With the long-awaited reunion of The Replacements now less than 10 days away, we’ve now finally got official word of who’ll be joining Paul Westerberg and Tommy Stinson on stage at Riot Fest in Toronto: drummer Josh Freese and guitarist David Minehan, both of whom played with Westerberg on his early ’90s solo tours.

Here it is: The first footage, albeit just 9 seconds and shot through the sliding-glass door of a rehearsal space, of The Replacements, together again and performing in 2013. The band’s official Facebook page shared video of the ‘Mats running through performing “Alex Chilton.”

The Songs for Slim benefit EP from The Replacements hits radio and digital outlets next week, but the first taste of the in-studio reunion hit the web today, thanks to Pitchfork’s premiere of the new ‘Mats cover of Gordon Lightfoot’s “I’m Not Sayin'” — one of four cover songs recorded by Paul Westerberg and Tommy Stinson.

The Replacements — namely Paul Westerberg, Tommy Stinson and Chris Mars — raised more than $100,000 to help pay medical expenses for their ailing former bandmate Slim Dunlap through the just-completed 10-day auction of 250 limited-edition, 10-inch vinyl copies of the band’s 5-song reunion EP.

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 final tracklist for the The Replacements’ upcoming ‘Songs for Slim’ EP — featuring four songs recorded by Paul Westerberg and Tommy Stinson, plus a fifth by Chris Mars — was unveiled tonight on the project’s Facebook page amid reports that an auction for the 250 limited-edition singles could start next week.

The Replacements — namely Paul Westerberg and Tommy Stinson — have reunited to record four cover songs for an ultra-limited, vinyl-only EP that will be auctioned off later this year to raise money to help pay for the medical expenses of former bandmate Slim Dunlap, who suffered a debilitating stroke earlier this year

While a reunion of The Replacements doesn’t seem to be in the cards, Tommy Stinson has revealed that he’s recording a track with Paul Westerberg to benefit their former bandmate Slim Dunlap — who joined the ‘Mats following the expulsion of Bob Stinson — as the guitarist recovers from a stroke he suffered in February.

Our latest link round-up includes a Q&A with Morrissey in which he suggests he’ll retire in 2014 at age 55, plus interviews with Bob Mould reflecting on Sugar’s ‘Copper Blue,’ John Lydon discussing Public Image Ltd. and the Sex Pistols, and former Replacements drummer Chris Mars talking art and music.

The Fourth of July isn’t just the anniversary of this nation’s birth, it’s also the day now recognized as marking the break-up of perhaps the greatest of all the ’80s college-rock acts: The Replacements, who performed their final concert exactly 20 years ago today in Chicago’s Grant Park.