Artwork by Chris Strouth

Makes No Sense At All captures the visions, ramblings, and memories of Chris Strouth, a Twin Cities-bred master of music, film, and everything else.

The Catholic Church figured out something during the Middle Ages: If you build a church to look like a castle, the serfs will feel safe in its massive shadows. So churches moved from modest affairs to great sprialing towers so that the people would feel as comforted within the structure as they did with the royal overseers.

We hang out in shadows today still, but they tend to be more personal. Now, it's the shadow of the Longhorn Bar, of Hüsker Dü, and of the Replacements -- really, of the the generation that came before. We stay close enough to these artifacts to duck in if we're ever attacked by a new generation filled with ambivalence for our legacy.

What makes the Replacements difficult for me is that in the '90s I worked for the label that launched them: Twin/Tone, or as it was known, the TRG (Twin/Tone Records Group). I was there during the non-famous years: post-Suburbs, post-Soul Asylum, post-Babes in Toyland, and of course post-Replacements.

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Tommy Stinson and Paul Westerberg

In a lengthy interview with Time, the Replacements and Guns N' Roses bassist Tommy Stinson gives a detailed update on where he's at and where he's been. Though the article has some dated facts -- it refers to a City Pages columnist who is no longer with the paper and Sean Combs as P. Diddy -- but Stinson was clearly put in a comfortable situation to share a ton of information before a GNR tour date in Abu Dhabi.

A key bit: Stinson, who recorded some covers under the Replacements name for the EP to benefit bandmate Slim Dunlap, plans to head to Minneapolis when he wraps the tour dates with Guns N' Roses and head back into the studio with Westerberg. According to the band's schedule, this could be as soon as mid-June.

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The Replacements' Songs For Slim auction raises over $100,000 for Slim Dunlap
The Replacements' Songs For Slim producer Ed Ackerson shares session details
Slim Dunlap Day is February 14, says Mayor Rybak

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A visual representation of Paul Westerberg, Muzak-style.

Makes No Sense At All captures the visions, ramblings, and memories of Chris Strouth, a Twin Cities-bred master of music, film, and everything else.

Muzak just joined the ranks of words like aspirin, brassiere, cellophane, escalator, granola, kerosene, linoleum, trampoline, yo-yo, & zipper. These were brands that became the colloquialism for the thing itself, and the word lives on well after the brand itself has gone to that great Piggly Wiggly in the sky.

As of February 5 of this year, Muzak is no more. It has now been absorbed into its newest parent company Mood (formerly Mood Media). While a lot of people have taken the time to make terribly clever headlines like "The Death of Muzak," or "The Day the Muzak Died," it really isn't dead. You can breathe a sigh of relief that next time you call your cable providor -- your half-an-hour wait can still be a jazzy, super-schmaltzy trip on the A Train.
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With the highly anticipated auction for Songs For Slim now complete, the lucky (and generous) winning bidders for the first new release from the Replacements in 23 years are now left waiting to receive their precious 'Mats vinyl in the post, while the rest of us anxiously await the eventual digital and commercial release of the five-song EP.

The good folks who arranged the benefit have been left humbled and inspired by the staggering amount of money raised from the ten-day-long auction of the 250 limited-edition records. The bidding, which ended on Friday night, raised an impressive total of $105,743.42, funds which will go towards the continued medical care of 'Mats guitarist Slim Dunlap, who continues to recover from a stroke he suffered last year.

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The Replacements' Songs For Slim producer Ed Ackerson shares session details
The Replacements' Songs For Slim EP gets tracklisting and cover art as auction details emerge

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As the excitement continues to build around the Replacements' new benefit EP, Songs For Slim, more information about the project continues to filter out. In addition to the full track-listing for the EP as well as the Chris Mars designed album art (featured above), details have also emerged about when the auction will begin for the precious 250 limited-edition 10" vinyl copies.

