R.E.M. Plotting Release of Fan Club Singles for Charity

2013-08-14

Story by Anne Erickson

R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck says the band plans to package some rare fan club singles for charity

R.E.M. fans upset that the band isn’t planning to record new music might find solace in the news that the classic alternative rockers are looking to release a collection of singles originally issued to members of their fan club between 1988 and 2011. Ex-guitarist Peter Buck states that he is putting together a plan to release the special tracks, which first appeared on a rare seven-inch vinyl around Christmas.

“Every year, R.E.M. put out a record…it was all material that had never been released anywhere else,” Buck told the BBC News. “There were like 24 of them, which makes about 50 songs. We’ll put them in a big box set for charity one day.”

The tracks aren’t the typical R.E.M. songs. Instead, the singles feature duets with Radiohead and Neil Young, as well as a collection of cover tracks, such as Television’s “See No Evil” and “Ghost Reindeers in the Sky.”

R.E.M. is expected to announce a release date for the compilation in the near future, but in the meantime, fans can buy vinyl versions of the singles via the website Eil.

R.E.M. called it quits in 2011, following a career that brought them massive chart success and hit songs such as “It’s the End of the World As We Know It,” “Everybody Hurts” and “Losing My Religion.”

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Anne Erickson

Meet the expert - Author, writer and editor Anne Erickson is a Detroit-based music reporter and radio host. She has written for the USA Today Network, Consequence.net, Blabbermouth.net, Loudwire.com and many more. Anne holds a master's degree from Michigan State University. Contact Anne at anne@audioinkradio.com.