The band has shared a live performance of “The Great Beyond,” previewing The Black Sessions Revealed, a 17-song live recording arriving November 20 as part of the band’s Reveal (25th Anniversary Edition). Recorded for Radio France in Paris on May 7, 2001, the performance revisits one of R.E.M.’s biggest international hits, originally released on the soundtrack to the 1999 film Man on the Moon.
Written for the Miloš Forman-directed film starring Jim Carrey as comedian Andy Kaufman, “The Great Beyond” reached No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming R.E.M.’s highest-charting single in the country. The song also revisited the subject of Kaufman, whom the band had referenced in their 1992 hit “Man on the Moon.” In a 1999 MTV interview, Michael Stipe recalled that Forman had requested a companion to the earlier song. “‘The Great Beyond,’ in a way, is about someone who’s trying to achieve the impossible,” he explained.
Unlike most R.E.M. albums, Reveal was not followed by a traditional tour. Instead, the band played a handful of promotional performances, making The Black Sessions a rare live document of the era. Joined by guitarist Scott McCaughey, keyboardist Ken Stringfellow and drummer Joey Waronker, Michael Stipe, Peter Buck and Mike Mills performed songs from Reveal alongside classics including “Losing My Religion,” “What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?,” “The One I Love” and “Man on the Moon.”
“The Great Beyond” follows the previously released live performance of “Imitation of Life,” which launched the anniversary campaign in September.
Arriving November 20 via Craft Recordings, Reveal (25th Anniversary Edition) celebrates 25 years of R.E.M.’s 12th studio album. Originally released in May 2001, Reveal blended expansive pop melodies with layered guitars, keyboards and electronic textures. Featuring “Imitation of Life,” “All the Way to Reno (You’re Gonna Be a Star)” and “I’ll Take the Rain,” the album reached No. 1 in the UK and No. 6 on the Billboard 200.
Available as a deluxe 2-CD/Blu-ray set and expanded digital edition, the release pairs the original 12-track album with the previously unreleased Black Sessions performance. The collection features new liner notes by journalist Birgit Fuss, including reflections from Stipe, Buck and Mills. The Blu-ray includes high-resolution audio and 5.1 surround sound, the album’s three official music videos and original EPK.
The Black Sessions Revealed also arrives as a standalone 2-LP set, bringing the performance to vinyl for the first time. Exclusive Neon Orange vinyl of the original Reveal album and Neon Pink vinyl of The Black Sessions Revealed are available at REMHQ.com, alongside new anniversary merchandise.
Click here to pre-order/pre-save Reveal (25th Anniversary Edition) and The Black Sessions Revealed.