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This One Goes Out: R.E.M.'s Early B-Sides Collected on Digital Set

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REM - Complete Rarities

On Tuesday, May 19, the same day that Warner Bros. Records issues R.E.M.’s 2-CD Unplugged 1991/2001: The Complete Sessions, UMe will offer a digital-only package for fans of the Athens, Georgia band’s earliest days.

Complete Rarities: I.R.S. 1982-1987 collects 50 previously released odds and ends from Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Bill Berry.  These rarities have been culled from such releases as the 1987 Dead Letter Office (originally released in the wake of the success of Lifes Rich Pageant, prior CD reissues of the band’s I.R.S. albums, compilations, and non-LP singles and B-sides.  Though the track listing for the release is broken up as Disc One and Disc Two, no current plans for a physical release have been revealed.

The one-stop-shopping set includes all 15 tracks from Dead Letter Office, plus a selection of diverse covers (Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer’s “Moon River,” Roger Miller’s “King of the Road,” Archie Bell and the Drells’ “Tighten Up,” The Everly Brothers’ “All I Have to Do is Dream”), non-LP singles and B-sides, variant mixes, alternate takes and live performances from Boston, Seattle, Santa Monica and The Netherlands.  The rare material from 2006’s compilation And I Feel Fine… The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982–1987 is collected here, as are the band’s two contributions to the soundtrack of the film Athens, GA: Inside/Out, recently reissued on CD by Omnivore Recordings.

There’s nothing new here for longtime collectors, of course, but a physical CD release would make a fine companion to the deluxe reissues of R.E.M.’s I.R.S. catalogue (Murmur, Reckoning, Fables of the Reconstruction, Lifes Rich Pageant, Document) that have arrived in recent years.  In the meantime, just click on the jump to check out the complete track listing with discographical annotation for Complete Rarities.  The collection will be available from the typical digital service providers tomorrow, May 19, from Universal Music Enterprises.  No pre-order links are active yet, but we will update as soon as they are working!

R.E.M., Complete Rarities/I.R.S. 1982-1987 (I.R.S./UMe, 2014)

Disc 1

  1. Radio Free Europe (Hib-Tone Single Version) (single A-side - Hib-Tone HT-0001, 1981)
  2. Sitting Still (Hib-Tone Single Version) (single B-side - Hib-Tone HT-0001, 1981)
  3. White Tornado (B-side to "Superman" - I.R.S Records (U.K.) IRM-128, 1986)
  4. Gardening At Night (Different Vocal Mix) (from Eponymous - I.R.S. Records 6262, 1988)
  5. Gardening At Night (Acoustic) (from Dead Letter Office - The I.R.S. Years reissue - EMI 07777 13199 2 1 (EU), 1993)
  6. All the Right Friends (from Dead Letter Office - The I.R.S. Years reissue - EMI 07777 13199 2 1 (EU), 1993)
  7. Moon River (from Reckoning: The I.R.S. Years reissue - EMI 07777 13159 2 3 (EU), 1992)
  8. Pretty Persuasion (Live In-Studio) (from Reckoning: The I.R.S. Years reissue - EMI 07777 13159 2 3 (EU), 1992)
  9. There She Goes Again (B-side to "Radio Free Europe" (I.R.S. Records 9916, 1983)
  10. Tighten Up (from Bucketfull of Brains flexi disc BOB 5 (U.K.), 1985)
  11. Ages of You (Live @ The Paradise, Boston - 7/13/1983) (from And I Feel Fine: The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987 – Collector’s Edition - Capitol 09463 74444 2 9, 2006)
  12. We Walk (Live @ The Paradise, Boston - 7/13/1983) (from And I Feel Fine: The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987 – Collector’s Edition - Capitol 09463 74444 2 9, 2006)
  13. 1,000,000 (Live @ The Paradise, Boston - 7/13/1983) (from And I Feel Fine: The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987 – Collector’s Edition - Capitol 09463 74444 2 9, 2006)
  14. Gardening At Night (Electric Demo)(from And I Feel Fine: The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987 – Collector’s Edition - Capitol 09463 74444 2 9, 2006)
  15. Just a Touch (Live In-Studio) (from Lifes Rich Pageant: The I.R.S. Years reissue - EMI 07777 13201 2 5 (EU), 1993)
  16. King of the Road (B-side to “So. Central Rain” - I.R.S. Records 9927, 1984)
  17. Pale Blue Eyes (B-side to “So. Central Rain” 12" single - I.R.S. Records (U.K.) IRSX-105, 1984)
  18. Voice of Harold (B-side to “So. Central Rain” 12" single - I.R.S. Records (U.K.) IRSX-105, 1984)
  19. Walter’s Theme (B-side to “So. Central Rain” - I.R.S. Records 9927, 1984)
  20. White Tornado (Live In-Studio) (from Reckoning: The I.R.S. Years reissue - EMI 07777 13159 2 3 (EU), 1992)
  21. Windout (from Bachelor Party: The Music from the Movie - I.R.S. Records SP-70047, 1984)
  22. Wind Out (with Friends) (from Reckoning: The I.R.S. Years reissue - EMI 07777 13159 2 3 (EU), 1992)
  23. 9-9 (Live @ The Paradise, Boston - 7/13/1983) (from Murmur - The I.R.S. Years reissue - EMI 07777 13158 2 4 (EU), 1993)
  24. Gardening At Night (Live @ The Paradise, Boston - 7/13/1983) (from Murmur - The I.R.S. Years reissue - EMI 07777 13158 2 4 (EU), 1993)
  25. Catapult (Live @ Music Hall, Seattle - 6/27/1984) (from Murmur - The I.R.S. Years reissue - EMI 07777 13158 2 4 (EU), 1993)

