GIVING THE SPEAKERS A KICK WITH THE REPLACEMENTS

In celebration of the recent reissues of The Replacements early recordings courtesy of Rhino Records, I wanted to muse for a moment on a video/song from the band that stands out for me as an enduring and timeless classic.

One of my favourite videos by the band is definitely "Bastards of Young". It is a brilliantly minimalistic statement that stood in stark contrast to the glossy image obsessed videos that epitomize the ethos of the 1980's.

The video says a lot by showing very little, and it was a dramatic statement in the context of it's time. Although tragically the band later attempted to embrace the slick image machine that was all prevailing at the time, I still think that this video in all of its simplicity provides a compelling backdrop for this anthem.

To me it captures the yearning and sense of displacement captured in the song; "We are the sons of no one, bastards of young". With a record player, a few LPs in a crate, and a throbbing speaker, this could be anywhere in North America at the time. It could be any place where a young person is searching for connection or meaning through the visceral and liberating joy of music that takes you to another place, somewhere beyond the banality of one's immediate surroundings.

With a little "kick" at the end the spirit of the song is summed up decisively. Enjoy!