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Near Wild Heaven: R.E.M. Bundle Warner-Era B-Sides for Digital Box

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REM WB RaritiesNo sooner did R.E.M. plan a generous digital equivalent of a two-disc set collating nearly all of their B-sides and rarities for I.R.S. Records have the departed Athens quartet - or label Warner Bros., anyway - planned a massive digital bundle of their B-sides for their major label era.

Complete Warner Bros. Rarities 1988-2011 features a similar packaging scheme as its I.R.S. comparison, but the scope of time certainly allows for more material - 131 tracks, in fact. The complete claim is not entirely true - several obscure instrumental versions only available on vinyl singles are no shows, and some EPs as well (2001's Not Bad for No Tour, last year's Record Store Day exclusive of live cuts from the concert on the bonus disc of Warner Bros. debut Green). But there's far more to parse here than any other Warner-era rarities set (the only one being the bonus disco to In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003). Soundtrack songs, live cuts, the odd single versions and even the 12" promotional single of "Shiny Happy People" are replicated herein. It's certainly an investment at $79.99, but for the true fan who's missed a lot of these tracks along the way, probably worth it.

If only this had a physical release; it'd likely rival the likes of other Rhino-era B-side boxes like The Cure's Join the Dots and The Jesus and Mary Chain's The Power of Negative Thinking. In any case, Complete Warner Bros. Rarities 1988-2011 is available now, and yours to enjoy after the jump (along with an intensely thorough discographical breakdown!).

Complete Warner Bros. Rarities 1988-2011 (Warner Bros./Rhino, 2014)

