Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

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Kudzu Guillotine
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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

Hard to believe but Reflection Sound Studios in Charlotte are closing their doors and have an ad up on Craig's List.

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Don Dixon (left) and Mitch Easter at Reflection Studios, early 1983.

Rusty Shackleford
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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Rusty Shackleford »

The Unplugged CD comes out in a few weeks and I haven't yet talked myself into buying it. Did anyone pick up the vinyl? Is it worth it?

I have a good-sounding copy of the 2001 sessions, so I'd really only be getting the 1991 version. It bugs me that neither set is really the "complete sessions," since there were more songs played/recorded than will show up on these CDs.

But I could still go for this set if the packaging is anything good. Does anyone know if there are liner notes/photos/etc. included?

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Kudzu Guillotine
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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

Rusty Shackleford wrote:I have a good-sounding copy of the 2001 sessions, so I'd really only be getting the 1991 version. It bugs me that neither set is really the "complete sessions," since there were more songs played/recorded than will show up on these CDs.


What was left off aside from their brief stab at "La Bamba" and "The Great Beyond"?

I plan on picking it up if for nothing but the 1991 appearance. Nothing against the 2001 set as it has it's moments but I definitely prefer the earlier one. I'm glad they've put this out as a standalone release. However, I'm now curious as to what will be included as the bonus disc in the 25th anniversary edition of Out of Time. I'm guessing either their set from Mountain Stage or their appearance at the Borderline as Bingo Handjob.

Still odd that there's been almost no promotion of this collection which comes out as a digital download on the same day as Unplugged (May 19) aside from a mention at Slicing Up Eyeballs. It's not listed at Amazon and REMHQ hasn't even acknowledged it's existence. I realize that if you have any of their previous rarities collections then you already have all this stuff but at least it gathers the majority of it all in one place.

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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Rusty Shackleford »

Not much else left off except apparently some goofy covers (e.g., "Spooky"). But that stuff is what like about the 1991 shows, including the Borderline shows.

I'm guessing the mountain stage show makes the out of time reissue, although I'd love an official release of the borderline shows.

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Kudzu Guillotine
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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

Review of Unplugged, which drops on the 19th.

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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Will »

Yep. Going to have to get these Simpsons R.E.M. action figures for my desk.

http://www.actionfigurefury.com/neca-an ... -series-3/

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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

For those that missed out on the vinyl edition of Unplugged on Record Store Day, I received an email this morning from REMHQ that it's going to be re-released on vinyl as two separate sets (1991 and 2001) in the near future. They've also put some more t-shirts from the vault on sale.

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Why Unplugged matters, even when it doesn’t

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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

Funny that there's still been no mention of the digital only I.R.S. and WB era rarities collections. The I.R.S. one came out today, the WB collection is also apparently out now.

R.E.M.'s Mike Mills: Band Has 'Lot of Stuff in the Vaults'
The bassist says the band has "a fair amount of (music) that's never been released"

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Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for John Varvatos

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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

I'm not sure why it took so long but REMHQ has made the release of the I.R.S. and Warner Brothers era rarities collections official as well as news of their entire catalog being mastered for iTunes.

R.E.M.'s Entire Catalog Has Been Mastered For iTunes: Featuring I.R.S. Albums, Warner Bros. Albums, and Rarities!

Universal Music Enterprises and Warner Bros. Records today announced that R.E.M.’s complete catalogs of studio albums and rarities—from both labels—are now Mastered for iTunes. This ensures that the music is delivered to listeners with increased audio fidelity that more closely replicates what the artists, recording engineers and producers intended.

The music is available now on the iTunes Store worldwide http://www.itunes.com/rem. Fans may download albums and tracks individually, or in four special bundles: COMPLETE I.R.S. STUDIO ALBUMS, COMPLETE RARITIES – I.R.S. 1982-1987, COMPLETE WARNER BROS. STUDIO ALBUMS, VOL. 1, and COMPLETE RARITIES – WARNER BROS. 1988-2011.

COMPLETE I.R.S. STUDIO ALBUMS is comprised of six studio albums, including R.E.M.’s debut EP Chronic Town (1982) and the critically acclaimed, groundbreaking albums Murmur (1983), Reckoning (1984), Fables of The Reconstruction (1985), and Lifes Rich Pageant (1986); as well as the group’s double-platinum Document (1987).

The COMPLETE RARITIES – I.R.S. 1982-1987 bundle collects 25 hard-to-find tracks, including several versions of “Gardening At Night;” the b-sides “White Tornado” and “Voice of Harold;” “Windout” from the Bachelor Party soundtrack; and live, in-studio covers of Roger Miller’s “King of the Road,” Andy Williams “Moon River,” and the Velvet Underground’s “Pale Blue Eyes” and “There She Goes Again.”