According to a Star Tribune report, Peter Jesperson, the Replacements former manager, says that the auction should start on January 15 and run for ten days. The eBay auction is to take place via the Songs For Slim website. All proceeds from the auction will go towards defraying the medical costs and rehabilitation care for former 'Mats guitarist Slim Dunlap as he continues to recover at home from a stroke he suffered in early 2012.

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Chris Mars' film In Hanford screening at Sundance this month
More Replacements benefit EP details as Slim Dunlap nears hospital exit
Chris Mars records new song to benefit Slim Dunlap

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A still from Chris Mars' short film In Hanford.

When musicians become directors, they should be required to start by making short films. Such legislation might have saved us from the feature-length cinematic sadism inflicted upon us by David Byrne, Fred Durst and John Doofus Mellencamp. Chris Mars, former drummer of the irreplaceable Replacements, has figured this out.

Later this month, his 4 minute 31 second movie, In Hanford, will be shown, in competition, at the Sundance Film Festival. This deeply-disturbing, yet strangely-beautiful little flick, which Mars wrote, directed, animated and scored, is as haunting as, say, Here Comes A Regular. Understandably, its maker, now a much-lauded painter, is still buzzing about the acceptance of his short by Robert Redford's stringent selection committee.

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Chris Mars records new song to benefit Slim Dunlap
More Replacements benefit EP details as Slim Dunlap nears hospital exit

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Here's the cover of Paul Westerberg's D.G.T., which features "Away in a Manger."

Topical songwriting is a great niche if you can manage it. The Current announced today they'd received a burned copy of Paul Westerberg's "Away in a Manger," and it proves to be a jagged addition to the holiday music that doesn't absolutely suck.

First of all, it sounds like it's reverberating out of the basement directly below whatever floor is under you. And, its rip-roaring guitar licks are like grimy, unpolished ornaments hanging all over the tree. No way the Little Lord Jesus is going to stay asleep in the hay through this racket!

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Photo by Erik Hess

Craig Finn actually did three straight nights at First Avenue if you count a surprise appearance at the Tribute to the Replacements on Friday. Though our reviewer for Saturday's Hold Steady show said that Finn and company took a little while to get going, he sure was ready to go for a reverent take on "Skyway."

For those who didn't attend, a pretty nice video of the performance of the Pleased to Meet Me gem surfaced on YouTube. We have it posted below along with some other highlights from the night.

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Tribute to the Replacements at First Avenue & 7th St. Entry, 11/23/12
Slideshow:The Replacements Tribute Show at First Avenue, 11/23/12

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The Twin Cities music community is filled with partisanship. Just think about how many arguments exist when it comes to the pressing issues like Mumford vs. Dawes, the Current's David Campbell bearded vs. clean-shaven, and Hot Cheetos vs. Takis. These things matter!

While we heard a lot over the weekend regarding the importance of voting and how to vote regarding a certain marriage amendment from Madonna, this is not the only perspective on the issue. The Replacements released a strident statement exploring another point of view called "Election Day" back in '87, which originally appeared on "The Ledge" single and later arrived as a bonus track on the Pleased to Meet Me reissue. This might be exactly how you feel.

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The Replacements back together on covers EP to benefit Slim Dunlap


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Photo by Steve Cohen

Paul Westerberg recently confirmed that he and Tommy Stinson reunited as the Replacements to record four covers for a benefit EP to help their pal Slim Dunlap. A longer interview with Rolling Stone has emerged today, and included in the details is some updated news about the condition of Dunlap, who had a serious stroke earlier this year.

"Slim is still slowly recovering," his wife Chrissie Dunlap tells RS. "He is still paralyzed on his left side, and still on a feeding tube. Our insurance will not pay for any more rehab, so we are paying out of pocket for his care when he is released from the hospital, probably next week." The report also includes more information about the limited-edition vinyl Westerberg, Stinson, Kevin Bowe, and Peter Anderson recenly recorded.

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The Replacements back together on covers EP to benefit Slim Dunlap
Ex-Replacement Slim Dunlap in hospital after stroke
Chris Mars records new song to benefit Slim Dunlap
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