  1. Funtime (B-side to "Get Up" - Warner Bros. 22791, 1989)
  2. Ghost Rider (12" B-side to "Orange Crush - Warner Bros. W2690 T (U.K.), 1989)
  3. Dark Globe (12" B-side to "Orange Crush - Warner Bros. W2690 T (U.K.), 1989)
  4. Pop Song 89 (Acoustic) (12" B-side to "Stand" - Warner Bros. W2833 T (U.K.), 1989)
  5. Memphis Train Blues (B-side to "Orange Crush" - Warner Bros. 27652, 1988)
  6. Skin Tight (Live in Orlando - 4/30/1989) (12" B-side to "Stand" - Warner Bros. W2833 T (U.K.), 1989)
  7. Losing My Religion (Live Acoustic @ KFOG-FM) (from Losing My Religion digital EP - Warner Bros., 2010)
  8. Losing My Religion (Live in Dublin 2005) (from Losing My Religion digital EP - Warner Bros., 2010)
  9. Rotary Eleven (B-side to "Losing My Religion" - Warner Bros. 19392, 1991)
  10. You Are the Everything (Live @ Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC - 11/10/1989) (from Green: 25th Anniversary Edition - Warner Bros. 8122796570, 2013)
  11. Love is All Around (Live on Rockline - 4/1/1991) (B-side to "Radio Song" - Warner Bros. 19246, 1991)
  12. Shiny Happy People (Dance to the Music Mix) (from "Shiny Happy People" 12" promo - Warner Bros. PRO-A-5060, 1991)
  13. Shiny Happy People (Pop Mix) (from "Shiny Happy People" 12" promo - Warner Bros. PRO-A-5060, 1991)
  14. Shiny Happy People (Hip Mix) (from "Shiny Happy People" 12" promo - Warner Bros. PRO-A-5060, 1991)
  15. It's a Free World Baby (B-side to "Drive" CD single - Warner Bros. W0136 CDX (U.K.), 1992)
  16. Winged Mammal Theme (B-side to "Drive" - Warner Bros. 18729, 1992)
  17. First We Take Manhattan (B-side to "Drive" CD single - Warner Bros. W0136 CD (U.K.), 1992)
  18. Everybody Hurts (Album Fade) (U.K. single A-side - Warner Bros. W0169, 1993)
  19. Mandolin Strum (B-side to "Everybody Hurts" - Warner Bros. 18638, 1993)
  20. Orange Crush (Live on Mountain Stage, Charleston, WV - 4/28/1991) (B-side to "Everybody Hurts" CD single - Warner Bros. 40989, 1993)
  21. Man on the Moon (Album Edit) (U.K. single A-side - Warner Bros. W0143, 1992)
  22. Arms of Love (B-side to "Man on the Moon" CD single - Warner Bros. W0143 CD, 1992)
  23. World Leader Pretend (Live on Mountain Stage, Charleston, WV - 4/28/1991)
  24. Belong (Live on Mountain Stage, Charleston, WV - 4/28/1991) (B-side to "Everybody Hurts" CD single - Warner Bros. 40989, 1993)
  25. Low (Live on Mountain Stage, Charleston, WV - 4/28/1991) (B-side to "Nightswimming" CD single - Warner Bros. W0184 CD (U.K.), 1993)
  26. The Lion Sleeps Tonight (B-side to "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite" - Warner Bros. 18523, 1993)
  27. Fretless (from Until the End of the World: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack - Warner Bros. 26707, 1991)
  28. Everybody Hurts (Live on the MTV Video Music Awards - 9/2/1993) (B-side to "Find the River" CD single - Warner Bros. W0211 CD, 1993)
  29. Orange Crush (Instrumental) (B-side to "Find the River" CD single - Warner Bros. W0211 CD, 1993)
  30. Fall on Me (Live in Athens, GA - 11/19/1992) (B-side to "Crush with Eyeliner" CD single - Warner Bros. 41904, 1995)
  31. Me in Honey (Live in Athens, GA - 11/19/1992) (B-side to "Crush with Eyeliner" CD single - Warner Bros. 41904, 1995)
  32. Finest Worksong (Live in Athens, GA - 11/19/1992) (B-side to "Crush with Eyeliner" CD single - Warner Bros. 41904, 1995)
  33. Drive (Live in Athens, GA - 11/19/1992) (B-side to "Strange Currencies" CD single - Warner Bros. 43513, 1995)
  34. Funtime (Live in Athens, GA - 11/19/1992) (B-side to "Strange Currencies" CD single - Warner Bros. 43513, 1995)
  35. Radio Free Europe (Live in Athens, GA - 11/19/1992) (B-side to "Strange Currencies" CD single - Warner Bros. 43513, 1995)
