Blink 182: The new Replacements?

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This is Phil Dellio's thesis in the new Village Voice. I am now listening, on his rec., to Anthem Part Two. I see where he's coming from. & remember that the 'mats started out with trashy punk based on ditty lyrics and stupid puns. Even their masterpiece featured a track called "Garry's Got a Boner". The one question remaining -- can Mark and co. write a good ballad?

― Sterling Clover, Thursday, 12 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Hmm, I'd say they're more like the new Green Day which was like the new Screeching Weasel which was like the new Ramones. I'd say the evolution went from pop punk to punk pop.

Blink 182 bores me about as much as Soul 41, New Found Glory, MxPx, Mustard Plug, Chixdiggit and the rest of that, what, 4th or 5th- generation (?) shlock poppunkrock. Lookout just bought Panic Button, so business is fine.

― Nude Spock, Thursday, 12 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Sounds like an interesting article. Perhaps a better case could be made that the Goo Goo Dolls are the "new" Replacements. Not as good mind you, but a fine band with a knack for melody and songcraft. It's a shame they're usually judged on that awful syrupy ballad "Iris" instead of their more 'Mats inspired rockers. "Hold Me Up," "Superstar Car Wash," and "A Boy Named Goo" are three criminally underrated power-pop albums. Last I heard, Westerberg was dropped from his label about a year ago and hasn't resurfaced (musically, that is.) I hope he finds the fire again and bounces back because he's simply one of the finest songwriters ever.

― Mark M, Thursday, 12 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Beat me to the punch there, Mark M, I was thinking of the Goos myself (and I was listening to both _Hold Me Up_ and _A Boy Named Goo_ today as well -- great albums both; I'm well aware that they have their obvious Placemats connections but frankly I enjoy them more). Sap that I can be, I actually enjoy "Iris." Pity it was associated with a horrible movie (though I'm sure some find it perfectly appropriate). But songs like "There You Are," "Long Way Down," "Naked" and the utterly wonderful "Name" -- lurvly.

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 12 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Duuude... the Goos were the new 'mats in 96. I'm talking for the new millenium, yo.

― Sterling Clover, Thursday, 12 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Eh, why the Mats anyway? I mean, I know it's from Dellio's argument and all, but they're just the American Smiths at this point, conveniently dead in the eighties (mostly) and a lazy reference point for critics who want to feel real/deep/impassioned about something. Not that I don't like both of them myself. ;-)

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 12 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Didn't someone once say on the Replacements thread 'If you don't love the 'Mats you don't love rock n' roll'?

To the extent that I can imagine (sorry Robin) a Blink 182 fan saying the same thing, yes they are. I realise that that's not a very great extent

― Nick, Friday, 13 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Just checked and yes, they did. Appropriately enough, it was Sterling Clover. One thing I've been meaning to ask. Is that your real name, Sterling? Cause it rocks.

― Nick, Friday, 13 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Jesus Christ. Of COurse not. Why are poeple alway saying "so and ao is the new so and so"? I hate that kind fo thinking. PLus they suck and the replacements were good.

― Mike Hanle y, Friday, 13 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

I don't know, Mike . . . I'm not going to run out and buy all of their records, but I've got to admit to liking their singles. In an "if I were 16 and sitting at home over the summer watching MTV, this surely wouldn't be the worst thing for me to enjoy" kind of way. They're pretty much the only band on the charts right now with quite the sort of clear, precise melodies I tend to like, and much as I've always thought I hate them, I can't hear their current single without having a decent amount of fun.

― Nitsuh, Friday, 13 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Well good for you . To me they are utter posers who took a shit on punk rock and made it unclean forever. I hate them and all their tidy, clever ...arrgh! I cant stand it! arrgh!

― Mike Hanle y, Friday, 13 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

I like Blink 182 a lot better than the Replacements. For one thing their best songs are all on the radio so you don't need the albums. And you can sing "The Rock Show" in rounds!

― Kris, Friday, 13 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

"Posers" is a big Use-Other-Words-Please. I don't like Blink-182 much but I'm baffled at why their opponents get so vehement - it's not like anyone is making any great claims for them, plus they at least have a better melodic sense than Matchbox 20. Or is it a "getting all worked up over who's punk and who's not" deal ?

― Patrick, Friday, 13 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Matchbox 20 has a pretty decent melodic sense when their songs get past the 10 bpm stage (c.f "The Real World"). I don't think they know what they're good at.

― Kris, Friday, 13 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

I don't really care who the new Replacements are, but "All the Small Things" is a great song.

― Otis Wheeler, Saturday, 14 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

MB20 is probably closer to the new Replacements than Blink 182, just because the kids hate 182 so much. I mean, "If You're Gone" has the 'Cant Hardly Wait' horns and production values. If Blink 182 wants to become the next 'Mats, they had BETTER start writing ballads, Sterl.

Mike: Green Day are the "utter posers who took a shit on punk rock and made it unclean forever," not Blink. Not that punk was anything more than taking a sonic shit to begin with. But they're just the from the Fat Wreck cut of bands... who just happened to be personable and young enough to fit the demographic.

Oh, and I secretly like All The Small Things and The Rock Show.

― JM, Saturday, 14 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

The kidz hate Blink? since when, yo? Anthem Part Two is growing on me with each listen, and I think I'm pickin' up the album. And yes MB20 do write ballads, but the ballads sux0r, unlike 'mats ballads which break my heart. And Green Day were fine. They rescued punk from TOTAL irrelivancy by proving that anger != no fun, no tunez. Then they decided to write ballads. Bad move.

― Sterling Clover, Sunday, 15 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

As to why people get vehement about hating Blink 182. If you hate something you must love somthing. I loved the idea of punk so I hate d things I saw as illegitimate punk. But now I realise I don't care anyways , becasue the idealism of punk was silly. So I dont hate 182 anymore, as long as I dont have to hear their boring and unispired, insipid waste of time faceless bland futile profitable loved-by- shitheads music.

― Mike Hanley, Sunday, 15 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

oh, come on - blink 182 are nowhere near as annoying and terrible as the replacements. they're harmless.

― your null fame, Thursday, 19 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

i like green day better.