver's side window and stuck 99 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 1: a flashing red light on top of the hood. Fuck. 100 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 1: Chris had played chicken with an unmarked police car. He 101 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 1: gunned it and the cops gave chase. Chris took a 102 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 1: sharp ride at high speed and cut across Joe Q 103 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:45,119 Speaker 1: Public's front lawn. The bike clipped the hedge and Paul 104 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 1: went flying. As soon as his body hit the ground, 105 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 1: Paul tried to outrun the cops on foot. They caught 106 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 1: him easily. Then they continued to pursue Chris. Chris gunned 107 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 1: the throttle. The cops were right on his ass. He 108 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 1: was going too fast and he was too drunk, and 109 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 1: the bike wobber. He was thrown and then the next 110 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:11,920 Speaker 1: thing he knew, Chris was in the hospital with a 111 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 1: fractured skull, spinal fluid leaking from his nose. These things 112 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 1: really happened. Chris Mars did play a chicken on his 113 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 1: bike with the cops, and he did fracture his skull 114 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 1: in an accident, or was it his spine depends on 115 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 1: which account you're reading and from when. The band member's 116 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:33,600 Speaker 1: memories are not one hundred percent reliable when it comes 117 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:37,720 Speaker 1: to time and place. Because the life of a replacement 118 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:41,040 Speaker 1: took a toll on the body and the mind, the 119 00:08:41,080 --> 00:08:44,800 Speaker 1: same went for a replacement's gig. So when Paul woke 120 00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 1: up on Saturday, January eleventh, nineteen eighty six, on a 121 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:51,880 Speaker 1: couch in Chicago with a splitting headache, he did what 122 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 1: he always did on tour. He dulled the pain with 123 00:08:55,120 --> 00:09:00,720 Speaker 1: a line of cocaine and immediately began drinking again. Hours later, 124 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:03,320 Speaker 1: Paul was lying on a mattress on the floor of 125 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:07,079 Speaker 1: the tour van on route back home to Minneapolis, and 126 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:10,480 Speaker 1: Paul noticed Bob Stinson slumped over in his seat, and 127 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 1: he elbowed Tommy and nodded his head toward Tommy's big brother, 128 00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 1: an evil grin spread over his face. Paul suddenly launched 129 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:22,440 Speaker 1: himself on the Bob with a flying elbow drop, Bob 130 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 1: sprang up, howling in pain like a feral animal. Bob 131 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:28,959 Speaker 1: quickly knocked Paul back onto the mattress and pinned him there. 132 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:31,840 Speaker 1: Rage flooded his eyes as he lifted his fist in 133 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 1: the air, and Paul wondered if he was about to 134 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 1: get his face smashed in. Instead, Bob relaxed his hand 135 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 1: and then he started cracking up. Tommy joined in, and 136 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:47,560 Speaker 1: soon Paul was chuckling too. Lately, though they weren't laughing 137 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:50,599 Speaker 1: as much as they used to, but right now the 138 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:55,160 Speaker 1: tension was pushed aside and everyone was smiling. Even hours later, 139 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:58,120 Speaker 1: when the van pulled up to the CC Club in Minneapolis, 140 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 1: the local watering hole doubled as the band's on official headquarters. 141 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:05,200 Speaker 1: Everyone headed into the bar for a couple more rounds 142 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 1: before going home. Their manager, Peter Jesperson, helped prop Bob 143 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:12,520 Speaker 1: up on a barstool and prayed that he would sober 144 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 1: up enough to head home, not so much that he 145 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:21,080 Speaker 1: would start drinking again. It was always a delicate balancing 146 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:24,840 Speaker 1: act with the replacements. Peter had spent years trying to 147 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:28,760 Speaker 1: manage that balance. He'd almost quit a dozen times, but 148 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 1: every time they got themselves back on track. He would 149 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:35,440 Speaker 1: become a believer in the band all over again. Not 150 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:38,040 Speaker 1: just in the band, though, but in the power of 151 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:41,560 Speaker 1: the band, in the power of rock and roll. It 152 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:43,840 Speaker 1: was like seeing the Beatles play Ed Sullivan for the 153 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 1: first time when they were on The Replacements were a revelation. 