Here's some Record Store Day news that will probably excite Replacements fans more than the recently announced CD boxed-set of the band's studio albums: Slim Dunlap's two cult-adored solo albums of the mid-'90s, which followed his five-year run as the 'Mats' guitarist, will be issued for the first time on vinyl as a double-LP package. Rhino Records is also putting out a limited-edition 10-inch vinyl reissue of the Replacements' four-song "Alex Chilton" EP from 1987, with the "Pleased to Meet Me" album cut "Nightclub Jitters" and the B-sides "Election Day" and "Route 66."
These are just some of the many items on the giant master list for Record Store Day, which lands this year on April 18. Other highlights include the Jack White-curated reissue of Elvis Presley's first-ever recording, Metallica's cassette demo, plus random items from Bob Dylan, D'Angelo, David Bowie, Mumford & Sons and the Foo Fighters, whose Dave Grohl is the official RSD 2015 ambassador.
The Dunlap records, 1993's "The Old New Me" and 1996's "Times Like This," include many of the songs that would later be covered by the likes of Jeff Tweedy, Lucinda Williams and Steve Earle in the "Songs for Slim" benefit series, to help fend off the widely beloved Minneapolis rocker's health-care costs after his severe stroke in 2012.
Among the tunes are "Busted Up," "Partners in Crime," "Hate This Town," "Cozy" and two of the best songs of all time about the woes of playing rock 'n' roll, "Ballad of the Opening Band" and "Not Yet/Ain't No Fair (in a Rock 'n' Roll Love Affair)."
You can bet all our local indie record stores will try to get as many copies of these as possible. Click here for the list of Minnesota shops participating.