COMPLETE WARNER BROS. STUDIO ALBUMS, VOL. 1 covers the height of the band’s commercial success with five albums that were all certified multi-platinum, including Green (1988), Out Of Time (1991), Automatic For The People (1992), Monster (1994) and New Adventures In Hi-Fi (1996). The remaining five studio albums that R.E.M. recorded for Warner Bros. are available individually, including Up (1998), Reveal (2001), Around The Sun (2004), Accelerate (2008) and the group’s final album, Collapse Into Now (2011).

The COMPLETE RARITIES – WARNER BROS. 1988-2011 bundle is massive, with 131 tracks that span more than two decades. Among the countless highlights are: non-album tracks “Memphis Train Blues” and “Redhead Walking”; live performances from Glastonbury (“Everybody Hurts”) and Saturday Night Live (“Bang And Blame”); as well as covers of Syd Barrett’s “Dark Globe” and Leonard Cohen’s “First We Take Manhattan.”

Also available now is UNPLUGGED: THE COMPLETE 1991 AND 2001 SESSIONS. This collection includes—for the first time ever—both of R.E.M.’s stellar performances on MTV’s popular “Unplugged” series. The set includes every performance from the original broadcasts, as well as 11 songs that never aired.

COMPLETE I.R.S. STUDIO ALBUMS
Chronic Town (1982)
Murmur (1983)
Reckoning (1984)
Fables of The Reconstruction (1985)
Lifes Rich Pageant (1986)
Document (1987)
COMPLETE RARITIES - I.R.S. 1982-1987 bundle (25 tracks, full details below)

COMPLETE WARNER BROS. STUDIO ALBUMS, VOL.1
Green (1988)
Out Of Time (1991)
Automatic For The People (1992)
Monster (1994)
New Adventures In Hi-Fi (1996)

These additional Warner Bros. Albums are also available Mastered For iTunes:
Up (1998)
Reveal (2001)
Around The Sun (2004)
Accelerate (2008)
Collapse Into Now (2011)
COMPLETE RARITIES – WARNER BROS. 1998-2011 bundle (131 tracks, full details below)

COMPLETE RARITIES – I.R.S. 1982-1987
1. “Radio Free Europe” – Original Hib-Tone Single
2. “Sitting Still” – Original Hib-Tone Single
3. “White Tornado”
4. “Gardening At Night” – Different Vocal Mix
5. “Gardening At Night” – Acoustic
6. “All The Right Friends” – Live In Studio
7. “Moon River” – Live In Studio
8. “Pretty Persuasion” – Live In Studio
9. “There She Goes Again” – Live In Studio
10. “Tighten Up” – Live In Studio
11. “Ages Of You” – Live
12. “We Walk” – Live
13. “1,000,000” – Live
14. “Gardening At Night” – Electric Demo
15. “Just A Touch” – Live In Studio
16. “King Of The Road” – Live In Studio
17. “Pale Blue Eyes” – Live In Studio
18. “Voice Of Harold”
19. “Walter’s Theme” – Live In Studio
20. “White Tornado” – Live in Studio
21. “Windout”
22. “Windout” (With Friends) – Live In Studio
23. “9-9” – Live
24. “Gardening At Night” – Live
25. “Catapult” – Live

