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Cool If Wilco Plays R.E.M Song


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Just a fantasy likely, but I think it would be amazing, and a nice tribute if Wilco played an R.E.M. song in its upcoming batch of shows. There are many ties between R.E.M. and Wilco over the years and I'm guessing a big majority of Wilco fans are also fans of R.E.M.

 

I'll be going to a Wilco show in their December run and will pray for an R.E.M. tribute. Would that be the coolest or what?!

 

 

 

(In my fantasy, Wilco breaks out a ripping rendition of Wake Up Bomb, Crush With Eyeliner or Bang and Blame...I think Wilco would destroy on a glam-rock song.)

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There are many ties between R.E.M. and Wilco over the years

 

This just made me think of something I was reading a few days ago. The wikipedia entry for Uncle Tupelo, March 16–20, 1992, describes with some detail the collaboration between Tupelo and Peter Buck. It says, for instance:

 

(...) drummer Mike Heidorn announced that he intended to leave the band for personal reasons. However, Heidorn wanted to work with Peter Buck, so he agreed to postpone his departure until after the March 16–20, 1992 recording sessions.

 

The band stayed at Peter Buck's house while in Athens, Georgia to record the album. Buck offered to host the band for free, so that the US$13,500 budget allotted by Rockville could be spent exclusively to pay the fees of the recording studio and audio engineers

 

It also says that,

 

March 16–20, 1992 sold more copies than their first two albums, No Depression and Still Feel Gone, combined.

 

I think that this success was, partly, the result of Peter Buck's participation. Buck has produced the records of many other bands, has played guitar in them, has even arranged and written entire songs, to that point that some have the impression that Buck "Has been in every album that every band has made".

 

Just a few months ago Peter Buck was quoted by a magazine saying that when Nirvana visited Athens, early in their career, he housed them at his place. I was reminded of this while I was reading that wikipedia article. It's incredible his contribution to rock music.

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Don't forget my favorite sorta REM and Wilco collaboration -- The Minus Five's Down with Wilco. (The Minus Five being every member of REM not named "Michael"). As well as one of the most magical, soul-inspiring songs every written: Lyrical Stance. According to the linear notes, Scott, Peter and Jeff all played lead guitar on the song that gives us the line,"I've got something in my pants, and it's a lyrical stance. " Brings a tear to the eye. :dance

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This just made me think of something I was reading a few days ago. The wikipedia entry for Uncle Tupelo, March 16–20, 1992, describes with some detail the collaboration between Tupelo and Peter Buck. It says, for instance:

 

 

 

It also says that,

 

 

 

I think that this success was, partly, the result of Peter Buck's participation. Buck has produced the records of many other bands, has played guitar in them, has even arranged and written entire songs, to that point that some have the impression that Buck "Has been in every album that every band has made".

 

 

You can learn this and more about those sessions in Greg Kot's book. Many of the UT/Wilco Wikipedia entries are just lifted from those pages anyway...

 

I also think it's a slim to none chance that Wilco will play an R.E.M. track in their upcoming shows.

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You can learn this and more about those sessions in Greg Kot's book. Many of the UT/Wilco Wikipedia entries are just lifted from those pages anyway...

 

I also think it's a slim to none chance that Wilco will play an R.E.M. track in their upcoming shows.

 

And I, for one, am not saddened by that.

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Here's some words from Scott McCaughey, praise for Wilco from a very early date as 1997:

 

 

What music is giving you hope right now?