Disc 2

  1. Ages of You (B-side to “Wendell Gee” - I.R.S. Records (U.K.) IRMD-105, 1985)
  2. Bandwagon (B-side to “Cant Get There from Here” - I.R.S. Records (U.K.) IRT-102, 1985)
  3. Burning Down (B-side to “Wendell Gee” - I.R.S. Records (U.K.) IRMD-105, 1985)
  4. Burning Hell (B-side to “Cant Get There from Here” 12" single - I.R.S. Records (U.K.) IRT-102, 1985)
  5. Crazy (B-side to "Driver 8" - I.R.S. Records 52678, 1985)
  6. Driver 8 (Live @ Music Hall, Seattle - 6/27/1984) (B-side to “Wendell Gee” 12" single - I.R.S. Records (U.K.) IRT-105, 1985)
  7. Bad Day (from And I Feel Fine: The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987 – Collector’s Edition - Capitol 09463 74444 2 9, 2006)
  8. Femme Fatale (B-side to "Superman" 12" single - I.R.S Records (U.K.) IRM-128, 1986)
  9. Hyena (Demo) (from And I Feel Fine: The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987 – Collector’s Edition - Capitol 09463 74444 2 9, 2006)
  10. Mystery to Me (Demo) (from And I Feel Fine: The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987 – Collector’s Edition - Capitol 09463 74444 2 9, 2006)
  11. Rotary Ten (B-side to "Fall on Me" - I.R.S. Records 52883, 1986)
  12. Theme from Two Steps Onward (Demo) (from And I Feel Fine: The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987 – Collector’s Edition - Capitol 09463 74444 2 9, 2006)
  13. Tired of Singing Trouble (from Lifes Rich Pageant: The I.R.S. Years reissue - EMI 07777 13201 2 5 (EU), 1993)
  14. Toys in the Attic (B-side to "Fall on Me" 12" single - I.R.S. Records (U.K.) IRMT-121, 1986)
  15. Romance (from Made in Heaven: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Elektra 60729, 1987)
  16. Last Date (B-side to “The One I Love” 12″ single - I.R.S. Records (U.K.) IRMT-146, 1987)
  17. Finest Worksong (Lengthy Club Mix) (12" A-side - I.R.S. Records 23850, 1988)
  18. Finest Worksong (Mutual Drum Horn Mix) (from Eponymous - I.R.S. Records 6262, 1988)
  19. Finest Worksong (Other Mix) (12" B-side - I.R.S. Records 23850, 1988)
  20. Maps and Legends (Live @ McCabe's Guitar Shop, Santa Monica, CA - 5/24/1987) (B-side to "The One I Love" - I.R.S. Records 23792, 1987)
  21. Disturbance At the Heron House (Live @ McCabe's Guitar Shop, Santa Monica, CA - 5/24/1987) (B-side to "The One I Love" 12" single - I.R.S. Records (U.K.) IRMT-146, 1987)
  22. The One I Love (Live @ McCabe's Guitar Shop, Santa Monica, CA - 5/24/1987) (B-side to "The One I Love" - I.R.S. Records 23792, 1987)
  23. Swan Swan H (Live Acoustic) (from Music from the Film "Athens, GA Inside/Out" - I.R.S. Records 6185, 1987)
  24. (All I Have to Do is) Dream (Live Acoustic) (from Music from the Film "Athens, GA Inside/Out" - I.R.S. Records 6185, 1987)
  25. Time After Time Etc. (Live @ Muziekcentrum, Utrecht, The Netherlands - 9/14/1987) (B-side to "Finest Worksong" 12" single - I.R.S. Records 23850, 1988)
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Joe Marchese

