{{short description|American musician (1959–2008)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Steve Foley | Also known as = | background = non_vocal_instrumentalist | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date|1959|6|4}} | birth_place = | death_date = {{death date and age|2008|8|23|1959|6|4}} |death_place =Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. | genre = Rock | occupation = Drummer | years_active = 1979–2008 | label = | past_member_of = The Replacements, Curtiss A, Bash & Pop | website = }}
'''Stephen B. Foley'''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.startribune.com/obituaries/detail/11431388/|work=Star Tribune|title=Stephen B. Foley|date=August 27, 2008|access-date=April 2, 2024}}</ref> (June 4, 1959 – August 23, 2008) was an American drummer who played for Curtiss A, Things That Fall Down, the Replacements, Bash & Pop, Wheelo, and several other bands in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He played live for the most part, but he recorded with songwriter Peter Lack, and he appears in a Replacements video, "When It Began," which received two 1991 MTV Video Music Awards nominations.<ref>{{cite web|title=1991 Video Music Awards|url=http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/1991/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080830021804/http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/1991/|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 30, 2008|publisher=MTV Networks|access-date=2008-09-07}}</ref>
Foley replaced founding member Chris Mars and toured Europe and the United States with the Replacements<ref name=Walsh /> in support of their final album, ''All Shook Down'', and played in their final show (prior to a reunion in 2013), which took place on July 4, 1991, in Chicago's Grant Park.<ref name=Cohen>{{cite magazine|author=Cohen, Jonathan|title=Replacements Drummer Steve Foley Dies|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1044337/replacements-drummer-steve-foley-dies|date=August 27, 2008|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media|access-date=2008-09-05}}</ref>
==Minneapolis bands== Foley grew up in the Hopkins, Minnesota, area with six siblings who were all interested in music.<ref name=Riemenschneider /> He played for the Overtones and Things That Fall Down, who were among the favorites of Kevin Cole (then of First Avenue),<ref>{{cite news|author=Cole, Kevin|title=R.I.P. Replacements Drummer Steve Foley|url=http://www.publicradiomail.org/kexp_radio/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=29971257|year=2008|publisher=KEXP Radio Seattle|access-date=2008-09-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727191304/http://www.publicradiomail.org/kexp_radio/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=29971257|archive-date=2011-07-27|url-status=dead}}</ref> and with the Suprees, Snaps, Routine 11, Bang Zoom and Trailer Trash. Foley was a drummer for Curtiss A for ten years,<ref name=Riemenschneider /> when he most likely did not record on Twin/Tone Records.<ref>{{cite web|title=Curtiss A|url=http://www.twintone.com/curtissa.html|publisher=Twin/Tone Records|access-date=2008-09-07}}</ref>
==The Replacements== Two members of Curtiss A bands replaced two members of the Replacements. Bob Dunlap, now known as "Slim," replaced guitarist Bob Stinson, who was fired in 1986 after the tour for ''Tim'' and died at age 35 in 1995.<ref name=Jacobson /> Foley replaced drummer and painter Chris Mars, who left the band in 1990.<ref name=Jacobson />
Westerberg and Tommy Stinson went out looking for a drummer in 1990, decided on Foley, who was willing, and asked him to drive them all to an audition. They skipped the audition, which became their first practice together<ref name=Walsh>{{cite book|author=Walsh, Jim|title=The Replacements: All Over But the Shouting: An Oral History|publisher=Voyageur Press|year=2007|isbn=978-0-7603-3062-3|pages=223–224, 228, 230–231}}</ref> when their just-released album ''All Shook Down'' happened to be in his car's CD player—loudly when Foley turned on the ignition.<ref name=Cohen /><ref>{{cite news|author=Vena, Jocelyn|title=Replacements Drummer Steve Foley Dead Of Apparent Drug Overdose|url=http://newsroom.mtv.com/2008/08/28/replacements-drummer-steve-foley-dies-of-apparent-drug-overdose/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829023653/http://newsroom.mtv.com/2008/08/28/replacements-drummer-steve-foley-dies-of-apparent-drug-overdose/|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 29, 2008|date=August 28, 2008|work=MTV News|publisher=Viacom|access-date=2008-09-05}}</ref> The band as well as observers knew at the time that it was self-destructing.<ref name=Walsh />