154 00:10:50,920 --> 00:10:52,959 Speaker 1: That's why Peter pushed the band to sign with a 155 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 1: major label instead of sticking with Twin Tone Records, the 156 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:59,240 Speaker 1: local indie label that Peter co owned and had released 157 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 1: all the Replacements records to date from the punky sorry 158 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 1: ma forgot to take out the trash up through the 159 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:09,200 Speaker 1: more eclectic let it be. And also he willingly brought 160 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 1: on a new team to manage the band's business affairs. 161 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:14,720 Speaker 1: If he was going to take these guys to the top, 162 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:18,320 Speaker 1: he knew he couldn't do it alone. The phone rang 163 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:21,720 Speaker 1: at the bar. The bartender handed it to Peter and 164 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:24,120 Speaker 1: on the other line was Russ Rieger, one of the 165 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 1: band's new business managers. Peter listened intently for a moment. Yes, 166 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:33,839 Speaker 1: we made it back, he said, the gig was memorable. 167 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:38,840 Speaker 1: What Russ said next almost made Peter drop the phone. 168 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 1: Next Saturday, Peter yelled, my god, They're all right here. 169 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:46,120 Speaker 1: I'll tell them now. Peter hung up the phone to 170 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:48,800 Speaker 1: let the tension build for a moment. He'd been waiting 171 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:52,200 Speaker 1: years to deliver a line like this, and now he 172 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 1: was going to savor it. All eyes were on him. 173 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:59,439 Speaker 1: He raised his glass in the air. Gentlemen, pack your 174 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 1: bags were headed to New York. The Replacements were about 175 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:04,640 Speaker 1: to blow up. 176 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:31,360 Speaker 2: Peter had never been so sure of anything in his life. 177 00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 1: January eighteenth, nineteen eighty six, one week after the Replacements 178 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:41,400 Speaker 1: manager Peter Jasperson received that faithful phone call, the one 179 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:43,560 Speaker 1: that sent the band to New York City to well 180 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 1: replace the Pointer Sisters. On Saturday Night Live, Tommy Stinson 181 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:51,760 Speaker 1: was sitting in a cramp dressing room on the eighteenth 182 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:55,840 Speaker 1: floor of a thirty Rockefeller Plaza. He picked out some 183 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:59,080 Speaker 1: notes on his bass while listening to veteran actor Harry 184 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:02,800 Speaker 1: Dean Stanton, host of Tonight's show, talk about road tripping 185 00:13:02,840 --> 00:13:06,120 Speaker 1: with Bob Dylan from Mexico to Leon Russell's house in 186 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:11,000 Speaker 1: Oklahoma while they're filming the excellent movie Pack Garrett and 187 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:14,319 Speaker 1: Billy the Kid. Tommy didn't really know who the hell 188 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:17,000 Speaker 1: Harry Dean Stanton was, and he didn't even know who 189 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:19,240 Speaker 1: the hell Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid were either. 190 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:23,440 Speaker 1: Dan Tommy had to admit this old fart told some 191 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:26,920 Speaker 1: pretty great stories, especially after he'd had a few drinks 192 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:30,719 Speaker 1: to loosen them up. Tommy, of course, was having a 193 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 1: few as well, even though he shouldn't have been drinking, 194 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:37,680 Speaker 1: not just because he was underage. Technically, none of them 195 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:41,320 Speaker 1: should have been drinking. That's because by nineteen eighty six, 196 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:45,160 Speaker 1: the wild and crazy snl of the nineteen seventies was 197 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:48,880 Speaker 1: long gone. The cocaine so prevalent in the days of 198 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:52,720 Speaker 1: John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd have been replaced with trays 199 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:56,960 Speaker 1: of fruit and muffins. Drugs and alcohol were strictly forbidden 200 00:13:57,000 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 1: on set, which, okay, fine, there are rules. But after 201 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:05,800 Speaker 1: their early afternoon soundcheck, the Replacements found out they couldn't 202 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:09,080 Speaker 1: leave the building until the show was over. That meant 203 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:12,560 Speaker 1: for the next ten hours, this cramped dressing room was 204 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:16,959 Speaker 1: going to be their home, with no drugs, no booze, 205 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:22,360 Speaker 1: no way. Tommy knew how his big brother Bob felt 206 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 1: about tight spasis. This is going to be a problem, 207 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:29,960 Speaker 1: and sure enough, Bob was freaking out, pacing back and 208 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 1: forth wearing out a path in the dressing room's carpet. Mercifully, 209 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:37,280 Speaker 1: one of the band's sound engineers loaded up a road 210 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:41,320 Speaker 1: case with bottles of booze and stuck the contraband backstage. 