An R.E.M. Summer: The Imaginary 7"s - part 1

Yes! I'm back! Re-engergised, re-invigorated and, more importantly, re-inspired. The stint I've spent over at The (New) Vinyl Villain over the past 12 months has really fired me up, especially as it was spent writing articles about R.E.M., arguably the most important band in my lifetime. The responses I've had from JC's kind readers have played a large part in me deciding to resurrect Is This The Life?, even if for just a few months.

Despite the number of pieces I wrote, I feel I'm left with some unfinished business, so I'm going to indulge myself and, well, finish it right here over the summer months. There will be a short series re-imagining some of the band's albums at a later point, but first I'm going to cover a subject that came up a few times over at T(N)VV - that of the often neglectful choices of singles from R.E.M.'s 15 studio albums.

What I'm going to do here each Sunday is, in chronological order, offer up some thoughts of tracks that were not released as singles but perhaps should have been. I'll then state my final selection along with a b-side and some cover art. An Imaginary 7" if you like. Thanks JC! I'm going to TRY not to waffle on too much, but I can't make any promises. 

One simple rule I've invented: all A-Sides must be less than 4-minutes long, meaning I may need to perform a homemade radio edit or two. Don't vilify me, it makes it more interesting! To kick things off, the band's first two studio releases 'Chronic Town' and 'Murmur'.

#1: An Imaginary 7" from 'Chronic Town' (1982)

Firstly, you may wonder why I'm even bothering with choosing a single from a 5-track EP. It's practically a single anyway, right? Well, first off, 'Chronic Town' wasn't released in the UK until it was tacked onto the end of the 'Dead Letter Office' CD as bonus tracks in 1987. Two or three songs were put out as b-sides in 1983/4 but what if it had been different? What if the plan was to launch R.E.M. in the UK before they recorded their debut album? What if 'Chronic Town' was going to be put out over here and the label wanted a single to promote it?

Well, for me, there are two contenders and they are the opening tracks Wolves, Lower and Gardening At Night. Both stood out to me when I first heard them, particularly the latter. I love Stipe's quiet, reflective voice on Gardening At Night, he's really singing within himself even more than usual. I think that's why it wouldn't make a great single though - it was perhaps a little too understated for 80s radio, even for the underground stations who heralded R.E.M's arrival early on.

Therefore, it's got to be Wolves, Lower hasn't it? That wonderful chiming Rickenbacker in the intro, Stipe's soaring vocal just before the chorus (the bit that goes "In a corner garden / Wilder, lower wolves") which is perhaps the earliest sign of what he was capable of. Then there's Mike and Bill's "House in order" vocals displaying their natural chemistry which would provide some of the most brilliant harmonies of the 80s and 90s.

Talking of Bill Berry, aren't his drums amazing on this? He really gives the song a jittery, uneasy sort of feel during the verses, like a wolf's prey constantly being on its guard, reacting to every sound and being ready to make a run for it when the hunter pounces. There's more than an air of tension running throught the song, but I think Bill accentuates it wonderfully.

So, there it is - R.E.M. Imaginary 7" #1 is Wolves, Lower. There's a minor edit for running time purposes, but you'll barely notice it. Honest. Now, how about a b-side? From the first session recorded at John Keane's Drive-In Studio in North Carolina in October 1981 which would yield the songs that ended up on 'Chronic Town', here's an early version of Shaking Through. The quality here isn't quite so top notch - this recording was never mixed or mastered as it was never considered for 'Chronic Town' so this is the raw version straight from tape. It would be redone for the debut album during sessions in 1982/3.

An Imaginary R.E.M. 7" #1 'WOLVES, LOWER' (IREM7-01) A: Wolves, Lower [edit] B: Shaking Through [Drive-In demo] side A: from the EP 'Chronic Town' side B: previously unreleased (click sleeve art to enlarge)

There's also a video for Wolves, Lower which strengthens its case for a single release...

#2: An Imaginary 7" from 'Murmur' (1983)

The one problem with 'Murmur' is that it has so many potential singles on it. I have a shortlist of five, so let's start by dispensing with two of those for obvious reasons. Sitting Still was the b-side of the original Radio Free Europe single and sounds almost identical to the album version despite being re-recorded. Shaking Through was considered too, but I've just used a version as the b-side to Wolves, Lower, and it was also an actual b-side to the Talk About The Passion single in the UK, so it's ruled out on those grounds.

So that leaves me with three other possibilities. Catapult has obvious single credentials - a strong melody and a punchy chorus. Personally though, I get a little bored of it halfway through. Not every time, just sometimes, which sounds weird but it's true. Perfect Circle on the other hand is just gorgeous and a huge fan favourite. But perhaps contentiously, I'm going to go for Pilgrimage which is my personal favourite on 'Murmur'. I like the way it builds to the chorus with Stipe's ascending vocal: "The pilgrimage has gained momentum." Then that triple-vocal attack in the chorus with Stipe, Mills and Berry playing off each other effortlessly like they'd been doing it for 30 years rather than less than 3. A brilliant song from one of the greatest debut albums of all time. Is there anyone who doesn't like 'Murmur'? 

For the b-side, an early version of Romance. Tried out for 'Murmur' and a part of the band's live sets for a good couple of years by this point, it never made the cut. Years later, a new version popped up on some second-rate movie soundtrack and, subsequently, on the 'Eponymous' compilation. This is the version recorded during the original album sessions and has never been officially released. You'll recognise the abandoned railway trestle on the artwork. It's also shown on the back of the 'Murmur' LP and is a must-visit landmark for anyone on an R.E.M. pilgrimage to Athens, GA.

An Imaginary R.E.M. 7" #2 'PILGRIMAGE' (IREM7-02) A: Pilgrimage [edit] B: Romance (outtake from 'Murmur' sessions) side A: from the album 'Murmur' side B: previously unreleased (click sleeve art to enlarge)

Next week, imaginary singles from 'Reckoning' and 'Fables'. Make your suggestions below!