I remember Peter Buck saying that Michael Stipe had never heard Exile on Main St. Which goes to show...what? I guess that you don't need to hear it to front a good band.

Great band ...can not say I'm sad because they left us a lot of great tunes.

__________________________

They gave nothing so I didn't give anything in return ...



ROCKMAN

Great band. Their last release is really, really good. Obviously, their first 5-6 albums are insanely good. They will be missed.

great band....I think KR once called them a cult band....they wrote some brilliant songs...defined an era.

x



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2015-11-21 16:01 by vudicus.

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rocker1
I remember Peter Buck saying that Michael Stipe had never heard Exile on Main St. Which goes to show...what? I guess that you don't need to hear it to front a good band.

yeah but Peter heard it so much it was pushed into Mr. Stipe's head through the back door. Didn't see it coming. Probably still doesn't know it's there. lol ! peace.

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UGot2Rollme
I thought Around the Sun (contained Leaving NY) was brilliant, but guess I was in the minority. probably Wouldn't pay to see them live again, and haven't followed them closely for 20+ years, but it is sad in a way to see them breakup.

Loved that tune (Leaving NY) but must haven't bought anything since the 90's.

Saw them in 1986, in a gymnasium...fantastic.

The started out very original. Got poppie but wrote great songs. Got heavy at times. Got a little somber at times. Sometimes they made me scratch my head in disbelief of what direction they would decide to head in. Almost lost original drummer Bill Berry on-stage brain aneurysm. Went down a bit after that but came back brilliantly with Accelerate a couple of years ago.

But always GREAT live, thru all of it. I'm glad they had a long career and ended it on their terms. And I can see them truly ending it (unlike other bands...)

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vudicus
Keith actually joined REM on stage at the RNR Hall of fame.





Being a huge fan of both REM and Keith, it is truly great seeing Stipe looking awestruck at Keith's gritty unpretentious soloing in this slightly pretentious setting. It's like he gets the beauty of Keith for the very first time, which is probably the case.

I read that Peter Buck offered to show Keith the chords before the performance and Keith's response was "I'll wing it".

Keith's solo stole the show in that performance.

I saw them in Blacksburg, Virginia. Can't remember the year, maybe '80.

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theimposter
That is correct Keefriffhard, they are supposed to have a career-spanning set this year w/more new songs.

I suspected that the new album would be the last for a lot of reasons - much of the lyrical content hints at it, the decision not to tour, the fact that tried to make it sound so much like a 'classic' REM fans - giving the fans what they want.Heck if you look at the cover, Michael Stipe even appears to be waving goodbye. I suspect they knew it would be their last as well.

will it be 2 discs? any clue what will be on it? they missed a lot of big hits with the 2003 collection like "drive" and "strange currencies"

I don't know keefriff, but I assume if it is indeed career-spanning it'll have to be 2 discs. and GREAT call on 'Strange Currencies', man. One of their most beautiful ballads, and an underrated showcase for the brilliance of Stipe and Peter Buck.

I have been listening to their newest album all night going back and forth between sad and pissed off. These songs DESERVED a chance to get played live.

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theimposter
That is correct Keefriffhard, they are supposed to have a career-spanning set this year w/more new songs.

I suspected that the new album would be the last for a lot of reasons - much of the lyrical content hints at it, the decision not to tour, the fact that tried to make it sound so much like a 'classic' REM fans - giving the fans what they want.Heck if you look at the cover, Michael Stipe even appears to be waving goodbye. I suspect they knew it would be their last as well.

Nice post man, I was not much of a fan, but I respected them as a longterm band... and I understand that this sucks for big fans of theirs... sorry for your loss... but thanks for the insight, esp the "Michael Stipe even appears to be waving goodbye" insight... sure enough...





I view (read/post) IORR as a big ole international bar, where people hang out, talk music, talk BS, flirt, show off, share fun, share ideas, get in fights, make friends and talk about different things from around the world... it is open 24 hours a day, there is ALWAYS someone posting here, it is ALWAYS active (ersus my states boards which usually stop at certain times of the day).... and here ya see regulars predictably pop in depending on where "on the world clock" they live(and sometimes I keep weird hours, so I like it)... and there is no telling who one might meet here or what one might learn here... for instance your post..

It is like we are at the bar, and although you were not necessarily talking to me.... I was listening... and learning something new as you told that story... that is cool. Thanks to R.E.M.

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theimposter
I don't know keefriff, but I assume if it is indeed career-spanning it'll have to be 2 discs. and GREAT call on 'Strange Currencies', man. One of their most beautiful ballads, and an underrated showcase for the brilliance of Stipe and Peter Buck.

I have been listening to their newest album all night going back and forth between sad and pissed off. These songs DESERVED a chance to get played live.

not trying to put down the I.R.S. years but if this is to cover their entire career there are really only about 7 I.R.S. tunes that need to be on there leaving room for 27 or so songs from 1988-2011

Remember when Goddess in the Doorway became the first 5-star album reviewed in Rolling Stone magazine since Automatic for the People?

Well, ha, I think AFTP has held up just slightly better.

I remember reading an interview with Bill Berry when Voodoo Lounge came out where he said he really liked the album, but that the rest of R.E.M. were not Stones fans. I think that changed over the years as R.E.M. began to tour larger and larger arenas. Especially for Pete Buck....

Max'sKansasCity, another one of your gentlemanly posts. Thanks for that - and a nice observation about IORR. And besides, it all ties together. Peter Buck and Mike Mills of REM were big Stones fans. The band even covered Honky Tonk Women at their first-ever gig at a college party.

And yep, I really think the newest album was possibly a goodbye letter to the fans. I thought that since it came in in March. I just thought they'd tour to give the new songs some life in a live setting. You know, "letting the children out to play" so to speak.

