Paul Westerberg aka Grandpaboy - Silent Film Star '02 CBS Late Show

[@saharab4431]

i wouldn't be alive without this guy's music

[@123juneau]

Paul Westerberg- stayed true to the music no matter if his career was high flying or on a downer- he's the real deal.

[@tamdam]

I love the looseness and groove of this performance. Paul's guitar playing is perfect

[@shadeydude6678]

I bought Stereo/Mono, the day it came out, for the first time I had a CD player in my truck, I played the fuck out of both cds!!! Like all the other St. Paul works, it’s just packed with great songs that just stick in your head, and in your life!!!

[@conorkennedy3304]

for sure man

[@fukuinerd]

Nicely done Paul! Love that drummer...

[@guitarkat99]

Mr. Michael Bland, the Urban Rhythm Buddha.

[@ih8music]

I thought he went by ERB - Ebony Rhythm Buddha.

[@conorkennedy3304]

that guy was princes drummer

[@conorkennedy3304]

Michael Bland on drums makes me like my town even more.

[@kylevandeven]

The drummer is great. You know him?

[@christophercasey6775]

Good chemistry between the two

[@conorkennedy3304]

He's from MPLS. He's kinda like Prince's drummer in those days.

[@danoconn]

He was in The New Power Generation

[@HarveyWallbangerfly]

This is the post-Replacements PW I love to, and hope to continue seeing for the rest of his years. Loose, Catchy and Fun, thanks Paul.

[@hooberatehortua1921]

good song. Paul is a great musician. greetings from COLOMBIA

[@jeanfid]

Jimmy Anton and Michael Bland wow I've never watched this. Nice reppin MN like he should. I love this so much.

[@peterlorrequartet6559]

"You...outa be a silent film star---keep that pretty little trap shut".....how f'ing poetic!!!

[@fulllerthanyou]

Mono/Stereo was Westerberg in his prime, love this performance

[@surfsup5757]

Don't forget Come Feel Me Tremble and Folker.

[@conorkennedy3304]

It really was great art.

[@xelazekazooie3389]

I love seeing Paul just playing and not give a fuck!!

[@juniormints6454]

guitar sounds great !

[@fugamante]

This is how it's done kids, have fun and care less.

[@Romanv-mt5rw]

Be careless, and make sure irresponsibility is your best friend

[@bobgure]

Everything else said, he’s also one of the great rock and roll guitar players! Superb.

[@flagemdown66]

Michael Bland is so awesome... he's just the greatest... he's just so right!

[@applescruff1969]

Which is ironic, given his name.

[@fabhescher2108]

Met him in MPLS at a recording studio. Such a friendly, humble guy, and an amazing musician.

[@motorcop505]

Love the gloves tied to his jacket. Paul was was jumping off stages when the White Stripes were jumping off school buses. They couldn't carry his guitar case (let alone his pill cases).

[@TheGarrascaeta]

Genio total. Gracias, Paul. The Replacements deberían tocar en Argentina.

[@reneeanderson7489]

rock god.

[@vladimirtoss289]

This budenovka hat is epic.

[@machbaby]

Story has it, Letterman had the hat mailed back to Paul.

[@sidv192]

It didnt fit his enlarged ego

[@rohitrij]

God I love PW. I bought that same hat off eBay after seeing this back then; it shipped from Russia! :)

[@drago6769]

Total Stoneys/jagger type of vocal delivery

[@caramason56]

Absolute awesomeness 😃😊❤️🎼

[@kckstnd8]

Love this

[@Actor_Brendan_Crash_Burt]

The Grandpa Boy Half or Stereo/Mono was IMO the last great Replacements album. Both Tommy Slim & even Jesperson are on there albeit uncredited. -I’ve only heard this so if I’m wrong. My Bad. I’ve seen Paul several times. That is by far his best touring drummer.

[@jgross68]

The best.

[@LeeB9999]

I like the gloves and Paul zipping up the coat as Dave is known to have the studio to be quite cold.

[@motorcop505]

Mel Larson He zips the coat up so you can read "Nowhere" on the front, i.e he's a real nowhere man (he made more money from the cover than any other song he's done). The gloves are just a joke, like how little kids have them clipped on so they won't lose them.

[@cherokeeflan]

Before he zipped up the coat it seemed to read “NOW HERE” and then the zipping up joins the two words into “NOWHERE.” Also, no way did he make more money off of “Nowhere Man” than his own songs, since he wouldn’t have gotten publishing royalties on it. Lorde covered “Swingin’ Party” and it had over 50 million plays on Spotify, while it’s now bizarrely also the most streamed ‘Mats track with over 30 million plays of their original version.

[@gorgan1314]

Damn straight.

[@jbee7905]

So damn good.

[@themats89]

Sometimes Rock N' Roll ain't meant to be played straight. Ask the Stones, Beatles, Pink Floyd,,,,,,Nirvana, etc, etc. Yes, your favorite songs were written while under the "influence"...and most raw rock musicians will be live with some "help"...... Can't believe this is a shock to some....

