Safety Last, Struck By Love, 1983 on Twin/Tone

This was the first and only full length by Twin/Tone’s Safety Last, following their self-titled EP. On this LP they include Rusty Jones, Gary Louris, Lianne Smith, and Jim Tollefsrud (as “Jimmy T”). Founding members Tim Mauseth and Sprague Hollander left for other projects.

Produced by Paul Stark and the band; recorded by Paul Stark with overdubs by Steve Fjelstad. My copy via Cheapo Records in Minneapolis.

#1980s #1983 #CheapoRecords #JimTollefsrud #LianneSmith #MinneapolisMN #PaulStark #RustyJones #SafetyLast #SteveFjelstad #TwinTone #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

The Replacements, Let It Be, 1984 on Twin/Tone

Third full length album for The Replacements, following Hootenanny. Recorded at Blackberry Way after using a warehouse in Brooklyn Center for that record. Produced by Steve Fjelstad, Peter Jesperson, and Paul Westerberg.

Definitely one of my favorites – with the sublime (“Androgynous,” “Unsatisfied”) and the ridiculous (“Gary’s Got a Boner”) and a cover of Kiss’ “Black Diamond” for good measure. Peter Buck guests on “I Will Dare” and Chan Poling on “Sixteen Blue.”

My copy—via Slipped Disc at a record fair at Mill No. 5 in Lowell MA—is the 2016 reissue by Rhino on Twin/Tone labels.

#1980s #1984 #2016 #BobStinson #ChanPoling #ChrisMars #LowellMA #MillNo5 #PaulWesterberg #PeterBuck #PeterJesperson #Reissue #Rhino #SlippedDisc #SteveFjelstad #TheReplacements #TommyStinson #TwinTone #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

Figures, In a Chalk Circle, 1985 on Twin/Tone

On this release, Figures was Jeff Waryan, Jay Peck, Steve Brantseg, and Steve Fjelstad. (There’s an earlier LP credited to Jeff Waryan solo that is titled Figures). Waryan was also in Fingerprints and supported many other area bands at the time.

An underappreciated Twin/Tone band from the 80s.

My copy—via Cheapo Records in Minneapolis MN—includes the original inner liner, on one side of which is the Twin/Tone catalog with their descriptions of various LPs – worth it just for that.

#1980s #1985 #CheapoRecords #Figures #JeffWaryan #MinneapolisMN #SteveBrantseg #SteveFjelstad #TwinTone #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

The Replacements, Hootenanny, 1983 on Twin/Tone

Sophomore album from Minneapolis favorite sons The Replacements. A wonderfully messy record that’s sort of all over the place (rockabilly, blues, country and punk) but still works.

The transition from the wistful “Within Your Reach” ( “I can’t live without your touch / die within your reach”) to the surf-punk of “Buck Hill” sort of embodies the mixing that made The Replacements great. (I skied quite a bit at Buck Hill)- check out the trail map).

My copy—via Slipped Disc at a record fair at Mill No. 5 in Lowell MA—is part of the 2016 Rhino reissue series, and sounds great.

#1980s #1983 #BobStinson #ChrisMars #LowellMA #MillNo5 #MinneapolisMN #PaulStark #PaulWesterberg #PeterJesperson #SlippedDisc #SteveFjelstad #TheReplacements #TommyStinson #TwinTone #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

The Replacements, “Stink”, 1982 on Twin/Tone

This EP aka The Replacements – Stink (“Kids Don’t Follow” Plus Seven) came out in 1982, following the release of Sorry Ma. I always thought it was their first release. Opens with the infamous “This is the Minneapolis Police, the party’s over . . . if you all just grab your stuff and leave there won’t be any hassle.” megaphone announcement which segues right into “Kids Don’t Follow.”

Recorded at Blackberry Way in March of 1982 and produced by Peter Jesperson, Steve Fjelstad and the Replacements. Great early energetic ‘mats but already showing some of the more wistful Westerberg to come in a song like “Go.”

My copy—via Slipped Disc at a record fair at Mill No 5 in Lowell—is a fourth pressing circa 1986.

#1980s #1982 #BobStinson #ChrisMars #LowellMA #MillNo5 #PaulWesterberg #PeterJesperson #SlippedDisc #SteveFjelstad #TheReplacements #TommyStinson #TwinTone #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds