Sunday, January 12, 2025

21st Century Boy: Paul Westerberg 2002-2017

CONTENTS

  • Intro
  • Paul Westerberg Releases 2008-2017
  • Bonus Grandpa Boy Discography
  • Paul Westerberg Releases 2002-2006
  • Paul Westerberg: 21st Century Live
  • Paul Westerberg: Come Feel Me Tremble CD vs DVD


INTRO 



"... it never felt like Westerberg completed any of the digital EPs he knocked off in the 2000s; these were records that were intended to keep him dwelling on the margins where he feels most comfortable."

Stephen Thomas Erlewine (AllMusic)


"I don't know what's what in the world or where or when /
Soon as I do, then I'll go from the start again"

Paul Westerberg - "Everyone's Stupid" (from 2008 digital album 49:00)


The saga of Paul Westerberg's artistic journey in the 21st century is... confusing ... confounding... maddening... revelatory ...pick your adjective. There's no easy way to assess his musical output over the last three decades, especially since by 2007 Westerberg had mostly ditched what was then the conventional way of releasing music - apparently for good. According to word from his manager a few years ago, Paul is now "retired," evidently finalizing a career detachment whose seeds were planted almost 20 years ago.

A detailed look at Westerberg's 21st century catalog reveals a patchwork quilt of physical and digital-only releases, a rogue's gallery of pseudonyms and a guerrilla marketing strategy that can best be described as idiosyncratic, with music being released and sometimes withdrawn without notice, use of multiple platforms, discounted pricing, lack of transparency - all seemingly done at random. And that's just how this music was unleashed on the world; the breadth of creativity that these off the radar releases encompass - ranging from absurd mayhem to absolute brilliance - is a whole different story, one that warrants continued study and an abundance of patience.... and that's assuming one is able to track everything down. Even by the standards of someone who has been no stranger to thumbing his nose at convention since bursting on the scene with The Replacements in 1980, navigating Paul Westerberg's recent discography is one wild ride.

The period right after the release of Westerberg's third solo album, Suicaine Gratifaction, in 1998 was devoid of much notable professional activity. The new century started out in fairly conventional albeit accelerated fashion for Westerberg, with a flurry of 5+ albums worth of material being released, mostly on CD, in less than 3 years. Stereo and Mono came first in 2002 - both loved by fans and considered by many to represent high water marks in Westerberg's post-Suicaine era. Mono was initially included as a bonus disc in the first pressings of Stereo and later was released as a standalone CD. Mono reprised the "Grandpa Boy" moniker for the first time since a pair of obscure releases in 1997: a 2 song single and a 5 song EP that introduced the world to an oddly named alter ego and yet another classic Westerberg nom de plume, Winthrope Marion Purvical V, and, in retrospect, presaged his shenanigans in the next century (see Grandpa Boy discography below). 

2003 saw a Grandpa Boy follow up, the cover heavy Dead Man Shake and the underrated, fascinating Come Feel Me Tremble, issued both as a standalone CD and an accompanying DVD documentary with an abundance of additional material (see chart below). The CFMT documentary contains both studio and live recordings from a long solo tour Westerberg did in early 2002. As he told an interviewer at the time, "I kind of used the whole movie thing as an excuse to put out another record without having to get off my ass and tour again." 

Paul's last "normal" album released under his name, Folker, came out in 2004 to generally very favorable reviews but no corresponding touring. Except for Dead Man Shake, these 2002-2004 releases were all on Vagrant, a Massachusetts-based punk/indie label.

Two years after Folker, 8 original Westerberg compositions, with Tommy Stinson contributing bass and backing vocals to 2 tracks, were released on the soundtrack album to Open Season, an animated comedy. 

Then Paul seemingly pulled the plug connecting him to what we know as the "music industry."

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This burst of activity from 2002-2006 also marked the beginning of what some fans have called "the basement era." Suicaine Gratifaction appears to be the last full Westerberg solo album recorded in a professional studio. For solo / Grandpa Boy releases this century, Westerberg has relied mostly on his basement home studio - recording, performing and producing everything on his own. This informal, at times ramshackle, approach has greatly informed all of his releases from 2002-2017 and seems to be in sync with Westerberg's reclusive lifestyle.

Westerberg 21st century work in commercial recording studios mostly involved sessions with a reconstituted Replacements, and most of these sessions occurred at Flowers Studio in Minneapolis, started in the late 90s by the late Ed Ackerson, formerly of Polara. Westerberg recorded 2 new songs ("Message to the Boys" and "Pool and Dive") with Ackerson at Flowers for a 2006 Replacements compilation during a time when the "basement era" was in full swing. In 2012 Westerberg was back at Flowers to record the Replacements' contributions to the Songs for Slim project, released in January 2013. Around this time he also produced and contributed to a 2013 album and single for The Silks, both done at Flowers. During the Replacements reunion era (2013-15), there was a one-off session in a Massachusetts studio for the bizarre "Poke Me in My Cage" release and there was also a rumored ultra-secret, exploratory session at Flowers circa 2013 for prospective new Replacements material of which little is publicly known (some of the material attempted may or may not have shown up on subsequent Tommy Stinson releases). 

