The Replacements were an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1979. Initially a punk rock band, they are considered one of the pioneers of alternative rock. The band was composed of the guitarist and vocalist Paul Westerberg, guitarist Bob Stinson, bass guitarist Tommy Stinson and drummer Chris Mars for most of its career. Following several acclaimed albums, including Let It Be and Tim, Bob Stinson was kicked out of the band in 1986, and Slim Dunlap joined as lead guitarist. Steve Foley replaced Mars in 1990. Towards the end of the band’s career, Westerberg exerted more control over the creative output. The group disbanded in 1991, with the members eventually pursuing various projects. A reunion was announced on October 3, 2012. The band is referred to by their nickname “The ‘Mats” by fans, which originated as a truncation of “The Placemats,” a mispronunciation of their name.
The Replacements’ music was influenced by rock artists such as the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Faces, Big Star, Slade, Badfinger, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Bob Dylan as well as punk rock bands such as the Ramones, the New York Dolls, the Buzzcocks, the Damned, and the Sex Pistols. Unlike many of their underground contemporaries, the Replacements played “heart-on-the-sleeve” rock songs that combined Westerberg’s “raw-throated adolescent howl” with self-deprecating lyrics. The Replacements were a notoriously wayward live act, often performing under the influence of alcohol and playing fragments of covers instead of their own material.