Live Ledge #70: Pleased to Meet Me
PTMM isn't my favorite Replacements album. That award goes to Let It Be. Well, this week it's my fave. Next week it could be Hootenanny...or Tim...or Sorry, Ma. It's probably my most-played 'mats album, however, primarily because of the time it was released. Previously, I wasn't aware of release dates, so this marks their first album I actually purchased the day it was available. Coming out in June also made it the summer album of that year.
What's most interesting about the strength of the release is that it could have been a disaster, as the band was not at full health. They had fired not only their manager, Peter Jesperson, but their lead guitarist, Bob Stinson. The record company was not happy with their drunken antics, and rumors circulated that they were on the verge of breaking up.
After an initial June, 1986 recording session in Minneapolis (before Bob was fired), they traveled to Memphis around the end of '86 to record at the famed Ardent Studios with the legendary Jim Dickinson (Flamin' Groovies, Big Star, Rolling Stones) producing. As recounted in a later interview, the sessions were contentious, as Dickinson and engineer John Hampton struggled not only with the band's hard-drinking lifestyle but also music textures such as horns and strings that Dickinson added to the tunes.
Many great albums come out of chaos, however, and Pleased to Meet Me is one of them. It's also the most documented sessions of the band's career, with tons of demos and outtakes floating around in the collector's market. Today's show celebrates the anniversary of the band with nothing but alternate versions of the entire album, along with a few b-sides and unreleased songs. Portions of Bob Stinson's final recordings are also included, along with interviews with Paul Westerberg and fans of the album. (For the full Westerberg interview, plus tons of other Replacements-related videos, check out BobStinsonsGhost on YouTube.)
As always, this episode can be found in iTunes, or can be played on The Ledge android/iPhone app, streamed via Stitcher, or
DIRECTLY DOWNLOAD/STREAM THIS SHOW BY CLICKING HERE!
1. IOU (Live)
2. Time Is Killing Us
3. Red Red Wine
4. Photo (PO Box)
5. Birthday Gal
6. Bundle Up
8. I Don't Know
9. Nightclub Jitters
10. Never Mind
11. Route 66
12. Tossin' N' Turnin'
13. Jungle Rock
14. Election Day
15. Shooting Dirty Pool
16. The Ledge
17. Skyway
18. Can't Hardly Wait (Remix)
19. Alex Chilton
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