Although I saw The Replacements -- as everyone did in the 1980s -- and I knew their music -- as everyone did in the 1980s -- I would never have claimed to have been a big 'Mats fan. I respected the Minneapolis band -- as everyone did in the 1980s -- but I didn't spend much time with the records.

So, the Rhino reissues of eight Replacements records -- "Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash," "Hootenanny," "Stink," "Let It Be," "Tim," "Pleased to Meet Me," "Don't Tell A Soul" and "All Shook Down" -- are having a dual effect on me.

First, I'm re-hearing a lot of music I haven't heard in a really long time and it's transporting me back to New York City a bit, but especially to Milwaukee in the 1980s. The Milwaukee of Café Voltaire, Century Hall and Irene J's, of the Odd Rock Café, Zak's, Teddy's and The Toad.

But secondly, I'm hearing a lot of Replacements music I've never heard before, especially during the latter, Sire Records years when Paul Westerberg and company had morphed from a Midwestern good time punk band to the edgier outcroppings of heartland rock, where Westerberg melded a Springsteenian lyricism and workingman's approach to his Clash-based roots.

So, if there's a 'Mats fan on your list this holiday, get him or her one or more of these:

"Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash," from 1981," has 13 bonus tracks, mostly demos and rehearsal takes, but with a couple studio outtakes, too.

"Stink," a mini-LP from 1982, has four bonus tracks, including covers of "Rock Around the Clock" and Hank Williams' "Hey, Good Lookin'."

"Hootenanny," from 1983, collects seven extras, mostly outtakes and alternate versions.

"Let It Be," from 1984, is acknowledged as the band's tour de force, and this edition includes six extra tracks, including outtakes and a cover of T. Rex's "20th Century Boy."

"Tim," from 1985, was the band's first disc for a major label and is, as such, a transitional moment (as "Let It Be" also was). This version has six bonus tracks including two alternate versions, two outtakes, a demo and the previously released, but rare, "Nowhere is My Home."

"Pleased to Meet Me," from 1987, was produced by legendary record man Jim Dickinson in Memphis and had "Can't Hardly Wait" and "Alex Chilton." The bonus cuts are b-sides and studio demos with a couple alternate versions, too.

"Don't Tell A Soul," from 1989, was an attempt to make a darker record, but the results were slicker and more commercial than Westerberg might have hoped. This edition has seven extra tunes, including some b-sides, two outtakes, a studio demo and an alternate mix.

"All Shook Down," from 1990, was the band's last record before Westerberg went solo and Tommy Stinson formed the greatly underrated Bash & Pop. This version has a whopping 11 extra songs, including an awesome, quiet demo of "Sadly Beautiful."

All of the discs have great booklets with cool photos and memorabilia and informative essays.