Attn D'Arcy & Jay

I'm glad I hadn't replaced my vinyl copies yet....



The Replacements' first three albums and an EP will be reissued in remastered, expanded form this spring, completing a long awaited upgrade of the seminal band's early work. "Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out the Trash," "Stink," "Hootenanny" and "Let It Be" will arrive April 22 via Rhino, Billboard.com can reveal. Originally released on the band's hometown label, Twin/Tone, the albums were prepped for reissue by Replacements manager Peter Jesperson, with involvement from the surviving band members.

The Replacements' debut, 1981's "Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out the Trash," introduced its lovably shambling rock style via tracks like "Shiftless When Idle," "Takin a Ride" and "Johnny's Gonna Die." Bonus material includes frontman Paul Westerberg's original four-song demo from 1980, several outtakes and the B-side "If Only You Were Lonely."

The EP "Stink" followed in 1982, tearing through eight songs in 15 minutes. The four bonus tracks on the new edition are all previously unreleased: the outtakes "Staples in Her Stomach," "Hey, Good Lookin'" and "(We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock," plus a Westerberg home demo of "You're Getting Married."

The Replacements' sophomore album, "Hootenanny," arrived in April 1983, further cementing its status as one of the most exciting new rock bands in America on the strength of songs such as "Within Your Reach" and "Color Me Impressed." Rhino's new edition boasts six previously unreleased tracks, including a demo of "Bad Worker" and an alternate take of "Treatment Bound."

Rhino's final reissue in this batch, "Let It Be," is regarded by many as the Replacements' best album. The 1984 release boasts indelible tracks such as "Unsatisfied," "I Will Dare" and "Androgynous"; it is here bolstered by an alternate version of "Sixteen Blue," the home demo for "Answering Machine" and covers of the Grass Roots' "Temptation Eyes" and T. Rex's "20th Century Boy."

Later this year, Rhino will continue the reissue campaign with expanded editions of the Replacements' Sire catalog: "Tim," "Pleased To Meet Me," "Don't Tell a Soul" and "All Shook Down."