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Concurrent with Westerberg's early 21st century creative renewal were Westerberg's first live tours since 1996 (there were no live shows to support Suicaine Gratifaction). Starting in April 2002, Westerberg undertook a very ambitious solo tour, including about a dozen record store performances. These 30 odd shows represent some of the most memorable live outings of Westerberg's post-Replacements career. Aside from the diverse setlists - including many songs covered in this article (see chart below) - one of the more notable aspects of this tour was the amount of fan interaction he conducted on a regular basis, something hard to fathom given his previous behavior in the department. Some shows featured audience members invited on stage to sit on a couch while Paul performed and many dates found Paul hanging with fans at his bus after the show. The Come Feel Me Tremble video documents this period with some remarkable insight and access. 

2003 and 2004 were relatively quiet. He did a a few one off shows in 2004, including a 7 song solo set at the "Rock for Karl" event at Prince's old club in downtown Minneapolis to benefit ailing Soul Asylum bassist Karl Mueller, which featured a few songs from the "basement era" as well as Westerberg fronting a quasi-Golden Smog lineup for a cover of the Stones' "Dead Flowers." In November 2004, Westerberg performed 3 full band shows over 3 nights at the Pantages Theater in Minneapolis (down the sidewalk from First Avenue) with Michael Bland, Kevin Bowe and Jim Boquist - a band Westerberg dubbed during one of the shows as "Paul Westerberg and his Only Friends." This was a preview for a couple of dozen dates with The Only Friends from February - May 2005. These full band shows were energetic, frenetic, spontaneous and, at times, chaotic. They often ran well over 2 hours, sporting wildly diverse setlists, and frequently channeled the kind of devil may care / off the rails mayhem that became notorious two decades earlier with The Replacements.

The 2005 tour wrapped up on May 8 at a House of Blues in Orlando, FLA and that marked the end of Westerberg's touring life until the Replacements reboot almost a decade later.

In September 2006 Westerberg performed 3 songs with Tommy Stinson at the Open Season premiere in Hollywood. There were two gigs in 2007, both somewhat unusual. In June he participated in a live Fakebook event at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul (then the home of Prairie Home Companion) put on by Minnesota indie radio titan The Current to celebrate his then wife Laurie Lindeen's book Petal Pusher. The event was emceed by Westerberg's sister, Mary Lucia, who was a DJ at The Current at the time. Lucia interviewed Lindeen, who also did some readings from her book. Westerberg performed during the musical segments with a band made up of local luminaries and key figures from Lindeen's past. In August he did a private beer company show at First Ave in Minneapolis to a modest crowd, hosted by his old pal Warren Zanes and featuring 10 songs that covered Westerberg's entire career, from early Replacements to a preview of 49:00, released a year after this show and still largely unknown to the public to this day despite its masterpiece status. 

This beer gig was Westerberg's last known public performance as a solo artist. 

Six years later, from 2013 to 2015, the reborn Replacements played 33 shows (and one late night TV appearance), defying all expectations and thrilling fans old and new alike, including many who had never seen the band perform in its original incarnation. The Riot Fest festival provided the catalyst for the reunion and the band (which included Josh Freese and Dave Minehan in addition to Paul and Tommy) ended up doing everything from club shows to huge festivals on a tour dubbed "Back By Unpopular Demand." The final Mats gig of the reunion era was on June 5, 2015 at the NOS Primavera Festival in Portugal. That's the last time Westerberg has performed on stage in public.

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One of the primary goals of this article is an attempt to make sense of Westerberg-related releases following Open Season in 2006, up to the final Dry Wood Garage digital release in September 2017, the last time the world has heard from Westerberg in any meaningful fashion.* This period of underground studio work was also devoid of any significant live solo activity, although Westerberg's public profile was, of course, as high as it ever was when the Replacements reunited from 2013-2015. 

This (last?) chapter of Westerberg's profesional life kicked off on a high note in 2008 with 49:00, one of his greatest creations and possibly his best post-Mats release. 


UPDATE: Westerberg designed the artwork for a limited edition 7-inch single that was released in April 2018 in conjunction with Juliana Hatfield's Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton John album.












(any additional info will be updated as needed - last update 7/12/25)





PAUL WESTERBERG RELEASES 2008-2017

Paul Westerberg 2002-06 and
Grandpa Boy discographies below

comprehensive pre-2008 Paul Westerberg discography HERE


Condensed Discography; more detailed info below

2008 - 49:00 (digital album)
2008 - "5:05" (digital single)
2008 - 3oclockreep (digital mini-album)
2008 - "Bored of Education (digital single)
2008 - D.G.T. (3 song digital EP)
2009 - PW & the Ghost Gloves Cat Wing Joy Boys (5 song digital/CDR EP)
2010 - Mr. F (2 song vinyl 45) [ARTIST: Mr. F]
2010 - Grandpaboy's Last Stand (bonus digital content with Mr. F 45)
2012 - "My Road Now" (digital single)
2013 - Songs For Slim (5 song EP) [ARTIST: The Replacements]
2013 - "Down at the Hell" / "One More Try" (2 song vinyl 45) [ARTIST: The Silks]
2013 - Last American Band (CD/LP) [ARTIST: The Silks]
2014 - "Poke Me in the Cage" (digital song) [Artist: The Replacements]
2016 - Wild Stab (CD/digital) [ARTIST: The I Don't Cares]
2017 - Dry Wood Garage (12 songs, digitally released over 10 weeks)


