While R.E.M. is busy promoting its forthcoming new album Collapse Into Now — due out next week — the band will continue its ongoing reissue series with the release later this year of an expanded 25th anniversary edition of 1986’s Lifes Rich Pageant.
Bassist Mike Mills confirmed plans for the reissue in an interview with Billboard, saying it will feature “a lot of demos, some of which I think are actually better than the songs on the record.” Neither a tracklist nor a release date has been announced for the reissue.
Last summer, the band released a 25th-anniversary edition of 1985’s Fables of the Reconstruction that includes a second disc with 14 previously unreleased demos; that set followed reissues of 1983’s Murmur and 1984’s Reckoning in 2008 and 2009, respectively.
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Video: R.E.M., ‘Mine Smell Like Honey’ played live at Berlin’s Hansa Tonstudios
- Stream: R.E.M., ‘Überlin’; plus, band says it won’t tour behind ‘Collapse Into Now’
- Stream: R.E.M., ‘Mine Smell Like Honey,’ fourth new track off ‘Collapse Into Now’
- Stream: R.E.M.’s ‘Oh My Heart,’ third new track off upcoming ‘Collapse Into Now’
- Stream: R.E.M.’s ‘It Happened Today,’ featuring Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder
- Free MP3: R.E.M.’s ‘Discoverer,’ first track off ‘Collapse Into Now’
Hopefully they will not just turn up the volume and brickwall the songs like they did on their last remaster.
I too hope the loudness wars won’t claim one of my favorite albums as a victim. This album sounded great the way it was, although I can’t wait to hear those demos :)
Artis:
Maxi is looking for you. He wants to make music or just grab a beer. Email him at: maxi at remixlab dot com