COMPLETE RARITIES – WARNER BROS. 1988-2011
1. “Funtime” (Live) (Iggy Pop Cover)
2. “Ghost Rider” (Suicide Cover)
3. “Dark Globe” (Syd Barrett Cover)
4. “Pop Song 89” (Acoustic Version)
5. “Memphis Train Blues” (Non-Album Track)
6. “Skin Tight” (Live Orlando, FL April 30, 1989) (Ohio Players cover)
7. “Losing My Religion” (Acoustic) (Live At KFOG)
8. “Losing My Religion” (Live In Dublin 2005)
9. “Rotary Eleven” (Non-Album Track)
10. “You Are The Everything” (Live - Greensboro Coliseum, NC 11/10/1989)
11. “Love Is All Around” (Live)
12. “Shiny Happy People” (Dance To The Music Mix)
13. “Shiny Happy People” (Pop Mix)
14. “Shiny Happy People” (Hip Mix)
15. “It’s a Free World Baby” (Non-Album Track)
16. “Winged Mammal Theme” (Non-Album Track)
17. “First We Take Manhattan” (Leonard Cohen Cover)
18. “Everybody Hurts” (Album Fade)
19. “Mandolin Strum” (Non-Album Track)
20. “Orange Crush” (Live Version)
21. “Man On The Moon” (Album Edit)
22. “Arms Of Love” (Non-Album Track)
23. “World Leader Pretend” (Live) (Charleston WV 4/28/91)
24. “Belong” (Live) (Charleston WV 4/28/91)
25. “Low” (Live) (Charleston WV 4/28/91)
26. “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” (Non-Album Track)
27. “Fretless” (Non-Album Track)
28. “Everybody Hurts” (Live) (9/2/93-Los Angeles for the MTV Video Awards)
29. “Orange Crush” (Instrumental)
30. “Fall On Me” (Live)
31. “Me In Honey” (Live)
32. “Finest Worksong” (Live)
33. “Drive” (Live) (1992)
34. “Funtime” (Live) (1992)
35. “Radio Free Europe” (Live) (1992)
36. “What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?” (Live at SNL-11/12/94)
37. “Bang And Blame” (Live at SNL-11/12/94)
38. “I Don’t Sleep, I Dream” (Live at SNL-11/12/94)
39. “What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?” (Radio Version)
40. “Monty Got A Raw Deal” (Live)
41. “Everybody Hurts” (Live) (Athens, GA '92)
42. “Man On The Moon” (Live) (Athens, GA '92)
43. “Bang And Blame” (Album Version w/o Between Track Noise)
44. “Losing My Religion” (Live) (Athens 1992) (Applause Faded)
45. “Country Feedback” (Live) (Athens 1992) (Applause Faded)
46. “Begin The Begin” (Live) (Athens 1992)
47. “Undertow” (Live)
48. “Wichita Lineman” (Live) (Non-Album Track)
49. “New Test Leper” (Live Acoustic)
50. “Tricycle” (Instrumental) (Non-Album Track)
51. “Departure” (Live) (Rome Soundcheck)
52. “Wall Of Death” (From “Beat The Retreat”-Richard Thompson Tribute Album)
53. “The Wake Up Bomb” (Live Version) (Atlanta)
54. “Binky The Doormat” (Live Version) (Atlanta)
55. “King Of Comedy” (808 State Remix)
56. “Be Mine” (Mike On Bus Version)
57. “Love is All Around” (The Troggs Cover)
58. “Sponge” (Vic Chesnutt Cover)
59. “Emphysema” (Non-Album Track)
60. “Sad Professor” (Live In Studio Version)
61. “Why Not Smile” (Oxford American Version)
62. “Surfing The Ganges” (LP Version)
63. “Suspicion” (Live In Studio Version)
64. “Lotus” (Weird Mix)
65. “Electrolite” (Live From Jools Holland)
66. “Man On The Moon” (Live From Jools Holland)
67. “Suspicion” (Live At Ealing Studios)
68. “At My Most Beautiful” (Radio Remix)
69. “Passenger” (Recorded From “Later” With Jools Holland)
70. “Country Feedback” (Recorded From “Later” With Jools Holland)
71. “So. Central Rain” (Live From “Later”)
72. “The Great Beyond” (Non-Album Track)
73. “The One I Love” (Live From Glastonbury Festival)
74. “Everybody Hurts” (Live From Glastonbury Festival)
75. “Man On The Moon” (Live From Glastonbury Festival)
76. “Yellow River” (Non-Album Track)
77. “165 Hillcrest” (Non-Album Track)
78. “Imitation Of Life” (Live From Trafalgar Square)
79. “Summer Turns To High” (32 Chord Song Demo)
80. “I’ve Been High” (Live Video Version) (Channel V, Sydney)
81. “The Lifting” (Original Version)
82. “Beat A Drum” (Dalkey Demo)
83. “2JN” (Non-Album Track)
84. “Favorite Writer” (Non-Album Track)
85. “Out in the Country” (Non-Album Track)
86. “Adagio” (Unused Tune)
87. “Turn You Inside-Out” (Live Version)
88. “Chance” (Dub)
89. “Drive” (Live Version) (1994)
90. “Star Me Kitten” (Featuring W.S. Burroughs)
91. “Revolution” (Non-Album Track)
92. “Leave” (Alternate Version)
93. “The Lifting” (Demo)
94. “The One I Love” (Live Version) (MMM Sydney)
95. “Maps & Legends” (Live Rehearsal Version)
96. “Tongue” (Live Rehearsal Version)
97. “Little America” (Live Rehearsal Version)
98. “South Central Rain” (Live Rehearsal Version)
99. “Imitation Of Life” (Live Rehearsal Version)
100. “So Fast, So Numb” (Live) (Athens Rehearsal Sessions, 2004)
101. “All The Right Friends” (Live) (Athens Rehearsal Sessions, 2004)
102. “Animal” (New Mix)
103. “Pretty Persuasion” (Live) (NYC 2003)
104. “Welcome To The Occupation” (Live) (NYC 2003)
105. “You Are The Everything” (Live) (Raleigh, NC-Oct. 10, 2003)
106. “These Days” (Live) (Toronto-Sept. 30, 2003)
107. “(Don’t Go Back To) Rockville” (Live) (Oslo NRK P1 National Radio-Oct. 25, 2003)
108. “Wanderlust” (Live-Santa Barbara, CA 2004)
109. “Sweetness Follows” (Live) (Recorded in Cincinnati-Oct. 27, 2004)
110. “Horse To Water” (Live In Vancouver)
111. “Indian Summer” (Non-Album Track)
112. “Living Well Is The Best Revenge” (Live In London)
113. “Auctioneer” (Live In London)
114. “Hollow Man” (Live In London)
115. “Supernatural Superserious” (Live In London)
116. “Fall On Me” (Live In London)
117. “West Of The Fields” (Live In London)
118. “Horse To Water” (Live In London)
119. “Man-Sized Wreath” (Live In London)
120. “Man On The Moon” (Live In London)
121. “Mr. Richards” (Vancouver)
122. “Living Well Jesus Dog” (Non-Album Track)
123. “Airliner” (Non-Album Track)
124. “Redhead Walking” (Non-Album Track)
125. “Houston” (iTunes Live From London)
126. “Harborcoat” (Live At The Olympia)
127. “Letter Never Sent” (Live At The Olympia)
128. “Second Guessing” (Live At The Olympia)
129. “Pretty Persuasion” (Live At The Olympia)
130. “NOLA-4/26/10” (Non-Album Track)
131. “That Someone Is You” (Live In The Studio)