Detailed Discography

49:00 Of Your Time Life (full length – audio collage – 1 continuous track; 43:55)

01. 00:00 Who You Gonna Marry? (3:57)
02. 03:57 With or Without Her (Kentucky Risin’) (3:00)
03. 06:57
Something in My Life is Missing (3:41)
04. 10:38 Visitor’s Day (3:36)
05. 14:14 Thoroughbred (0:14)
06. 14:28 Devil Raised a Good Boy (3:10)
07. 17:38 You’re My Girl (0:26)
08. 18:04 Everyone’s Stupid (2:37) **
09. 20:42 You're My Girl (reprise) (0:06)
10. 20:48 What Do You Want (0:19)
11. 21:07 Never Coming Back (0:45)
12. 21:52
Goodnight, Sweet Prince (3:55)
13. 25:47 Guess I’ll Be Going Then (0:07)
14. 25:54 Outta My System (3:22) ***
15. 29:16 C'mon, Be My Darling (3:45)
16. 33:01 Down On the Farm (0:12)
17. 33:12 100,000 Pieces (1:12)
18. 34:24 I’m Clean (1:11)
19. 35:35 Your Sister (0:08)
20. 35:43 It’ll Never Die (4:03)
21. 39:46 Cover Medley * (0:55)
22. 40:41 I Think I Love You (1:05) (The Partridge Family cover)
23. 41:46 Oh Yeah! (2:09)

Total time = 43:55

* Includes snippets of “Hello Goodbye” - The Beatles; “Lost Highway” - Hank Williams; “Born to be Wild” - Steppenwolf; “Stupid Girl” - Rolling Stones; “I'm Eighteen” - Alice Cooper; “I'm a Rock” - Simon and Garfunkel; “Rocket Man” - Elton John; “Dandy” - The Kinks


** Also performed live in 2007.


*** Another version with substantially different lyrics appears on the Hot Stove, Cool Music – Volume 1 compilation (2004, Fenway Recordings CD). The song was also remade by the I Don't Cares on the Wild Stab album in 2016. That version has lyrics similar to the 2004 version and may contain elements of that recording. It was also demo-ed in the Mono era (see bonus Grandpa Boy discography below).

Note: Some song titles are guesses that have circulated through fan world. Official song titles were never announced. Track splits were done for convenience; original release was one single MP3 with no track indexes and some of the tracks overlap with each other.

Copyright info (in metadata): Dry Wood Music 2008

Released digitally July 19, 2008 on Amazon Digital and Tunecore. Withdrawn August 1, 2008, apparently due to licensing issues with the cover medley. Currently streaming on Paul's Soundcloud page. CDR promo copies were reportedly distributed although evidence of that remains elusive. Available on YouTube (minus the cover medley) with 5:05 included at the end.

In a 2016 Spin interview, Westerberg talks about 49:00

If I drop dead tomorrow, that’s my masterpiece. I’m so tempted to [make a record like that one] again, but I can’t go through it again. It was absolute insanity and I was so frightened when I made it that people would think I was schizophrenic.

Post about 49:00 on the Teenage Dogs In Trouble blog








Fan art for 49:00






5:05 (1 song; 5:05)

Released digitally August 5, 2008 on Tunecore, 3 weeks after the release of 49:00. The 5:05 apparently refers to the "missing" time from 49:00, which clocks in with a running time of 43:55. 

No longer available. Currently streaming on Paul's Soundcloud page. Also available on YouTube. (link dead as of 1/12/25). 5:05 is added to the end of 49:00 here.






















3oclockreep (2 songs; 23:32)

  • 3oclockreep (audio collage – 1 continuous track) (20:02)

    • 00:00 Tell 'Em All, Go to Hell (2:49)

    • 02:49 Mash of outtakes (0:44)

    • 03:33 It's Ridiculous, Everybody Wants to Be Famous (2:49)

    • 06:22 Only Excuse Is (2:14)

    • 08:36 You're Still Mine (1:03)

    • 09:39 If Only You Were Lonely (0:45) * # $

    • 10:24 Studio ramblings (1:56) *

    • 12:20 We Know the Night (2:47) * % $

    • 15:07 Lowdown Monkey Blues (4:55) * $
      * - recorded 1988 with Tom Waits

  • Finally Here Once (3:29)

# First appeared as the b-side of The Replacements' first single "I'm In Trouble" in 1981

% An alternate version appeared on The Replacements' All For Nothing - Nothing For All compilation in 1997

$ Appeared on The Replacements' Dead Man Pop box set in 2019


Released digitally Aug 26, 2008 on Amazon Digital. Still available from Amazon for streaming and download. Also available on YouTube.






















Bored of Edukation (1 song; 4:46)

Released digitally Sept 13, 2008 on Amazon Digital and Tunecore. Still available from Amazon for streaming and download. Also available on YouTube.























D.G.T. (3 songs; 9:33)

  • Away in a Manger (2:43)

  • Streets of Laredo (3:14)

  • D.G.T. (3:43)

Released digitally Dec 24, 2008 on Amazon Digital. Still available from Amazon for streaming and download. Also available on YouTube: Away in a Manger, Streets of Laredo and D.G.T.






















