For the 'Mats Fans in the house

"The early catalog of The Replacements is being re-issued and re-mastered this spring. Rhino [Records] will release the band's first three records and the EP Stink on April 22, with bonus material. According to Billboard, the rest of the 'Mats' catalog will be reissued later in 2008." 

I haven't heard anything about the bonus tracks or the packaging, but the re-mastered treatment alone should make these worth picking up. From what I do hear, the bonus tracks are mostly demos and alternate versions.  Rhino's worked some miracles in the past, so here's to hope.

What I want:  I would like a nice copy of "If Only You Were Lonely" and several other hard to track down b-sides. A DVD of all the videos and some television appearances would be a plus.  Concert audio/video would be great for them to include as well.

In the end, if you are a Replacements fan, this is great news. When Restless Records reissued these a few years ago, the packaging was  not very special for fans or the uninitiated.  In fact, the Twin/Tone Records (original label for the band) books were better and had more information as well as more of the original art and liner notes.

So, let us sing together: "heard about your band..."