JOE MARCHESE (Editor) joined The Second Disc shortly after its launch in early 2010, and has since penned daily news and reviews about classic music of all genres. In 2015, Joe formed the Second Disc Records label. Celebrating the great songwriters, producers and artists who created the sound of American popular song, Second Disc Records, in conjunction with Real Gone Music, has released newly-curated collections produced by Joe from iconic artists such as Johnny Mathis, Bobby Darin, Laura Nyro, Melissa Manchester, Chet Atkins, and many others. He has contributed liner notes to reissues from a diverse array of artists, among them Nat "King" Cole, Paul Williams, Lesley Gore, Dusty Springfield, B.J. Thomas, The 5th Dimension, Burt Bacharach, The Mamas and the Papas, Carpenters, Perry Como, Rod McKuen, Doris Day, Jackie DeShannon, and Andy Williams, and has compiled releases for talents including Robert Goulet and Keith Allison of Paul Revere and the Raiders. Over the past two decades, Joe has also worked in a variety of capacities on and off Broadway as well as at some of the premier theatres in the U.S., including Lincoln Center Theater, George Street Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, and the York Theatre Company. He has felt privileged to work on productions alongside artists such as the late Jack Klugman, Eli Wallach, Arthur Laurents, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. In 2009, Joe began contributing theatre and music reviews to the print publication The Sondheim Review, and in 2012, he joined the staff of The Digital Bits as a regular contributor writing about film and television on DVD and Blu-ray. Joe currently resides in the suburbs of New York City.

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Comments

  1. Wow, this looks cool. I've got "Dead Letter Office" and their regular albums, but nothing else. Sure wish I could buy a CD of it, though...

    Last winter, Peter Buck dangled the possibility that the fan club singles might be coming out (see http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2013/08/13/rem-fan-club-singles-box-set). Have we heard anything about that?

    I've been predicting the death of the CD for years, but those reports seem to have been premature - mainly thanks to labels like Real Gone, Omnivore, Light In The Attic, etc.

    On the other hand, the major labels themselves have begun to reissue more and more stuff as digital only (check out the Sony "essential" line in iTunes). Much, much better than nothing, but still...

    Reply

  3. I agree, I'd be more interested if both of these packages were coming out on ACTUAL CD's. (fingers crossed!!) Same here, I've got D.L.O., most of the LP's and first-run CD's. For the fans who don't care about CD's anymore this might be the best practical way to get these singles, but since all of this material has been out before, I'll wait.

    Reply

  4. If a physical release happens, I hope they tack on the "Chronic Town" EP, which (I believe) exists on CD only as an appendix to "Dead Letter Office."

    Reply

    • That's an excellent point -- all of Dead Letter Office is listed above, but not Chronic Town. A deluxe DLO would be a better CD option.

      Reply

      • I actually just checked iTunes, and I see that there is a collection of "Complete Studio Albums - IRS 1982-1987" released today. It includes "Chronic Town," but not "Dead Letter Office" - the latter being redundant, owing to the new rarities collection.

        Reply

  5. There was a particularly "power poppy" version of "Yellow River" on the b-side of "All The Way To Reno". Mike Mills sang lead. Would have liked to see that included.

    Reply

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