211 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:45,160 Speaker 1: After a few drinks, Bob finally quit pacing and settled down, 212 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:48,160 Speaker 1: And by the time Harry Dean Stanton popped by for 213 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:51,080 Speaker 1: a visit, there was a swinging party underway inside the 214 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 1: replacement's dressing room. Tommy was glad he invited Harry in 215 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:58,600 Speaker 1: for a drink. He was glad to spread a little mayhem. 216 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:02,120 Speaker 1: And this was Saturday Night Live, right, wasn't it supposed 217 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:05,400 Speaker 1: to be a little while Bob plopped down on the 218 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:08,560 Speaker 1: sofa next to Tommy, and Tommy kept noodling away on 219 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 1: the base, Bob listened for a second, and then he 220 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:15,760 Speaker 1: looked up at Harry Dean Stanton. Plays pretty good, doesn't he? 221 00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:18,840 Speaker 1: He said, with a proud grind. Taught him everything he knows. 222 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:26,160 Speaker 1: Nineteen seventy eight, nineteen year old Bob Stinton lay on 223 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:29,720 Speaker 1: his bed and closed his eyes. The song Roundabout by 224 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:34,000 Speaker 1: Yes blaired from the speakers. Bob was indulging in one 225 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:38,040 Speaker 1: of the most basic of American teenage privileges, kicking back 226 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:42,080 Speaker 1: and listening to a record. He savored this moment because 227 00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:43,760 Speaker 1: he knew what it was like to have this kind 228 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:47,480 Speaker 1: of thing taken away. Bob had spent the last four 229 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:51,120 Speaker 1: years in one boy's home after another, including two long 230 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 1: years at Red Wing, a place in Minnesotan's called the 231 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:58,120 Speaker 1: sam Quentin of Juvie, a place where he couldn't eat 232 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:01,360 Speaker 1: what he wanted, he couldn't do what he wanted. Worst 233 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:04,520 Speaker 1: of all, he couldn't listen to music when he wanted. 234 00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:09,000 Speaker 1: And it was all because of his stepdad. Bob was 235 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:11,440 Speaker 1: only six when the guy hooked up with Bob's mom. 236 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 1: He beat Bob with a belt, with his fists, he 237 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 1: yelled at Bob and told him that he was no good, 238 00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:19,720 Speaker 1: and he did these things out in the open, But 239 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:22,520 Speaker 1: when they were alone, he did things that were even worse, 240 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:28,280 Speaker 1: things that still gave Bob nightmares. Sometimes it felt like 241 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:32,000 Speaker 1: those nightmares would drown him, and in a way they did. 242 00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:36,520 Speaker 1: Bob found himself getting into fights and breaking windows, and 243 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 1: by the time he was fifteen, his mom was desperate 244 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:42,280 Speaker 1: and his stepdad was fed up. And that's when they 245 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:45,720 Speaker 1: sent Bob to a boy's home and then to Red Wing. 246 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 1: He told the counselors at Red Wing that he wanted 247 00:16:49,560 --> 00:16:52,880 Speaker 1: to be a musician. They said music was a distraction, 248 00:16:53,400 --> 00:16:56,160 Speaker 1: and they didn't understand. Music was the only thing that 249 00:16:56,240 --> 00:16:59,480 Speaker 1: got Bob out of bed, besides drinking and drugs. It 250 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:01,800 Speaker 1: was only he was any good at. It was the 251 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:05,399 Speaker 1: only thing that made him feel any good. Like the 252 00:17:05,440 --> 00:17:08,399 Speaker 1: galloping rift of the song round About, which right now 253 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:11,000 Speaker 1: back home with his mom and her new boyfriend, was 254 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:15,480 Speaker 1: blowing his impressionable nineteen year old mind. His fingers moved 255 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:18,640 Speaker 1: in time with Steve Howe's guitar licks. He was soaring 256 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:23,800 Speaker 1: through space, completely surrounded by the music. Suddenly, a rustling 257 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:27,520 Speaker 1: sound brought him hurtling back to earth. His eyes snapped open, 258 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 1: and he looked down. His eleven year old half brother, Tommy, 259 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:33,800 Speaker 1: was pulling something out from under the bed, a little 260 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:36,960 Speaker 1: fucker with the music blaring. Bob never even heard him 261 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:41,879 Speaker 1: come in. Bob was worried about Tommy, not even a 262 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:45,720 Speaker 1: teenager yet and already a little hoodlum stealing bikes, going 263 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 1: to juvenile court. Bob knew it lay down that path, 264 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:51,240 Speaker 1: and he wasn't going to let Tommy go there, even 265 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:53,080 Speaker 1: if he had to drag him in a different direction. 