The daily digest of Twin Cities culture | Secrets of the City

Replacement fans, look out! Rhino Records has reissued deluxe editions of Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash; Stink; Hootenanny; and Let it Be — available as of yesterday. Listen to a sampling here.

Here's the lowdown from Rhino.

This is where the legend of The Replacements begins. Rhino retraces the shambolic swath the influential Minneapolis quartet cut across the American Underground, reissuing deluxe editions of the band's Twin/Tone releases: Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash, Stink, Hootenanny, and Let it Be. All have been exquisitely remastered and generously embellished with rare and previously unreleased tracks. Each will be available at all physical retail outlets and at www.rhino.com on April 22 for a suggested list price of $18.98, except STINK, which will have a suggested list price of $11.98. These releases will be followed later this year with similar deluxe versions of The Replacements' Sire albums including Tim, Pleased To Meet Me, Don't Tell A Soul, and All Shook Down.

Capturing the early years of the band's acclaimed 11-year run, these three albums and EP spotlight founding members Paul Westerberg, brothers Bob and Tommy Stinson and Chris Mars. The deluxe editions were produced by longtime Replacements manger Peter Jesperson, who also co-produced the original albums. The band was instrumental in selecting the bonus songs, many of which have never been heard -- even among the band's most ardent followers.

Released in 1981, Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash was The Replacements' audacious debut. Songs such as "Takin A Ride," "Shiftless When Idle," "Customer" and "Johnny's Gonna Die" herald the band's competing tendencies toward indelible genius and bleary, drunken repugnance. The 13 bonus tracks open appropriately with the four songs Westerberg gave to Jesperson in 1980 that brought the band to Twin/Tone's attention. Also included among the previously unreleased songs is an alternate take of "Customer," plus studio demos and outtakes. The deluxe version ends with "If Only You Were Lonely," which was previously released as the B-side of "I'm In Trouble."

Shortly after its debut, The Replacements issued the EP Stink in June 1982. The band was fast becoming Minneapolis' most exciting new group when this 15-minute adrenaline masterpiece hit the streets. In the deluxe edition liner notes, Terry Katzman writes, "Here, the band began to merge its ragged sense of honesty with true rock 'n' roll power. In essence, they had created the perfect monster -- a rock band with real guts, humor, and humility." All previously unreleased, the four bonus tracks featured here include a trio of session outtakes -- "Staples In Her Stomach" and covers of "Hey, Good Lookin'" and "(We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock" -- plus Westerberg's solo home demo for "You're Getting Married."

Bursting at the seams with ideas and inspiration, Hootenanny found the band heading in several new directions. Released in April 1983, the album included two enduring classics, "Color Me Impressed" and "Within Your Reach," along with the pseudo-surf rock of "Buck Hill," the brooding "Willpower" and "Mr. Whirly," a paean to alcohol-induced bed spins. The six previously unreleased bonus tracks include an alternate version of "Treatment Bound" and a solo home demo of the lost classic "Bad Worker."

Also featured among the bonus material is "Lookin' For Ya." The song was originally issued on Trackin' Up The North, a talent search contest compilation released by radio station KQDS.

Let it Be rounds out the deluxe reissues. Released in 1984, the 33-minute masterpiece was recently named the #3 Greatest Indie-Rock Album Ever by Blender Magazine. The album presents some of the band's strongest songs, including the album opener "I Will Dare," "Androgynous," "Sixteen Blue" and the poignant "Unsatisfied." The five unreleased bonus tracks include a home demo for "Answering Machine," a cover of The Grass Roots' "Temptation Eyes" and an alternate "Sixteen Blue" with the same instrumental track as the album but with an early vocal take and different lyrics. The bonus material also includes a cover of T. Rex's "20th Century Boy," which was originally issued on the 12" maxi-single for "I Will Dare."

SORRY MA, FORGOT TO TAKE OUT THE TRASH
1. "Takin A Ride"
2. "Careless"
3. "Customer"
4. "Hangin Downtown"
5. "Kick Your Door Down"
6. "Otto"
7. "I Bought A Headache"
8. "Rattlesnake"
9. "I Hate Music"
10. "Johnny's Gonna Die"
11. "Shiftless When Idle"
12. "More Cigarettes"
13. "Don't Ask Why"
14. "Somethin To Dü"
15. "I'm In Trouble"
16. "Love You Till Friday"
17. "Shutup"
18. "Raised In The City"
Bonus Material
19. "Raised In The City" Live, 1980 - Demo*
20. "Shutup" Live, 1980 - Demo*
21. "Don't Turn Me Down" Live, 1980 - Demo*
22. "Shape Up" Live, 1980 - Demo*
23. "You Ain't Gotta Dance" Studio Demo*
24. "Get On The Stick" Studio Demo*
25. "Oh Baby" Studio Demo*
26. "Like You" Outtake*
27. "Get Lost" Outtake*
28. "A Toe Needs A Shoe" Outtake*
29. "Customer" Alternate Take*
30. "Basement Jam" Rehearsal*
31. "If Only You Were Lonely"

STINK
1. "Kids Don't Follow"
2. "Fuck School"
3. "Stuck In The Middle"
4. "God Damn Job"
5. "White And Lazy"
6. "Dope Smokin Moron"
7. "Go"
8. "Gimme Noise"
Bonus Material
9. "Staples In Her Stomach" Outtake*
10. "Hey, Good Lookin'" Outtake*
11. "(We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock" Outtake*
12. "You're Getting Married" Solo Home Demo*

HOOTENANNY
1. "Hootenanny"
2. "Run It"
3. "Color Me Impressed"
4. "Willpower"
5. "Take Me Down To The Hospital"
6. "Mr. Whirly"
7. "Within Your Reach"
8. "Buck Hill"
9. "Lovelines"
10. "You Lose"
11. "Hayday"
12. "Treatment Bound"
Bonus Material
13. "Lookin' For Ya"
14. "Junior's Got A Gun" Outtake - Rough Mix*
15. "Ain't No Crime" Outtake*
16. "Johnny Fast" Outtake - Rough Mix*
17. "Treatment Bound" Alternate Version*
18. "Lovelines" Alternate Vocal*
19. "Bad Worker" Solo Home Demo*

LET IT BE
1. "I Will Dare"
2. "Favorite Thing"
3. "We're Comin' Out"
4. "Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out"
5. "Androgynous"
6. "Black Diamond"
7. "Unsatisfied"
8. "Seen Your Video"
9. "Gary's Got A Boner"
10. "Sixteen Blue"
11. "Answering Machine"
Bonus Material
12. "20th Century Boy"
13. "Perfectly Lethal" Outtake*
14. "Temptation Eyes" Outtake*
15. "Answering Machine" Solo Home Demo*
16. "Heartbeat It's A Lovebeat" Outtake, Rough Mix*
17. "Sixteen Blue" Outtake - Alternate Vocal*

* previously unissued recording