Pioneering Indie Rockers the Replacements Reunite for Covers EP

FUSE TV - Pioneering Indie Rockers the Replacements Reunite for Covers EP

Like Green Day? Nirvana, R.E.M. or the Pixies? How about the Hold Steady or the Gaslight Anthem? Or, really, any shambolic contemporary-ish band with two guitars?! Then bow down to Minneapolis rockers the Replacements, the pioneers of American indie rock back in the 1980s, who wrote the book on hard partying and harder touring and laid the tuneful DNA for a generation of bands to come, whether those plebs know it or not.

Good news: The Replacements have reunited to record new music for the first time since 2006. According to Rolling Stone, singer Paul Westerberg and bassist Tommy Stinson (who now plays with Guns N' Roses) spent a day in a Minneapolis studio this September recording four covers, which will drop later this year as a limited edition 10-inch vinyl EP. Only 250 copies will be auctioned online; all proceeds will benefit one-time Replacements guitarist Slim Dunlap, who suffered a severe stroke back in February.

"He's in rough shape," said Westerberg of Dunlap, who played with the band from 1987-1991. "He's sort of paralyzed, he can move his leg a little bit. When I mentioned this, it seemed like something he really wanted to happen. 'You guys get together,' he said in a whisper. 'Go play a song.'"

Sans drummer Chris Mars—who "didn't want any part of this" reunion, says Westerberg—the Replacements recorded versions of Dunlap's "Busted Up," "Everything's Coming Up Roses" from the Broadway musical Gypsy, Gordon Lightfoot's "I'm Not Sayin'" and Hank Williams' "Lost Highway." 

"Tommy and I strapped on guitars, not a word was said, and bang," Westerberg said. "We still rock like murder."

The Replacements officially broke up in 1991 and ever since, Westerberg has been apprehensive of a reunion. But Dunlap's enthusiasm may convince him otherwise: "It's possible," Westerberg said of a reunion album and tour. "After playing with Tommy last week, I was thinking, 'All right, let's crank it up and knock out a record like this.' I'm closer to it now than I was two years ago, let's say that."

While you wait for the new EP's arrival, check out five of the Replacements' best songs below.

B Plus Praises Jazz and Afrofuturism Pioneer Sun Ra

2m

B Plus Praises Jazz and Afrofuturism Pioneer Sun Ra

Run for the Border

24m

Run for the Border

Ep 04 Extras: G-Thing

7m

Ep 04 Extras: G-Thing

Ep 02 Recap: G-Thing

3m

Ep 02 Recap: G-Thing

Ep 4 Recap: G-Thing

2m

Ep 4 Recap: G-Thing

Ep 08 Recap: G-Thing

3m

Ep 08 Recap: G-Thing

A Day In the Life of Wilmer Valderrama's Puppet Ep. 2: Optimism

1m

A Day In the Life of Wilmer Valderrama's Puppet Ep. 2: Optimism

Fluffy's Hot Spots Ep. 3: The Can't-Miss Gems of Harlem

1m

Fluffy's Hot Spots Ep. 3: The Can't-Miss Gems of Harlem

Extras Ep 01: G-Thing

4m

Extras Ep 01: G-Thing

Ep 7 Recap: G-Thing

3m

Ep 7 Recap: G-Thing

Ep 01 Recap: G-Thing

2m

Ep 01 Recap: G-Thing

Ep 3 Recap: G-Thing

2m

Ep 3 Recap: G-Thing

Ep 5 Recap: G-Thing

2m

Ep 5 Recap: G-Thing

Ep 6 Recap: G-Thing

2m

Ep 6 Recap: G-Thing

The Grind Never Stops When for the Queen Diva

2m

The Grind Never Stops When for the Queen Diva

Gay Pride for the Gay Bride

23m

Gay Pride for the Gay Bride

A Day In the Life of Wilmer Valderrama's Puppet Ep. 1: Hollow Man

1m

A Day In the Life of Wilmer Valderrama's Puppet Ep. 1: Hollow Man

A Day In the Life of Wilmer Valderrama's Puppet Ep. 3: Inner Thoughts

1m

A Day In the Life of Wilmer Valderrama's Puppet Ep. 3: Inner Thoughts

Yesenia Mentally Prepares For The Rose Bowl

2m

Yesenia Mentally Prepares For The Rose Bowl

DaCav Hits The Stage For An Electrifying Performance

2m

DaCav Hits The Stage For An Electrifying Performance

The "Fluffy Breaks Even" Gang Ditches Food For Spinning

2m

The "Fluffy Breaks Even" Gang Ditches Food For Spinning

Unboxing with T-Pain at ComplexCon - Ep. 2

3m

Unboxing with T-Pain at ComplexCon - Ep. 2

Unboxing with T-Pain at ComplexCon - Ep. 3

3m

Unboxing with T-Pain at ComplexCon - Ep. 3

Unboxing with T-Pain at ComplexCon - Ep 1

3m

Unboxing with T-Pain at ComplexCon - Ep 1

Fluffy At Home Ep. 1: So Fresh and So Clean

2m

Fluffy At Home Ep. 1: So Fresh and So Clean

Fluffy's Hot Spots Ep. 2: Museums and Milkshakes in D.C.

1m

Fluffy's Hot Spots Ep. 2: Museums and Milkshakes in D.C.