 

(...) Oh, the band that's giving me the most hope right now is Wilco. They made a really uncompromising record [being There], and they've gotten more and more popular. They play totally uncompromising live shows that sound like a band at its peak. You go see 'em, and two times out of three, they just rock like crazy, then play some quiet country songs, then play feedback for five minutes, then do a Ramones song or a Replacements song or a Bowie song. They're just all over the place, and it totally reminds me of when you'd catch the Replacements on a really good night. Wilco does that maybe 75 percent of the time, whereas with The Replacements, it was maybe one out of five if you were lucky. [Laughs.] They're really giving me hope, because people are going to see 'em. And all the people who are going to see them who got into them because they're this country-rock band, well, they're not. They play some country music, but they're just a fucking rock 'n' roll band that kicks butt over everybody right now. They put out a really weird, fucked-up record, but the songs are brilliant, and they play amazingly well together, and people are kind of going for it. And that's really encouraging to me, because to me, they're a band that's kind of like the Fellows have always been, and it's nice to see that they can play to a thousand people in a night or whatever, instead of a couple hundred. So when they're really huge pop stars about a year from now, they'll take the Fellows on tour with them. And everybody'll hate us. [Laughs.] http://www.avclub.co...ccaughey,13474/

 

Incredible how time flies, this was 1997 when he said "(they) sound like a band at its peak" and that they'll be "huge pop stars about a year from now".

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How so? 'Cause you don't like R.E.M.? You think it's lame? It's beneath the almighty Wilco?

 

 

I think it'd be a touching tribute. I doubt they do it either, but it'd be the highlight of the show for me if they did.

 

Kind of snarky their Jakob. You don't know me well enough to try and read anything into ANYTHING.

 

They already play covers in their encores (I love my label and 36 inches high have been making regular appearances in the States).

 

It isn't necessary to pay tribute to REM. Their body of work speaks for itself. Plus, the band has been on their Thanksgiving break, so I'm just hoping they are getting enough rehearsal time to get back to their mid tour form. Don't want them wasting their time to overkill a REM song.

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Kind of snarky their Jakob. You don't know me well enough to try and read anything into ANYTHING.

 

They already play covers in their encores (I love my label and 36 inches high have been making regular appearances in the States).

 

It isn't necessary to pay tribute to REM. Their body of work speaks for itself. Plus, the band has been on their Thanksgiving break, so I'm just hoping they are getting enough rehearsal time to get back to their mid tour form. Don't want them wasting their time to overkill a REM song.

 

 

Not trying to be snarky. Just figuring out where you're coming from.

 

If Wilco had quit months ago and R.E.M. was on tour and played a cover of "Jesus Etc.", and if I was at that show, it would have been the highlight of the night. I love R.E.M. Love how they play their songs. Don't need them to play covers. But if they did, it would have freaking awesome.

 

I love Wilco live. Tremendous. But I could sacrifice the 10th time live I've seen them play "I'm The Man That Loves You" in exchange for a song I've never heard them sing.

 

Or better yet, I'd gladly sacrifice the Nick Lowe covers.

 

Live shows are meant to have unexpected moments and hearing things you can't hear from the studio records.

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Don't forget my favorite sorta REM and Wilco collaboration -- The Minus Five's Down with Wilco. (The Minus Five being every member of REM not named "Michael"). As well as one of the most magical, soul-inspiring songs every written: Lyrical Stance. According to the linear notes, Scott, Peter and Jeff all played lead guitar on the song that gives us the line,"I've got something in my pants, and it's a lyrical stance. " Brings a tear to the eye. :dance

 

Don't forget the 2003 REM Christmas single featuring wilco on 2 tracks. Country Feedback and It's the End of the World as We Know it, both live from Red Rocks, 11-14-2003.

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I hope I never see a concert in which I may as well have stayed home and listened to the album.

 

Me neither. I hear something new every time I attend a Wilco performance and appreciate their ability to make changes in the song arrangements, setlists, etc. Only seeing them once every few years is a privilege. I never leave thinking, "I wish they would have covered this song or that song." I've never been to any show, including a Wilco show, where I felt I've heard note-for-note, sound-for-sound recreations of studio albums.

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Don't forget the 2003 REM Christmas single featuring wilco on 2 tracks. Country Feedback and It's the End of the World as We Know it, both live from Red Rocks, 11-14-2003.

 

I would sell my Grandma to be able to go back in time and see this one. Peter Buck and JT blasting away on Country Feedback, be still my heart.

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Hell, If I knew what I khew then what I know now when I made My original post in this thread, I would vociferously have prayed for a couple of REM covers.

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