Check it out here: http://www.itunes.com/rem

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linkous
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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by linkous »

I'm confused. This link to Itunes via Pitchfork shows 50 songs listed, not 25, for the tracklisting of Complete Rarities - I.R.S. 1982-1987

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/compl ... d876298328.

Looks to me just like Dead Letter Office on shuffle, twice, with one or two rarities thrown in.

This is the only reissue stuff I would be remotely interested in - The "fit for release" Warner Bros stuff was (mostly) dire imo, so I'd rather have to literally pull TC's plonker than have to trawl through a bunch of live rarities of other peoples songs, or listen to three versions of Shiny Happy People, a song I would be happy to never hear again.

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Kudzu Guillotine
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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

I know one of the many complaints about these two collections is that they aren't actually rarities because in some cases they've been released multiple times in the past. While that is true, they're still technically rarities as they were initially only available as b-sides. In 2014, when everything is pretty much a click away I'm not sure that anything is rare anymore. The I.R.S. collection does consist of 50 tracks but the second 25 were apparently left out of the press release by accident. Check the link to Slicing Up Eyeballs in my previous post above for the complete tracklist. I think there's plenty to love about many of the WB era rarities and honestly don't see that many cover songs listed. There are definitely some covers from that era but there are just as many (if not more) from the I.R.S. era. Some of my favorites from the WB period would include their take on Richard Thompson's "Wall of Death", Leonard Cohen's "First, We Take Manhattan", Jimmy Webb's "Wichita Lineman" and a live version of Iggy Pop's "Passenger" just to name a few.

Mike Mills keeps saying in interviews that he doesn't want the curation of their archives to simply be a "dumping out of the vaults", which is exactly what these collections appear to be. I have a feeling, especially since these comps haven't been mentioned in those interviews, that he may not have been aware of them. In fact, the WB one wasn't even announced until just a few days ago. Mills appears to be alluding to stuff in the vault that has not been heard outside of the band. Out of Time is up next in the 25th Anniversary series in 2016. Since they've released Unplugged from that era, I'm guessing the bonus material could be their Mountain Stage appearance or something from the shows they did as Bingo Hand Job with Billy Bragg. That is, unless they decide to go the demos route again. If so, there's some pretty significant stuff in the vault in that regard as well though I'm guessing most of it was heard on the Time of Outtakes boot.

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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

Last Song for Reflection Studios
Inside the final session at the famous Plaza Midwood studio that once housed R.E.M., Whitney Houston, James Brown, Joe Walsh, and many more

BY GREG LACOUR

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Sound engineer Mark Williams (left) and musician and producer Don Dixon (right) listen to a song during the final
recording session at Reflection Sound Studios on Sunday.

Daniel Coston

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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by RMD »

Release a live show from the Fables and the Pageantry tour please. That would be way more interesting than these outtakes.

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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

Fitting that Stipe's first post-R.E.M. work is instrumental only while Buck's featured his vocal debut.

