#100 Tommy Stinson and Top Soil

Bash & Pop - "Never Aim to Please"

A few years ago I was in Hudson, New York with my girlfriend walking around on a Sunday afternoon after spending the weekend up there away from the city. You’ve heard it before.

We were gearing up to hit the road and head back when we walked by a cool older gentleman running errands. My heart sank into my stomach. I felt dizzy.

I turned to my girlfriend, “holy shit that’s Tommy Stinson”

“who?”

“I think that’s Tommy Stinson. From the Replacements.”

After a quick search on my phone and a 2012 article titled “Hudson grows as a musician-friendly town” I became sure of it. So, like any normal, sane, person I followed him into a plant shop. I walked around pretending to look at elephant ears and pothos while triple confirming out of the side of my periphery that I was, in fact, looking at Tommy Stinson.

And then that was it.

I turned around and left the shop. Walking straight to my car.

My girlfriend was stunned. How could I not tell him that the Replacements had been my favorite band since I was 16. How I saw them on their reunion tour. How I’ve screamed, cried, sang, and sulked to their music.

But in all honesty, in that moment, all I really wanted to tell him was how Bash & Pop is underrated excellence. How “Never Aim to Please” and “On the Rocks” are perfect rock songs. And to just tell him I was such a fan. But, to me, this was George Harrison. This was an icon of rock music who probably gets hounded by annoying dudes from Brooklyn on their day trips to Hudson every other day.

In that way, I tend to think everything I think, do, and say is stupid and redundant. I don’t feel original or necessary. I feel painfully average. Maybe that’s the fault of my generation. Thinking that everyone is entitled to uniqueness. Maybe I am redundant and average. I mean the reason its called average is because its right there in the middle, with everyone else. And what’s wrong with being in the middle with everyone else?

Looking back, I would have loved to just tell him I was a fan. That I loved Bash & Pop and that I hope he has a great day.

This is my 100th post on this newsletter. And After 100 days and 100 songs I think its clear to most of us that I’m right there in the middle with everyone else. Loving the things I love while trying to keep an open mind to things I don’t yet know.

Thanks for listening,

Will

P.S. If you see or know Tommy Stinson please tell him I love Bash & Pop