  36. What's the Frequency, Kenneth? (Live on Saturday Night Live - 11/12/1994) (B-side to "Tongue" CD single - Warner Bros. W0308 CD (U.K.), 1995)
  37. Bang and Blame (Live on Saturday Night Live - 11/12/1994) (B-side to "Tongue" CD single - Warner Bros. W0308 CD (U.K.), 1995)
  38. I Don't Sleep, I Dream (Live on Saturday Night Live - 11/12/1994) (B-side to "Tongue" CD single - Warner Bros. W0308 CD (U.K.), 1995)
  39. What's the Frequency, Kenneth? (Radio Version) (CD single A-side - Warner Bros. 41760, 1994)
  40. Monty Got a Raw Deal (Live in Athens, GA - 11/19/1992) (B-side to "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" CD single - Warner Bros. 41760, 1994)
  41. Everybody Hurts (Live in Athens, GA - 11/19/1992) (B-side to "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" CD single - Warner Bros. 41760, 1994)
  42. Man on the Moon (Live in Athens, GA - 11/19/1992) (B-side to "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" CD single - Warner Bros. 41760, 1994)
  43. Bang and Blame (Single Version) (CD single A-side - Warner Bros. 41857, 1995)
  44. Losing My Religion (Live in Athens, GA - 11/19/1992) (B-side to "Bang and Blame" CD single - Warner Bros. 41857, 1995)
  45. Country Feedback (Live in Athens, GA - 11/19/1992) (B-side to "Bang and Blame" CD single - Warner Bros. 41857, 1995)
  46. Begin the Begin (Live in Athens, GA - 11/19/1992) (B-side to "Bang and Blame" CD single - Warner Bros. 41857, 1995)
  47. Undertow (Live in Atlanta - 11/18/1995) (B-side to "Bittersweet Me" CD single - Warner Bros. 43790, 1996)
  48. Wichita Lineman (Live in Houston - 9/15/1995) (B-side to "Bittersweet Me" CD single - Warner Bros. 43790, 1996)
  49. New Test Leper (Live Acoustic in Seattle - 4/19/1996) (B-side to "Bittersweet Me" CD single - Warner Bros. 43790, 1996)
  50. Tricycle (B-side to "E-Bow the Letter" - Warner Bros. 17529, 1996)
  51. Departure (Rome Soundcheck) (B-side to "E-Bow the Letter" CD single - Warner Bros. 43763, 1996)
  52. Wall of Death (from Beat the Retreat: Songs by Richard Thompson - Capitol 72438 31482 2 6, 1994)
  53. The Wake Up Bomb (Live in Atlanta - 11/18/1995) (B-side to "Electrolite" CD single - Warner Bros. 43810, 1997)
  54. Binky the Doormat (Live in Atlanta - 11/18/1995) (B-side to "Electrolite" CD single - Warner Bros. 43810, 1997)
  55. King of Comedy (808 State Remix) (B-side to "Electrolite" CD single - Warner Bros. 43810, 1997)
  56. Be Mine (Mike on the Bus Version) (B-side to "How the West Was Won and Where It Got Us" CD single - Warner Bros. 43851 (U.K.), 1997)
  57. Love is All Around (from I Shot Andy Warhol: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture - TAG Recordigns 92690, 1996)
  58. Sponge (from Sweet Relief II: Gravity of the Situation (The Songs of Vic Chestnutt) - Columbia CK 67573, 1996)
  59. Emphysema (B-side to "Daysleeper" - Warner Bros. 17129, 1998)
  60. Sad Professor (Live in Studio) (B-side to "Daysleeper" CD mini single - Warner Bros. W0455 CDX (U.K.), 1998)
  61. Why Not Smile (Oxford American Version) (B-side to "Daysleeper" CD single - Warner Bros. W0455 CD (U.K.), 1998)
  62. Surfing the Ganges (B-side to "Lotus" CD single - Warner Bros. W466 CD (U.K.), 1998)
  63. Suspicion (Live in Studio) (B-side to "Lotus" CD single - Warner Bros. W466 CD (U.K.), 1998)
  64. Lotus (Weird Mix) (B-side to "Lotus" CD single - Warner Bros. W466 CD (U.K.), 1998)
  65. Electrolite (Live on Later...with Jools Holland) (B-side to "Suspicion" CD single - Warner Bros. W488 CD (U.K.), 1999)
  66. Man on the Moon (Live on Later...with Jools Holland) (B-side to "Suspicion" CD single - Warner Bros. W488 CD (U.K.), 1999)
  67. Suspicion (Live At Ealing Studios) (B-side to "Suspicion" CD single - Warner Bros. 44717 (EU), 1999)