Michael Stipe Shares First New Music Since R.E.M. Breakup
Evocative new instrumental accompanies footage from new film 'The Cold Lands'

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Michael Zorn/FilmMagic

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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

According to the comments section for this article from When You Motor Away, Patterson wrote in to inform the author that Jim Barbe, father of David Barbe, produced the session for this album by the Revelaires. As anyone familiar with "The Voice of Harold" knows, Stipe sang the liner notes below along to the backing track of "7 Chinese Brothers" which later appeared on the b-side of the 12" single for "So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)". I'm not sure of the validity of the story though as Joel Gentry is clearly listed as the producer of the Revelaires album this comes from (The Joy of Knowing Jesus).

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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Tequila Cowboy »

I saw this morning that yesterday was the 28th anniversary of the release of Lifes Rich Pageant so I decided to give it a listen this morning. This was the first R.E.M. record that I felt the slightest bit disappointed by. The production seemed too "rock" and it didn't quite "feel" right. That being said it had some great songs on it notably Swan Swan H and Cuyahoga among others. Listening to it today I'm not sure what bothered me back then. It sounds like the R.E.M. I loved and those petty concerns are nowhere to be found. It's probably been 25 years since I listened to this record and I'm really glad I put it on. I listen to R.E.M. fairly frequently these days but it's always Chronic Town, Murmur, Reckoning and Fables. Time to add this one to the rotation.
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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Tequila Cowboy »

I saw this morning that yesterday was the 28th anniversary of the release of Lifes Rich Pageant so I decided to give it a listen this morning. This was the first R.E.M. record that I felt the slightest bit disappointed by. The production seemed too "rock" and it didn't quite "feel" right. That being said it had some great songs on it notably Swan Swan H and Cuyahoga among others. Listening to it today I'm not sure what bothered me back then. It sounds like the R.E.M. I loved and those petty concerns are nowhere to be found. It's probably been 25 years since I listened to this record and I'm really glad I put it on. I listen to R.E.M. fairly frequently these days but it's always Chronic Town, Murmur, Reckoning and Fables. Time to add this one to the rotation.
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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

Tequila Cowboy wrote:I saw this morning that yesterday was the 28th anniversary of the release of Lifes Rich Pageant so I decided to give it a listen this morning. This was the first R.E.M. record that I felt the slightest bit disappointed by. The production seemed too "rock" and it didn't quite "feel" right. That being said it had some great songs on it notably Swan Swan H and Cuyahoga among others. Listening to it today I'm not sure what bothered me back then. It sounds like the R.E.M. I loved and those petty concerns are nowhere to be found. It's probably been 25 years since I listened to this record and I'm really glad I put it on. I listen to R.E.M. fairly frequently these days but it's always Chronic Town, Murmur, Reckoning and Fables. Time to add this one to the rotation.


I know a lot of folks that list it as their favorite. It's up there for me too but the competition is pretty stiff when it comes to so many of their early records. Even though I came onboard circa Murmur in '83, it wasn't until '86 that I saw them in concert on the Pagentry tour. The liveliness of the record captures the spirit of their live shows and the overall aesthetic of R.E.M. of that time very well, especially Stipe in his post-Fables hobo phase.

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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by one belt loop »

I came to them through that album, so it's always ranked very high for me. I love it.
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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by John A Arkansawyer »

one belt loop wrote:I came to them through that album, so it's always ranked very high for me. I love it.


The first time I heard this record, it was the summer of 1987. I was working for the evil swine at the textbook warehouse and sleeping in the laundry room of Jesus Lee Jones (and the Hillbilly Witchcraft Band, which, sadly, they stopped using after a while). Occasionally the laundry room was taken and I had to sleep in the back yard with my sleeping bag and mosquitoes. I ate a lot of Sean's breakfast cereal. He still remembers that sometimes when we talk. But I don't think I had a key, because I remember wanting to stay in the house till it was time to leave for whatever. No going back.

So that day was a Friday. I'd probably gotten paid, as there was a six-pack to which I felt entitled. (Although consider Sean's breakfast cereal.) There was a band or three to see on Dickson Street. That was the summer all those SST bands came through and there was a lot of other talent besides. Everyone but me had left.

I don't know what triggered me to put on Life's Rich Pageant. I'd never listened to R.E.M., though I knew a few of their songs as covers by local bands. My money is on the last person out the door at seven-thirty, trying to knock me off of Randy Newman or Camper Van Beethoven or the Yardbirds or whatever I was going to listen to while I got cheaply tipsy and all hyped up for the evening, telling me it was time I listened to them. Probably made reference to the Jubilee Dive (later the Gun Bunnies) cover of "Radio Free Europe" and "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville". So I cracked a beer and put on side one. I eventually heard side two, at a later date.