266 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:56,159 Speaker 1: So Bob was excited to see his brother dragging you 267 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:59,520 Speaker 1: on an instrument case from under his bed. Tommy's eyes 268 00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:01,679 Speaker 1: got wild when he flipped open the latches on the 269 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:04,680 Speaker 1: case to reveal an old silver tone electric bass inside. 270 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:09,480 Speaker 1: Tommy reached down and plucked one of the strings. Hey, 271 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:12,240 Speaker 1: Bob asked, wanting to show you a few things on that. 272 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:17,760 Speaker 1: Tommy shrugged halfway interested. Bob pulled up the bass and 273 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:19,879 Speaker 1: gave him a rundown of a basic blues and he 274 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:23,760 Speaker 1: and he pushed the bass into Tommy's hands, and Tommy 275 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:25,960 Speaker 1: tried to mimic the pattern that Bob just showed him. 276 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:29,720 Speaker 1: He was clumsy, awkward, but the little fucker had a 277 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:31,800 Speaker 1: good sense of rhythm, that's for sure. Bob could already 278 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:35,440 Speaker 1: tell that. Tommy put the bass down, and Bob told 279 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:38,240 Speaker 1: him to play it again. Tommy looked at the instrument 280 00:18:38,280 --> 00:18:42,560 Speaker 1: for a long second. Nah, this sucks, Tommy said, My 281 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:45,480 Speaker 1: finger's hurt, and then Tommy ran outside to play in 282 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:51,119 Speaker 1: the backyard. The next day, when Bob came home from work, 283 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:53,800 Speaker 1: he had a candy bar in his pocket. When he 284 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:56,399 Speaker 1: saw Tommy, Bob waved it in front of his face. 285 00:18:57,160 --> 00:18:59,280 Speaker 1: Tommy reached out for the candy bar, but Bob pulled 286 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 1: it back. You get to play a little bit first, 287 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:05,320 Speaker 1: Bob said. Tommy didn't look happy, so Bob held up 288 00:19:05,359 --> 00:19:06,800 Speaker 1: a fist like he was going to punch Tommy on 289 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 1: his shoulder. Tommy flinch didn't get out the bass. An 290 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:14,840 Speaker 1: hour later, Bob watched him meet the candy bar. Same 291 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:18,000 Speaker 1: deal tomorrow, he asked. Tommy looked up at him with 292 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:21,720 Speaker 1: a smirk. Tomorrow, I want a candy bar and a coke. 293 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 1: Harry Dean Stanton shook his head in amazement. As Bob 294 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:30,919 Speaker 1: Stinson finished his story about using candy bars and the 295 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:33,040 Speaker 1: threat of violence to get his little brother to learn 296 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:35,800 Speaker 1: the bass guitar. Tommy told the actor he was a 297 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:39,280 Speaker 1: veteran performer too. He'd been doing this playing in a 298 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:42,800 Speaker 1: professional band for half his young life. All three of 299 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:46,120 Speaker 1: them were laughing. When the door flew open. A distressed 300 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 1: looking production assistant made a bee line for Harry, pulled 301 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:50,640 Speaker 1: the drink out of his hand, and led him out 302 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:53,520 Speaker 1: of the room. Tommy couldn't quite figure out what was 303 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:56,679 Speaker 1: going on, but he could hear someone say, Lauren is 304 00:19:56,720 --> 00:19:59,800 Speaker 1: going to be furious when they left the room. Oh well, 305 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:03,520 Speaker 1: let him be furious. What was he gonna do? A 306 00:20:03,520 --> 00:20:06,919 Speaker 1: few minutes later, sufficiently sauced, the band went out and 307 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:11,240 Speaker 1: nailed their dress rehearsal performance. The only hiccup was Bob 308 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 1: coming in late on the guitar solo. Tommy and Paul 309 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 1: locked eyes when they heard it. They were on the 310 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:20,160 Speaker 1: same wavelength. There was no way they werena let Bob 311 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:27,960 Speaker 1: make the same mistake tonight. We'll be right back after this. 312 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:30,040 Speaker 1: We're we're where. 313 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:36,000 Speaker 2: All. 314 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:39,240 Speaker 1: Westerberg counted off, and the band thrashed into the opening 315 00:20:39,280 --> 00:20:43,159 Speaker 1: chord right away. Something was off. They sounded like a 316 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:46,000 Speaker 1: semi truck grinding its gears for a few beats before 317 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:50,160 Speaker 1: finally everyone stopped. For a second. The room was dead 318 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:54,680 Speaker 1: silent except for the buzzing coming from the amplifiers. Paul 319 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 1: stared out into the sea of angry and confused faces 320 00:20:57,640 --> 00:21:00,800 Speaker 1: and yelled into the microphone, this is our last fucking 321 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:04,960 Speaker 1: performance ever, ever. Ever. Then he cackled with laughter, and 322 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 1: the band kicked into a ramshackle cover of the Elvis 323 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:12,120 Speaker 1: Presley's Do the Clam. After a few minutes, they stumbled 324 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:14,960 Speaker 1: to a stop. Paul stared