Steve Foley R.I.P.

The Replacements defined the post punk musical landscape better than any other American band. Their records were thrilling, sloppy and primal - combining punk rock, Chuck Berry and bubblegum. Steve Foley never played on any of the Mats studio recordings, but he was their drummer for their final tour to support All Shook Down and was also part of Bash and Pop, whose Friday Night Is Killing Me may be the high water for post-Mats releases. He passed away over the weekend and since I'll make no pretense to knowing the man, I'll relate his words about joining the band (courtesy of Jim Walsh and his Replacements' book, All Over But The Shouting: An Oral History of The Replacements):

"I was playing with Pete Lack and Jimmy Thompson in Wheelo at the time. I was with my brother Kevin and another guy, Paul Miller, on a Saturday morning, and we went to the Uptown [Bar] for brunch like every other swingin' dick in town: you'd go up there for a big old breakfast. But it was too packed, so we went over to the CC Club.

And we're sitting there, it was pretty empty, and Paul and Tommy walked in. They sat in a booth behind us, and my brother Kevin is like, "God, Steven, your ears are burnin'. They're talking about you. They keep looking over here."So I got up and went to the bathroom, and I said, "Hey, guys. Love the new CD." And Paul's like, "Really? Wanna join the band?" I'm like, "What do you mean?" And he's like, "Well, Tommy's got his black book out and he's running back and forth to the phone, trying to find a drummer." I think he was calling Clem Burke and all these other guys. So I was like, "Fuck, yeah. Are you kidding?"Paul said, "No. We've got a CD obviously that's just come out, and we're going on tour. We're gonna have to audition you."

So we finished the meal, got in my car, and I had just bought a copy of All Shook Down, and I just had it cranked before I went into the CC, so when they got into the car and turned on the ignition, I think it was "Bent Right Out Of Shape" just blasted out of the stereo. Perfect. It was pretty good. They both looked at each other and went, "You're already in."

Compared to all these other bands who've made it… I mean, these bands are a joke compared to the Replacements. I'm just glad to have been part of it. Some days I walk down the street and go, "God, I was in that fuckin' band?" Unbelievable. It is. It will always be a treasure in my mind."

Bash and Pop - Never Aim to Please
Bash and Pop - Fast And Hard

Paul Westerberg - Good Day

"A good day doesn't have to be a Friday
Doesn't need to be your birthday
The next one then you won't survive
Sing along, hold my life
A good day is any day that you're alive
Yes a good day is any day that you're alive"