[@xxHouseInMotionxx]

Stereo/Mono might be my fav double album of all time... its scratched to fuck... skips like a motherfucker

[@lucapaga84]

Paul the number one!!

[@mandanna09]

Love the "Idiot mittens " what a guy

[@daytonsbluff9986]

Kirby Puckett on the drums. Perfect.

[@motorcop505]

Daytons Bluff That’s the legendary Michael Bland on drums!

[@mnmade9062]

That’s fucking awesome…Turkey Bucket!

[@shannonbenson8921]

My hero

[@charles616]

Let's get Mono out on vinyl!

[@scottsoltani8389]

It came out 2 years ago right before Christmas as a record store day limited release.

[@charles616]

@@scottsoltani8389 Yep, I think my initial comment was a little before it was announced. I'm a happy owner.

[@dswcnn]

I wish I knew how to play this on guitar. I know it's in some crazy tuning but for the life of me, I can't figure it out.

[@ShadSimm]

He’s quite fond of open A tuning. Could be that…

[@sidv192]

clip on gloves -- thats northern symbolism for 'ultimate geek'

[@luccavinci5358]

nothing better

[@genzale]

Kids, that's how you do it even if you're being aired live on TV!

[@fromttt]

He is Soul Asylum’s drummer presently.

[@garthkolbeck8674]

Michael Bland is just the best!

[@ElvisClambake]

gotta zip up before launching into that solo....

[@gregnewman2512]

I'm a hardcore Replacements fan. I went to a show sponsored by Public radio. Patti Smith, Sonic Youth, John Cale, some heavy hitters, all class!! Paul came out and was the biggest diva I have ever seen. What a jerk. Still like the Mats, but Paul a B. RIP, Bob.

[@rdrrr]

Yeah, I'm reading Trouble Boys right now and my impression of Paul is brilliant, once-in-a-generation songwriter but a miserable preening prima-donna motherfucker to be around.

[@shinybeast8946]

Maybe because he had to share the bill with a bunch of hipster douches.

[@ElvisClambake]

What tuning is he using? When I opened for him at The Fillmore in '86 I was too fan-boy'd out to ask anything sensible like tunings he used..... We talked about shoveling snow. Is that a WWI Russian Army cap? And nothing says Rock'n'Roll like safety-mittens!

[@pjbigss]

He likes drop d tuning.

[@ElvisClambake]

@@pjbigss I'm plenty familiar with Dropped D, both the high and low E-strings... This looks and sounds like something completely different. Maybe not. I'll have to see if I can re-create it. Someone said it might be some weird C tuning....

[@Mysteriousninja2]

@@ElvisClambake This post goes through Paul's various tunings www.reddit.com/r/Replacements/comments/11a5v3/further_elaboration_on_tunings/

[@ElvisClambake]

@@Mysteriousninja2 Thanks, Bitch (?). I love divergent tunings. Keeps things fresh. I'll have to learn these. I've had this weird Hawaiian tuning taped to my acoustic for 26 years that was in an article my dad sent me about Sol Hoopi that I like alot. Actually, there are two of them . Womans tuning (Wahine) and some weird F/C tuning that has a lot of great chords in it to be found. These that you sent me should keep me busy. Thanks again.

[@TenderTendon]

Tuning for this is: C sharp/F sharp/C sharp/F sharp/B flat/E flat

[@jixxxxer17]

you know this is LIVE no BS lip synching like all those sugar pop tarts !

[@Goomer]

Always has a cool guitar

[@shannonbenson8921]

Now (zip) here = Nowhere

[@charlessale409]

Jesus Christ Paul, your pants.

[@zacharyfreeman900]

Would he meet us on the moon

[@lookingupfilms]

Would he feed us with a spoon.

[@patrickobrien376]

Bourdain, Westerberg, McNulty. Twins separated at birth.

[@gogunn]

Here Now

[@mayjoe3742]

all these weak ass hater comments from people who have never and never will play a show like Letterman... jealous much? rock n roll can and should be played loose... and to those who said the drummer Michael Bland sucks must have missed the work he did with Soul Asylum... and the killer fill at the end of this song. I'm dying to hear all the songs you've written and I'm waiting to see your video of you playing a spot half this big or hard to land...

[@roflmana]

great song, love Paul and peope around him. do you know , who is the bassist?

[@612Taper]

roflmana Jimmy Anton. A reliable player asked by Paul and Michael I guess for this one appearance. He's Twin Cities - based and I know he traveled extensively and appeared on TV with Johnny Lang. By the way I last saw him this past winter at a Minneapolis American Legion sitting in with Willie Murphy. Saturday night, low key dance hall, audience of about 15, but super funky.