at the floor and tuned 325 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:17,400 Speaker 1: his guitar for or felt like an hour before switching 326 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:19,960 Speaker 1: gears again and trying to make it through Led Zeppelin's 327 00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:24,439 Speaker 1: Misty Mountain hot It was January nineteen eighty five and 328 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:27,840 Speaker 1: The Replacements were on stage at CBGB in New York City, 329 00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:30,840 Speaker 1: playing an unannounced performance that was supposed to be their 330 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:34,960 Speaker 1: East Coast major label showcase. The hype around the Replacements 331 00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:38,680 Speaker 1: was growing fast in the industry, especially after The Village 332 00:21:38,760 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 1: Voice were in a cover story they called them the 333 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:45,399 Speaker 1: most exciting band in America. At the band's West Coast showcase, 334 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:48,680 Speaker 1: Bob and Chris found a way to undercut that hype 335 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:51,359 Speaker 1: by letting off a pocket full of stink bombs just 336 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:54,040 Speaker 1: as the band hit the stage. Then that cleared the 337 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:58,560 Speaker 1: room pretty quickly. Tonight, they didn't have literal stink bombs, 338 00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:01,400 Speaker 1: but they found another way of cleared the room. They 339 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:04,800 Speaker 1: kicked off the set with You're a Mean One, Mister Grinch, 340 00:22:05,359 --> 00:22:09,080 Speaker 1: and things even got weirder from there. Paul started maybe 341 00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:12,080 Speaker 1: fifty songs that night, but the band made it through 342 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:15,159 Speaker 1: less than five. They tried their hand at Dolly Parton 343 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:18,359 Speaker 1: and then the theme from The Andy Griffiths show. What 344 00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:23,119 Speaker 1: they didn't play were songs by the Replacements. As the 345 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:25,879 Speaker 1: crowd streamed out of the club, Paul started playing a 346 00:22:25,960 --> 00:22:29,200 Speaker 1: U two song. These label stiffs couldn't take a joke, 347 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:35,560 Speaker 1: then fuck. One year later, memories of shows like that 348 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:39,280 Speaker 1: one at CBGB kept Replacements manager Peter Jasperson on the 349 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 1: edge of his seat. The SNL cast was in the 350 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:45,399 Speaker 1: middle of some lame skid about a Wild West gunfighter. 351 00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:49,520 Speaker 1: When Peter checked his watch, it was eleven to fifty pm. 352 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:52,359 Speaker 1: The band was supposed to hit the stage in fifteen minutes. 353 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:55,280 Speaker 1: He looked around at the huge crowd of people there 354 00:22:55,280 --> 00:22:58,600 Speaker 1: from the label, the band's new management team, and more 355 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:02,480 Speaker 1: than a dozen friends in family. Everyone was excited. They 356 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:06,000 Speaker 1: knew this could be momentous, but Peter was worried. He 357 00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:09,440 Speaker 1: knew it could also be another Cebee Chievi and Peter 358 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:12,200 Speaker 1: kept replaying a scene in his mind from earlier that day. 359 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:15,720 Speaker 1: After the band finished their sound check, he watched new 360 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 1: business manager Russ Rieger strad up to Paul, wearing leather 361 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:23,160 Speaker 1: pants and snakeskin boots. Peter cringed when he heard Russ's 362 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:26,280 Speaker 1: matter of factly tell Paul that for camera blocking the 363 00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:29,479 Speaker 1: band had to stay exactly where they were told to stand. 364 00:23:30,359 --> 00:23:33,320 Speaker 1: The sneer on Paul's face said it all. It was 365 00:23:33,359 --> 00:23:35,760 Speaker 1: a bad idea to tell the replacements what they should 366 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:40,320 Speaker 1: and shouldn't do. Back inside the dressing room, Paul was 367 00:23:40,359 --> 00:23:43,800 Speaker 1: sprawled on a couch. An empty whiskey bottle dangled from 368 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:47,440 Speaker 1: his hand. His chest was tight, his heart was hammering. 369 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:49,800 Speaker 1: All he could think of was bombing in front of 370 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:52,800 Speaker 1: eight million people. There was a knock at the door. 371 00:23:53,359 --> 00:23:57,159 Speaker 1: A small army of production assistants swarmed inside. It was 372 00:23:57,240 --> 00:24:01,560 Speaker 1: time Paul pulled himself up from the couch that he 373 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:04,320 Speaker 1: slapped hands with Tommy, who was practically bouncing up and 374 00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:08,760 Speaker 1: down with excitement. Chris Mars was coolly twirling his drumsticks, 375 00:24:09,359 --> 00:24:13,080 Speaker 1: and the bathroom door flew open and outstepped Bob, decked 376 00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:16,720 Speaker 1: out in a purple and black, skin tight women's body suit. 377 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:20,000 Speaker 1: He looked high as hell, but at least he was 378 00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:22,880 Speaker 1: awake and in the building, which was good enough for Paul. 379 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:26,680 Speaker 1: The wave of activity carried them out of the dressing room. 380 