Insubordination Records is a pop punk music label that puts up a podcast on a semi-regular basis. Glancing at this week’s offering I was pleasantly surprised to find a Replacements track in there. Then it got me thinking about how much the Mats are sited as influences among the twentysomething crowd and especially among pop punk bands. I think I can safely say that I have seen the Replacements listed as favorite artist or influence for at least 20 pop punk bands. Now I know the Mats have been called a “punk” band based on their early output and attitude but I wouldn’t necessarily connect them with the current punk scene. I can see the Billie Joe Armstrongs and Ryan Adams of the world being influenced given their age and having experienced the band during it’s heyday. But it is cool to see the younger crowd getting into the Mats as well and nice to know that it isn’t just us old folks who are carrying the torch.

In case you are interested, here is the play list and link to the podcast…

Insubordination Radio

This weeks show: Radio Free Weekhawken!

Click here to listen: http://www.live365.com/stations/insubradio1

You can also visit the Jersey Beat website: www.jerseybeat.com

Playlist:
1. Sloppy Seconds – “Where Eagles Dare” (7 Inch Ep, Roadkill)
2. Sludgeworth – “Some Day” (7 Inch Ep, Roadkill)
3. Screeching Weasel – “Punk House” (“Punkhouse Ep”, Limited Potential)John Stamos Project – “Jj Is A Drama Queen” (North American All-Stars, Insubordination/Knock Knock)
4. The Erase-Hers – “Rewire” (Out Of My Mind Ep, Not A Mongo Multimedia)
5. The Thumbs – “Made For T.V.” (The Thumbs, Sneezeguard)
6. Sick Sick Birds – “Revolt With Perfect Spelling” (“Chemical Trains” Ep, Toxic Pop)
7. Jawbox – “Tools And Chrome” (“Jawbox” Ep, Desoto/Dischord)
8. Fugazi – “Number One Song” (“3 Songs” Ep, Dischord)
9. Desiderata – “Walking In My Sleep” (7 Inch Ep, Dischord)
10. Minor Threat – “Good Guys Don’t Wear White” (“Salad Days” Ep, Dischord)
11. Lester Bangs & Birdland – “I’m In Love With My Walls” (“Lester Bangs & Birdland, Bacchus Archive)
12. The Lemonheads – “So I Fucked Up” (“All The Way To The Cleaners” Ep, Armory Arms/Huh-Bag)
13. The Outlets – “Best Friends” (7 Inch Ep, Modern Method)
14. Sugar – “Helpless” (7 Inch Ep, Singles Only Label)
15. The Replacements – “Customer” (Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash, Twintone)
16. Soul Asylum – “Easy Street” (And The Horse They Rode In On, A&M)
17. Waterdog – “Good-Bye, Good-Bye” (Waterdog, Atlantic)
18. Moving Targets – “Away From Me” (7 Inch Ep, Taang)
19. Undertones – “Let’s Talk About Girls” (Hypnotised, Castle Us)

The second annual Carlapalooza will be a two day event on October 6th and 7th.  Carlapalooza is a yearly punk rock benefit for Multiple Sclerosis with all proceeds going to The National MS Society (Carla is a fixture in the pop punk scene and like Laurie is a spunky and fun chick who happens to have MS.)  There is also a raffle, or rather series of raffles, with several pretty cool prizes and the proceeds also going to MS.  One of these prizes is an autographed copy of Petal Pusher that Laurie Lindeen herself donated.  The only catch is that you have to be present for this raffle so if you are going to be near Secaucus, NJ on October 6th head on over and give til it hurts.

For information go to  http://www.myspace.com/carlapalooza

As with many PW tunes, Left of the Dial holds multiple meanings and spawns even more emotional attachments.  It seems no two people see any of this songs the same way and I love that.  I listen to this song and I imagine life on the road as a band.  But I also think of it as Paul’s love letter – to all his fans certainly but also to all the misfits who love the music that 99% of the world knows little about.  If we were a radio station we wouldn’t be the popular one, we wouldn’t have the strongest frequency.  We would be way over there at the end of the dial.  And when we travel we’d find others like us at that same spot on the radio – people who get it.  I have met a lot of wonderful people through the Mats music and though I don’t have the opportunity to get together with them much I know where I’d find them.  Paul himself says it best at the end of the song and it always reminds me of you Westernerds – “And if I don’t see ya, in a long, long while.  I’ll try to find you left of the dial.”

Putting on the Ritz, Live in New York July 27, 1987

I will admit to being a little behind the curve on the Mats. I distinctly remember hearing “Bastards of Young” in a record store in college probably around 1985-86 and liking the tune but I never acted on it (this was sadly during my MTV/hair metal phase.) Ditto with “I’ll Be You” – saw the video, liked the song but never went further. Fast forward to 1990 where one of the guys who worked me asked me if I had ever heard of the Replacements. I told him I’d heard of the name but didn’t know much about them. He just smiled, handed me a cassette of Please to Meet Me and said that I had to listen to it immediately. I was blown away. I proceeded to buy All Shook Down, which had come out recently, and worked my way through the back catalog. I got to see the band once – on July 4th in Chicago for what turned out to the last show they’d ever play. Wherever you are – thanks Wayne for insisting I listen to that tape.