[@jeanfid]

First time I saw Bland play was in about 1986 with a band called Bathoscope at the Uptown Bar (RIP). When he sat down at the kit I thought the stool was gonna bust. He proceeded to lay it down like I've never seen before or since. The entire bar--floors walls ceiling--shook like no one's business. He's the best IMHO. Anton has played with so many local bands I can't name them all. Extremely funky. First time I heard him was with Paul Metsa's old band back in the mid 80's as well. Never seen these two lay it down together. This is deep shit.

[@roflmana]

IMHO?

[@roflmana]

do you mean, the bassist is Duff?

[@jeanfid]

+roflmana Ha! Ok maybe not totally humble. :)

[@DSilvergun]

Hard to believe PW's solo career barely lasted ten years.

[@andrewphuck9795]

I think someone was into the red red wine 🍷

[@Anthony-hu3rj]

He was 1/4 of the band. Alone, he's 1/10 as good.

[@jbee7905]

Huh?

[@themats89]

PS....it's one thing to "sound better".....another to "write better".....try it sometime....

[@shinybeast8946]

He's done it all his life, what are you on?

[@demonicsweaters]

Awesome! Anyone know who the the drummer is here?

[@genzale]

Michael Bland. He played and recorded with a variety of artists and bands. He's a current member of Soul Asylum.

[@demonicsweaters]

@@genzale nice! Thanks!

[@DSilvergun]

Where can I get Paul's hat?

[@flagemdown66]

white stripes were in diapers, you mean.

[@matteg490]

A nice fun song (OK I don't really like it much) but nothing near the heights Paul was capable of flying.

[@gorgan1314]

Who is drumming?

[@terrencemcmanus]

it actually Michael Bland (Prince)

[@JakelikejakefromSF4936]

that drummer plays in soul asylum now.

[@themats89]

I love how many of these comments miss the point......Paul is NOT playing a rock star...and the song mocking fame... To this day...he gets it,,,,and never misses a moment to point out the obvious bullshit! If you don't see it...well...you're the "bullshit"..... sorry

[@rowhill59]

Jeff Rusin Ran into Paul Westaberg at grocery store today , gave an appreciated nod and he went about his way. HUGE fan, but would NEVER bug the dude, just cool that he knew that I knew he was a big deal to me and many of YOU. Keep on keeping on PW .

[@tuffbunker1413]

what the hell is he wearing??

[@123juneau]

what are you wearing?

[@motorcop505]

He has clip on gloves like a little kid so he won’t lose them and NOWHERE on his jacket because he is a real nowhere man (his biggest earning hit). The hat is early Soviet.

[@anonnumber1]

Paul's Meth Period

[@ShipwreckTownBand]

Was it really? I don't know. He certainly looks high tho I can't tell and wouldn't judge him anyway. It is worth comparing the quality of this performance against (the apparently sober Westerberg doing) Love Untold in 1996, also on Letterman. Having said that, he's one of the best songwriters of the last 30 years, loaded or otherwise.

[@motorcop505]

Timothy Gager Actually, he's on nothing! He has one cigar a day. He is this far out normally.

[@612Taper]

motorcop505 is right. Remember, the second CD of the set is under GrandpaBoy his alter ego for several years by that time, and PW used his theatrical side and this occasion to finally make the GB debut. We were all a little taken back by the teeth and makeup, but soon "got" it. Brilliant, I just wish GB could have done a full bar tour. I'm still waiting for either to play First Ave.

[@wickedlee664]

Im gonna get a little higher With that hillbilly junk Gonna get a little tired...they got hop up in them sticks!

[@cherokeeflan]

I really doubt he was on meth but he wasn’t totally sober in this era either. I saw him in 2004 and he definitely had s few drinks during that show. He actually pulled a wad of bills out of his pocket and handed it to a fan in the front row and asked him to go buy him drinks from the bar!

[@samuelhain2712]

Silly hat, silly nickname, silly drummer, silly song.

[@DomDizzler5053]

what

[@ReptilianHeart]

A week of White Strips would have done wonders for his stage presence.

[@motorcop505]

Reptilian Heart You obviously need to get out more. They don't even deserve to be used in the same sentence as PW.

[@spencercoe3804]

Reptilian Heart they're fake teeth for his alter ego

[@matteg490]

You just may not know Paul when he was with the Replacements and setting the world on fire.

[@oppothumbs1]

Not one of Paul's better songs. Why play this? Replacements and Paul are my favs but why do this on national tv? You do this at home as a joke or out with friends. Well, sit your butt down.

[@zippymufo9765]

Yeah this is one of the weakest songs on STEREO MONO

[@oppothumbs1]

Michael Bland sure can play for hours but rather someone with more technique. Actually his drumming here is better than in concert with Paul.

[@shinybeast8946]

I guess the spirit of rock n roll is lost on you.

[@oppothumbs1]

@@shinybeast8946 And the spirit of cornball lives strong in you.

[@shinybeast8946]

There you go jumping to conclusions again.@@oppothumbs1 Go listen to Ed Sheeran or something.

[@brandoa330]

That bass player’s jacket😂 get off the stage bud