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:29,720 Speaker 1: The hallway was a blur of motion, with dozens of 381 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 1: staffers rushing in all directions. Someone called out three minutes 382 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:37,919 Speaker 1: to air. Just behind the steps leading up to the stage, 383 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:40,880 Speaker 1: Paul and his bandmates huddled for a brief moment while 384 00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:44,919 Speaker 1: crew members rechecked the microphones. Paul told Bob that he'd 385 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:48,320 Speaker 1: better not be laid on the solo. Bob understood. They 386 00:24:48,359 --> 00:24:51,439 Speaker 1: all understood. They're going to go out there live on 387 00:24:51,520 --> 00:24:54,639 Speaker 1: national television in front of the biggest audience of their career, 388 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:58,040 Speaker 1: millions of Americans watching at home, and they were going 389 00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:00,959 Speaker 1: to crush it. They were of why they were one 390 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:03,800 Speaker 1: of the most beloved independent bands in the country and 391 00:25:03,840 --> 00:25:05,720 Speaker 1: why they were one of the few indie rock bands 392 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:08,119 Speaker 1: who did not compromise their sound when they made the 393 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:12,119 Speaker 1: leap to a major label. Paul, Bob, Tommy, and Chris 394 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:16,720 Speaker 1: made a collective b line for the Saturday Night Live stage. 395 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:21,600 Speaker 1: Then Bob in the lead, surged forward and missed the 396 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:25,640 Speaker 1: whole first wrong. He fell face forward onto the stage 397 00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:29,480 Speaker 1: with his guitar still strapped to his chest. The guitar's 398 00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:32,920 Speaker 1: neck snapped like a toothpick. At first, the band was 399 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:37,240 Speaker 1: shocked into silence. Then they all began to laugh. Fucking 400 00:25:37,359 --> 00:25:40,359 Speaker 1: up blowing it. That kind of shit was funny to 401 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:44,760 Speaker 1: the replacements. SNL's production assistant seemed less amused by the 402 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:46,720 Speaker 1: idea of finding Bob a new guitar in the next 403 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:51,439 Speaker 1: ninety seconds, but Gene Smith hustled and came through, handing 404 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:55,240 Speaker 1: Bob a substitute with just seconds to spare. Paul looked 405 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:58,280 Speaker 1: straight ahead into the camera. Somewhere a voice was counting 406 00:25:58,280 --> 00:26:02,520 Speaker 1: down from commercial break three two. The red light on 407 00:26:02,560 --> 00:26:08,560 Speaker 1: the camera blinked. They were live. Harry Dean Stanton introduced 408 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:11,080 Speaker 1: the band and they launched into the opening notes of 409 00:26:11,160 --> 00:26:14,240 Speaker 1: Bastards of Young, one of the hardest rocking songs from 410 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:18,720 Speaker 1: their new album Tim The song lurched sideways, and for 411 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:22,480 Speaker 1: a second it sounded like everything might collapse. Paul wondered 412 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:25,840 Speaker 1: if he might collapse, but Chris Marris kept pounding the 413 00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:30,200 Speaker 1: backbeat and Tommy's bassline locked in, even playing a strange guitar. 414 00:26:30,400 --> 00:26:32,560 Speaker 1: Bob was holding a song, and by the time they 415 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:35,879 Speaker 1: hit the first verse, Paul could feel it. They're gonna 416 00:26:35,880 --> 00:26:38,719 Speaker 1: pull this thing off. He was surrounded by the music 417 00:26:39,119 --> 00:26:42,760 Speaker 1: soaring through space. There was no studio audience. There were 418 00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:46,680 Speaker 1: no label reps, no management team, no people watching it home, 419 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:50,639 Speaker 1: just the four of them and the song. A great song, 420 00:26:51,480 --> 00:26:53,840 Speaker 1: and they blasted through the chorus, and Paul knew they 421 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:55,960 Speaker 1: were going to make it. He pulled back from the 422 00:26:56,000 --> 00:26:59,639 Speaker 1: mic and leaned towards Bob. Come on, fucker, he yelled, 423 00:26:59,720 --> 00:27:03,280 Speaker 1: just off Mike, not a dis but urging Bob into 424 00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:06,480 Speaker 1: the solo at the right time. Bob came in right 425 00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:09,320 Speaker 1: on time, as Tommy and Paul bashed their instruments along 426 00:27:09,359 --> 00:27:13,480 Speaker 1: beside him, destroying any hopes for cleaning camera blocking. But 427 00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:16,399 Speaker 1: when the song came to its cathartic clothes, the crowd 428 00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:20,680 Speaker 1: of friends, family and supporters roared in approval. Paul collapsed 429 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:24,320 Speaker 1: to the ground in a sarcastic bow. The performance was 430 00:27:24,440 --> 00:27:28,119 Speaker 1: ragged but right. It had almost flown off the rails 431 00:27:28,119 --> 00:27:32,399 Speaker 1: more than once. But somehow, in that shambalic, chaotic don't 432 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:35,720 Speaker 1: give a fuck way of theirs, the Replacements pulled it off. 433 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:39,359 Speaker 1: They had delivered a performance for the ages. Paul of 434 00:27:39,400 --> 00:27:42,000 Speaker 1: the Boys figured that from here there was nowhere to 435 00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:45,439 Speaker 1: go but up. In reality, they were about to hit 436 00:27:45,480 --> 00:28:14,000 Speaker 1: the skids and go all the way down to the bottom. 