R.E.M. 1980-2011??

[dtram]

My pleasure, let me know if there are issues.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Thanks!

[remphish1]

Thanks!! Will try these soon!

[jakobnicholas]

Rolling Stone is streaming a new R.E.M. song to be on their hits package Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth. The song is called "We All Go Back To Where We Belong".

 

It sounds like it was written to be the last song recorded by the group. Really beautiful, I think.

 

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/exclusive-stream-r-e-m-s-final-single-we-all-go-back-to-where-we-belong-20111018

[Kim Bodnia]

I have listened to this twice, it really is a great track.

 

A few remarks though,

 

* It is reminiscent of "Marlon Brando" and "On the fly". I just can't stop thinking of the song Marlon Brando when I listen to this.

 

* The guitar in the background keeps reminding me of another R.E.M. song, which I can't figure right now what it is, I guess I'll find it later.

 

* This song is so much better than UBerlin. Had this song been included in Collapse into Now, my impressions of that album would have been completely different, oscilating from disapproval to praise.

 

* Last but not least, this is a ballad. I hope the two other remaining songs, or at least one of them, is a rocker. To be honest, R.E.M. has had its fair share of slow songs and slow albums, I think they are at the top of their game when they rock with stuff like Living well is the best revenge, All the best, I believe, These Days, So fast so numb...

[auctioneer69]

This is great and new - Neil Young and REM doing "Country Feedback" from the Bridge Benefit Show in 1988

 

http://www.spin.com/articles/exclusive-watch-rems-country-feedback-neil-young-1998-bridge-school-benefit

[blureu]

"Song of the week" series:

 

http://remhq.com/news_story.php?id=1464

 

Today marks the start of our "Song of the Week" series in which, over the course of the next five weeks, we will focus on one of the band's most-beloved songs from R.E.M.--Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage, 1982-2011, R.E.M.'s greatest hits package due out on November 15th.

 

Beginning with today's song, "The One I Love,"....

[jimtweedy1977]

I'd rather have seen them do that than another greatest hits set.

Looks like they're mostly sticking to the singles for their Greatest Hits, compilation, which makes sense. But I'm still a bit surprised that "Bang and Blame" and "Daysleeper" didn't make the cut but non-singles "Alligator..." and "Sitting Still" made it. And do FOUR songs from Collapse Into Now belong on that thing, but only one song each from Monster and Up? Overall I'm pleased with the compilation and will buy it as soon as it's available. I'm a REM completist, and I've just gotta have those three new songs. Even if there were no new tunes I'd still buy the damn thing.

 

By the way, I came up with my own 40-song compilation a few days ago, and I was picking songs for what I thought would be a mix of singles, most recognizable songs, and just-too-damn-good-to-be-left-off-any-retrospective-compilation tracks. There's about 50% overlap. It's mind-boggling how many great songs these guys have written.

 

Add my name to the list of folks craving a REM rarities box set.

[jimtweedy1977]

That version originally appeared as the fanclub single in 1998 (?). I still have my copy of the single. On the b-side, was R.E.M. performing 'Ambulance Blues' during Neil's set.

This is great and new - Neil Young and REM doing "Country Feedback" from the Bridge Benefit Show in 1988

 

http://www.spin.com/articles/exclusive-watch-rems-country-feedback-neil-young-1998-bridge-school-benefit

[jimtweedy1977]

That version originally appeared as the fanclub single in 1998 (?). I still have my copy of the single. On the b-side, was R.E.M. performing 'Ambulance Blues' during Neil's set.

This is great and new - Neil Young and REM doing "Country Feedback" from the Bridge Benefit Show in 1988

 

http://www.spin.com/articles/exclusive-watch-rems-country-feedback-neil-young-1998-bridge-school-benefit

[blureu]

Can anyone recommend a decent sounding bootleg from the Pageant tour? I heard the shows from that tour are a must hear.

[Kim Bodnia]

Still finding hard to get onto other music after R.E.M.'s disappearance. There's a few good songs here and there by other bands, but nothing to make me revisit (buy) an entire discography, nor I personally identify with other musicians.

[remphish1]

I don't know if I belive him..I think 5 yrs or so...

 

http://www.nme.com/news/various-artists/60186

[Kim Bodnia]

I don't know if I belive him..I think 5 yrs or so...