  68. At My Most Beautiful (Radio Remix) (CD single A-side - Warner Bros. W477 CD (U.K.), 1998)
  69. Passenger (Live on Later...with Jools Holland) (B-side to "At My Most Beautiful" CD single - Warner Bros. W477 CD (U.K.), 1998)
  70. Country Feedback (Live on Later...with Jools Holland) (B-side to "At My Most Beautiful" CD single - Warner Bros. W477 CD (U.K.), 1998)
  71. So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry) (Live on Later...with Jools Holland) (B-side to "At My Most Beautiful" CD mini single - Warner Bros. W477 CDX (U.K.), 1998)
  72. The Great Beyond (from Man on the Moon: Music from the Motion Picture - Warner Bros. 47483, 1999)
  73. The One I Love (Live at Glastonbury - 6/25/1999) (B-side to "The Great Beyond" CD single - Warner Bros. 44816, 1999)
  74. Everybody Hurts (Live at Glastonbury - 6/25/1999) (B-side to "The Great Beyond" CD single - Warner Bros. 44816, 1999)
  75. Man on the Moon (Live at Glastonbury - 6/25/1999) (B-side to "The Great Beyond" CD single - Warner Bros. 44816, 1999)
  76. Yellow River (B-side to "All the Way to Reno" CD single - Warner Bros. W568 CDX (U.K.), 2001)
  77. 165 Hillcrest (B-side to "All the Way to Reno" CD single - Warner Bros. W568 CDX (U.K.), 2001)
  78. Imitation of Life (Live from Trafalgar Square) (B-side to "All the Way to Reno" CD single - Warner Bros. W568 CDX (U.K.), 2001)
  79. Summer Turns to High (32 Chord Demo) (B-side to "I'll Take the Rain" CD single - Warner Bros. W573 CDX (U.K.), 2001)
  80. I've Been High (Live Video Version) (B-side to "I'll Take the Rain" CD single - Warner Bros. W573 CDX (U.K.), 2001)
  81. The Lifting (Original Version) (B-side to "Imitation of Life" CD single - Warner Bros. 42363, 2001)
  82. Beat a Drum (Dalkey Demo) (B-side to "Imitation of Life" CD single - Warner Bros. 42363, 2001)
  83. 2JN (B-side to "Imitation of Life" CD single - Warner Bros. 42363, 2001)
  84. Favorite Writer (B-side to "Bad Day" CD single - Warner Bros. W624CD1 (U.K.), 2003)
  85. Out in the Country (B-side to "Bad Day" CD single - Warner Bros. W624CD2 (U.K.), 2003)
  86. Adagio (Unused Tune) (B-side to "Bad Day" CD single - Warner Bros. W624CD2 (U.K.), 2003)
  87. Turn You Inside-Out (Live 1989) (B-side to "Losing My Religion" CD single - Warner Bros. W0015 CDX (U.K.), 1991)
  88. Chance (Dub) (B-side to "Everybody Hurts" CD single - Warner Bros. W0169 CD2 (U.K.), 1993)
  89. Drive (Live 1994) (from Alternative NRG - Hollywood Records HR-61449-2, 1994)
  90. Star Me Kitten (feat. W.S. Burroughs) (from The X-Files: Songs in the Key of X - Warner Bros. 46079, 1996)
  91. Revolution (from Batman and Robin: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture - Warner Bros. 46620, 1997)
  92. Leave (Alternate Version) (from A Life Less Ordinary: Original Soundtrack - Inner-State/London 314 540 809-2, 1997)
  93. The Lifting (Demo) *
  94. The One I Love (Live - MMM Sydney - 6/1/2001) (from Not Bad for No Tour EP - Warner Bros. PRO-CD-100727, 2001)
  95. Maps and Legends (Live Rehearsal) (from Vancouver Rehearsal Tapes digital EP - Warner Bros., 2003)
  96. Tongue (Live Rehearsal) (from Vancouver Rehearsal Tapes digital EP - Warner Bros., 2003)
  97. Little America (Live Rehearsal) (from Vancouver Rehearsal Tapes digital EP - Warner Bros., 2003)
  98. So. Central Rain (Live Rehearsal) (from Vancouver Rehearsal Tapes digital EP - Warner Bros., 2003)
  99. Imitation of Life (Live Rehearsal) (from Vancouver Rehearsal Tapes digital EP - Warner Bros., 2003)
  100. So Fast, So Numb (Athens Rehearsal) (B-side to "Aftermath" CD single - Warner Bros. W658 CD2 (U.K.), 2004)
  101. All the Right Friends (Athens Rehearsal) (B-side to "Aftermath" CD single - Warner Bros. W658 CD2 (U.K.), 2004)
