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R.E.M.'s Monster turns 20!


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R.E.M. is set to release a 6 DVD set in partnership with Viacom's MTV & VH1 which will feature pretty much every U.S. & European broadcast: 1991 & 2001's MTV Unplugged including Outtakes, VH1's 1998 Storytellers, 1984's The Cutting Edge, 1983's Live Wire, 1991's MTV 10th Anniversary Special, all of their MTV Music Award appearances including MTV Europe Music Awards and the 2007 Rock N Roll Hall Of Hame Induction. 

That's just the 1st 2 discs. WOW!

http://www.stereogum.com/1707807/r-e-m-announce-6-dvd-remtv-culled-from-mtv-networks-archives/news/

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I've never understood the hate for Monster. My first R.E.M. show also occurred during the Monster tour, and I was a sophomore in college. That was such an incredible year, so I guess it has sentimental value. So hard to believe it's 20. 

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Count me among the old-school REM fans who really likes Monster, though it was never my favorite.  I had a cassette tape in the late 80s and early 90s with Life's Rich Pageant on one side and Murmur on the other, and I freaking wore that thing out.  When Document came out it was like a revelation with those jangly guitars and edgy harmonies.  So, I guess I tend to favor the early albums, but I honestly loved everything up and through Monster.  I bought probably the next 3 albums after that but they never really reached heavy rotation and my interest dropped off.  Boy those old albums still sounds beautiful though.

 

Just read this email interview with Michael Stipe in Newsweek earlier today on the topic of the Monster anniversary:

http://www.newsweek.com/reclaiming-monster-reflecting-rems-most-infamous-album-michael-stipe-273408

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20 years, seems like only yesterday. As soon as it hit, Loved that this album had some big time rockers on it and a big sound. Although from start to finish it's not one of their stronger albums from the day. Will listen again today.

 

I've posted this somewhere here, but I took on the project this summer of reading the R.E.M. biography, Perfect Circle, and listening to each album as I read along. My wife and I were onto the band just about as soon as Radio Free Europe started getting college radio play here in Boston, which was right at the beginning of our relationship. Was great fun to read and listen along, and got me to listen to several of those later year releases which I don't generally play. WaS a good reminder of how much we loved this band, and still do.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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Great, great band.  I saw them live in Champaign for $5.00 in the early 80's.  Loved Monster (though I'm partial to the early stuff through Document).  Like Monster, New Adventures in Hi Fi, has some strong moments.

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Like many people, Monster is about where I stopped.  I still listen to the hell out of everything up through about "Green" but always thought Monster was a great album.  Has a very cohesive album feel and was more heavy and different than anything they had done.  Played Bang and blame in a band for awhile, great groove in that song.

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"Kenneth" is a very powerful song, and "Strange Currences" is beautiful and melodic (the latter sounds like a cut from Automatic for the People) while "Bang a Blame" is cool, pleasant and catchy.

 

Other than those three songs, the rest of the album is either too noisy, distorted or simply disgusting ("tongue" being the worst offender).

 

I'd never consider selling my copy of Monster, it's part of my R.E.M. collection, but please don't ever make me listen to "tongue" again!

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