PW & the Ghost Gloves Cat Wing Joy Boys (6 songs; 24:11)

  • Ghost on the Canvas (3:41) *

  • Drop Them Gloves (3:44)

  • Good As the Cat (3:43)

  • Love on the Wing (5:28)

  • Gimme Little Joy (4:11)

  • Dangerous Boys (3:24)

Released digitally Sept 22, 2009 on Amazon Digital and also on CDR (on-demand). Still available from Amazon for streaming & download. CDR no longer available. Also available on YouTube.

* "Ghost on the Canvas" was covered by Glen Campbell and released on his album of the same name in 2011.














Mr. F 45 (2 songs; 5:25)

  • This Machine (2:49)

  • Foolish Hand Shake (2:36)

Vinyl 45 released Oct 29, 2010 on Nimbit Music. Artist listed as “Mr. F.” Included bonus digital download (see Grandpaboy's Last Stand). Out of print. Available on YouTube: This Machine and Foolish Hand Shake




















Grandpaboy's Last Stand (2 songs; 37:47)
  • Grandpaboy's Last Stand (audio collage – 1 continuous track) (35:41)

    • 00:00 Getting My MBA

    • 01:57 Doing Me Wrong

    • 03:32 Mystery Train

    • 07:41 Love You in Reverse

    • 10:45 Anybody Looking For God (aka Save Elrod Puce)

    • 16:18 Don't Shoot or I'll Move

    • 20:16 Be My Tennis Shoe

    • 21:54 Mr. Cigarette (take 1)

    • 24:26 Mr. Cigarette (take 2)

    • 28:48 Love You in Reverse (disco version)

    • 32:23 Grandpabboy meets his maker (dialog)

  • Grandpaboy's Last Stand (epilogue) (2:06)

Grandpaboy's Last Stand is a purported audio verite documentation of a Grandpaboy “recording session”. Lots of mayhem and general nonsense in between “songs.”

Released digitally Oct 29, 2010 on Nimbit Music as bonus digital content to the Mr. F (aka Paul Westerberg) “This Machine” b/w “Foolish Hand Shake” 45. Out of print. Available on YouTube.






















My Road Now (1 song; 3:32)

Released digitally Sept 21, 2012. Originally available as a free download on the I Will Dare blog. Also available on YouTube


Songs For Slim EP [The Replacements] (5 songs; 13:51)

1. Busted Up (Robert Dunlap)
2. Radio Hook Word Hit (Robert Dunlap)
3. I'm Not Sayin' (Gordon Lightfoot)
4. Lost Highway (Leon Payne)
5. Everything's Coming Up Roses (Julie Styne, Stephen Sondheim)

Originally released as a signed limited-edition (250) 10" EP with a bonus poster & photos in January 2013, available only through eBay auction. Subsequently released commercially on a 12" EP in both red and black vinyl versions with no bonus material on April 16, 2013. Reissued on 12" EP in split red and black vinyl in 2023.

On February 9, 2012, Bob "Slim" Dunlap suffered a stroke at home with life-altering consequences. He faced significant health challenges for the rest of his life (he died on December 18, 2024, aged 73) and required long term care.

In 2012 a team of friends and associates headed by former Replacements manager Peter Jesperson formed Songs For Slim, a charitable endeavor to assist Dunlap and his family. The plan was to feature monthly vinyl releases of artists covering material from Slim's two solo releases via eBay auction, with the proceeds going to the Dunlaps. The releases would be limited to 100 copies (except for the first and last releases, which had 250 pressed) and would all be signed by the artists with picture sleeve artwork by Chris Mars. New West Records, where Jesperson was then an executive, would handle the label duties. An impressive roster of notable artists was enlisted: Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, John Doe, The Minus 5/Young Fresh Fellows, Curtiss A, Tommy Keene, Craig Finn, Tim O'Reagan/Jim Boquist, Jakob Dylan, Joe Henry, Deer Tick, Suicide Commandos, Frank Black, Patterson Hood, You Am I, Lucero, Jeff Tweedy, et al. Everyone volunteered their efforts and Songs For Slim was a great success over 9 releases in 2013. A 2 CD compilation gathered all of the songs from the vinyl releases (with the exception of the 3 b-sides on the first release), adding 9 more tracks that were recorded for the project but not previously issued.

Songs For Slim kicked off in January 2013 with the first standalone release of new material bearing The Replacements name since 1991. This came in the form of a bespoke 10-inch, 5 song EP featuring 2 Slim songs plus covers of songs by Gordon Lightfoot, Leon Payne/Hank Williams and a Broadway show tune first popularized by Ethel Merman. "Radio Hook Word Hit" was recorded completely by Chris Mars, presumably at his home studio. The other 4 tracks, featuring a lineup of Paul Westerberg, Tommy Stinson, Kevin Bowe and Peter Anderson, were recorded in September 2012 with Ed Ackerson at Flowers Studio in Minneapolis. The plan for the Flowers session was for just the one Slim song but evidently things went so well that 3 additional songs were knocked off in short order. The demand for this inaugural SFS release was intense - the average auction price was over $300 - and a significant amount of money was raised.