That first song killed me. I could barely make out the lyrics and I barely couldn't quite make them make sense, and so I wondered if I was making them out right after all. "Like Martin Luther's in/the mythology begins/the begin". Or is it Martin Luther Zen? Which still doesn't make sense, you know, but it sounds great.

I still have a precise memory of a precise feeling generated by this song. I danced in circles to it and played it over and over, maybe an hour's worth. Three or four beers worth. A long time. I truly believe I could explain exactly what that song means if only I didn't have to treat the literal words with the fidelity they deserve.

Six years later, when I founded a community newspaper, it was called Fayetteville Begin, after that song.

Eventually, I got tired of putting the needle back over and over again--Urk, Mark, whoever's copy it was, if that track is a little skanky now, I'm sorry--and let it play through the side. That was also the year they started tearing whole residential blocks out around Dickson Street. Two different houses I'd lived in over the previous decade, along with two others in which I'd practiced, went one autumn day in one fell swoop. I turned down Watson Street, heading home, knowing it was just a matter of time for those houses. Seeing them gone was still a shock. The demonstration I'd just gone to that didn't happen? Another, similar shock; more to come.

I picked up a long, heavy stone left from the front yard wall and carried it home as I hummed/sang Cuyahoga quietly.

I started in on that record around seven-thirty, I think, and left the house at nine, having finished the six-pack. I might've had one of someone else's beers. I can't say I didn't and I can say I probably would've. I like to think I did which I probably didn't but only because I couldn't.

That's the sort of record it is for me.
The sooner we put those assholes in the grave&piss on the dirt above it, the better off we'll be

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Kudzu Guillotine
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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

This is happening in Charlotte, NC this morning, the demolition of legendary Reflection Sound Studios.

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Charlotte’s Reflection Sound Closes, Early R.E.M. Recording Studio

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R.E.M. in 1983, the Murmur era: Michael Stipe, Mike Mills, Peter Buck, Bill Berry

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Kudzu Guillotine
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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

On the occasion of Chronic Town's 32nd anniversary earlier this week. While that's not the sole focus of this piece by Tim Sommer, it did provide the inspiration. He hits the nail on the head with their Letterman appearance in '83 being our "Ed Sullivan" experience. At least that's how I've come to think of it.

R.E.M. Were the Band of Our Time

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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

Behind the Scene: R.E.M. Manager Bertis Downs

By Dan Mistich

Welcome to Behind the Scene, a monthly series where Flagpole and DTproductions profile the people who
work offstage to make Athens music matter
.

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Photo Credit: Jason Thrasher

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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

I understand R.E.M.HQ will be making a major announcement later today concerning an archival release. More on that once the announcement is made. In the meantime, Monster turns 20 today. Maybe R.E.M.'s most understood album, some folks believe it was their effort to cash in on the popularity of grunge when that wasn't true at all. According to a quote from an old R.E.M. fan club newsletter, Peter Buck said they had planned to record a "straight up rock record recorded straight to two-track" following Out of Time. Instead, when they entered the studio, they emerged with Automatic For the People. As you can read in the article below, Bill Berry put his foot down that the next album had to rock and it did. Years later, it was revealed that the raw record they actually had in mind didn't get made until New Adventures In Hi-Fi in 1996 which was a mixture of soundcheck, live and studio recordings largely cut on the road on the tour for Monster in 1995.

Electronic Press Kit for Monster

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Remembering R.E.M.’s ‘Monster': A 20th Anniversary Retrospective

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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

Image

R.E.M. and MTV Combine to Release 6-Disc Retrospective Set REMTV on Rhino This November

R.E.M. and MTV sort of grew up together: in July 1981, "Radio Free Europe" was released and only a couple of weeks later the new Music Television network launched and premiered its first music video (The Buggles "Video Killed the Radio Star"). From that point forward, thirty years in total, MTV documented everything about R.E.M.: their music, their stories, and ultimately, their decision to disband in 2011.

