With last month's auction of the special-edition Replacements EP now final-tallied at a whopping $106,000, the next phase of the "Songs for Slim" fundraising campaign to help Slim Dunlap is in motion.

The first batch in a series of 7-inch tribute singles is now up for auction on eBay. Side 1 features Steve Earle covering Slim's classic "Times Like This," while Side 2 has the Hold Steady's Craig Finn singing "Isn't It?" with an all-star local backing crew. Only 100 copies of the single are available, each featuring art work by Replacements drummer Chris Mars. The current starting price in the auction, which ends Friday afternoon, is $50.

Even more important to Replacements fans -- except for the 250 who picked up the EP in the auction -- New West Records has announced plans for the more standard roll-out of the five-song collection. It will be available digitally starting March 5, and a basic 12-inch vinyl edition (without the special art work and autographs) will land April 16 in time for Record Store Day (April 20).

More details and future updates on the campaign are available at www.songsforslim.com.