Thomas Eugene Stinson (born October 6, 1966) is an American rock musician. He came to prominence in the 1980s as the bass guitarist for The Replacements, one of the definitive American alternative rock groups. After their breakup in 1991, Stinson formed Bash & Pop, acting as lead vocalist, guitarist and frontman. In the mid-1990s he was the singer and guitarist for the rock band Perfect, and eventually joined the hard rock band Guns N' Roses in 1998.
Stinson released his debut solo album, Village Gorilla Head in 2004 and subsequently joined Soul Asylum for the completion of their album The Silver Lining, and was a member of the band for the album's tour in 2006 before joining them as a permanent member until 2011. He released his second solo album, critically acclaimed One Man Mutiny, on his own Done To Death Music label in 2011.
Stinson left Guns N' Roses in 2014 upon original bassist Duff McKagan's return to the band. In 2016 he reunited Bash & Pop, and released a new album in 2017, titled Anything Could Happen.
Career The Replacements (1979–1991, 2012–2015)
After beginning to learn the bass at the age of 11,Azerrad, 2001. p. 198-9 Stinson began playing and covering songs with his half-brother, Bob Stinson, and drummer Chris MarsAzerrad, 2001. p. 198 under the name "Dogbreath" without a singer. After recruiting singer Paul Westerberg, Dogbreath changed their name to The Impediments and played a drunken performance, without Stinson, at a church hall gig in June 1980.Azerrad, 2001. p. 200 After being banned from the venue for disorderly behavior, they changed their name to The Replacements.
After signing to Twin/Tone Records, by label owner Peter Jesperson who also became the group's manager, they released their debut album, Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash, in 1981 with an EP, Stink, following in 1982.Azerrad, 2001. p. 206 The Replacements began to distance themselves from the hardcore punk scene after the release of Stink and, inspired by other rock subgenres, released their second album, Hootenanny, in April 1983. Hootenanny was played on over two hundred radio stations across the country, with critics acclaiming the album; The Village Voice's Robert Christgau deemed it "the most critically independent album of 1983".Azerrad, 2001. p. 210 The band embarked on their first tour of the U.S. in April 1983, during this time Stinson dropped out of tenth grade to join the rest of the band on tour. The band toured cities such as Detroit, Cleveland and Philadelphia, but their intended destination was New York City, where they played at Gerde's Folk City and Maxwell's.Azerrad, 2001. p. 216
For the recording of their next studio album, The Replacements decided to return to Blackberry Way Studios in late 1983 with the result being Let It Be, released in October 1984. A live album, The Shit Hits the Fans, was released in 1985.
Warner Bros. Records subsidiary Sire Records, eventually signed The ReplacementsAzerrad, 2001. p. 227 with their first major-label release being the Tim album, produced by Tommy Erdelyi, released in 1985. After the release of Tim, The Replacements fired Tommy's brother, Bob Stinson, as well as Jesperson the same year. The remaining Replacements carried on as a trio for Pleased to Meet Me, released in 1987, recorded in Memphis with producer Jim Dickinson. Guitarist Slim Dunlap took over lead guitar duties for the subsequent tour and soon became a full member of the band.
They released Don't Tell a Soul, in 1989, which featured the song "I'll Be You", which topped Billboard's Modern Rock chart. Following a disastrous tour opening for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Westerberg recorded a new album largely with session musicians but was persuaded to release it as a Replacements album. All Shook Down, released in 1990, won critical praise and more mainstream attention, though the many guest players and Mars's quick departure from the band following the album's release led many to wonder about the band's future.Drummer Steve Foley was recruited as Mars's replacement in 1990, and the band embarked on a long farewell tour which lasted into the summer of 1991. On July 4, 1991, the band officially broke up following a Taste of Chicago performance in Grant Park, referred to by fans as "It Ain't Over 'Til the Fat Roadie Plays" because each member disappeared during the set, their respective roadies taking their places. This show was broadcast by Chicago radio station WXRT.
In December 2005, he reunited with his surviving Replacements bandmates Paul Westerberg and original drummer Chris Mars to record two new songs for a greatest-hits collection. Stinson further collaborated with Westerberg on the soundtrack to the Sony feature film Open Season, recording bass tracks for 'Love You in the Fall' and 'Right to Arm Bears'.
On September 20, 2012, Stinson and Westerberg recorded "Busted Up" as part of the "Songs For Slim" vinyl series. The project was created to raise money for guitarist Slim Dunlap after he suffered a massive stroke in February 2012. They recorded three additional songs, released as the "Songs For Slim EP", the band's first release of all newly recorded music since "All Shook Down". A subsequent eBay auction of a special edition 10" version of the EP, limited to 250, raised over $106,000 for Slim's care.
The band reunited in 2013 to play their first live show in 22 years at Riot Fest in Chicago. Former Guns N' Roses bandmate Josh Freese joined Stinson as part of The Replacements for the tour. After a tour that lasted through 2015, the Replacements broke up again, with Stinson stating that any material written would be reworked for his solo career.
