This is another one of my favorite bands, who has produced a vast body of work that influenced many of their successors, and made two great concert films, both of which I have. These guys are not afraid to experiment and they defy pigeon-holing into a particular musical genre. Right now, I'm listening to an under-appreciated gem, "New Adventures in Hi-Fi", the last album drummer Bill Berry played on.

Other than the Stones, the Who, Led Zeppelin and U2, REM rounds out my list of favorite bands (subject to change from month-to-month). The E-Street Band belongs in there, too. The common thread for all these groups is their ability to surpass their studio recordings in a concert setting, with the songs always evolving in the live format.

(Addendum: I AM getting drunk, and jamming on a Saturday evening at home. Sorry, Bjornulf--I get talkative when I'm tipsy.)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-02-26 23:24 by bassplayer617.

Sorry bassplayer I've heard them but wouldn't allow them anywhere near my stereo.

Shoot them before they multiply I say!!

ROCKMAN

let me throw my "i'm sorry" reply in also...hmmm, let's see....springsteen, u2 & rem??? my, my....i shudder at the thought, but hey, to each his own...

LOL, that's OK, guys--my taste in music is pretty electic, so one moment I could be listening to Springsteen, and the next cranking up some Wagner--this drives my wife & daughter nuts. This is what you get when you mix a military history nut and wargamer with a rock n' roll fan, and I'm not alone in that fringe community of gaming/history enthusiasts.

As you say, to each his or her own--the varied backgrounds of this community is what makes it interesting and keeps the conversations lively. Vive la difference!

you are so right....there are only two types of music....

R.E.M... Too mornful for my taste, but I liked ''Shiney Happy People'' in '92!

A of W... A of W!!!!

I'm waiting up the canyon but I wont be ambushing ..!!

ROCKMAN

Never let them know when you're near...

Whorie

Love watching you grow chile

ROCKMAN

And my how I love watching you do the same...

Glad you notice...!!

ROCKMAN

Hey, it's hard not to!!!

Though once they were at the top of my list, I have lost interest in REM. In fact bassplayer, I too have that eclectic taste that drives soem crazy. Often I will discover music that is new for me, and then buy several CDS by the same artist and immerse myself. But I always come back to the Stones, and they are the only artists that I can say get me exited with tour news etc anymore. They have been my musical constant since the early 1970's.

Which of REM's concert films do you recommend?

Kahoosier, since you asked, I recommend "Tourfilm", which is from the 1989 "Green" tour, when the band was at the cusp of breaking out nationally, and "Roadmovie", which captues the band in 1995, at the peak of their commercial success.

"Tourfilm" is particularly intriguing, as it features bits & pieces of the songs from "Out of Time" as interludes, which vaulted them to the top of the charts in 1990. Many of the songs from their older catalog are featured in this show, including "You Are The Everything", "King Of Birds", and "Perfect Circle". I love the way this was edited--the first two songs are the radio hits, "Stand" and "The One I Love". It then proceeds into the meat of the concert.

A band who sings about a milk filled glasscontainer, or whatever it´s called (Losing my religion) sucks, big time...

Vilhelm
Nordic Stones Vikings

mickijaggeroo Wrote:
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> A band who sings about a milk filled
> glasscontainer, or whatever it´s called (Losing my
> religion) sucks, big time...
>
> Vilhelm
> aka MICKIJAGGEROO!!!!!!!!!
>
> Nordic Stones Vikings
>
>
>
>

Leave it to a Viking to denigrate a "civilized" band LOL. Some of us of Anglo-Saxon & Celtic descent will disagree. What do you beserkers know, anyway? (I'm teasing, so don't be offended).

Saw them last night in Belfast. They were superb

I used to like REM a lot until I saw them live. I sat in the third row and watched in horror at Michael Stipe reading lyrics off of a music stand. I knew more of the words than he did, and he wrote them.
I was appalled and will never spend another $ on them.
Wow, I guess I really really really dislike them now.
Nightswimming is still a great song, though.

LOL

Mick Jagger and several other singers use teleprompters - whats the difference??

One is electrical. Hahahaha.

But anyway: I like REM. But it's way too much of the same. The sound doesn't differ much. It's still quite good though. But it ain't CCR, Skynyrd, Beatles, Bowie or Stones. So.........

JumpingKentFlash

I really like the Automatic For The People album as well as a couple songs from previous albums, but I haven't followed them since the mid 90's or so. I do know that they recorded their last album in Vancouver, which is close to where I live.
Speaking of Vancouver, U2 will be booking GM Place for the next few weeks to prepare for their tour which starts in San Diego. Since the NHL season was officially cancelled, alot of open dates were now available. They are scheduled to play two shows at GM Place, which are the only Canadian shows so far. They could have easily done a third show, too.

no i dont like REM

Not one of my favourites, but they will play in live in Granada in May, and I´ll go to see them..... maybe my opinion will change??

BE HAPPY

REM...I think I need to puke. Can't stand Michael Snipes' whiney little voice with the sole exception of Shiney Happy People as it featured the girl from the B-52's.

I live in Cardiff, UK, and both REM & U2 are playing here this year. Interestingly, they're both charging a lot of money for a ticket. I wasn't sure I was happy to pay £40 to see REM, but I'm definitely not willing to pay £60 to see U2. I think both these bands have seen how the Stones have achieved much higher prices, and are following suit. U2 sold out in hours, so it's difficult to say they are overcharging. REM isn't sold out yet I don't think.

Dayokay

They were once a great band between 1983 and 1989 but its been downhill since then, the last 2 albums are shit, especially the latest,the first song is good and the rest is "bedwetter music". I wonder what happened to Peter Buck?,i think his taste once steered the band now it sounds as if Shirley Bassey steers the band.

Got in to them with Lifes Rich Pageant and was a bit shocked when they went ballistic in the 90s. Some days I like the IRS stuff, other days prefer the Warners stuff. Don't know if the CD/DVD re-releases is something I should be cynical of.

They did a good job backing Nikki Sudden on his Guns Liquor and Ammo CD and apparently would like to do another album with him.

Boring songs and sound, but in today's "jungle of crap" it's a quality act.

They were great in the mid to late 80s but like most white bands that get successful, they took themselves to seriously and got political and stopped having fun. They suck now. Boring.

I saw them at the Spektrum arena in Oslo recently, and they were great. In fact I went out and got another ticket for their show this summer, when they return to do a stadium show in Oslo.

Bjornulf