The Replacements EP was the only Songs For Slim release that was repressed. Later in 2013 a 12-inch non-auction EP version was released on red and black vinyl without the die-cut cover, the band signatures, the poster or the bonus photo content that all came with the 10-inch auction version. All of the songs from the 2CD Rockin Here Tonight: A Benefit Compilation For Slim Dunlap collection are available on the streaming services and all 5 tracks from The Replacements Songs For Slim EP are available digitally on Bandcamp.

New Slim Dunlap website here.

















Down at the Heel / One More Try [The Silks] (2 songs; 5:27)

Released on 7 inch vinyl and digital, May 25, 2013 in a limited edition of 300 copies (220 black / 80 white). (Smash & Grab SAG04)

Last American Band [The Silks] (11 song album)

Released on CD and LP, 2013. (self-released, no catalog #)

Produced by Paul Westerberg. B-side features PW on lead vocals and guitar. Cover art by Paul Westerberg.

Recorded and mixed by Ed Ackerson at Flowers Studio in Minneapolis (note: Westerberg and The Replacements used this studio in 2006 to record the 2 new songs on the Don't You Know Who You Think I Was? compilation and also for most of the 2013 Songs For Slim EP). 

B-side 
is unique to this release and is a cover of an obscure, R&B-ish Rolling Stones song written by Jagger/Richards and originally released on the US version of the Out of Their Heads LP in 1965 (it wasn't released in the UK until 1971 when it appeared on Stone Age, a Decca compilation which the band strongly disavowed). 

A-side was also released on The Silks 2013 album Last American Band which was recorded at Flowers and produced by PW. Additional musicians on the album include PW and Jim Boquist.
















Poke Me In My Cage [The Replacements] (1 song; 24:22)

Released digitally Dec 17, 2014 on The Replacements Soundcloud page. A 24+ minute amorphous "jam," this was recorded at Woolly Mammoth Sound in Waltham, MA on October 28, 2014. Engineered by David Minehan, assisted by Matt Jones. Written by Paul Westerberg & Tommy Stinson & Josh Freese. © 2014. Available on YouTube.
















Wild Stab [The I Don't Cares] (16 songs)

A one-off side project with Juliana Hatfield. This project, and the basement era in general, is extensively covered in one of the last Westerberg's last interviews, done by Drew Fortune for Spin magazine in early 2016.


1. Back (3:52)
2. Wear Me Out Loud (2:41)
3. Born For Me (4:08) *
4. 1/2 2P (2:44)
5. Sorry For Tomorrow Night (2:41)
6. Dance To The Fight (2:16)
7. Kissing Break (3:18)
8. Just A Phase (3:26)
9. Outta My System (3:40) **
10. Need The Guys (2:27)
11. Love Out Loud (2:14)
12. King of America (3:29) ***
13. Little People (1:42)
14. Whole Lotta Nothin' (3:51)
15. Done Done Done (2:18)
16. Hands Together (6:51)

No songwriting credits but 4 and 12 are registered solely to Westerberg while 6,7,8 and 4 are registered to Hatfield and Westerberg. Unknown credits for remaining songs.

Previous Paul Westerberg versions on Suicaine Gratifaction Come Feel Me Tremble. Performed live in 2002, 2004 and 2005.
** Previous Paul Westerberg version on 49:00 - see note.
*** Originally an Eventually-era outtake which was released on a very rare promo CDR. Also performed live circa 1996.

1/2 2P and King of America were released as digital singles in late 2015
Released on CD and digital Jan 22, 2016. Full length album on the Dry Wood Music label. The CD is currently out of print; still available on the streaming platforms.

There were no musician credits, but aside from Hatfield and Westerberg Josh Freese assisted on drums.











































Dry Wood Garage (12 songs; 38:40)
  1. Hawk Ripping at Your Throat (3:58) – released 7/8/17 #
  2. Got It Made (3:04) – released 7/15/17 #
  3. Feelin' Good (2:44) – released 7/22/17 #
    Note: with Tim O'Reagan (bg vox) & Keely Lane (drums)
  4. Dead Sick Of (2:17) – released 7/29/17 #
  5. Someday You'll Call My Name (2:58) – released 7/29/17 #
    Note: Hank Williams cover
  6. Oompa (3:36) – released 8/5/17 #
  7. Come Hither (3:42) – released 8/9/17 #
  8. Surrounded by Morons (2:58) – released 8/12/17 * &
  9. What the Gym Couldn't Do (2:08) – released 8/29/17 * &
  10. Country Boy (4:38) – released 9/3/17 * &
  11. Mrs. Beethoven (3:21) – released 9/9/17 * &
  12. September (3:16) – released 9/20/17 #
    Note: this song has been performed live at least twice before: Minneapolis November 2004 & Boston September 2005

* paid downloads
# = originally posted on Soundcloud User 964848511 page; still there as of 1/12/25.
& = originally posted on on the Dry Wood Garage Bandcamp page (still there as of 1/12/25) and the Nimbit Dry Wood Garage page (page active at least through 8/28/20; dead now)

DRY WOOD GARAGE NOTES

As of 2025, these 12 songs mark the final musical dispatch from Paul Harold Westerberg. 