 

http://www.nme.com/n...s-artists/60186

 

I agree with your comment.

 

When I was watching that BBC interview yesterday, and when Michael Stipe said "it's over", I was angry, angry at these people because, as you have said, who knows what they'd be saying five years from now.

 

I was angry the day they split, they have disappointed me for the last time. And they just keep telling lies and going on with this masquerade, I used to believe they were the only authentic and honest band.

[Sir Stewart]

So, it's 1) "who knows" what they'll be saying in five years, and 2) there's no way they could be saying "we're still broken up" in five years.

[remphish1]

So, it's 1) "who knows" what they'll be saying in five years, and 2) there's no way they could be saying "we're still broken up" in five years.

 

I just take things Stipe says with a grain of salt. He always said the band would break up if the 4 of them weren't together...he has also made some other album related and touring comments where he didn't follow through either. They weren't supposed to tour behind Up and they did a year long tour for that album!

[dtram]

I agree with your comment.

 

When I was watching that BBC interview yesterday, and when Michael Stipe said "it's over", I was angry, angry at these people because, as you have said, who knows what they'd be saying five years from now.

 

I was angry the day they split, they have disappointed me for the last time. And they just keep telling lies and going on with this masquerade, I used to believe they were the only authentic and honest band.

 

Why are you angry and why are you saying it's a masquerade? They made 15 1/2 records, have close to 250 officially released non album tracks and have God knows how many great sounding shows easily available. Out of those 15 1/2 records, imo, 14 1/2 are at least really good. What more do you want? They have become, through some fault of their own and just natural change, irrelevant in the pop music landscape. They could be (insert dinosaur act here) trotting the hits around the world in sheds and festivals every summer but they chose to go out on their own terms.

 

I just take things Stipe says with a grain of salt. He always said the band would break up if the 4 of them weren't together...he has also made some other album related and touring comments where he didn't follow through either. They weren't supposed to tour behind Up and they did a year long tour for that album!

 

I agree that they have said many things over the years that they ended up contradicting. I'm not sure why they are so adamant about never reuniting but maybe they are serious, who knows? I'd love to see them again but I am comfortable about the way they went out.

 

BTW, the UP tour was 3 months, not a year. They were supposed to tour UP but after the recording of it almost broke them up, the scrapped it. After doing the promo shows in Europe and having so much fun, they changed their minds and did the small tour the next summer, pretty amazing one IMO. One of the coolest stage sets I've seen.

[Kim Bodnia]

I would have wanted them to tour behind Collapse into Now. They didn't want to. I'm angry because they didn't tour, they denied me the chance to see them in concert. That's what a band does, they put records out to market, they play live shows (look at Wilco touring Europe today).

 

Of course they kept mentioning various reasons why they didn't tour but the fact remains they didn't tour. And I'm not talking of a grandiose tour, it could have been only a few dates here and there, I would have travelled just to see them.

 

The three of them were rarely seen together during the year. They appeared in those Hansa studio sessions and in photo sessions with Anton Corbjin, but the band as a unit, I don't remember seeing the three of them together in television, like they did for Accelerate. Which makes me think that they were technically separated long before that September 21st announcement.

 

(And I'm angry because various people linked to R.E.M., in the months previous to the disbandment, kept saying that they wouldn't split).

 

Of course they leave behind an enormous musical legacy, no discussion there. But it's hard for me to assimilate the fact that the band doesn't exist anymore, that they won't tour ever again, that the excitement of a new upcoming album is over.

 

Probably I am being selfish ("I couldn't see them in concert") and things didn't turn out the way I would have wanted. But I admired (admire?) them and looked up to them as examples. There are days when I say to myself: "I'm done with these guys, no more listening to their music", while there are other days when I'm still proud of them and revisit my favourite records and songs. On some other occasions I tell to myself that I shouldn't get this passionate about a band, not ever again. As with other things in life, only time will tell.

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

This week, I was able to pick up Reckoning, Life's Rich Pagent, Automatic for the People, and Out of time for a grand total of $4.80.

 

Sweet

[Kim Bodnia]

were those mint condition?

[remphish1]

This week, I was able to pick up Reckoning, Life's Rich Pagent, Automatic for the People, and Out of time for a grand total of $4.80.