  102. Animal (New Mix) (single A-side - Warner Bros. 42699 (U.K.), 2003)
  103. Pretty Persuasion (Live in NYC 2003) (B-side to "Animal" CD single - Warner Bros. 42699 (EU), 2003)
  104. Welcome to the Occupation (Live in NYC 2003) (B-side to "Animal" CD single - Warner Bros. 42699 (EU), 2003)
  105. You Are the Everything (Live in Raleigh, NC - 10/10/2003) (B-side to "Leaving New York" CD single - Warner Bros. 42755 (EU), 2004)
  106. These Days (Live in Toronto - 9/30/2003) (B-side to "Leaving New York" CD single - Warner Bros. 42755 (EU), 2004)
  107. (Don't Go Back to) Rockville (Live in Oslo - 10/25/2003) (B-side to "Leaving New York" - Warner Bros. W654 (U.K.), 2004)
  108. Wanderlust (Live in Santa Barbara, CA - 2004) (B-side to "Wanderlust" digital single - Warner Bros. (U.K.), 2005)
  109. Sweetness Follows (Live in Cincinnati - 10/27/2004) (B-side to "Electron Blue" CD single - Warner Bros. W665 CD2 (U.K.), 2005)
  110. Horse to Water (Live in Vancouver) (B-side to "Hollow Man" CD single - Warner Bros. W804 CD1 (U.K.), 2008)
  111. Indian Summer (B-side to "Hollow Man" CD single - Warner Bros. 49854 (EU), 2008)
  112. Living Well is the Best Revenge (Live in London - 3/26/2008) (from iTunes Live from London digital EP - Warner Bros., 2008)
  113. Auctioneer (Another Engine) (Live in London - 3/26/2008) (from iTunes Live from London digital EP - Warner Bros., 2008)
  114. Hollow Man (Live in London - 3/26/2008) (from iTunes Live from London digital EP - Warner Bros., 2008)
  115. Supernatural Superserious (Live in London - 3/26/2008) (from iTunes Live from London digital EP - Warner Bros., 2008)
  116. Fall on Me (Live in London - 3/26/2008) (from iTunes Live from London digital EP - Warner Bros., 2008)
  117. West of the Fields (Live in London - 3/26/2008) (from iTunes Live from London digital EP - Warner Bros., 2008)
  118. Horse to Water (Live in London - 3/26/2008) (from iTunes Live from London digital EP - Warner Bros., 2008)
  119. Man-Sized Wreath (Live in London - 3/26/2008) (from iTunes Live from London digital EP - Warner Bros., 2008)
  120. Man on the Moon (Live in London - 3/26/2008) (from iTunes Live from London digital EP - Warner Bros., 2008)
  121. Mr. Richards (Vancouver) (B-side to "Man-Sized Wreath" - Warner Bros. W807 (U.K.), 2008)
  122. Living Well Jesus Dog (B-side to "Man-Sized Wreath" digital single  - Warner Bros. (U.K.), 2008)
  123. Airliner (B-side to "Supernatural Superserious" - Warner Bros. 481468, 2008)
  124. Redhead Walking (B-side to "Supernatural Superserious" CD single - Warner Bros. W798 CDX (U.K.), 2008)
  125. Houston (Live in London - 3/26/2008) (from "Until the Day is Done" digital single - Warner Bros. (U.K.), 2009)
  126. Harborcoat (Live @ The Olympia, Dublin - 6/30-7/5/2007) (from Reckoning Live At The Olympia digital EP and Live At The Olympia in Dublin - Warner Bros. 520872, 2009)
  127. Letter Never Sent (Live @ The Olympia, Dublin - 6/30-7/5/2007) (from Reckoning Live At The Olympia digital EP and Live At The Olympia in Dublin - Warner Bros. 520872, 2009)
  128. Second Guessing (Live @ The Olympia, Dublin - 6/30-7/5/2007) (from Reckoning Live At The Olympia digital EP and Live At The Olympia in Dublin - Warner Bros. 520872, 2009)
  129. Pretty Persuasion (Live @ The Olympia, Dublin - 6/30-7/5/2007) (from Reckoning Live At The Olympia digital EP and Live At The Olympia in Dublin - Warner Bros. 520872, 2009)
  130. Nola-4/26/10 (B-side to "Oh My Heart" CD single - Warner Bros. 19808 (EU), 2011)
  131. That Someone is You (Live in Studio) (B-side to "Oh My Heart" CD single - Warner Bros. 19808 (EU), 2011)
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Mike Duquette