The "Dry Wood Garage" era lasted all of 10 weeks and represents the last time Westerberg has released any of his music to the world outside of his basement. These songs - 11 originals + 1 cover - were dropped with little fanfare, almost stealth-like. The very active Replacements / Westerberg online fan communities were the first to notice and word spread through the underground quickly. Almost a decade later, these songs remain obscure to a good chunk of the outside world, including many fans. The Dry Wood Garage material (Dry Wood Music is the name of Westerberg's publishing company) is essentially a microcosm of Westerberg post 2006 output: music ranging from the absurd to the brilliant (the insanely catchy metallic crunch of "Come Hither" is as good as anything from Stereo or Folker), released unconventionally with virtually no promotion and, seemingly, no real concern about whether it was noticed or not.

This project reportedly was hatched by Westerberg and some of his Minneapolis friends when they realized that Paul wasn't the only one with a home studio. Some of these friends happened to live close to Westerberg, something that probably appealed to somebody who prefers to stay close to home and doesn't drive a car. The plan was to move around weekly and record stuff in other people's basements with little thought given to distributing the "product." Only one song, Feelin' Good, listed outside personnel but rumor has it there were other uncredited musicians involved. For whatever reason, momentum soon waned, and another outside-the-box Westerberg endeavor came to an end as quickly as it started. 

At first, these were weekly digital releases – usually on Saturday – on Soundcloud from “User 964848511” and were announced on the Dry Wood Garage website starting 7/8/17. Initially, the songs were available on Soundcloud for streaming with no download option. Then starting with “Surrounded by Morons,” the songs were instead offered on Bandcamp (with artwork images) and Nimbit for paid download. For whatever reason, things moved back to Soundcloud on 9/20/17 for the final DWG song, “September.”

The Dry Wood Garage site initially featured embedded links to the Soundcloud songs. When the switch was made to the Dry Wood Garage Bandcamp page, the DWG site included standard links to those songs under a section called “Stuff For Sale.” The embedded Soundcloud links were listed under a section called “Free Stuff.”

Other than these various platforms, none of this material has appeared anywhere else, digitally or physically. And, not surprisingly, the Dry Wood Garage releases were barely noticed by the outside world, save for a handful of dedicated fans. "September" was known to some of the cognoscenti due to at least two prior live appearances in 2004 and 2005, as noted above. The other 10 Westerberg originals were unfamiliar even to his ardent followers and little is known of their provenance, nor are there any documented live performances. 

Dry Wood Garage website: https://www.drywoodgarage.com/ (UPDATE: apparently dead as of 8/28/20)

Soundcloud User 964848511 (streaming only): https://soundcloud.com/user-964848511

Nimbit Dry Wood Garage page: http://www.nimbitmusic.com/drywoodgarge (UPDATE: apparently dead as of 2/21/22)

Bandcamp Dry Wood Garage page (streaming and paid downloads): https://drywoodgarage.bandcamp.com/


artwork for 1-12














































alternate artwork for 3,7,9






Dry Wood Garage website screen captures (website now dead)





DRY WOOD GARAGE UPDATES


UPDATE 11/16/17
As of Nov 16, 2017 the embed for “Feelin' Good” is no longer on the Dry Wood site but it's still available on the Soundcloud page.

UPDATE 8/28/20

Tracks above marked # are on Soundcloud User 964848511 page.
Tracks above marked & are on the Dry Wood Garage Bandcamp page and the Nimbit page.
The Dry Wood Garage website appears to be dead.
Amazon availability as noted above is still accurate.

UPDATE 2/21/22
The Nimbit Dry Wood Garage page appears to be dead.

UPDATE 5/16/22
All links not marked as dead are verified as still working.
Amazon availability as noted above is still accurate.

UPDATE 8/1/22
All links not marked as dead are verified as still working.
Amazon availability as noted above is still accurate.

UPDATE 1/20/23
All links not marked as dead are verified as still working.
PW & the Ghost Gloves – Cat Wing Joy Boys on demand CDR no longer available.
Amazon availability as noted above is still accurate.

UPDATE 1/12/25
All links not marked as dead are verified as still working.
5:05 YouTube link now dead.
Amazon availability as noted above is still accurate.



BONUS GRANDPA BOY DISCOGRAPHY
variation: Grandpaboy




Grandpa Boy single (2 songs)

1. I Want My Money Back (2:19)
2. Undone (2:59)

Released on 7-inch vinyl and CD single in 1997 on Soundproof / Monlyth. Promo CD singles also released. Catalog # 1313.

Credits 
  • Artwork - Grandpaboy
  • Layout - Bill Expectorate
  • Mastered by Tony Dawsey
  • Songwriter – Winthrope Marion Purcival V
































Grandpa Boy EP (5 songs)

1. Hot Un
2. Ain't Done Much
3. Psychopharmacology
4. Lush and Green
5. Homelesssexual

Released on CD EP in 1997 on Soundproof / Monolyth. Catalog # 1315.

