That's a non-issue if people just had better taste in music. They just were not appreciated by enough because , frankly , people's tastes often suck. Paul could have make a popular single but it wasn't in him as he didn't want to compromise integrity . I think he should have writen and produced one or two commercial songs with commercial ... didn't work out that well on Paul's solo records either.

@@oppothumbs1 success is a viewpoint...and that's a real issue with music especially these days....if you simply disagree or choose to be against that so called viewpoint the results can be quite negative...thats why tastes suck because bands like the Moranbong Band are the greatest thing to ever exist....like the biggest band around which we all compare too... but in countries like The United States and Europe its way more complicated then that...makes this book way more interesting

@@tonytoni6860 Both good and Dont Tell a Soul doesn't have a bad song.

Andrew Earles tried but was faced with an absolute no-win situation. Bob Mould's book was being worked on at the same time. Also, there was (and still is) a code of silence between Bob, Grant, and Greg. Hart and Norton let Earles in but not all the way in...

There is one. I forget the title. there's also Bob's bio.

Let’s all just agree that they can’t hold a candle to the Mats

That band wasn’t very good

@@smkxodnwbwkdns8369 maybe if you are a dumbfuck

The oral history is great, only if you only know the band well. If you don't it's not good

like many punk bands of the 80's....but of course lesser known for that ;) thanks to the book we can remember they actually were punk :D

I recall the Rolling Stone record review in a 1984 issue started with "This is a brilliant album".

if you read the book you can pretty much figure out why they "didn't make" or go further than they did.

Jon has a great dude?

I remember Scruffy the Cat. I was in a band called Middlemarch that was the support band for you all at a club called Sudsy Malone's in Cincinnati Ohio. You all crashed at our house.

Loved you guys so you a dozen times in Boston, way back when. Still play your CD now and then . Thanks for the good times

@gibsondrummer I saw Scruffy @ a club called Idols in Rochester NY-prob 1988. A lot of the Boston bands came through-hello Big Dipper! I found interesting that you thought of the 'Mats as a punk band in late '84. I think their attitude was still punk, but their music was evolving by leaps and bounds.

Then shut the fuck up and go to the super obscure Mats tunes guy.

That’s because we listen to our physical copies of their songs 😂

these guys review those important bands that exist and matter. their sound is against the masses or was when they started...its like viewing a separate incarnation of a band only from two members (similar to Morrisey and johnny mar) but focusing on the people within the band instead. and lol whats so mainstream about a punk band who sold out to rock'n roll? tons of bands did that from the 80s and became successful and are to this day...the story isn't as compelling because its nothing new...and how many stories of nobody bands who influence masses? [stick with those ancient blues musicians]...they are hipsters who still get lots of attention....The Replacements never should have become as famous and as successful as they did....not potentially was going to be one of the biggest bands......otherwise people bored of overrated punk bands like the Sex Pistols and The Ramones would not listen to The Replacements instead of pop punk bands like Greenday and Paramore because they don't give a crap about blah blah blah success\career mumbo jumbo since music can be professionally unprofessionally produced without a label on the streets with a laptop +- Instruments from almost anything with Linux and a brain :D ----

It’s also time and place, Green Day had depressing lyrics and an unproduced sound and sold tens of millions. It was the 80s.

@@smkxodnwbwkdns8369 Green Day seems more commercial but then it's hard to know it could be 20/20 hindsight. Never liked them much but for Longview which was great. I wonder if the writer sometimes didn't get Paul's humor or maybe Paul was menacing. He has a book to sell after all.

@@oppothumbs1 Or you high or english isn’t your first language? Green Day was no more commercial than replacements were starting with Leg It Be. Both bands incorporated a lot of melody, hooks, and pop.

@@smkxodnwbwkdns8369 It seems as if you critiqued my English just because I don't love Green Day? Have you ever heard of taking shortcuts with language and not worrying about small-time losers like you understanding? LeG It Be? small r for Replacements? Genius writing from you: "both bands incorporated a lot of melody,hooks and pop". You really know how to contribute!

like an accountant or bored gay fashion historian. dilettante is clear

did the lennon book include the reason he was shot was because the guy (chapman?) was sick of being sexually abused by lennon at a cloning center (D.U.M.B.)?

@@cankhovich1796 What? I don't know what you're talking about but I sure am curious. You got my attention. Lay it on me.

@@rdrrr #donaldmarshallrevolution

Oppothumbs M both Dylan wannabes

Completely walked off with Dwight Twilley's blueprints.

@@Kkidzz Petty did? Not up on Dwight.

@@zachdawson1822 Unbelievable how much Dylan plagiarized but he started out folk and blues so that is more of an accepted tradition. Led Zep stole as much as Dylan. Neil actually did very little actual stealing.

Petty didn't sell out to record company cretins.

lol. That's what I was thinking.

TheFutureKing Nardwuar is an off kilter rock journalist in Vancouver. Check out some of his videos, he's interviewed lots of punk icons. He and Jon share a resemblance.

I couldn't disagree with you more.

success stories are always compelling, its like any real important band, not a bunch of nihilistic nobody no-ones

I agree DTASoul finally had a professionally produced sound which was refreshing to hear every note but I disagree with subpar material. They had great songs throughout the album unlike others were some songs were simply badly done and half assed.

@@coolgaucho I agree it's good material, but it's a shame the released DTAS was whitewashed. The Matt Wallace mix is so much more genuine sounding.

You proved you really know nothing about music in so many words