Jump to content

R.E.M. 1980-2011??


Recommended Posts

Hahaha! That is laughable. If you want to say that they wrote and recorded a pop song for their 7th studio album out of 15, fine. If you think that means that they "became a pop band", you're either a hyperbole merchant looking for a reaction or you know nothing of their final 8 albums. If R.E.M. "became a pop band", that would mean that at least a majority of their songs were "pop". Please name the pop songs that followed the release of "Out of time". In my opinion, it is debatable that "Shiny Happy People" is a pop song. Even if it is, it isn't "Smooth". 

 

If they became a "pop band", then their popularity, measured by album sales, would have increased. That was not the case. Maybe "Shiny Happy People" and "I'm Too Sexy" were twins sons of different mothers and R.E.M.'s later career mirrored Right Said Fred's with 7, 8 more albums, but never again attaining the heights of their pop masterpiece ? To say that you were done with R.E.M. after they released "Shiny Happy People" because they became a pop band, says more about you than it does R.E.M.

you win

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • Replies 444
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I've argued with my friends over this for years -- I think you can build a case for R.E.M. as the greatest American rock band ever.

I have a hard time concluding what it the "best" anything. But R.E.M. is certainly in the discussion, and makes my list of "greatest" American bands. Which may be a list of only 2 or 3.

 

I was a young lawyer working in downtown Boston when I first heard Radio Free Europe on the BC college radio station. Within a few days I went over to the Harvard Coop record store at 1 Federal Street (I was a frequent shopper there) and picked up Murmur. Still remember bringing it back to the office and another associate asked who they were and all I had to say was "Radio Free Europe" and he knew. I was hooked for sure. One of the best things for me about R.E.M. was that my wife shared the passion, to this day. So that's always nice. Same with Wilco. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

I have an original brick from the steeple of St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Athens where they played their first show. Happy 38th to my favorite all-time band (sorry, Wilco). 

A good friend of mine has a daughter at U.GA. and he travels down from Roanoke to Athens every now and again to visit her. He usually stops at the Murmur trestle to snap a pic and text it to me. Apparently it's next to one of his favorite restaurants.

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 4 months later...

Super cryptic message on their face book up for few minutes then dissapeared. Said coming soon and then an announcer kept saying over and over R.E.M.

 

Edit R.E.M. at the bbc ‍♂

I saw that too. Don't remember if I saw it on FB or Instagram. Very cryptic, but must mean a live release from some BBC performance is imminent. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

i don't usually spring for the expensive super deluxe stuff but i may have to make an exception for the 9 disc BBC set. looks outstanding. i've heard boots of most of the full shows involved but would be nice to have pro mastered versions. i miss REM! i saw wilco open for them once when wilco had summerteeth out. that was a great show by both bands!

Link to post
Share on other sites

i don't usually spring for the expensive super deluxe stuff but i may have to make an exception for the 9 disc BBC set. looks outstanding. i've heard boots of most of the full shows involved but would be nice to have pro mastered versions. i miss REM! i saw wilco open for them once when wilco had summerteeth out. that was a great show by both bands!

 

Saw a show during that Summertooth/Up tour, too, in St. Louis. 

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...
  • 4 months later...

https://www.bullmoose.com/p/29219529/bingo-hand-job-rem-live-at-the-borderline-1991-2xlp-rsd-2019-ltd-to-3500

 

R.E.M. Record Store Day release - Bingo Hand Job Live At The Borderline 1991. Lots of cool stuff this year.

 

Bingo Hand Job was the alias that they used in London for a show. Lol.

 

I'm not even into vinyl and I want a copy of this. And you're right - there are a lot of great offerings for this year's RSD.

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...

For anyone who's been listening to it, there's a new episode of R U Talkin' R.E.M. RE: ME? (the podcast hosted by Adam Scott and Scott Aukerman). Mike Mills is the guest and said he plans to release a solo album at some point.

 

https://www.earwolf.com/show/u-talkin-u2-to-me/

 
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...

I just got an email from R.E.M. HQ and it looks like we’ll be getting a 25th anniversary edition of Monster.

 

I watched the brilliant Under The Silver Lake last night and it featured 2 songs from Monster.

 

It also looks like Michael Stipe opened for Patti Smith in NYC. He performed new material. I’m guessing a solo record is inevitable.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

×
×
  • Create New...