Now, this entire story, from start to finish, is chronicled in an epic new six-DVD set, REMTV, that includes live performances, award show highlights, and all manner of famous and obscure television appearances, as well as a new documentary, R.E.M. by MTV, produced and directed by Alexander Young, which details R.E.M.'s career through the lenses of MTV and its affiliated networks. REMTV will be available on November 24--go here for more details: http://remhq.com/news_story.php?id=2066

Special bonus: if (and only if) you pre-order REMTV from the REMHQ.com store you will receive a code that enables you to download a mono version of the 2003 MTV Sonic Show in Milan, Italy. Visit the store here: http://store.remhq.com/remtv.html

Disc 1
UNPLUGGED 1991
(04/10/91)

Half A World Away
Disturbance at the Heron House
Radio Song
Low
Perfect Circle
Fall on Me
Belong
Love is All Around
Its The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
Losing My Religion
Pop Song 89
Endgame

OUTTAKES 1991

Fretless
Swan Swan H
Rotary Eleven
Get Up
World Leader Pretend

UNPLUGGED 2001
(05/21/01)

All The Way To Reno (You’re Gonna Be A Star) *
Electrolite
At My Most Beautiful *
Daysleeper *
So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)
Losing My Religion
Country Feedback
Cuyahoga
Imitation of Life *
Find the River

OUTTAKES 2001

The One I Love
Disappear *
Beat a Drum *
I've Been High *
I'll Take the Rain *
Sad Professor *
The Great Beyond *

Disc 2
VH1 STORYTELLERS
(10/23/98)

Electrolite
Daysleeper *
Losing My Religion
Perfect Circle
Sad Professor *
Fall On Me
I'm Not Over You *
The Apologist *
Man On The Moon

STORYTELLERS – OUTTAKES

New Test Leper
Parakeet *
(Don’t Go Back To) Rockville
Suspicion *
Walk Unafraid *
At My Most Beautiful *

THE CUTTING EDGE
(06/14/84)

(Don't Go Back To) Rockville
Driver 8
Wendell Gee
Smokin' In The Boys Room
Time After Time (Annelise)
Driver 8

LIVEWIRE
(10/30/83)

So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)
Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)

MTV 10th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
(11/10/91)
Featuring members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

Losing My Religion

VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS 1993
(09/02/93)
Including Brian Harris and Duane Saetveit

Everybody Hurts
Drive

VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS 1995
(09/07/95)

The Wake-Up Bomb

EUROPEAN MUSIC AWARDS 1998
(11/12/98)

Daysleeper *

EUROPEAN MUSIC AWARDS 2001
(11/08/01)

Imitation Of Life *

ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION 2007
(03/12/07)

Begin The Begin
Gardening At Night
Man On The Moon

THE COLBERT REPORT
04/02/08)

Supernatural Superserious *

Disc 3
R.E.M. IN DALLAS
(09/19/95)

I Took Your Name
What's The Frequency, Kenneth?
Crush With Eyeliner

R.E.M. UPLINK AT BOWERY BALLROOM
(10/28/98)

Losing My Religion
Lotus *
Daysleeper *
E-Bow The Letter
The Apologist *
So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)
Walk Unafraid *
Man On The Moon
Radio Free Europe

LIVE IN COLOGNE
(05/12/01)

All The Way To Reno (You’re Gonna Be A Star) *
The Lifting *
Imitation Of Life *
The One I Love
She Just Wants To Be *
Walk Unafraid *
Losing My Religion
Man On The Moon
Its The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)

LIVE IN COLOGNE OUTTAKES

What's The Frequency, Kenneth?
Cuyahoga
Electrolite
I’ve Been High *
Find The River
I’ll Take The Rain *
At My Most Beautiful *
So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)

Disc 4
R.E.M. AT THE TABERNACLE, LONDON
(03/02/99)

Losing My Religion
Daysleeper *
Walk Unafraid *
Man On The Moon
What's The Frequency, Kenneth?
Its The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)

MTV SONIC MILAN
(05/02/01)

Losing My Religion
The Great Beyond *
What's The Frequency, Kenneth?
Daysleeper *
All The Way To Reno (You’re Gonna Be A Star) *
The Lifting *
I’ll Take The Rain *
I’ve Been High *
Man On The Moon
She Just Wants To Be *
Imitation Of Life *

ROCK AM RING
(06/03/05)

What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?
Leaving New York *
Imitation Of Life *
Electron Blue *
Man On The Moon

ROCK AM RING OUTTAKES

I Took Your Name
Bad Day
Drive
The Outsiders *
Leave
Me In Honey
Wanderlust *
Everybody Hurts
Electrolite
Orange Crush
The One I Love
Walk Unafraid *
Losing My Religion
Imitation Of Life *
The Great Beyond *
Animal *
I’m Gonna DJ *

Disc 5
LIVE AT ROLLING STONE, MILAN
(03/18/08)

Living Well Is The Best Revenge *
Drive
Accelerate *
Hollow Man *
Electrolite
Houston *
Supernatural Superserious *
Bad Day
Losing My Religion
I’m Gonna DJ *
Horse To Water *
Imitation Of Life *
Until The Day Is Done *
Man On The Moon