Credits (mostly PW pseudonyms)

  • Artwork [All Drawings And Collages] - Grandpaboy
  • Bass – Zeke Pine
  • Drums – Henry Twiddle
  • Guitar, Vocals – Grandpaboy
  • Handclaps, Backing Vocals – Elrod Puce
  • Mastered By – Bob Ludwig
  • Photography By [Photo] – Sen. Jim Dracula
  • Recorded By – Rory Gilligan
  • Saxophone – Thaddeus Moonbeam
  • Songwriter – Winthrope Marion Purcival V
















































Mono (11 songs, full length)

  1. High Time (3:01)
  2. Anything But That (3:13)
  3. Let's Not Belong Together (3:51)
  4. Silent Film Star (3:26)
  5. Knock It Right Out (2:25)
  6. 2 Days 'Til Tomorrow (3:27)
  7. Eyes Like Sparks (2:32)
  8. Footsteps (3:25)
  9. Kickin' the Stall (2:56)
  10. Between Love & Like (3:21)
  11. AAA (3:10)

Originally bundled as a bonus disc with Paul Westerberg's Stereo on  2CD in 2002 on Vagrant (VR368/VR369). 
Released as a standalone CD in 2002 on Vagrant (VR368).
Promo CDs also released.
A promo CD single of 2 Days 'Til Tomorrow was released in 2002 in Australia/New Zealand.

Stereo / Mono
was reissued on 2LP for Record Store Day in 2019 (the last two songs from Stereo were omitted from the tracklisting on the cover).

Credits
Backing Vocals, Maracas, Handclaps – Elrod Puce
Bass  Zeke Pine
Design  Joby J Ford
Drums  Henry Twiddle
Guitar, Vocals  Grandpa Boy
Lead Guitar [Superfluous Lead Guitar] - Luther Covington


































Dead Man Shake (14 songs, full length)
  1. MPLS
  2. Do Right In Your Eyes
  3. Vampires & Failures
  4. No Matter What You Say *
  5. Take Out Some Insurance (written by Charles Singleton & Waldense J Hall)
  6. Cleaning House
  7. Natural Mean Lover (written by Elrod Puce aka PW)
  8. Get a Move On
  9. Bad Boy Blues
  10. Souvenirs (written by John Prine)
  11. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry (written by Hank Williams)
  12. O.D. Blues *
  13. Dead Man Shake
  14. What Kind of Fool Am I? (written by Anthony Newley & Leslie Bricusse)
Released on CD and LP in 2003 on Fat Possum/Epitaph. Catalog # 0377. Promo CDs also released. Tracks with * were released on the CD version only.












Home Demos (bootleg)
  1. Outta My System (3:33)
  2. Making Me Go (2:59)
  3. As Far As I Know (3:02)
  4. Diary aka Shopping Bag (4:18)
  5. Only Lie Worth Telling (4:18)
  6. Let's Not Belong Together (3:30)
  7. Let the Bad Times Roll (3:40)
  8. Between Love and Like (3:19)
1 released on 49:00
2 released on Come Feel Me Tremble
3 released on Folker
4 unreleased song
5,7 released on Stereo
6,8 released on Mono

Started circulating digitally circa 2002 with distorted audio. Sometimes titled Mono Demos. Some of the songs are close to or identical to the released versions; some are quite different. Audio is available on YouTube






PAUL WESTERBERG RELEASES (2002-2006)

Stereo (2002)

Originally released on 2CD, bundled with Grandpa Boy's Mono.
Reissued on 2LP for Record Store Day in 2019, bundled with Grandpa Boy Mono (see Grandpa Boy discography above).












Come Feel Me Tremble (2003)

Released on CD and accompanying documentary DVD (both digipak and standard DVD case versions) with different tracklistings (see more detailed analysis below).

















Folker (2004)

Released on CD.





AOL Sessions (2005)


In October 2004 Westerberg recorded a session for Sessions @ AOL, a weekly show that highlighted popular artists of the time performing songs live in a studio in addition to a Q & A segment.

For this episode, Westerberg performed 9 songs, 6 new ones from Folker to promote its release and 3 Replacements bangers.

1. Lookin' Up in Heaven
2. Now I Wonder
3. How Can You Like Him
4. My Dad
5. $100 Groom
6. 23 Years Ago
7. Achin' To Be
8. Skyway
9. I Will Dare

Audio of 3 of the songs was released digitally in 2005 and is currently available on various streaming and download platforms.

1. Lookin' Up in Heaven
2. Skyway
3. My Dad

YouTube playlist (video) of the entire session and Q & A segment here.




Besterberg: The Best of Paul Westerberg (2005)

A 20 track compilation released on CD that covered the entirety of Westerberg's solo career. It featured a variety of album tracks, soundtrack contributions, b-sides and 3 rarities: an alternate mix of "Once Around the Weekend" and 2 previously unreleased Eventually outtakes ("All That I Had" and "C'mon C'mon C'mon").






The Resterberg: Paul Westerberg Rarities (2005)

1. Dyslexic Heart
2. Seein' Her
3. Man Without Ties
4. A Star is Bored
5. Stain Yer Blood
6. Once Around the Weekend (alternate mix)
7. All That I Had (Previously Unissued Outtake)
8. C'mon, C'mon, C'mon (Previously Unissued Outtake)

An 8 track, somewhat pointless digital companion release to Besterberg. Resterberg offers nothing new, it merely recycles 8 of Besterberg's rarities: the 3 previously unreleased tracks plus 5 tracks culled from b-sides and soundtracks. Resterberg's lack of any new rarities and the repeating of tracks from the physical release is especially frustrating because in the Besterberg liner notes there was a list of tracks presumably omitted due to space constraints.


"Missing Songs":
Blackeyed Susan
Ain't Got Me
Good Day
Baby Learns To Crawl
What Kind Of Fool Am I?

