Not too much is known about The Replacements' plans for existence outside of a trio of Riot Fest festival dates. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune was able to confirm the band's lineup for the three dates however, another piece of information that was up for grabs as it was known original members Slim Dunlap and Steve Foley would not be present. Foley died of an prescription drug overdose in 2009, and Dunlap suffered a stroke in 2012.
In their steed, original members Paul Westerberg and Tommy Stinson recruited guitarist Dave Minehan and session drummer Josh Freese to fill in. Both have previous experience working with Westerberg and Stinson. Minehan toured with the former as a guitarist when Westerberg was performing as a "solo" act, and Stinson met Freese when the pair temporarily toured with the Guns 'N' Roses. Minehan is best known as the guitarist for Neighborhoods, and Freese most recently toured with Paramore as a fill-in.
Apart from the lineup, little is known about what the future holds for The Replacements, a band considered seminal in the formation of the modern alternative rock scene. The Riot Fest gigs account for three shows (Chicago, Toronto and Denver), but the band hasn't hinted that anything else could follow. In a telling factoid, the Star-Tribune reported that employees at Minneapolis's (the band's hometown) famed First Avenue concert hall are making the trip to Chicago, so Minnesota fans shouldn't look forward to an upcoming show.
Stinson and Westerberg did make some "new" music last year, covering a few tracks for the EP "Songs for Slim," which raised money for Dunlap following his stroke. Stinson admitted that the pair "had a really good time working together and reconnecting."