Mike Duquette (Founder) was fascinated with catalog music ever since he was a teenager. A 2009 graduate of Seton Hall University with a B.A. in journalism, Mike paired his profession with his passion through The Second Disc, one of the first sites to focus on all reissue labels great and small. His passion for reissues turned into a career, holding positions at Legacy Recordings and Rhino Records and contributing to Allmusic, Discogs, City Pages, Ultimate Classic Rock and Mondo Records, for whom he penned liner notes for his favorite piece of music: John Williams' Oscar-winning score to 'E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.' Born and raised in New Jersey, Mike lives in Astoria, Queens with his wife, a cat named Ravioli, twin daughters and a large yet tasteful collection of music.

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Comments

  1. wonder if tbhis has to be a complete buy or you can just pick what you want - and WHY is the live stuff not grouped together by date ? i know-im picky!!!

    Reply

  3. OK, come on - sets like this are geared to the obsessive collector sort like myself who DO still buy physical media and I'm not willing to spend $80 on a bunch of mp3 files. I've hoped for a decent REM rarities collection for years now and both IRS and Warner are putting them out digital only? I do hope these releases are just preamble to a lavish physical set at some point soon - I know there's still folks who will buy it.

    Reply

  5. Realistically, how many discs would this Warner set require? Amazon lists it as "45 discs" but that's only because they're divided like CD singles, with 3 or 4 tracks per disc max. I'm guessing maybe 8 discs?

    Reply

    • This is just guesswork on my part, but I bet Warner Bros./the band don't have the right kind of tape sources (or the efforts to locate them) for all of these tracks to re-transfer at 96/24 for the Mastered for iTunes/HD Tracks process.

      Ironically, these compilations came about as part of R.E.M. getting one of the new iTunes artist pages, which now offers MFiT versions of every studio release on I.R.S. and Warner Bros. (including Chronic Town, explaining its absence from the I.R.S. rarities set), the new Unplugged set and digital bundles of the complete I.R.S. and Warner albums. From what we've seen, there tends to be an exclusivity window on the MFiT scenario but I imagine you can expect to see these come to HDTracks and the like before too long.

      You can check the whole page at itunes.com/rem if'n that's your thing 🙂

      Reply

  9. Also at qobuz.com for EUR 68.29 in CD-quality FLAC as is the IRS collection at EUR 33.79. The website may block you from buying for geographical reasons but any UK user can get access by emailing their customer services.

    Reply

  10. Beware Orange Crush (Live) Disc 9 Track 3 is actually a repeat of Dark Globe Disc 2 Track 2. The same error occurs on the Google Play, Amazon and Qobuz websites.

    Reply

  11. Wonder if/when that Orange Crush (Live) goof will be corrected...

    The 1992 live version of Drive is repeated twice on this WB set: once (track 33) as part of the Strange Currencies CD single, and again (track 89) as grouped with the rare cuts previously included on 2003's In Time compilation. Despite the differences in discographical info, they're the same live cut.

    Waiting for someone to compile a list of what's missing from these "complete" sets.

    Reply

  13. More goofs:

    "Shiny Happy People (Hip Mix)" has silence instead of music from 0:27 to 0:48.

    Tracks 81 and 93 are both the same "original" version of "The Lifting", instead of one being the original and one being the demo, as marked.

    Reply

  14. Wow. How many goofs have been identified? I've lost track. Obviously they didn't proof all the tracks.

    Reply

  15. Looks like the "Shiny Happy People (Hip Mix)" (track 14) and "Orange Crush (Live)" (track 20) goofs, at least, have now been rectified in the iTunes and Amazon MP3 stores.

    Reply

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