Radio Free Europe: R.E.M. To Release New Multi-Disc Box Set ‘R.E.M. At The BBC’

R.E.M. grew up with the BBC, and this historic relationship is celebrated across an incredible collection that beautifully illustrates the career trajectory of one of modern music’s greatest bands. Entitled R.E.M. At The BBC, The collection—available as a super-deluxe edition 8-CD/1-DVD box set, as well as 2-CD, 2-LP and digital formats—comprises a treasure trove of rare and unreleased live and studio recordings culled from the BBC and band archives and is released by Craft Recordings on 19 October.

In-studio performances featured in the 8-CD/1-DVD box set include a John Peel Session (1998), Drivetime and Mark and Lard appearances (2003) and a glorious Radio 1 Live Lounge performance (2008). Live broadcasts include a rough-and-tumble show from Nottingham’s Rock City (1984), the 1995 Milton Keynes Monster Tour (their first after a six-year break), a blistering 1999 Glastonbury headline set and an invitation-only 2004 show at London’s St James’s Church.

The DVD kicks off with a sixty-minute intimate retrospective of the band’s legendary performances at the BBC in the Accelerating Backwards film – previously broadcast only in the UK and available commercially for the first time here.  Accelerating Backwards also includes revealing interviews with Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe, further testifying to R.E.M.’s long, special relationship with the BBC.  The DVD also offers a complete 1998 Later….With Jools Holland episode uniquely dedicated to the band, plus TV appearances on Top of the Pops and more.

The package liner notes add yet more behind-the-scenes insight to this definitive retrospective collection. Assorted BBC personalities reminiscence about what it was like to work with R.E.M both on stage and off. Respected BBC DJ/Presenter Jo Whiley recalls, “Their Glastonbury performance in 1999 was a dazzling moment: the band storming through an all-killer, no-filler setlist. As a headline performance, it was a triumph and, for me, it’s up there as one of the Glastonbury greats.”  Of a 2001 Top of the Pops performance, BBC Producer Mark Hagen muses, “”Michael once told me that he hears in colors and it was one of those nights when you felt that you could reach out and touch the music as it flowed through the air, a glorious rolling cloud of green. Just like a kudzu vine in a dream.”  Acclaimed rock journalist Tom Doyle also provides an overview of the entire thirty-year period.

In addition to the comprehensive box set, The Best of R.E.M. at the BBC is also available via 2-CD and 2-LP formats. The Best of collection offers a selection of in-studio performance and live broadcast highlights. R.E.M. At the BBC will also be available to stream or download, with the digital album offering mirroring discs 1 to 8 from the box set.

R.E.M. At The BBC is out on 19 October. Scroll down to read the full tracklist and buy it here.

R.E.M. at the BBC (8-CD/1-DVD) Track Listing:
Disc 1 – Sessions
Into The Night, BBC Radio 1, 13 March 1991
‘World Leader Pretend’
‘Fretless’
‘Half A World Away’
‘Radio Song’
‘Losing My Religion’
‘Love Is All Around’
John Peel Studio Session, 25 October 1998
‘Walk Unafraid’
‘Daysleeper’
‘Lotus’
‘At My Most Beautiful’
Mark and Lard, BBC Radio 1, 15 October 2003
‘Bad Day’
‘Orange Crush’
Drivetime, BBC Radio 2, 15 October 2003
‘Man On The Moon’
‘Imitation Of Life’
Radio 1 Live Lounge, 26 March 2008
‘Supernatural Superserious’
‘Munich’

Disc 2 – Sessions
BBC Radio 1 Session, 25 October 1998
‘Introduction’
‘Losing My Religion’
‘New Test Leper’
‘Lotus’
‘Parakeet’
‘Electrolite’
‘Perfect Circle’
‘The Apologist’
‘Daysleeper’
‘Country Feedback’
‘At My Most Beautiful’
‘Walk Unafraid’
‘Man On The Moon’

Disc 3 – Live Broadcasts
Rock City, Nottingham, 21 November 1984
‘Second Guessing’
‘Hyena’
‘Talk About The Passion’
‘West Of The Fields’
‘(Don’t Go Back To) Rockville’
‘Auctioneer (Another Engine)’
‘So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)’
‘Old Man Kensey’
‘Gardening At Night’
‘9-9/Hey Diddle Diddle/Feeling Gravity’s Pull’
‘Windout 1:49’
‘Driver 8 3:25’
‘Pretty Persuasion’
‘Radio Free Europe’
‘Wendell Gee’
‘Carnival Of Sorts (Boxcars)’

Disc 4  – Live Broadcasts
Milton Keynes, 30 July 1995
‘What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?’
‘Crush With Eyeliner’
‘Drive 3:51’
‘Turn You Inside Out’
‘Try Not To Breathe’
‘I Took Your Name’
‘Undertow’
‘Bang And Blame’
‘I Don’t Sleep I Dream’
‘Strange Currencies’
‘Revolution’
‘Tongue’

Disc 5  – Live Broadcasts
Milton Keynes, 30 July 1995
‘Man On The Moon’
‘Country Feedback’
‘Half A World Away’
‘Losing My Religion’
‘Pop Song 89’
‘Finest Worksong’
‘Get Up’
‘Star 69’
‘Let Me In’
‘Everybody Hurts’
‘Fall On Me’
‘Departure’
‘It’s the End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)’

Disc 6 (43:05) – Live Broadcasts
Pyramid Stage Glastonbury Festival, 25 June 1999
‘Lotus’
‘What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?’
‘So Fast, So Numb’
‘The Apologist’
‘Fall On Me’
‘Daysleeper’
‘The Wake-Up Bomb’
‘The One I Love’
‘Sweetness Follows’
‘At My Most Beautiful’

Disc 7  – Live Broadcasts
Pyramid Stage Glastonbury Festival, 25 June 1999
‘Losing My Religion’
‘Everybody Hurts’
‘Walk Unafraid’
‘Star 69’
‘Finest Worksong’
‘Man On The Moon’
‘Why Not Smile’
‘Crush With Eyeliner’
‘Tongue’
‘Cuyahoga’
‘Its the End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)’

Disc 8 – Live Broadcasts
St. James’ Church, London Radio 2, 15 September 2004
‘Intro’
‘So Fast, So Numb’
‘Boy In The Well’
‘I Wanted To Be Wrong’
‘E-Bow The Letter’ (with Thom Yorke)
‘Around The Sun’
‘Aftermath’
‘Losing My Religion’
‘Walk Unafraid’
‘Leaving New York’
‘Imitation Of Life’
‘Man On The Moon’

Disc 9 – Television Broadcasts
Accelerating Backwards
‘Moon River’
‘Pretty Persuasion’
‘Pop Song 89’
‘Orange Crush’
‘Losing My Religion’
‘Half A World Away’
‘Crush With Eyeliner’
‘Man On The Moon’
‘Daysleeper’
‘Imitation Of Life’
‘So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)’
‘All The Way To Reno (You’re Gonna Be A Star)’
‘Leaving New York’

Later… with Jools Holland Presents R.E.M.
‘Intro’
‘Losing My Religion’
‘Lotus’
‘New Test Leper’
‘Daysleeper’
‘Electrolite’
‘At My Most Beautiful’
‘The Apologist’
‘Country Feedback’
‘Parakeet’
‘So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)’
‘Walk Unafraid’
‘Man On The Moon’
‘The Passenger’

Bonus Videos:
‘I’ve Been High’
‘Nightswimming’
‘Bad Day’

Format: UK English