Foley first played with the Replacements publicly for First Avenue's twentieth anniversary.<ref name=Walsh /> After seeing him play with this band at the Orpheum Theatre, his father finally decided that Foley was a professional musician.<ref name=Riemenschneider /> Starting in January 1991, the Replacements toured Europe for Warner Bros.' Sire Records for ''All Shook Down'' as the opening act for Elvis Costello. But their review in New York<ref>Pareles who loved Westerberg thought Dunlap and Foley were a separate band just playing along. {{cite web|author=Pareles, Jon|title= Review/Rock; Two Shows: Buck Pets and Replacements|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE4DE1F38F933A15750C0A967958260|date=March 21, 1991|work=The New York Times|access-date=2008-09-07}}</ref> was poor and they broke up, perhaps because Westerberg was in pursuit of a solo career,<ref name=Erlewine>{{cite web|author=Erlewine, Stephen Thomas|title=The Replacements|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p5255|pure_url=yes}}|publisher=allmusic via Macrovision|access-date=2008-09-07}}</ref> or they just quit.<ref>{{cite news|author=Askari, Sarah|title=The Shouting's Over, Too|url=http://www.citypages.com/2007-11-14/music/replacements/|date=November 14, 2007|work=City Pages|publisher=Village Voice Media|access-date=2008-09-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100113235808/http://www.citypages.com/2007-11-14/music/replacements/|archive-date=January 13, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref>
At number 69 (''Don't Tell a Soul'' reached 57) on the ''Billboard'' 200, ''All Shook Down'' was the Replacements' second-best-selling album.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Replacements|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p5255/charts-awards/billboard-albums|pure_url=yes}}|publisher=VNU eMedia via allmusic|access-date=2008-09-07}}</ref> It received four stars from ''Rolling Stone'', who called the Replacements "America's best band".<ref>{{cite magazine|author=Mundy, Chris|title=The Replacements|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thereplacements/albums/album/113833/review/5945811/all_shook_down|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010143339/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thereplacements/albums/album/113833/review/5945811/all_shook_down|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 10, 2008|date=October 4, 1990|magazine=Rolling Stone|publisher=Wenner Media|access-date=2008-09-08}}</ref> Allmusic didn't like it but gave the album four and a half stars, and, undated, appears to predict the band's breakup.<ref>{{cite news|author=Erlewine, Stephen Thomas|title=The Replacements|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-replacements-mn0000422405/biography|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=January 1, 2020}}</ref>
Early on, the Replacements refused to make videos but later made commercial videos for Sire and MTV.<ref name=Erlewine /> Approximately at the time of Foley's tenure, "Merry-Go-Round" with a supporting video with Mars on drums reached number 1, "When It Began" with a clay animation video with Foley on drums reached number 4, and "Someone Take the Wheel" reached 15 on ''Billboard'''s Modern Rock Tracks.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Replacements|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p5255/charts-awards/billboard-singles|pure_url=yes}}|publisher=VNU eMedia via allmusic|access-date=2008-09-07}}</ref>
When Warner's Rhino released four early Replacements albums from Twin/Tone in April 2008, Stinson and Westerberg discussed a reunion in ''Billboard''.<ref name=Orshoski /> Westerberg was in favor of waiting for the reissues of the four Sire albums later that year.<ref name=Orshoski>{{cite magazine|author=Orshoski, Wes|title=Replacements Leaving Door Open For Reunion|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1045814/replacements-leaving-door-open-for-reunion|date=April 21, 2008|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media|access-date=2008-09-08}}</ref> Which drummer they had in mind might be unknown.{{Citation needed|date=September 2008}} Stinson had praised Foley's work, which was on beat rather than behind it like Mars.<ref name=Walsh /> Westerberg was impressed initially that Foley knew so much of the Replacements' material but also criticized him as he did most of his bandmates.<ref name=Walsh /> Josh Freese played drums and Mars contributed backup vocals but not drums on a Rhino compilation in 2005.<ref>{{cite news|author=NME News|title=US indie legends reunite|url=https://www.nme.com/news/paul-westerberg/22646|date=March 30, 2006|work=NME|publisher=IPC Media|access-date=2008-11-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080718104745/https://www.nme.com/news/paul-westerberg/22646|archive-date=July 18, 2008}}</ref> Practice in October 2008 was with Michael Bland.<ref>{{cite magazine|author=Cohen, Jonathan|title=Westerberg, Stinson 'Mess Around' In Minneapolis|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1043862/westerberg-stinson-mess-around-in-minneapolis|date=October 6, 2008|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media|access-date=2008-11-02}}</ref>
