I wonder if some kind person could help me out.
I learned today that there is another version of 'Radio Free Europe' that I haven't heard.
According to the REM Timeline (
http://www.remtimeline.com/1980.html), it mentions the following for June 1981:
'The band return to Bombay Recording Studios with Johnny Hibbert. They bring with them the two versions of 'Radio Free Europe', the one mixed by Hibbert, and the other mixed by Easter, and use the studio to decide which one to put on the Hib-Tone Records single. Hibbert's mix wins and can be found on the original Hib-Tone Records single. Easter's mix can be found on the 'Eponymous' compilation album.'
So it looks like the version labelled as 'Hib-Tone Single' on 'Eponymous' and, subsequently, 'And I Feel Fine... (Deluxe)' / 'Complete Rarities', isn't actually the version that was on the original single.
Also, there's a comment here (
https://www.discogs.com/REM-Radio-Free-Europe/release/2706166) that states:
'Just to clear up a common miss understanding, the Eponymous version is the Mitch Easter mix. This version HT001 is the Johnny Hibbert mix.3.35. Only ever used on this single. The Band preferred the Mitch Easter mix. Johnny Hibbert owned the rights to the single so he pulled rank. The fact is REM would never use the JH mix again. The ME mix 3.46 appears on Eponymous and I Feel Fine, Best of IRS years.'
So it looks like there are 6 versions out there:
Demos (recorded with Mitch Easter)
1) Demo - Drive-In Studio, 15/04/81 (From 'Cassette Tape' bootleg) (3:40)
2) Demo (Radio Dub) - Drive-In Studio, 23/04/81 (From 'Cassette Tape' bootleg) (3:38)
Official Releases
3) Hib-Tone Single (Hibbert Mix - mixed 25/05/81) (Released on 'RFE' 7" (Hib-Tone HT 0001) (3:35) *****
4) "Hib-Tone Single" (Easter Mix - mixed 02-03/06/81) (Released on 'Eponymous' and subsequent compilations) (3:49)
5) Album (Released on 'Murmur) (4:06)
6) I.R.S. Single Edit (Released on 'RFE' 7" (I.R.S. IR-9916) (3:12)
So my question is, does anyone have a vinyl rip of the original Hip-Tone single (see ***** above)? If so, any chance of a copy?
I would love to hear a copy of this. Presumably this is the version the band loathed so much.