 

Sweet

Nice..I bought a friend once the whole rem collect on cds...it cost me $40 after shipping!....REM cds are always cheap used....wish some other bands I am trying to complete had cheaper used cd prices!

[dtram]

I would have wanted them to tour behind Collapse into Now. They didn't want to. I'm angry because they didn't tour, they denied me the chance to see them in concert. That's what a band does, they put records out to market, they play live shows (look at Wilco touring Europe today).

 

Of course they kept mentioning various reasons why they didn't tour but the fact remains they didn't tour. And I'm not talking of a grandiose tour, it could have been only a few dates here and there, I would have travelled just to see them.

 

The three of them were rarely seen together during the year. They appeared in those Hansa studio sessions and in photo sessions with Anton Corbjin, but the band as a unit, I don't remember seeing the three of them together in television, like they did for Accelerate. Which makes me think that they were technically separated long before that September 21st announcement.

 

(And I'm angry because various people linked to R.E.M., in the months previous to the disbandment, kept saying that they wouldn't split).

 

Of course they leave behind an enormous musical legacy, no discussion there. But it's hard for me to assimilate the fact that the band doesn't exist anymore, that they won't tour ever again, that the excitement of a new upcoming album is over.

 

Probably I am being selfish ("I couldn't see them in concert") and things didn't turn out the way I would have wanted. But I admired (admire?) them and looked up to them as examples. There are days when I say to myself: "I'm done with these guys, no more listening to their music", while there are other days when I'm still proud of them and revisit my favourite records and songs. On some other occasions I tell to myself that I shouldn't get this passionate about a band, not ever again. As with other things in life, only time will tell.

 

Well, as for what bands do, this one marched to its own drummer. They didn't tour their 2 most successful records so you can't fault them when they decide not to tour a record (especially when in all likelihood they already had decided to split.) I assume you're sore because you never had the chance to see them and I feel for you but they toured pretty consistently for 30 years so you can't blame them for the luck of the draw of being born when you were or discovering them when you did.

 

If it makes you feel better, I became a big Who fan in 1981, they did a farewell tour in 1982 that I wasn't allowed to go to and I thought I'd never see them. Turns out I've seen them so far 10 times. You never know. Keep listening and enjoy them. They were great live but probably not the best live band I've seen, theres others out there too. You're following a good one in Wilco.

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

were those mint condition?

 

Practically new/lightly used.

[bigideas]

Around The Sun is definitely not a popular album.

Someone replied to an REM thread on another board that hadn't been written on since that time and I found an old post of mine.

I think pretty much everyone who even likes ATS would agree that it was definitely bloated - pretty much most of their recent albums were with the exception of Accelerate and I'm still not totally familiar with CIN.

I wrote that if you cut tracks 3, 5, & 6 on ATS that it will increase your playback enjoyability.

I listened to that sequence on the way to work and found it to be quite enjoyable. I didn't even listen to the others to see why I thought it would make a better flow without them, but i do know one is the track with Q Tip. I'm sure they're all fine songs, but maybe they would have been best served on an EP with any other b-sides of the era.

 

Anyone that can stand ATS have an alternate tracklisting they think makes it more enjoyable for them?

 

Any plans for an REM b-sides collection? I think all these deluxe reissues have been ignoring the b-sides for some stupid reason. Is there even much out there?

[dtram]

 

 

Anyone that can stand ATS have an alternate tracklisting they think makes it more enjoyable for them?

 

Any plans for an REM b-sides collection? I think all these deluxe reissues have been ignoring the b-sides for some stupid reason. Is there even much out there?

 

To me, ATS has 4, maybe 5 good songs. That final three, Electron Blue and maybe Boy In The Well. The rest is a mess.

 

As for b-sides, by my count (my iTunes REM b-sides folder) I have about 250 tracks on there that are officially released, non album tracks. They could be b-sides, contributions to soundtracks or tributes, fan club singles or bonus tracks to re-issues or greatest hits. They aren't all unique songs, theres at least 3 live country feedbacks, but to answer your question, theres a lot out there.

 

I would guestimate theres 150 or so unique songs. I for one hope there isn't some official release, I like the fact that its a challenge to compile them all.

 

Wilco is well on the way, I have about 98 official non-album tracks in my Wilco folder.