Friday is here! How about some music? Today’s 5ive was inspired by the news that Wilco, The Black Keys, Spoon and a bunch of others have donated to an auction as well as a sale to benefit the family of Minneapolis musician Andy Richardson, who died last month. Andy’s death resonated with me – he was close to my age, I’d seen a few of his bands live and he was a parent of a little kid. So if you’re feeling charitable and want to help out a family of a Twin Cities’ musician who everyone seemed to love, please follow those links above.
Let’s start with The Crush, shall we? Fitting as Andy was in the band. Early 00s catchy-as-shit pop-punk.
The Replacements – Bastards of Young. This is from the album “Tim” – Bob Stinson’s last studio album with the Replacements. Stinson was booted from the band and later died at the age of 35 in 1995. As a kid, my uncle (six years my elder) introduced me to a lot of Minneapolis music thanks to dozens of Maxxell cassette tapes. The Replacements, Soul Asylum and Husker Du were all required listening.
Soul Asylum – P9… a song supporting striking Hormel workers. Soul Asylum’s Karl Mueller died in 2005 after being diagnosed with throat cancer. A 2004 benefit for Mueller saw Husker Du’s Grant Hart and Bob Mould awkwardly reunite on stage for the first time in forever. I’m sorry I missed that one.
Eyedea & Abilities – Spin Cycle. Mike (Eyedea) Larsen’s death was yet another one that came far too soon. The St. Paul rapper/freestler’s delivery was said to be ahead of its time and I’m apt to agree with that.
Janitor Joe – Boys in Blue. Though Janitor Joe is hardly a household name, former bassist Kristin Pfaff later joined Courtney Love’s band, Hole, and played on “Live through This.” Pfaff died of a heroin overdose in 1994 – only a couple of months after the death of Love’s husband, Curt Cobain.
The latest beer in Summit’s Union Series will be called 3X Mild. This is brewer Damian McConn’s take on the Mild ales of 19th century England, brewed with a new American base malt, an experimental hop variety and a traditional English yeast. Summit refers to this beer as “a rich, malt-driven and full-bodied beer with notes of stone fruit, molasses, toffee, toast and a hint of chocolate. And if you can believe it, the chocolate notes come from the hops. Great Fermentations refers to the hop with this description: “Cocoa, tropical, stone fruit, Jolly Rancher (oh yeah), passion fruit, and carmel.” Expect this beer sometime in mid-to-late November.
