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Baker's Dozen

Some Major Rock & Roll Problems: Craig Finn's Favourite Albums
Will Parkhouse , February 13th, 2012 04:45

Will Parkhouse speaks to the Hold Steady frontman about his thirteen most played LPs

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The Replacements - Let It Be

My favourite record. I got it in eighth grade, when I was 13. Back in the day, before the internet, to get a record by a band like The Replacements you had to go to an independent record shop, so I had to get a ride from my dad. My dad, I remember, he could tell how important it was to me. I had my own money I got from jobs, but he bought it for me. I love that on the same side as 'Unsatisfied', which is a beautiful, sad song, they also have a track called 'Gary's Got a Boner'. It shows both sides – the vulnerability, but also that crazy drunken attitude they had. It's most surprising when they whip out an 'Unsatisfied' or 'Sixteen Blue', those really pretty, sad songs, and it's like, wow, what happened to that crazy guitar band? All of a sudden they're breaking your heart. They were from my home town of Minneapolis and you were like: "I can't believe these guys live in my town." You'd see them walking down the street, and you'd say, wow my favourite band lives… there. It was very moving to me – it made me believe I could be in a rock & roll band.