437 00:28:14,119 --> 00:28:16,840 Speaker 1: Russ Reeger pushed his way through the crowded hallway at 438 00:28:16,840 --> 00:28:20,760 Speaker 1: thirty Rockefeller Plaza and into the dressing room backstage he 439 00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:23,919 Speaker 1: was walking on air. He knew that the performance the 440 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:26,760 Speaker 1: Replacements had just given would push their album Tim onto 441 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:30,280 Speaker 1: the charts. Russ had been a Replacements fan ever since 442 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:32,680 Speaker 1: a publicist slipped in in an advance copy of Here 443 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:36,040 Speaker 1: Comes a Regular, the acoustic ballad that would eventually be 444 00:28:36,160 --> 00:28:40,960 Speaker 1: Tim's closing song. It made him realize that the Replacements 445 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:47,040 Speaker 1: were more than just a dysfunctional punk band, unsatisfied answering machine. 446 00:28:47,480 --> 00:28:52,760 Speaker 1: These songs were so simple, yet so deceptively deep Midwestern 447 00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:57,400 Speaker 1: angst and alienation, written like a William Carlos Williams poem. 448 00:28:57,560 --> 00:28:59,800 Speaker 1: Even when Paul flubbed the line like he may have 449 00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:02,360 Speaker 1: done when he's saying pretty girl, keep growing up playing 450 00:29:02,400 --> 00:29:04,960 Speaker 1: makeup wearing guitar on the song left to the dial. 451 00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:10,040 Speaker 1: Somehow that fuck up made the words more poetic. Paul 452 00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:14,040 Speaker 1: Westerberg was a hell of a songwriter. Russ could already 453 00:29:14,080 --> 00:29:18,360 Speaker 1: see it, the glowing reviews, the chart traction. Soon the 454 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:21,360 Speaker 1: Replacements would be as big as the Rolling Stones, or 455 00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:25,160 Speaker 1: at the very least am so. When someone tapped him 456 00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:27,880 Speaker 1: on the shoulder and said, Lauren Michaels wanted to see 457 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:31,640 Speaker 1: him right away, Russ thought, ah, Lauren wants to commend 458 00:29:31,640 --> 00:29:34,560 Speaker 1: me and the band on a job well done. Thank 459 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:37,800 Speaker 1: us for saving SNL's ass. After the Pointers sisters backed 460 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:41,160 Speaker 1: out at last minute, Russ stepped away from the party 461 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:43,800 Speaker 1: happening in the dressing room and out into the hallway. 462 00:29:45,320 --> 00:29:49,280 Speaker 1: Across from him stood Lauren Michaels. His arms were crossed 463 00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:52,560 Speaker 1: and his face was frozen in a skowl. Do you 464 00:29:52,640 --> 00:29:56,800 Speaker 1: realize what you've just done? Laurence screamed, fuck her. Your 465 00:29:56,840 --> 00:30:01,760 Speaker 1: band said fucker on live television. Russ thought back to 466 00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:05,320 Speaker 1: the performance, specifically to the moment before Bob's guitar soul, 467 00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:09,000 Speaker 1: when Paul looked over and yelled, come on, fucker, just 468 00:30:09,120 --> 00:30:13,880 Speaker 1: off Mike. Apparently, though not off Mike enough fer a 469 00:30:14,000 --> 00:30:17,440 Speaker 1: show that was already on thin ice. Apparently this was 470 00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:22,120 Speaker 1: a bridge too far. Lauren ended the conversation with a promise. 471 00:30:22,800 --> 00:30:27,080 Speaker 1: This band will never, ever, I repeat, never play Saturday 472 00:30:27,200 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 1: Night Live again. Russ returned to the dressing room, where 473 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:34,240 Speaker 1: we took a deep breath and shared the news with 474 00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:40,080 Speaker 1: the boys. The Replacements were banned not just from Saturday 475 00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:50,160 Speaker 1: Night Live, but from the entire NBC network for life. 476 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:54,640 Speaker 1: It was almost ten years later when Bob Stinson laid 477 00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:56,840 Speaker 1: back on his bed and dropped the needle on the 478 00:30:56,880 --> 00:31:01,800 Speaker 1: turntable one last time. The familiar opening riff to Roundabout 479 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:05,400 Speaker 1: rang out. Bob closed his eyes and let the music 480 00:31:05,480 --> 00:31:09,960 Speaker 1: surround him. Music still provided him solace, but it had 481 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:14,120 Speaker 1: been a hard decade. Months after the SNL debacle, he 482 00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:17,280 Speaker 1: was kicked out of the band that he founded. Even worse, 483 00:31:17,680 --> 00:31:21,000 Speaker 1: he was kicked out by his own brother, his little brother. 484 00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:26,680 Speaker 1: That's stung. Bob kept playing in bands around Minneapolis, and 485 00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:29,920 Speaker 1: he watched his former bandmate Soljern with a new guitarist. 486 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:33,880 Speaker 1: They put out three more albums, including nineteen eighty seven's 487 00:31:33,920 --> 00:31:37,640 Speaker 1: Pleased to Meet Me, whose second single, Alex Chilton, was 488 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:40,360 Speaker 1: an homage to the front man a Big Star, one 489 00:31:40,400 --> 00:31:43,719 Speaker 1: of the replacements major inspirations, both in terms of music 490 00:31:44,120 --> 00:31:48,600 Speaker 1: and glorious self sabotage. But despite the strength of that song, 491 00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:51,480 Speaker 1: the album Pleased to Meet Me and the records that 492 00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:54,400 Speaker 1: followed all failed to find the elusive hit that would 493 00:31:54,440 --> 00:31:58,640 Speaker 1: catapult the Replacements into the mainstream. And that failure was 494 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:01,479 Speaker 1: not the result of integrity the face of commercialism, by 495 00:32:01,520 --> 00:32:06,160 Speaker 1: the way. That failure was because the Replacements couldn't help 496 00:32:06,400 --> 00:32:09,720 Speaker 1: be fuck ups. Just look the music video they made 497 00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:13,240 Speaker 1: for Bastards of Young. It's just a single shot of 498 00:32:13,280 --> 00:32:16,640 Speaker 1: a stereo speaker that slowly zooms out to reveal a 499 00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:19,520 Speaker 1: faceless dude listening and smoking a cigarette on the couch. 