Bash and Pop (1992–1994)
With a name selected from a contest hosted by New York radio station WDRE, Stinson, on guitar and lead vocals, formed his first post-Replacements group Bash & Pop in 1992 with drummer Steve Foley being added to the group, also formerly of The Replacements, along with his brother Kevin on bass and guitarist Steve Brantseg. Rumors were that Bash & Pop were a band in name only with Stinson recording the album, Friday Night Is Killing Me, mostly by himself along with a number of guest musicians. Steve, Kevin and Brantseg all contributed to the album, Friday Night Is Killing Me, along with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers members Benmont Tench and Mike Campbell, Wire Train's Jeff Trott as well as other musicians Greg Leisz, Brian McCloud, Phil Jones and Tommy Steel, with the album being released in January 1993, through Sire/Reprise Records, to mainly mixed reviews.
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 however the group disbanded later in 1994.
Perfect (1995–1998)
Following the breakup of previous group Bash & Pop, Stinson formed Perfect along with the group's guitarist Marc Solomon, bassist Robert Cooper as well as drummer Gersh. After playing a number of shows, they were soon signed to Medium Cool Records by label head Peter Jesperson, who was also an old manager of The Replacements, where they began recording for a debut EP.
The When Squirrels Play Chicken EP, produced by Don Smith, was released in 1996 to positive reviews with Greg Prato, of Allmusic, stating "fans will undoubtedly be more pleased with his new band, Perfect, which is much more focused, and in the expected drunken-Johnny Thunders guitar-rock style."
In 1997 the group entered the studio with producer Jim Dickinson to produce their debut album, tentatively titled Seven Days a Week. Stinson had now switched back to bass for the departed Cooper, and added Dave Philips on guitar. Despite completing the album, it was shelved by Regency Pictures, who had acquired Medium Cool distributors Restless Records, which led to the group's eventual breakup in 1998. The album itself was leaked onto the internet through advance copies sent to record labels, however a remixed and resequenced version of Seven Days a Week, retitled Once, Twice, Three Times a Maybe, was released by Rykodisc in 2004. which was, much like the EP, well received.
Guns N' Roses (1998–2014)
In 1998, Stinson joined Guns N' Roses to replace Duff McKagan who quit due to creative differences and a desire to spend more time with his family. Stinson was recommended to the group by his friend Josh Freese, who was the band's drummer at the time. Stinson said he came to admire McKagan's musicianship but also added "Guns N' Roses were never my thing" during their early 1990s ascendency to stardom, and he auditioned mainly to have a chance to play with Freese. Guitarist Richard Fortus described Stinson's role as the band leader and "ultimate musical director" during rehearsals and recordings when vocalist Axl Rose was away.
Stinson's bass playing is featured prominently on the track "Oh My God", featured on the soundtrack to the movie End of Days, as well as their long-delayed Chinese Democracy album which was eventually released in 2008. Stinson played bass on 13 of 14 songs, was credited for arrangements on "Riad N' the Bedouins", performed backing vocals on "Chinese Democracy", "Better", "Street of Dreams", "There Was a Time", & "Riad N' the Bedouins". He co-wrote "Chinese Democracy", "Street of Dreams", "There Was a Time", "Catcher in the Rye", and "Riad N' the Bedouins". Stinson is also credited as co-writer on the 2021 Guns N' Roses track "Hard Skool", initially written during the Chinese Democracy sessions.
On November 24, 2006, at Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena, Axl Rose called the Eagles of Death Metal (one of Guns N' Roses' opening acts) the "Pigeons of Shit Metal." Jesse Hughes, the Eagles of Death Metal's lead singer, told NME that Stinson took his bass off and threw it on the floor saying "Fuck you, that's it" and threatened to leave the band. Stinson did not leave Guns N' Roses; however, the Eagles of Death Metal were fired from the tour. On December 2, 2006, Stinson issued a statement reading, in part: "Eagles of Death Metal were a suggestion of mine a while ago. Turns out they were the wrong band for our crowd. They were booed and did not play for as long as they were scheduled to. ... In the past I have thrown my bass. I have never thrown it at Axl or anyone else in the band nor has anyone thrown my bass back at me... yet. Axl has been a dear friend to me for nine years. We have no problem communicating and wish that people would stay the fuck out of shit they don't know anything about."
During the Chinese Democracy World Tour, Stinson played several punk songs during his solo spot, such as "Sonic Reducer" by The Dead Boys, and "My Generation" by The Who, as well as "Motivation" from his first album, Village Gorilla Head. Stinson's performance of "Motivation" is featured on the live album, Appetite for Democracy 3D.
Stinson left the group after 2014 tour, and commented on his departure, stating "I left it in a good way. I actually had to just start turning down tours because I was unable to tour; I got into a position, personally, where my personal life was going to prevent me from doing, I don’t know — it must have been about five tours that they called me to do, and I just said I can’t do ’em." Stinson was replaced by the returning McKagan.
Solo career (2004–2005)
Stinson began writing what would become Village Gorilla Head in the late 90s, and after Frank Black, of the Pixies, gave Stinson the use of his mobile recording studio and his studio space for free he began recording in 2003 with Philip Broussard who co-produced the album.