Trouble boys The true story of the Replacements

Ten years in the making, this fantastic biography from music critic Mehr (contributor, Mojo, The Commercial Appeal) of the self-destructive 1980s alternative rock band The Replacements provides sensitive, detailed, and critical depictions of the band's members, known for their unpredictable shows and their heavy alcohol consumption. The portrait of the group's lead guitarist Bob Stinson (1959-95) is especially poignant, as Mehr describes his painful childhood and subsequent challenges with drug addiction and schizoaffective disorder. Front man Paul Westerberg is given the most attention, and the author describes his mercurial, gruff exterior, which masks deeply hidden insecurities. The book is most insightful when discussing how The Replacements were never quite able to achieve mainstream success. Mehr delves into the business side of the band's affairs, covering the pitfalls of indie-label distribution, meddling by major executives, and the group's blasé attitude toward playing the game. Ultimately The Replacements were, as Westerberg notes, "Five years ahead of our time [and] ten years behind." VERDICT Though hefty, Mehr's book is a page-turner from beginning to end and should find its way onto every music fan's bookshelf. It offers a master class on how to pen a rock biography.-Brian Flota, James Madison Univ., Harrisonburg, VA © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.