More Trouble Boys! The Replacements- Pleased To Meet Me Sessions: Day 4

Yesterday was the release date for the re-imagined remixed version of the Replacement's sixth album, Don't Tell A Soul, Dead Man's Pop. I re-ordered this deluxe 4 CD/ 1 LP box set back when I first heard this was about to be available and I'm anxiously awaiting it's arrival in my mailbox. Actually, I received an email two days ago from Rhino informing me of a delay in shipping (maybe it's because I'm in Canada?) and as a consolation, they offered a digital download of the complete set so I can at least have a listen before it physically arrives. I'm on a long plane ride this Sunday, so I'll have an opportunity to have a focused listen while flying to Europe. The timing is perfect because I finally got around to reading  Bob Mehr's brilliant bio-book about the Replacements, Trouble Boys this past  summer, so I've had the Replacements on my mind (and on my playlist) for a while. Trouble Boys is the essential book about the Mats with so much detail, not only about their music, but also the story behind the scenes. Sometimes tragic, sometimes disturbing, quite informative, but always interesting. I found the book fascinating and very hard to put down, I highly recommend the book for anyone that has any interest in the band.

Dead Man's Pop includes a LP/disc 1 with a remix of Don't Tell A Soul mixed by the original producer, Matt Wallace (Chris Lord-Alge originally mixed it), disc 2 is of early versions and unreleased tracks from an earlier session and disc 3 & 4 a live album, the Complete Inconcerated Live. I have the 1989 EP, Inconcerated Live, so this is the complete concert from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in June 2, 1989. The real bonus is the live show which is professionally recorded and originally it was considered for official release, but if you read Bob Mehr's book you'll understand why. When Don't Tell A Soul was released I found it somewhat disappointing. Apparently, others including the band felt the same way, it's glossy sounding mix distracted from otherwise decent material though it did provide the label with a couple radio friendly near-hits. I realize labels are always trying to find the hits and air play is what exposes bands to wider audiences, but it can also turnoff longtime fans of the band, especially if you have to compromise their sound. Of what I've heard so far from the "new" versions, this is slightly closer to what I expected at the time and closer to sounding like the Replacements. The story behind the recording of Don't Tell A Soul is much more interesting than the original album mix. (read Trouble Boys for the story!).

Speaking of Trouble Boys, there is also a big section about the Pleased To Meet Me Sessions. This album was recorded after the dismissal of guitarist, Bob Stinson and recorded as a trio. The band sought out the services of legendary producer, Jim Dickinson to produce the record and it went on to become one of the band's strongest albums, at least their last great record (Let It Be, Tim, PTMM). The sessions were heated, but it produced some great moments and an opportunity for Tommy and Chris to record some solo songs. The recordings from the sessions are interesting because you can hear the growth of songs from demo, to rough mixes, so they still sound a bit raw without heavy-handed production yet. The sessions also produced a lot of non-album tracks that have eventually appeared later on All For Nothing/Nothing At All and the CD reissue version of PTMM. The gem of these sessions are the only two still unreleased songs recorded by Tommy Stinson, who plays most of the instruments on, If There's Trouble on the Way and I Tried To Make This Your Home. Quoted from Mehr's book, Though rough and unpolished, Stinson's musicality and sheer exuberance shone through. "Without question the best things we cut...were Tommy's two solo songs and they're the only things that have never come out", said Dickinson. Stinson disagrees, "As I listen back, I can't sing; they're not great songs".

I received the Pleased To Meet Me Sessions in a trade many years ago and there might be versions floating around, but I haven't come across any. The sound is good, which means it ranges from rough demo sounding to closer to release quality, since some tracks on disc 2 are from singles. It is what it is, so if you want the polished perfect sounding versions that's what you'll hear on the official release. I'll be off for a couple of weeks jetting to Europe to enjoy some touristy fun, NHL hockey action (Prague), sightseeing, record store shopping and lazying on the beach (Barcelona). Go Hawks go!!
Enjoy!

#13yearsoftrouble
Please do NOT sell!
Do NOT trade this in a lossy format.
Convert to lossy for personal use only.

THE REPLACEMENTS
Pleased To Meet Me Sessions

DISC ONE
August 1986
01. Valentine
02. Birthday Gal
03. Bundle Up
04. Red Red Wine
05. Put An Ad In The Paper
06. Time Is Killing Us

Fall 1986
07. Never Mind
08. Birthday Gal
09. Alex Chilton
10. Red Red Wine
11. Election Day
12. Kick It In
13. Valentine
14. Run For The Country
15. Beer For Breakfast/
    Til We're Nude
16. Going Out Of My Head/
    Learn How To Fail
17. If There's Trouble On The Way
18. I Tried To Make This Your Home

DISC TWO
Album Rough Mix
01. The Ledge
02. IOU
03. Nightclub Jitters
04. Can't Hardly Wait
05. Learn How To Fail
06. Valentine
07. Skyway
08. I Don't Know
09. Jungle Rock
10. Red Red Wine
11. Shooting Dirty Pool
12. Cool Water/Misc. Guitar Fill 1
13. Misc. Guitar Fills 2
14. Misc. Guitar Fills 3
15. Misc. Guitar Fills 4

"The Ledge" German B-Side Single
16. Route 66
17. Election Day
18. Tossin' And Turnin'
19. Jungle Rock

"Can't Hardly Wait" Promo Single
20. Can't Hardly Wait (remix)
21. Cool Water

Misc. Demos
22. All He Wants To Do Is Fish
23. I Don't Know

THE REPLACEMENTS- Pleased To Meet Me sessions Disc 1 FLAC. rar
THE REPLACEMENTS- Pleased To Meet Me sessions Disc 2 FLAC. rar