500 00:32:20,160 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 1: He kicks in the speaker when the song's over. It 501 00:32:23,240 --> 00:32:26,280 Speaker 1: was like a metaphor for the band's entire career. By 502 00:32:26,320 --> 00:32:28,000 Speaker 1: the time they hung it up in nineteen ninety one, 503 00:32:28,080 --> 00:32:31,600 Speaker 1: they still hadn't scored a single Top forty song. Their 504 00:32:31,680 --> 00:32:34,400 Speaker 1: Drunken Saturday Night live set might have doomed the band's 505 00:32:34,400 --> 00:32:37,920 Speaker 1: short term prospects, but a decade on, many were starting 506 00:32:37,920 --> 00:32:40,240 Speaker 1: to call it one of the most legendary performances in 507 00:32:40,280 --> 00:32:43,960 Speaker 1: the show's history, right up there with Elvis Costello changing 508 00:32:44,000 --> 00:32:46,680 Speaker 1: songs at the last minute, which also got Hymn banned 509 00:32:46,680 --> 00:32:50,760 Speaker 1: from the show. But I'm digressing. As alternative rock surged 510 00:32:50,760 --> 00:32:54,760 Speaker 1: in popularity through the nineteen nineties, new bands were constantly 511 00:32:54,840 --> 00:32:59,800 Speaker 1: name checking the Replacements as an inspiration. They were loose limbed, shambling, 512 00:33:00,120 --> 00:33:04,120 Speaker 1: always teetering on the edge of destruction. In short, they 513 00:33:04,160 --> 00:33:07,640 Speaker 1: were rock and roll at its best. But all that 514 00:33:07,720 --> 00:33:11,400 Speaker 1: came too late for Bob Stinson. He was mired deep 515 00:33:11,440 --> 00:33:14,240 Speaker 1: in the throes of a heroin addiction and diagnosed with 516 00:33:14,280 --> 00:33:19,280 Speaker 1: bipolar disorder, likely stemming from the childhood abuse that he suffered. 517 00:33:20,280 --> 00:33:22,920 Speaker 1: Bob tried to get on medication, tried to clean up 518 00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:25,920 Speaker 1: his act, but he was tired, and the only thing 519 00:33:25,960 --> 00:33:29,880 Speaker 1: that kept him going was music. As Roundabout kicked into 520 00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:32,320 Speaker 1: the familiar galloping rift that Bob had heard so many 521 00:33:32,360 --> 00:33:36,160 Speaker 1: times before, he let the music send him soaring into space, 522 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:39,640 Speaker 1: and this time there would be nothing to bring him 523 00:33:39,640 --> 00:33:43,560 Speaker 1: back to Earth, just the music calling him on higher 524 00:33:43,720 --> 00:33:48,760 Speaker 1: and higher as he drifted the skyward. And then Bob 525 00:33:48,840 --> 00:33:53,560 Speaker 1: Stinson was gone, organ failure from all those years of 526 00:33:53,640 --> 00:33:59,080 Speaker 1: drug abuse, dead at thirty five years old, just four 527 00:33:59,240 --> 00:34:01,640 Speaker 1: years after the band he founded and kicked him out 528 00:34:01,800 --> 00:34:06,680 Speaker 1: called it quits. So much promise unfulfilled. Such a bummer, 529 00:34:07,560 --> 00:34:12,360 Speaker 1: such a disgrace. I'm Jake Brennan. 530 00:34:13,400 --> 00:34:29,960 Speaker 3: This is Disgraceland, all right, hope you doug this episode. 531 00:34:30,040 --> 00:34:33,400 Speaker 1: Apple podcast listeners, get those auto downloads turned on so 532 00:34:33,440 --> 00:34:34,400 Speaker 1: you never missed an episode. 533 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:38,040 Speaker 3: This week's question of the week is which band or 534 00:34:38,200 --> 00:34:39,520 Speaker 3: artists never made it. 535 00:34:39,480 --> 00:34:44,719 Speaker 1: Big but should have but should have? Was it the Replacements? Well, yeah, 536 00:34:44,800 --> 00:34:47,879 Speaker 1: there's certainly one of them, but who else? Who else 537 00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:49,719 Speaker 1: do you know of that could have been huge but 538 00:34:49,840 --> 00:34:52,440 Speaker 1: never was. There's an endless number of great artists who 539 00:34:52,480 --> 00:34:55,200 Speaker 1: never dominated the charts but probably should have. Let me 540 00:34:55,239 --> 00:34:57,080 Speaker 1: know who your picks are. Six one, seven, nine oh 541 00:34:57,120 --> 00:34:59,440 Speaker 1: six six, six three eight, Leave me a voicemail or 542 00:34:59,480 --> 00:35:01,040 Speaker 1: send me a ten and be part of the show. 543 00:35:01,239 --> 00:35:03,040 Speaker 1: We play and read some of your answers on the 544 00:35:03,080 --> 00:35:05,959 Speaker 1: afterparty bonus episode coming up right after this. You your feed, 545 00:35:06,239 --> 00:35:08,719 Speaker 1: and I can also be reached on Instagram, Facebook, x 546 00:35:08,920 --> 00:35:13,600 Speaker 1: TikTok at disgracelampod in order at disgracelampod at gmail dot com. 547 00:35:13,719 --> 00:35:15,400 Speaker 1: Leave a review for the show on Apple podcast or 548 00:35:15,480 --> 00:35:18,080 Speaker 1: Spotify and you might win some free merch. All right, 549 00:35:18,360 --> 00:35:22,520 Speaker 1: here comes some credits. Disgraceland was created by Yours Truly 550 00:35:22,560 --> 00:35:25,799 Speaker 1: and is produced in partnership with Double Elvis. Credits for 551 00:35:25,840 --> 00:35:28,040 Speaker 1: this episode can be found on the show notes page 552 00:35:28,080 --> 00:35:32,160 Speaker 1: at disgracelandpod dot com. Subscribe, follow, like, rate, and review 553 00:35:32,200 --> 00:35:35,360 Speaker 1: the disgracelam podcast wherever you get your podcast, because the 554 00:35:35,400 --> 00:35:40,439 Speaker 1: Disgracelam podcast is now available everywhere. If you love Disgraceland, 555 00:35:40,640 --> 00:35:44,080 Speaker 1: tell someone, Tell everyone, shout us out on social Spread 556 00:35:44,080 --> 00:35:46,040 Speaker 1: the word and follow us to find out how you 557 00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:48,760 Speaker 1: can cop some free merch for spreading that word. Follow 558 00:35:48,800 --> 00:35:52,840 Speaker 1: us on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook at disgracelampod, and 559 00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:57,080 Speaker 1: on YouTube at YouTube dot com, slash at disgraceland pod, 560 00:35:57,640 --> 00:36:03,560 Speaker 1: rock a Roll. He's a bad, bad man.