R.E.M. has released two live songs recorded on the band’s final tour. They’re being given away as a part of an annual fan club holiday special. Normally they would be releasing things such as Christmas tracks, unreleased material, and even in their earlier days, CD’s, DVD’s, Vinyl and a split single VHS tape with Radiohead.
This year the band will release two tracks from their final tour, possibly as a tribute to the band’s break-up earlier this year. The two tracks are Perfect Circle, from 30th August 2008 in London, and Life and How To Live It, from their final concert, on 18th November 2008.
You can hear the live tracks on Slicing Up Eyeballs.
R.E.M. officially announced an end back in September, after 15 albums and 31 years together. They first came together in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 and they released their first single Radio Free Europe in 1981 on Independent label Hib-Tone. Their most successful records were recorded in the early 90s when alternative rock hit the mainstream and R.E.M were viewed as a pioneer of the genre.
Their 40-song retrospective album was released not long after, covering the band’s years on both the IRS label (1982 to 1987) and Warner Bros. Records (1988 to 2011).