And my friend keefriff, seems you might be closer to my age and didn't discover REM til their post-IRS years? Those are the years that shaped me for sure, but I can't discount the brilliance and innovation of those first few years. There really was nobody else out there like them at that time. Probably the most influental band of the 1980's, much as the Beatles were of the 60's (Stones come in second there).

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vermontoffender
I remember reading an interview with Bill Berry when Voodoo Lounge came out where he said he really liked the album, but that the rest of R.E.M. were not Stones fans. I think that changed over the years as R.E.M. began to tour larger and larger arenas. Especially for Pete Buck....

Do you feel sure about that? Because I thought Peter Buck was always a big KR fan? If you watch any of the late 80's/early 90's live videos of them, he's totally emulating Keith with the leg kicks, etc.

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buffalo7478
The started out very original. Got poppie but wrote great songs. Got heavy at times. Got a little somber at times. Sometimes they made me scratch my head in disbelief of what direction they would decide to head in. Almost lost original drummer Bill Berry on-stage brain aneurysm. Went down a bit after that but came back brilliantly with Accelerate a couple of years ago.

But always GREAT live, thru all of it. I'm glad they had a long career and ended it on their terms. And I can see them truly ending it (unlike other bands...)

Remember the Stones got poppy too, and it was some of their best work...A friend of mine was one of REM's "permanent sidemen" for the last 15 years or so.

Remember when Goddess in the Doorway became the first 5-star album reviewed in Rolling Stone magazine since Automatic for the People?

Boy is that rubbish.

R.E.M. were covering Stones in the 80s ("Paint It Black"). Stipe has spoken of watching Jagger in awe from side stage at some TV show circa '94.

Buck got compared a lot to Keith early on because of his propensity for riffs, his songwriting and his stage presence, but I never read anything about him being a Keith fan until much, much later. He could have been a big Keith fan, but I'm certain when R.E.M. first became huge, they went out of their way to question the Stones choices concerning venues, ticket prices, the quality of their more recent studio work, the way they treated their fans, and their morality in general. That's why it was so refreshing to hear Berry basically say; "Yeah...but this new album by the Stones has some wonderful interplay between musicians that you aren't going to find in other bands". (I'm paraphrasing big time.)

And...I'm also certain R.E.M.'s views changed as they got older....

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vermontoffender
And...I'm also certain R.E.M.'s views changed as they got older....

Good point. Either way, I will bet Buck was a closet Keith fan until it was cool to like them again

Wouldn't bet against it. I'm pretty sure Buck's blue jeans, black jacket, white collared shirt look in '87(?) was modeled after an outfit Keith wore in '81. Not to mention the dissonant chords he often threw into tunes. (see the break down and restart of "It's the End of the World...". Great stuff.)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-09-22 05:16 by vermontoffender.

Right on vermontoffender, I always thought he was emulating Keith circa '81 if you watch the Tourfilm concert movie. Either way, Buck is a GREAT guitarist IMO - from the Keith Richards school of knowing how to play for the song, rather than play for yourself. He's been a big influence on me.

They had as good a decade as any band culminating with what I consider their masterpiece -- "Automatic for the People." A classic, 5 star, whatever ya wanna call it album. And there were certainly a few others right up there and in the post-Berry world a lot of good cuts. Much more than U2 they were the last great (long run) rock band for me.

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Max'sKansasCity

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theimposter
That is correct Keefriffhard, they are supposed to have a career-spanning set this year w/more new songs.

I suspected that the new album would be the last for a lot of reasons - much of the lyrical content hints at it, the decision not to tour, the fact that tried to make it sound so much like a 'classic' REM fans - giving the fans what they want.Heck if you look at the cover, Michael Stipe even appears to be waving goodbye. I suspect they knew it would be their last as well.

Nice post man, I was not much of a fan, but I respected them as a longterm band... and I understand that this sucks for big fans of theirs... sorry for your loss... but thanks for the insight, esp the "Michael Stipe even appears to be waving goodbye" insight... sure enough...





I view (read/post) IORR as a big ole international bar, where people hang out, talk music, talk BS, flirt, show off, share fun, share ideas, get in fights, make friends and talk about different things from around the world... it is open 24 hours a day, there is ALWAYS someone posting here, it is ALWAYS active (ersus my states boards which usually stop at certain times of the day).... and here ya see regulars predictably pop in depending on where "on the world clock" they live(and sometimes I keep weird hours, so I like it)... and there is no telling who one might meet here or what one might learn here... for instance your post..

It is like we are at the bar, and although you were not necessarily talking to me.... I was listening... and learning something new as you told that story... that is cool. Thanks to R.E.M.

ALSO a nice post....if this is a bar...better fix me a drink!

Whater U2 having?

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Wry Cooter
They had as good a decade as any band culminating with what I consider their masterpiece -- "Automatic for the People." A classic, 5 star, whatever ya wanna call it album. And there were certainly a few others right up there and in the post-Berry world a lot of good cuts. Much more than U2 they were the last great (long run) rock band for me.

Agree...U2 can often be a bit of a turn-off, not so with REM.

REM was the band of the '80's and continued to make worthy records into the early '90s. Over the years, I saw them in a variety of places, from a crappy little theatre in Adams Morgan (the Ontario) to the George Washington University gym to DC's long departed enormodome (the Cap Centre). But they lost the plot with Monster and got progressively worse until Around the Sun (2004), AKA The Neutering of Peter Buck, a complete piece of shit. They were way too into keyboards and textures (no one needed yet another ersatz Brian Wilson), and they completely lost sight of what made them interesting the first place.

Even as their recorded output started to suck, however, they remained an excellent live act. That last tour a few years ago was absolutely top shelf, and the last two studio albums were a reasonable return to form. I'll always remember them fondly.