Preview
  • Trouble Boys

  • The True Story of the Replacements
  • By: Bob Mehr
  • Narrated by: Mary Lucia
  • Length: 20 hrs and 34 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (516 ratings)

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Trouble Boys

By: Bob Mehr
Narrated by: Mary Lucia
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Publisher's summary

Based on all-new interviews, Trouble Boys: The True Story of the Replacements is the definitive "boigraphy" of one of the last great rock 'n' roll bands of the 20th century. Written with the participation of the group's key members, including reclusive singer-songwriter Paul Westerberg, bassist Tommy Stinson, and the family of late guitarist Bob Stinson, Trouble Boys is a deeply intimate and nuanced portrait, exposing the primal factors and forces - addiction, abuse, fear - that would shape one of the most brilliant and notoriously self-destructive bands of all time.

Based on a decade of research and reporting and hundreds of interviews (with family, friends, managers, producers, and musical colleagues) as well as full access to the Replacements' archives at Twin/Tone and Warner Bros. Records, author Bob Mehr has fashioned something far more compelling than a conventional band bio.

A roaring rock 'n' roll adventure, a heartrending family drama, and a cautionary showbiz tale, Trouble Boys is a penetrating work of biography and a major addition to the rock book canon.

©2016 Bob Mehr (P)2017 Hachette Audio
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Critic reviews

"An in-depth biography of a beloved, exasperating band that never quite made it.... [An] impressively researched and well-rendered biography.... The dynamic that made the band great also tore them apart, as this biography superbly documents." ( Publishers Weekly)
"The definitive bio of the Replacements... Trouble Boys brings the band back to life. Over six years, Mehr interviewed more than 200 people, creating a narrative thick with detail, revelations and emotion." ( Rolling Stone)

What listeners say about Trouble Boys

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  • Overall
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    5 out of 5 stars

"We're on tour, we're not tourists."

The Replacements deserve a book this good. Like the best of their songs, parts of this read had me laughing out loud, other parts had me almost in tears. Bob Mehr's exhaustive plunge into the story of "the last best band of the 80s" rates among the best rock bios out there, as entertaining as it is reflective. Will probably buy a hard copy to read again, but the narration by Mary Lucia is fluid and spot-on with her occasional dip into Northern speak.

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Very thorough

I enjoyed this. I bailed on the Mats after they gave Bob the heave ho. I feel the same as I did after reading Miles Davis' autobiography. These guys (westerburg especially) were jerks, but the music made up for it.

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Essential listening

This is the definitive chronicles of the Replacements. Couldn’t put this one down. At times both hilarious and heartbreaking. Great read or listen for all music fans but a must for Mats fans

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Instant favorite

I love music bios and this one is immediately one of my favorites. Incredibly well researched, written, and narrated.

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A must for any replacements fan!

I really loved the book! Tracks through the entire arc of their career. It provides great insight into the process of making each album. Really a great story.

I question the choice of voice actor to narrate, but they were fine.

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Tragically Sad and Redemptive

Highly interesting and raw account of the Replacements. Details the self-destructive behavior of the members and band’s trajectory.

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straight ahead rock and roll....

I really enjoyed this book and the reading. Yes, I've been a fan of the 'mats for baby years, but any rock and roll fan will enjoy this.

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I expected to like this and I wasn’t let down.

Long enough to cover anything I was curious about.
I came to them relatively late, Spring 1987, but have been a huge fan since.


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A Must For Mats Fans

Fantastic telling of the story of The Replacements. Very well researched and detailed, but not to the point it becomes dull. Mary Lucia does a fantastic job reading as well.

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Feelin’ like a hundred bucks…

This book is an astounding read (or listen, in this case). Incredibly well written, it draws in the audience for the whole time. As a Replacements fan, this is akin to my Bible, which is made even better by the excellent storytelling. Bob Mehr did an excellent job with Trouble Boys, and I’d recommend it to anyone - ‘Mats fan or otherwise.

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