I've been listening to the deluxe edition of "Out of Time" this week and although I found it pretty enjoyable, the live set was pretty much a repeat of "Unplugged" and the demos were fun but a little more finished than I thought they would be - a few of them were pretty much just the instrumental versions (or close). The book is pretty nice. Overall it's a good release and glad I picked it up, but it got me to thinking about "Automatic For The People". I'm wondering if this one is up for special treatment too. The album is certainly as good if not better and there are apparently some demos floating around of this release as well. Were any live shows played at all? These two albums were an amazing one-two punch from this band - not sure they ever reached this level again afterwards - just my two cents LOL. They released a small boxed set of Automatic in 1993 for Europe only - does that kill chances for a bigger and better release?
Not a bad collection, but the demos were quite similar to the released masters, just inferior versions. Pete Buck said that generally R.E.M recorded 12-14 finished songs and there isn' t much other different in the vaults.
One thing I enjoy about the demo outtakes on the latest anniversary reissues is that some are the takes used in the album versions of the songs. You clearly hear where Michael has punched-in the vocals in the final version. Makes for an interesting listen... I hope a "25th anniversary" AFTP features cool outtakes. And, somehow, I would hope they could remaster for 24/192 from the original source master. The available 24/48 is okay, but my original cassette, purchased in 1992, is the best I've heard the album to date. Haven't had a chance to listen to the original vinyl release yet. A nice, laid-back mastering at the highest-resolution would be a sweet treat to behold.
I don't have the Out Of Time set but I loved the demos when they were unofficial. Gave me a new appreciation of the album. I also taped the Mountain Stage broadcast so I'd like to have that too. I was always disappointed that they didn't tour behind two of their best albums.
i believe that you expect xx anniversary reissues for a few years to come. it's easy, you don't have write anything new, you don't have to go into the studio to record, and all you have to do is find a couple of old tapes and put some unfinished songs on there and call them "demo's". or you can add a concert that you have on tape that has been bootlegged umpteen times and call it an "anniversary edition" it's easy money. and as long people keep buying them, they will keep making them.
I just think this reissue program started with the poorest choice to reissue with Out Of Time. Unplugged was their last release and as others have said, the live show released with OFT is to similar to the MTV unplugged. They should have started with Murmur.
All of these will be re-released as they have been since 2008. Honestly, I'm not too excited for this one since I just know they'll use the 40 Watt show that has been released on b-sides before. They did Murmur already - https://www.amazon.com/Murmur-CD-Deluxe-R-M/dp/B001H5HWSU
They've done 25th anniversary reissues of all their albums starting with Murmur. Out Of Time is just the latest one not the first one
I would think that the 25th anniversary set of AFTP would include the full Greenpeace benefit show from the 40 Watt Club that was partially released on the Monster CD singles. Especially since it's the only show from that era.
Well, judging by sales (it's sold out almost everywhere) there is a lot of interest in these deluxe sets. I had to order mine from Amazon Canada. Can someone shed some light on the "40 Watt" show mentioned above? I have a few of those B-sides - has the entire show been released in pieces?
the key to these releases is the hook....... what do we have that our fans don't have, and that they want (very important) that we can give them to entice them to buy it. first - unreleased songs are usually the best way, hell, it made us buy best of's back in the day just to get the 1 or 2 new songs. second are the infamous demos....these are usually just songs on the album that were working pieces while on the way to a finished product....jimmy page has become the master of these. third are the live shows....most fans have seen the artist live, but don't have a concert of them (unless of course they have a live album, but so what. this is, far and away, the easiest route to take. no work whatsoever, master a live show you have on a tape o at home, add a second disc and make it an anniversary deluxe edition. and fourth - the super duper extra deluxe magnificent version - package all of the above into one thing, include both CD's and vinyl, and charge an arm and a leg.....and you (or your secretary) can even autograph the first 1000 or so copies and get even more money for it.
I haven't read the direct thread on the 25th Out of Time. But I owned the first four REM deluxe (reckoning, murmur, etc). I found them to be loud, compressed, and eventually sold them all. Is the 25th Out of Time the same?
They haven't released it as one full show but every track from the show (with the exception of "Love is All Around", I believe) was released across the b-sides for the Monster singles.
It's weird nowadays to think that back in those days if your albums were great sellers like those were, you could actually forego touring and be able to live off the album sales. Definitely not the case nowadays that's for sure.
Im not buying any more REM vinyl reissues until they start cutting from tape. Chris Bellman is the way to go for these but give him the tapes and then we're in business. If Rhino can regularly do it, then why cant Universal Music do it?
That's neither here nor there, IMO. In order to keep consistency with the 25 year releases, they had to have some release to fill the 3 year break between Green and Out of Time. Unplugged and the MTV documentary worked perfectly.
You give Jimmy Page too much credit. Rather than releasing demos- an earlier version of the song recorded quickly with minimal overdubs to give a future producer an idea of where they want go when they record it "for real" - he released working mixes - the very same recording as the finished product just prior to the final mix. That said i find the out of time demos extremely boring. Very similar to the final recordings, and in the case of country feedback, the same bed track. I've listened to this set twice and don't expect to revisit it.
I have this in a wooden box promo thingy, with all those pictures. Love the album, and would welcome such a set without hesitation.
Since 25th Anniversary Out of Time was mastered from a digital source, what are the odds of this release getting mastered directly from the analog tape? I certainly hope so, but I'm not holding my breath. The press release vaguely mentions "analog tapes"...but we all know that without a detailed description, they are referring to a digital transfer from the original tape. Not good enough. The Out of Time 25th Anniversary is brickwalled. Your original vinyl or CD is the way to go. The demo tracks are nice to hear...but they are brickwalled, too. R.E.M. had a chance to reissue everything in glorious analog...but we're only getting brickwalled stuff. I've loved the band since I first heard them in 1985, as a 13-year old. I love hearing demos an unreleased stuff. But, it just doesn't make sense that one of the highest-selling and richest bands on the planet wouldn't spend a few extra bucks to do all-analog transfers. At the very least, they should keep the DR the very same as the originals, which they have NOT done with their reissues so far (CDs, at least...). This is frustrating - but my originals are always ready to be placed on my TT.
The Concord deal means there will be deluxe reissues of just about everything in the Warners era(Around The Sun box set anyone?). If they keep up the 25th anniversary timetable it will be interesting to see what they use to fill the 2 year gap between Automatic and Monster.Maybe that's when we will get a physical release of b sides/fan club releases similar to the iTunes collection of same. Surprised to see it has apparently sold well as it is very overpriced for the amount of content.See the Jethro Tull sets as a point of comparison.
Completely agree with you there. I didn't get the CD/Blu-Ray set on release but ended up picking it up for £22 on Amazon UK. Far more reasonable at that amount.