It sounds like the magnetic tape masters were pretty degraded when this was transferred to digital. It's a pity it wasn't done sooner, but on the other hand, we're lucky it was done before the masters deteriorated any further.
My personal favorite R.E.M. album is a toss up between " Automatic for the People " & " New Adventures In Hi Fi " ... This band and their music are a permanent fixture in my life and have been since I was 16 and saw the video for " Losing My Religion " ... I thought Michael Stipe was the most gorgeous man I had ever layed my eyes on ... He's still gorgouse to this day ...
Thanks...I grew up w/ R.E.M, having discovered them on a new music show here in Michigan when I was 13....I have many memories of listening to Murmur late at night, a record that's stuck w/ me for a long time.
theres a killer version of romance on the carnival of sorts bootleg which btw is my fav rem bootleg its got the long version of stumble on it. it rocks!!
@newhat07 yeh dude i love all the early stuff. warner bros stuff is ok but IRS era is best 4 sure. yeh i agree seems quicker and more agressive. the instrumental segue into skank to stumble is genious!!
Having not liked " Monster " when it was first released, except for a few songs ... I find, for a 22 year old album ( God, I'm old ... ), that it's aged very well ... " Let Me In " is hauntingly beautiful ...
No...these were done by an in-house RCA producer, forgetting his name...I just put a clip of the recording you are talking about though...it finally surfaced.
They were forcing them to play to click tracks and drum machines and I'd heard years ago the band were horrified and totally pissed off. It just wasn't working, so they recruited Don and Mitch and what a good idea that was. Typical 80s record company boneheadedness, let's turn R.E.M. into Depeche Mode! Yeah baby!
Americas GREATEST Rock n Roll band!!!!!
The creators of what we call alternative rock today!
Romance sounds like a mix between early REM and The Replacements, loving this song!
This is the kind of stuff they should have included on the 'Murmur' deluxe reissue... talk about a missed opportunity!
Love this version of " Laughing " ...
I like it better than the album version.
These demos can be found on the Chronic Murmuring bootleg album.
Welcome to the REM that few know.
This is from a bootleg anyway, but the stereo to mono coversion on youtube definitely doesn't help either. I vote for a boxset to release this stuff.
They were wise to go with Don Dixon and Mitch Easter
Captures a special period in REMs career. Thanks for posting.
love how Michael holds the note on the end of the last line on each of the verses..so magical!
This music is strange, but its mad interesting. I can't stop listening. I'm not even sure if I like it or not.
It sounds like the magnetic tape masters were pretty degraded when this was transferred to digital. It's a pity it wasn't done sooner, but on the other hand, we're lucky it was done before the masters deteriorated any further.
My personal favorite R.E.M. album is a toss up between " Automatic for the People " & " New Adventures In Hi Fi " ... This band and their music are a permanent fixture in my life and have been since I was 16 and saw the video for " Losing My Religion " ... I thought Michael Stipe was the most gorgeous man I had ever layed my eyes on ... He's still gorgouse to this day ...
Amazing. What a gem.
Best version of Romance
Thanks...I grew up w/ R.E.M, having discovered them on a new music show here in Michigan when I was 13....I have many memories of listening to Murmur late at night, a record that's stuck w/ me for a long time.
Romance is my new favorite R.E.M song ever
theres a killer version of romance on the carnival of sorts bootleg which btw is my fav rem bootleg its got the long version of stumble on it. it rocks!!
The Carnival Of Sorts is my favorite bootleg, too! Stumble is my favorite!
My first was 'Out of Time' but my fave is 'Fables'
Fables gets my vote for #1 album too.
My top 3 REM albums are:
3) Fables
2) Automatic
1) Murmur
I bought a cassette bootleg copy of these demos around 1990 or so - still have it somewhere.
@newhat07 yeh dude i love all the early stuff. warner bros stuff is ok but IRS era is best 4 sure. yeh i agree seems quicker and more agressive. the instrumental segue into skank to stumble is genious!!
that's what we all said back in 81'-- you really should go chronologically.
boxset. boxset. boxset...hopefully.
Fantastic.
Having not liked " Monster " when it was first released, except for a few songs ... I find, for a 22 year old album ( God, I'm old ... ), that it's aged very well ... " Let Me In " is hauntingly beautiful ...
Strong stuff my friend. Endless thanks.
No...these were done by an in-house RCA producer, forgetting his name...I just put a clip of the recording you are talking about though...it finally surfaced.
*that's worth saving up for*
great,thanks chout!
@tfknouff
Yes...the documents I've seen say he did these.
People very generally prefer whatever REM album they heard first. Even if they heard Monster first.
I'd really like to know what the alternate lyrics are to Shaking Through... I can't understand hardly any of them.
Are these the recording done with the guy who produced New Order? They did'nt like it and ran to Mitch Easter who cleaned things up.
They were forcing them to play to click tracks and drum machines and I'd heard years ago the band were horrified and
totally pissed off. It just wasn't working, so they recruited Don and Mitch and what a good idea that was. Typical 80s
record company boneheadedness, let's turn R.E.M. into Depeche Mode! Yeah baby!
Where can you find/buy bootleg stuff? I've always wondered about that...
Where did you get your hands on this gem?
@Ken Vail So jealous of you.
All of these are really fast and the vocals seem a bit high. Is it because the tape was played too fast in the transfer to the bootleg?
Where can I buy this?