Classically Westerbergian.

Currently available on streaming services.




Open Season Featuring The Songs of Paul Westerberg (2006)

CD release of the Open Season soundtrack album featuring 8 Westerberg songs plus songs performed by other artists. Tommy Stinson contributes bass and backing vocals to two tracks.

A limited edition, now rare 7 track 10-inch vinyl version titled Songs From Open Season was also released, featuring only Westerberg performances - 5 from the soundtrack album plus 2 tracks unique to this release: an alternate version of a soundtrack song from the CD and a "Replacements version" (probably referring to Tommy Stinson's participation) of a non PW song originally performed by Deathray on the soundtrack.








Don't You Know Who I Think I Was? (The Best Of) [The Replacements] (2006)

Two newly recorded songs - 
"Message to the Boys" and "Pool and Dive" - were tacked onto the end of a Replacements compilation CD released by Sire/Rhino in 2006. This was the first Replacements release of any kind since another compilation, All For Nothing - Nothing For All, came out in 1997. These 2 tracks were recorded with Ed Ackerson circa 2005 at his Flowers Studio in Minneapolis. The personnel wasn't listed in the credits, but in addition to Paul and Tommy, Josh Freese - who had previously toured with Westerberg AND had played with Stinson in Guns N' Roses - was enlisted on drums (Freese would later be part of The Replacements 2013-15 reunion shows). Chris Mars, whose last solo album at the time had come out in 1996 and was mostly retired from musical activities - sang background vocals. Slim Dunlap, who lived just a few miles from the studio, wasn't invited to the sessions. 

This compilation marked the acquisition of the Replacement's back catalog by Warner Brothers/Rhino. Within a few years an ambitious reissue project of all the Mats albums ensued, followed by several highly-regarded archival releases in recent years.

There's one known live performance of "Message to the Boys" - 2014 in Louisville, KY on the Replacements reunion tour. There are no known live outings for "Pool and Dive." 






MISCELLANEOUS

Hard Rain Vol 2 (A Tribute to Bob Dylan) (2002) [Various Artists]
Highway 61 Revisited - Revisited (2005) [Various Artists]

Positively 4th Street
It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry

Westerberg recorded these two Dylan songs that were released exclusively on two various artist compilation CDs of Dylan covers that came free with Uncut magazine. No credits were listed with either release other than they were self-produced, so they likely came from the basement. Neither song is available for download or streaming but the audio is available on YouTube: Positively 4th Street  It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry There are no known live performances by Westerberg of either song.






Hot Stove, Cool Music Volume 1 (2004) [Various Artists]

Outta My System

Fenway Recordings CD (FEN20034). Westerberg, a life long baseball fan, contributed "Outta My System" to this baseball associated compilation that benefited The Jimmy Fund, a childhood cancer charity. This track reappeared 4 years later on 49:00 with substantially different lyrics. The song was also remade by the I Don't Cares on the Wild Stab album in 2016. That version has lyrics similar to the 2004 version and may contain elements of that recording. It was copyrighted in 2003 and was also demo-ed in the Mono era (see bonus Grandpa Boy discography above).








PAUL WESTERBERG: 21st CENTURY LIVE


List of known live performances of songs from releases referenced in this article from 2002-2009 per setlist.fm


2010 NOTE
Westerberg performed 2 songs live privately at Target Field in Minneapolis on 5/19/10 for the 40 Nights of Rock and Roll documentary project. The 2 songs performed were Dangerous Boys (from PW & The Ghost Gloves Cat Wing Joy Boys EP) and Time Flies Tomorrow (from Eventually). In both cases, these are the only known live performances of these songs.

As of March 2025, the documentary remains unreleased, although there is a 2014 IMDB listing. There was a Kickstarter fund to help with financing, but the last update was March 2011. There is a still active Facebook page with posts containing video content filmed during the original documentary process, although nothing from the Westerberg segment. The project organizers posted in May 2020 that the film was being "finalized." 

2011 article with documentary itinerary HERE
2010 article with link to documentary trailer HERE
Documentary trailer on YouTube (with brief PW appearance near the end) HERE 






PAUL WESTERBERG: COME FEEL ME TREMBLE (2003)
CD vs DVD


Come Feel Me Tremble was released as a standard 14 song CD as well as a DVD documentary. The musical content of both releases is significantly different. Credits are scarce on either version but noted filmmaker, film producer and rock video pioneer Rick Fuller (who headed the effort to extensively document the early part of the Replacements reunion tour a decade later, footage that sadly remains in the can) was involved with the DVD, "assisted" by Mr. Harry Squint and Otto Zithromax, both aliases for PW (side note: Westerberg's pseudonym game has always been strong, dating back to Pablo Lousearama). The CD featured 12 new songs (with one song offered in two versions) plus a cover. The DVD skips several of the new songs from the CD, instead serving more as a documentary of the 2002 PW solo tour, pulling performances from multiple shows. The DVD track listing encompasses well-selected covers, The Replacements catalog, several Paul solo albums, and a couple of original compositions missing from the CD (Everything Goes Wrong, a very solid studio offering, and Itinerary Blues, a short live improv). Only a handful of the CFMT songs were ever performed live at PW solo concerts, all during 2002-2007.