LIVE AT OXEGEN FESTIVAL
(07/12/08)

What's The Frequency, Kenneth?
Drive
Its The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
Man-Sized Wreath *
I’m Gonna DJ *
Supernatural Superserious *
Man On The Moon

R.E.M. IN ATHENS, GREECE
(10/05/08)

Living Well Is The Best Revenge *
What's The Frequency, Kenneth?
Drive
Man-Sized Wreath *
Bad Day
Electrolite
(Don’t Go Back To) Rockville
The Great Beyond *
The One I Love
Losing My Religion
Let Me In
Orange Crush
Imitation Of Life *
Supernatural Superserious *
Man On The Moon

Disc 6
R.E.M. BY MTV

DELETED SCENES

Peter
Politics
Golf
The Hornblower Affair
The Year 2000

Will
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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Will »

Hope the wife doesn't mind that we'll probably spend the week between Christmas and New Year's going through that set.

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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

Will wrote:Hope the wife doesn't mind that we'll probably spend the week between Christmas and New Year's going through that set.


When HQ made the announcement recently that they would be digging deeper into the MTV vaults I wasn't expecting such a windfall. I'd love to see more from the I.R.S. era but it's my understanding that much of that may never see the light of day due to licensing and legal issues that most likely will never be resolved.

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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

New interview with Stipe on the occasion of Monster's 20th:

Reclaiming 'Monster': Reflecting on R.E.M.'s Most Misunderstood Album with Michael Stipe

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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

Stereogum looks back at Monster.

Monster Turns 20

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Re: Artist of the Week 5/3/2011- R.E.M. 1982-1985

Post by Dean »

John A Arkansawyer wrote:
one belt loop wrote:I came to them through that album, so it's always ranked very high for me. I love it.


The first time I heard this record, it was the summer of 1987. I was working for the evil swine at the textbook warehouse and sleeping in the laundry room of Jesus Lee Jones (and the Hillbilly Witchcraft Band, which, sadly, they stopped using after a while). Occasionally the laundry room was taken and I had to sleep in the back yard with my sleeping bag and mosquitoes. I ate a lot of Sean's breakfast cereal. He still remembers that sometimes when we talk. But I don't think I had a key, because I remember wanting to stay in the house till it was time to leave for whatever. No going back.

So that day was a Friday. I'd probably gotten paid, as there was a six-pack to which I felt entitled. (Although consider Sean's breakfast cereal.) There was a band or three to see on Dickson Street. That was the summer all those SST bands came through and there was a lot of other talent besides. Everyone but me had left.

I don't know what triggered me to put on Life's Rich Pageant. I'd never listened to R.E.M., though I knew a few of their songs as covers by local bands. My money is on the last person out the door at seven-thirty, trying to knock me off of Randy Newman or Camper Van Beethoven or the Yardbirds or whatever I was going to listen to while I got cheaply tipsy and all hyped up for the evening, telling me it was time I listened to them. Probably made reference to the Jubilee Dive (later the Gun Bunnies) cover of "Radio Free Europe" and "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville". So I cracked a beer and put on side one. I eventually heard side two, at a later date.

That first song killed me. I could barely make out the lyrics and I barely couldn't quite make them make sense, and so I wondered if I was making them out right after all. "Like Martin Luther's in/the mythology begins/the begin". Or is it Martin Luther Zen? Which still doesn't make sense, you know, but it sounds great.

I still have a precise memory of a precise feeling generated by this song. I danced in circles to it and played it over and over, maybe an hour's worth. Three or four beers worth. A long time. I truly believe I could explain exactly what that song means if only I didn't have to treat the literal words with the fidelity they deserve.

Six years later, when I founded a community newspaper, it was called Fayetteville Begin, after that song.

Eventually, I got tired of putting the needle back over and over again--Urk, Mark, whoever's copy it was, if that track is a little skanky now, I'm sorry--and let it play through the side. That was also the year they started tearing whole residential blocks out around Dickson Street. Two different houses I'd lived in over the previous decade, along with two others in which I'd practiced, went one autumn day in one fell swoop. I turned down Watson Street, heading home, knowing it was just a matter of time for those houses. Seeing them gone was still a shock. The demonstration I'd just gone to that didn't happen? Another, similar shock; more to come.

I picked up a long, heavy stone left from the front yard wall and carried it home as I hummed/sang Cuyahoga quietly.

I started in on that record around seven-thirty, I think, and left the house at nine, having finished the six-pack. I might've had one of someone else's beers. I can't say I didn't and I can say I probably would've. I like to think I did which I probably didn't but only because I couldn't.

That's the sort of record it is for me.


That's a nice piece of writing.

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