Bash & Pop

Bash & Pop was an American alternative rock group formed in 1992 by Tommy Stinson in Minneapolis, Minnesota, following the breakup of the Replacements. It released one album before disbanding in 1994.

History

With a name selected from a contest hosted by New York radio station WDRE, Bash & Pop was formed in 1992 by bassist Tommy Stinson, following the breakup of previous group The Replacements. Stinson switched to guitar, with drummer Steve Foley, (ex The Replacements)together with his brother Kevin on bass and guitarist Steve Brantseg also joining.

The album Friday Night Is Killing Me was recorded by the band with the assistance of Benmont Tench and Mike Campbell, Wire Train's Jeff Trott as well as other musicians Greg Leisz, Brian McCloud, Phil Jones and Tommy Steel. The album was released in January 1993 through Sire/Reprise Records to mainly mixed reviews with Stewart Mason, of Allmusic, stating that "there are a couple of great songs here, the catchy single "Loose Ends" and the rocking "Fast and Hard", but even those two songs feel sloppily half-written, with choruses that vamp on repeatedly for far too long. Most of the rest of the album sounds fine while it's playing, but the songs aren't at all memorable." Steven Mirkin, of Rolling Stone, described the album as "not as pointed as ex-Mats drummer Chris Mars's vitriolic Horseshoes and Hand Grenades and lacking Westerberg's songwriting polish, Friday Night Is Killing Me is still a notable debut that at its best flashes the easygoing, knockabout charm missing from the Replacements' last few albums." Bruce Haring, of Variety, described the album as "a frisky little rocker propelled by Stinson's endless energy and peppy, raspish vocals." A tour in support followed along with the recording of the track "Making Me Sick" which was included on the soundtrack, released in 1994, to the movie Clerks. The group disbanded later in 1994.