REMTV

Yesterday, R.E.M. announced a massive new release for November this year: a 6 DVD-collection, compiled from the MTV (once known as Music Television) archives. The format seems somewhat outdated, but we have to keep in mind that the footage included was filmed for television broadcast, probably not shot on film, so the majority might not be HD anyway. When no longer active bands pull stuff from their vaults like this, it’s usually seen as an easy way to cash in (I deliberately avoided the term “to make a few bucks”), but I don’t think that applies here – no casual fan will buy a 6 disc collection, it’s clearly for the hardcore fans, collectors and completists. I’ll share some of my thoughts about the content below.