* The Replacements’ first new recording in over 20 years, a benefit EP for guitarist Slim Dunlap who is dealing with medical issues from a recent stroke, will begin to be auctioned off tomorrow on eBay. Initially limited to 250 copies, the Songs for Slim EP will be pressed on 180-gram, 10″ vinyl and will be autographed by Paul Westerberg, Tommy Stinson & Chris Mars. For those who would like to support Slim, and not do so at what will certainly be a pretty penny, Songs for Slim will see a commercial release later this year. Also, you can donate directly to Slim’s medical fund.

Once The Replacements auction has ended, other artists will also auction off limited edition releases for charity. Already on the slate are releases by Steve Earle B/W Craig Finn (of the Hold Steady) and Lucinda Williams B/W Tommy Keene. More details can be found at the Songs for Slim website.

* In other release news, The Flaming Lips will reissue their 1997 oddity, Zaireeka, on Record Store Day. What hasn’t been announced is whether Zaireeka will be reissued as four separate LPs to be played simultaneously, to keep with the quadrophonic sound experiment of the original, or whether it will be mixed to a single CD or LP. With the Flaming Lips, one never knows…Chelsea Light Moving, the first post-Sonic Youth band effort by Thurston Moore will release their debut album, on March 5th on Matador Records...One release I’m sure to avoid is Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath’s 13. I can’t imagine it being able to clear the very low bar set by that now infamous Lou Reed and Metallica record…The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s have announced the details to their comeback album and the album cover is something. Let’s leave it at that.

* In festival news, Calexico have been added to the lineup for 2013 edition of the Nelsonville Music Festival to be headlined by Wilco…And, if you hate music and hate yourself, there’s this.

* Lastly, in today’s installment of keeping it all in perspective, the reunion of UK boy band Take That, has so far out-grossed the more publicized get-togethers of The Stone Roses and Blur.