==Later years== After the Replacements disbanded, Foley joined his brother Kevin in Tommy Stinson's new group, Bash & Pop, which released one album, ''Friday Night Is Killing Me'' (1993).<ref name=Riemenschneider>{{cite news|author=Riemenschneider, Chris|title=Steve Foley played with the Replacements|url=http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/music/27511854.html?page=all&prepage=1&c=y#continue|date=August 26, 2008|work=Star Tribune|publisher=Avista Capital Partners|access-date=July 23, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023044604/http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/music/27511854.html?page=all&prepage=1&c=y#continue|archive-date=2012-10-23|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=Jacobson>{{cite news|author=Jacobson, Don|title=RIP: Replacements drummer Steve Foley, in RockNotes: AC/DC vs. Oasis|url=http://www.beachwoodreporter.com/music/rocknotes_back_back_back_in_bl.php|date=August 29, 2008|publisher=The Beachwood Reporter|access-date=2008-09-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929035947/http://www.beachwoodreporter.com/music/rocknotes_back_back_back_in_bl.php|archive-date=September 29, 2011}}</ref> In 1997 Foley recorded ''Something Wonderful'' with Peter Lack in the band 69, later known as Wheelo.<ref>{{cite news|author=Groebner, Simon Peter|title=CD Release/Bass Culture|url=http://www.citypages.com/1997-04-02/music/cd-release-bass-culture/|date=April 2, 1997|publisher=City Pages via Village Voice Media|url-status=dead|access-date=2008-09-06|archive-date=2010-04-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100402080500/http://www.citypages.com/1997-04-02/music/cd-release-bass-culture/}}</ref>
Foley married in 2007 and lived in south Minneapolis. His across-the-street neighbor was Chris Mars; they both owned BMW motorcycles.<ref name=Walsh /> Wheelo reassembled in late 2007 and practiced throughout 2008; according to a bandmate, "Steve's last cymbal crash came down during a raucous, frenzied, and ridiculously silly jam in the key of 'b'."<ref>{{cite news|author=Hermes, Chuck, in Steve Seel|title=Steve Foley|url=http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/music_blog/archive/2008/08/steve_foley.shtml|date=August 28, 2008|work=The Current|publisher=Minnesota Public Radio|access-date=2008-09-05}}</ref> Foley had been sober for 15 years, but he had been medicated for depression and anxiety. He died in August 2008 at age 49 from an accidental overdose of prescription medication.<ref name=Riemenschneider /><ref>{{cite magazine|author=Kreps, Daniel|title=The Replacements Drummer Steve Foley Dead at 49|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/08/27/the-replacements-drummer-steve-foley-dead-at-49/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828231853/http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/08/27/the-replacements-drummer-steve-foley-dead-at-49/|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 28, 2008|date=August 27, 2008|magazine=Rolling Stone|publisher=Wenner Media|access-date=2008-09-08}}</ref> Foley is buried at Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis.<ref name=Riemenschneider />
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==External links== *{{cite news|author=Surowicz, Tom|title=Wheelo|url=http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/music/11509736.html|date=April 28, 1998|work=Star Tribune|publisher=Avista Capital Partners|access-date=2008-09-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607002543/http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/music/11509736.html|archive-date=June 7, 2011|url-status=dead}} *{{cite web|title=Wheelo|url=http://minnewiki.publicradio.org/index.php/Wheelo|publisher=Minnewiki, Minnesota Public Radio|access-date=2008-09-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070712125415/http://minnewiki.publicradio.org/index.php/Wheelo|archive-date=2007-07-12|url-status=dead}} *{{cite video|people=The Replacements|title=When It Began|url=http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1056&vid=9830|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080124134556/http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=1056&vid=9830|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 24, 2008|date=1990|publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom, video 1990)|access-date=2008-09-10}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Foley, Steve}} Category:1959 births Category:2008 deaths Category:People from Hopkins, Minnesota Category:American rock drummers Category:The Replacements (band) members Category:Drummers from Minnesota Category:Drug-related deaths in Minnesota Category:Accidental deaths in Minnesota Category:Burials at Lakewood Cemetery Category:20th-century American drummers Category:American male drummers Category:Bash & Pop members Category:20th-century American male musicians