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 a new six-DVD set, REMTV, that includes live performances, award show highlights, and television appearances, as well as a new documentary about the band and network’s mutual history. REMTV will be available on November 24.
“It occurred to us that there’s all this footage of some of the band’s absolute career highlights sitting in some MTV vaults in London and New York– and thanks to a lot of effort and digging and arranging, this is our chance to share that music with various generations of R.E.M. fans in a pretty unique release,” said longtime manager Bertis Downs. “And Alexander Young’s documentary is a fine way to tell the story of R.E.M. through its various twists and turns, as captured in real time by MTV’s cameras– it has some great funny bits too!”
“This is the first DVD project to unite material from all across Viacom’s networks,” said Bill Flanagan, EVP of the Viacom Music Group. “Not only are we drawing from the vaults of MTV — domestic and international — but from VH1, Comedy Central, and Nickelodeon. I don’t think anyone realized just how much terrific R.E.M. footage we were sitting on. To gather the best of it in one collection is pretty overwhelming. R.E.M. started great, stayed great and ended great — here’s the evidence.”
Disc One combines R.E.M.’s first and second performances on MTV Unplugged, along with the outtakes that debuted earlier this year on the audio release, Unplugged: The Complete 1991 And 2001 Sessions. Disc Two opens with the band’s 1998 VH1 Storytellers performance, including two songs–“New Test Leper” and “(Don’t Go Back to) Rockville”–previously unaired. Performances from various MTV award shows through the years, as well as the band’s 2007 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame round out the second disc. Two vintage performances from 1983 and 1984 are not to be missed: the first one captures the band on Livewire performing “So. Central Rain” and “Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)” from 1983, while the next clip showcases five songs from The Cutting Edge in 1984, including a rare cover of Brownsville Station’s “Smokin’ in the Boys Room.”
The next three discs present a trove of rare live performances recorded between 1995 and 2008 in countries around the world. Of the 99 songs that are spread across these three discs, nearly half are unique song titles, offering a deep exploration of the band’s live legacy. Especially noteworthy are two massive free concerts filmed for broadcast: Live In Cologne (5/12/01) and R.E.M. Live In Athens, Greece (10/5/08). More than a dozen songs from those shows did not air during the original broadcasts. Both concerts appear here in their entirety for the first time.
(Check out this clip of “What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?,” from Cologne, Germany, (5/12/2001). Fans will recall “What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?” was the first single and video from Monster: watch here!)
Undoubtedly, the heart of this superb collection is the new feature-length documentary, “R.E.M. By MTV,” included on the final disc. Drawing exclusively on archival events, the film traces R.E.M. and MTV in real time, which makes it feel as exciting and immediate as it did when it was happening. “All the energy and momentum of both the band and the network come roaring through,” writes Anthony DeCurtis in the set’s liner notes.
R.E.M. By MTV will also premiere simultaneously on VH1 Classic and Palladia later in November, marking its first television run in the United States. Additional information about air dates will be announced on remhq.com and R.E.M. social channels, so please stay tuned.
Special bonus: if you pre-order REMTV from the remhq.com store you will receive a code that enables you to download the 2003 MTV Sonic Show in Milan, Italy (mono recording) — Not Included in the REMTV package. Vist store.remhq for more information on how to order!
REMTV Includes:
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