Remember when R.E.M. was one of the most talented groups in the world instead of an unfortunate, past-the-expiry-date parody of itself? Those were good times werent they? Well soon youll be able to kick reality to the proverbial curb, and relive those heady days of optimism over and over again. And I Feel Fine an anthology of R.E.M.s pre-major label stint on I.R.S. records will see release September 12 via EMI. The band will also release a DVD When The Light Is Mine composed of music videos and TV performances.
There will be two versions of the release: a single disc greatest hits sort of deal, and a two-disc set that includes rarities, live tracks and previously unreleased material. R.E.M.s manager, Bertis Downs had the following to say regarding the release:
This will be a noteworthy package of R.E.M.s early years, which a lot of people dont know very well. The guys themselves picked the songs to be included and sequenced the records, had some fun with the liner notes, and Michael and Chris coordinated on a lot of key aspects of the package.
Heres the tracklistings:
And I Feel Fine...The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987
Begin the Begin
02. Radio Free Europe
03. Pretty Persuasion
04. Talk About the Passion
05. (Don't Go Back to) Rockville
06. Sitting Still
07. Gardening at Night
08. 7 Chinese Bros.
09. So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)
10.Driver 8
11.Can't Get There From Here
12.Finest Worksong
13.Feeling Gravity's Pull
14.I Believe
15.Life and How To Live It
16.Cuyahoga
17.The One I Love
18.Welcome To the Occupation
19.Fall On Me
20.Perfect Circle
21.It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
Rarities Disc:
01.Pilgrimage (Mike's pick)
02. These Days (Bill's pick)
03. Gardening at Night (slower electric demo; previously unreleased)
04. Radio Free Europe (Hib-tone version)
05. Sitting Still (Hib-tone version)
06. Life and How to Live It (Live at the Muziekcentrum, Utrecht, Holland 9/14/87; previously unreleased)
07. Ages of You (Live at the Paradise, Boston 7/13/83; previously unreleased)
08. We Walk (Live at the Paradise, Boston 7/13/83; previously unreleased)
09. 1,000,000 (Live at the Paradise, Boston 7/13/83; previously unreleased)
10.Finest Worksong (other mix)
11.Hyena (demo; previously unreleased)
12.Theme From Two Steps Onward (previously unreleased)
13.Superman
14.All the Right Friends (previously unreleased)
15.Mystery to Me (demo; previously unreleased)
16.Just A Touch (live in-studio version; previously unreleased)
17.Bad Day (session outtake; previously unreleased)
18.King of Birds (last song cut from the Best Of)
19.Swan Swan H (live, acoustic from Athens,GA-Inside/Out)
20.Disturbance at the Heron House (Peter's pick)
21.Time After Time (annElise) (Michael's pick)
When The Light Is MineThe Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987 Video Collection
01. Wolves, Lower
02. Radio Free Europe
03. Talk About the Passion
04. Radio Free Europe (Live, The Tube, 11/18/83)
05. Talk About the Passion (Live, The Tube, 11/18/83)
06. So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)
07. James Herbert's "Left of Reckoning" (20-minute film)
08. Pretty Persuasion (Live, The Old Grey Whistle Test, 11/20/84)
09. Can't Get There From Here
10.Driver 8
11.Life and How To Live It
12.Feeling Gravity's Pull
13.Can't Get There From Here (Live, The Tube, 10/25/85)
14.Fall On Me
15.Swan Swan H (Athens, GA-Inside/Out)
16.The One I Love
17.It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
18.Finest Worksong
DVD extras include rare interview footage and acoustic performances.
Prefix Review: R.E.M. [Out of Time (reissue)]
