kyrie Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 (edited) Life still sounds good for GNR's Tommy StinsonModern-day replacementFebruary 15, 2011Bass in hand, Tommy Stinson has been part of two notorious and revered rock-and-roll legacies. Three decades ago, he was a founding member of the Replacements, Minneapolis's great punk hope. He was there for their raw 1981 debut, Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out the Trash, plus the boozed-up spectacle that was a 1986 Saturday Night Live performance, spats with leader Paul Westerberg, their early-'90s break-up, and the creation of dozens of stellar songs that defined college radio. Then in 1998, he added another lineage, replacing Duff McKagan in Guns N' Roses. His first contributions to be heard by long-suffering Guns fans were the bass lines to "Oh My God," from the End of Days soundtrack.His famous bands have little in common, but Stinson finds some common ground. "Initially, both bands were very much what rock and roll is about," he says over the phone from Philly. "What we did in the Replacements wasn't really all that different, except that they actually wrote together. There was a danger to it. It kind of comes from the drugs and alcohol and the way you see things when you start off. They're both similar in that very regard. Other than that, vastly different."Stinson's legacy isn't entirely based on playing back-up. He's also chiseled out a side career as a guitarist and singer, creating a repertoire of hooky alt-rock songs in side projects Bash & Pop and Perfect and, most recently, in work released under his own name. (He also played with Soul Asylum around 2005.) His lead work seesaws between sweet and brash in a way that conjures a certain musician he spent years with, but he doesn't mind the easy Westerberg invocations. "I mean, shit, I was a little kid when we started in the Replacements. I learned a lot from him as well as the music he was into plus [manager] Peter Jesperson's influence. I'm not trying to sound like him or any of that kind of thing, but I can tell you right now: how would I not sound somewhat Replacements-like, being that I grew up in it, unless I was really trying to separate myself?"A life in rock and roll has taught him a few things, and not giving too much of a shit is probably number one. A bevy of pursuits helps keep his main gig from getting stale. When not globetrotting with Guns N' Roses, he picks his own music up off the back burner. He self-financed 2004's VillageGorillaHead, his solo debut, so he could retain total control, and he's planning to do the same with his second record, which is due soon. "It might be a little more rootsy, and it might be more rocking," he says of the new album. "I've got more slide on this than the last one."His freewheeling sensibility also leaves room for random runs of shows, like the one this Sunday at Church. He plans to perform solo, hitting a bunch of new tracks as well as some Bash & Pop and Perfect songs. Just don't expect any Mats or Guns tracks, he warns.Life isn't bad for a guy who picked up the bass when he was 11 years old because the late Bob Stinson, his brother and the Replacements' guitarist, bribed him with Coke and candy. "I guess I got kind of good at it maybe too," he says of his instrument. "Some could dispute that, I suppose, but I don't give a shit. It's served me well for fuckin' 30 years."http://thephoenix.com/boston/music/115798-life-still-sounds-good-for-gnrs-tommy-stinson/?page=1#TOPCONTENT----Tommy was also on WXPN 85.5 FM in Philly today and spoke about GN'R's 2010 tour. Anyone catch it? Some new tracks were debuted from his solo stuff. Edited February 16, 2011 by kyrie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fallenbird77 Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Thanks for the article.I'm looking forward to this show. Saw him in '05 in Boston, great show and a class act.Although I will turn down the shot of Jack Daniels if He offers it again.That turned into the last drink I had for four years! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyrie Posted February 17, 2011 Author Share Posted February 17, 2011 Thanks for the article.I'm looking forward to this show. Saw him in '05 in Boston, great show and a class act.Although I will turn down the shot of Jack Daniels if He offers it again.That turned into the last drink I had for four years!I'm afraid to ask... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axl666 Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 I wasn't a big fan of his solo album apart from that song without a view,which I think is great.It's just a really desolate sounding song.Actually listening to it now makes me think that people like Tommy, Dizzy and Ron could sing on nu-Guns records like Duff and Izzy did on old-Guns Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyrie Posted February 17, 2011 Author Share Posted February 17, 2011 I wasn't a big fan of his solo album apart from that song without a view,which I think is great.It's just a really desolate sounding song.Actually listening to it now makes me think that people like Tommy, Dizzy and Ron could sing on nu-Guns records like Duff and Izzy did on old-GunsI'd definitely like to see Tommy doing something like that on a GN'R album some day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STARABOSTES Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 nice info. thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willl Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Tommy was also on WXPN 85.5 FM in Philly today and spoke about GN'R's 2010 tour. Anyone catch it? Some new tracks were debuted from his solo stuff. Would love to hear this too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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