R.E.M. R.E.M. at the BBC (8-CD + DVD)

In the U.S., R.E.M. came to attention in the early ‘80’s and developed a fanbase around the band’s relentless touring schedule and college radio airplay – a uniquely American network of local radio stations playing “alternative” music. The band’s emergence in Europe also stemmed around their live forays in England, France, the Netherlands and Germany starting in ’83. From this time, the BBC embraced the band – not only with airplay, but also with interviews, TV appearances and in-studio sessions. This strong bind between R.E.M. and the BBC continued throughout the band’s career and is celebrated here with an 8 CD/1 DVD compendium of those performances, featuring hours of previously unreleased materials culled from the BBC and band archives.

From their initial performance on The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1984 through multiple Top Of The Pops and Later… With Jools Holland appearances, as documented in the hour-long R.E.M. At The BBC: Accelerating Backwards film, only previously broadcast in the UK and available commercially for the first time on the DVD, in addition to bonus performances not included in the original program.

The audio is delineated first by in-session performances - from 1991’s Into The Night, to Peel Sessions, Public Peel Sessions, and through to the Radio 1 Live Lounge in 2008.

The live broadcasts begin with a rough and tumble show in 1984 at Nottingham’s Rock City where singer Michael Stipe is heard asking to borrow a pair of shoes from the audience to replace his broken ones and offers an apology for the U.S. re-electing President Reagan. The stunning 1995 return from a 6 year touring hiatus for the Monster Tour at The National Bowl at Milton Keynes is followed by a blistering headline performance at Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage in 1999 and rounded out with 2004’s intimate performance for 200 BBC-invited guests at London’s St. James’ Church.

The band’s history with the BBC is documented by Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe in their interview segments on the Accelerating Backwards film, but is further documented by BBC personalities who were also there and contributed their own memories of those performances and moments with the band in the liner notes, combined with a newly written overview of the BBC/R.E.M. connection by rock journalist Tom Doyle.