Fluffy's Hot Spots Ep. 4: Find History and 'Magic' in Atlanta

1m

Fluffy's Hot Spots Ep. 4: Find History and 'Magic' in Atlanta

Fluffy's Hot Spots Ep. 6: Beads and Voodoo In New Orleans

1m

Fluffy's Hot Spots Ep. 6: Beads and Voodoo In New Orleans

If Clash of the Corps Stars Could Role-Play For A Day

1m

If Clash of the Corps Stars Could Role-Play For A Day

What Does The Transcendent Star Look For In A Man: Dear Bambiana

1m

What Does The Transcendent Star Look For In A Man: Dear Bambiana

Fluffy's Hot Spots Ep. 5: Honky-Tonks and Johnny Cash in Nashville

1m

Fluffy's Hot Spots Ep. 5: Honky-Tonks and Johnny Cash in Nashville

Fluffy's Hot Spots Ep. 1: Go-Karts and Barbershop Cocktails in Los Angeles

1m

Fluffy's Hot Spots Ep. 1: Go-Karts and Barbershop Cocktails in Los Angeles

Hot For Hollywood

44m

Hot For Hollywood

Ready For Action

22m

Ready For Action

Checking for CHIKA

20m

Checking for CHIKA

Asking For It

1h 21m

Asking For It

Fluffy At Home Ep. 3: Gabriel Iglesias Hooks a Fan Up With Fluffy Merch

2m

Fluffy At Home Ep. 3: Gabriel Iglesias Hooks a Fan Up With Fluffy Merch

Fluffy At Home Ep. 2: Gabriel Iglesias Shows Off His Vintage VW Bus Collection

2m

Fluffy At Home Ep. 2: Gabriel Iglesias Shows Off His Vintage VW Bus Collection

Fuse+ is the Home for Big Freedia Means Business, Sex Sells, Made From Scratch & More!

30s

Fuse+ is the Home for Big Freedia Means Business, Sex Sells, Made From Scratch & More!

Jailed For Playing Bingo?

7m

Jailed For Playing Bingo?

Asking For It - Trailer

2m

Asking For It - Trailer

Make Room for Roomie

20m

Make Room for Roomie

The River and the Wall

1h 45m

The River and the Wall

The Beatles: In the Life

1h 2m

The Beatles: In the Life

The Best of The Best Clash

2m

The Best of The Best Clash

The Blue Devils Bring The Parade

1m

The Blue Devils Bring The Parade

A Time For RO-mance

20m

A Time For RO-mance

The Reunion

45m

The Reunion

The Decision

44m

The Decision

The Pilot

21m

The Pilot

The Hustle

20m

The Hustle

The 212

The 212

The Feels

1h 21m

The Feels

All You Ever Wished For

1h 21m

All You Ever Wished For

Hard Times for Milk & Poster

1m

Hard Times for Milk & Poster

The Exchange

1h 27m

The Exchange

The FP

1h 20m

The FP

The Canvas

The Canvas

The Motorcycle

23m

The Motorcycle

The Citizen

1h 34m

The Citizen

All the Focus is on the Diamonds

21m

All the Focus is on the Diamonds

The Ladies Play "Fill In The Blanks"

1m

The Ladies Play "Fill In The Blanks"

Ugly Sweaters Make for Beautiful Attire

42m

Ugly Sweaters Make for Beautiful Attire

Out With The Old, In With The New

20m

Out With The Old, In With The New

All You Ever Wished For - Trailer

2m

All You Ever Wished For - Trailer

The Hilarious Reality of the American Rat Race

2m

The Hilarious Reality of the American Rat Race

Meagan Good Gets Jumped for Trina?

2m

Meagan Good Gets Jumped for Trina?

Who's the Boss?

24m

Who's the Boss?

Making the Cut

46m

Making the Cut

The Feels - Trailer

1m

The Feels - Trailer

Missy: The Icon

20m

Missy: The Icon

Meet The Family

21m

Meet The Family

The Prison Within

1h 23m

The Prison Within

The 212 - Trailer

59s

The 212 - Trailer

The Third Strike

1h 3m

The Third Strike

The Great Director

23m

The Great Director

The Winner Is…

44m

The Winner Is…

The Right Girls

1h 22m

The Right Girls

Meet The Jets

48m

Meet The Jets

Rock the Bells

21m

Rock the Bells

Behind The Snow

22m

Behind The Snow

The All-Americans

1h 36m

The All-Americans

Into The Woods

21m

Into The Woods

Enter the Metaverse

21m

Enter the Metaverse

The Vest Guest

20m

The Vest Guest

Facing The Truth

20m

Facing The Truth

Pink: The Truth

57m

Pink: The Truth

The Daphne Project

1h 7m

The Daphne Project

Between the Shades

1h 22m

Between the Shades

The Revolution Generation

1h 17m

The Revolution Generation

Rich The Kid

20m

Rich The Kid

Crossed the Line

1h 30m

Crossed the Line

Making The Retrograde

20m

Making The Retrograde

The North Shore

22m

The North Shore

Free The Robots

9m

Free The Robots

Create The Future

20m

Create The Future

Cassandro, The Exotico!

1h 15m

Cassandro, The Exotico!

The Sex Clinic

The Sex Clinic

Mind the Mints

21m

Mind the Mints

The Glow Up

20m

The Glow Up