Peter, '94: "...so ideally, I'd like to do a really big record next time, maybe 18-20 songs. And make it noisy - I'm ready for that." Although the result wasn't 18 songs, New adventures in hi-fi is the longest R.E.M. record, and has the second largest number of songs on it, after Dead Letter Office. New adventures isn't as noisy as Monster, it's a cross between that record and Automatic for the people. During the Monster tour, R.E.M. wrote new songs, and played them during shows, and came up with other ones after the tour. New adventures in a much better album than Monster. It sounds much more raw and pure, although songs like The Wake Up Bomb and Departure would fit quite well on Monster. During this time, R.E.M. fired their manager, Jefferson Holt because he sexually harassed a girl fan after one show. Recordings took place in various locations, mainly in Seattle, Atlanta, and Orlando, although one song, Zither was recorded in a dressing room in Philadelphia. Patti Smith appears on the E-Bow the letter video, and as backing vocals of that song.
Songs:
how the west was won and where it got us, The wake up bomb, New test leper, Undertow, E-Bow the letter, Leave, Departure, Bittersweet me, Be mine, Binky the doormat, Zither, So fast so numb, Low desert, Electrolite.