The auction of 250 autographed copies of The Replacements’ much-buzzed Songs for Slim benefit/reunion EP — billed as the first new release from the ‘Mats since 1990’s All Shook Down — kicks off Tuesday morning and will run for 10 days, after which the EP’s five tracks will be commercially released as digital downloads.
The website for the Songs For Slim fundraising project — which will raise money to pay the medical expenses of ex-Replacements guitarist Slim Dunlap, who suffered a debilitating stroke last year — went live this weekend, offering full details of the Replacements auction and upcoming releases by other artists hoping to help the Minneapolis-based musician.
The 250 separate auctions will launch beginning 8 a.m. PST Tuesday, with each auction beginning three minutes after the last, until 10:27 p.m. PST that night. Each auction will run for 10 days on eBay, but will all be listed on the Songs For Slim website.
UPDATE: Auctions are now going live.
According to the project’s website:
In September 2012, Paul Westerberg and Tommy Stinson reunited and entered Flowers Studio in Minneapolis (with Kevin Bowe on guitar and Peter Anderson on drums) to record Slim’s song “Busted Up.” Knocked out by the result, they roared through a few more numbers including Leon Payne’s (by way of Hank Williams) “Lost Highway,” Gordon Lightfoot’s (by way of Nico) “I’m Not Sayin’,” and “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” from the Broadway show Gypsy. Original Replacements drummer Chris Mars had already recorded a scorching one-man-band version of Slim’s “Radio Hook Word Hit,” and all 5 tracks were combined onto this EP to launch the series.
This is the first new Replacements release since 1990’s All Shook Down. Only 250 numbered 10” vinyl EPs are being made.
The limited-edition versions being auctioned include:
- Cover autographed by Westerberg, Stinson and Mars
- Four glossy prints of “never-before-seen” band photos
- Collectors’ poster of Dunlap
- Print of Mars’ full cover painting used on the inner sleeve
- Digital download of the full EP
- 180-gram, 10-inch audiophile vinyl pressing
According to the Songs for Slim project, all five tracks will be “made available digitally post-auction,” although it’s not clear how soon that will happen. Furthermore, a commercial 12-inch release will hit stores this spring, and there may also be a compilation album later in the year featuring the tracks later in the year.
While the Songs for Slim EP is billed as the first new ‘Mats release since 1990, it’s not the first time the band has reunited in the studio. In 2006, Westerberg and Stinson recorded a pair of new songs — with Mars lending backing vocals, but not playing drums — for the best-of set Don’t You Know Who I Think I Was? That same year, Stinson played bass on a couple songs Westerberg recorded for the soundtrack to the animated film “Open Season.”
The Songs for Slim series will continue with a string of monthly split 7-inches by the likes of Steve Earle, Craig Finn, Lucinda Williams, The Jayhawks, The Minus 5 with Peter Buck, and more.
Tracklist: The Replacements, Songs for Slim
SIDE A
1. “Busted Up” (Slim Dunlap)
2. “Radio Hook Word Hit” (Slim Dunlap)
SIDE B
1. “I’m Not Saying” (Gordon Lightfoot)
2. “Lost Highway” (Leon Payne)
3. “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” (Stephen Sondheim/Julie Styne)
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- The Replacements’ ‘Songs for Slim’ EP tracklist finalized, auction expected next week
- The Replacements tease ‘Songs for Slim’ reunion EP to benefit Slim Dunlap
- Stream: ‘Color Me Obsessed: A Film About The Replacements’ — full 2-hour documentary
- The Replacements reunite to record vinyl-only covers EP, new album ‘possible’
- Free MP3: Paul Westerberg, ‘My Road Now’ — ex-Replacement’s first new song in 2 years
