R.E.M. CALL IT A DAY

[RDK]

I guess I'm what one might call a "die hard" fan as I enjoy even their later albums, though "reveal" is, imo, by far their weakest. Hell, I even like most of "Around the Sun," which many despise. I'm not sure what the timing of the announcement has to do with Mr. Davis' case; given their history (at least compared to most popular rock bands), I'd be more inclined to think that they'd hoped to bury their break-up in other, more noteworthy news. As others have noted, it seems that a good number of people believed that R.E.M. already broke up some time ago.

[Shawn]

I'm a fan up through "New Adventures In Hi-Fi" but lost track after that. Saw them live on the Green tour and they put on an amazing show.

I have nothing but respect for them, they spent their career doing exactly whatever they wanted and were successful at it. I can't begrudge that.

[Hot Ptah]

I think that their early stuff was intelligent, unique and quite good. To me, "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville", from their "Reckoning" label, is the best song ever about being stuck living in a small, isolated town. Some of the lyrics, and the overall feel of the song, capture the experience perfectly.

Our family moved to Wausau, Wisconsin when we were all partway through school, and none of the kids liked it at all. We all counted the days until we could move away. I mentioned to my brother once "that song about Wausau" and he knew immediately, with not another word, that I meant REM's "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville." He will still refer to "Reckoning" as the album with the Wausau song on it.

At some point they became just another rock band, to me. But the early recordings can not be easily dismissed, I think.

[mjzee]

I read when their most recent album came out that it was their last one on WB. It didn't say, but I'm sure it's because of their age. Probably no other major wanted to sign them, and they didn't want to record for an indie (or worse, "REM/CD Baby." Could you imagine??) So they decided to pack it in. Just my guess, but it makes sense.

[clifford_thornton]

Hadn't thought of it that way.

Ghost-- I know you got Big Ears and while I disagree with you about even the IRS era ("Life's Rich Pageant" hype + vacuity soured me on these clowns forever), did you follow them backwards to, say, Gene Clark?

His catalog, with the Byrds but especially solo, is tremendous, with almost no low-lights, only a cpl period missteps. He might also be the greatest folk/rock songwriter of the era besides Hunter/Garcia.

Somehow I had hope that Troy Davis would be commuted. Topic for another thread.

Anyway, not Michael Stipe:

[BFrank]

Glad I'm not the only one who really likes "New Adventures in Hi-Fi". It's an album that doesn't grow old for me and I always hear something new in it.

I usually see it referred to as "commercially disappointing" - which for me is a GOOD thing!

[Chalupa]

Really like the first three albums they did for IRS and pretty much stopped listening to them after that. I have to thank them for turning me onto Big Star.

[Big Al]

I liked 'em on and off over the years. When they were good, they were unforgettable and became the soundtrack of various points in my life (which might've been their goal when all is said and done: to become part of the soundtrack of our lives, individually and collectively).

And I agree with whoever said earlier that they hope REM doesn't do the crass reunion thing in 5-10 years.

[A Lark Ascending]

Before they hit big time they played the UK regularly where there was a sort of underground following for what would be later branded 'Americana'.

Never saw them. But at a time where I'd almost given up on rock, they touched something. 'Fables of the Reconstruction' remains my favourite - at the time it seemed like a return to a Byrds/Fairporty loose, jangly guitar rock (this was a world of punk-turned-stadium-rock - aircraft-hanger production, boomy drums, synth washes everywhere). Followed and enjoyed them up to Out of Time (which I thought was great), a little less enamoured of 'Automatic for the People' and then lost track of them.

[mjazzg]

Enigmatic lyrics, great tunes and those harmonies...Harborcoat, "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville"....

saw them on several early UK visits. Murmur and especially Reckoning were close to albums of their respective years for me. Remember Stipe in leather trousers and Jim Morrison hair mumbling through the earliest gig i witnessed, they memorably ended with acapella 'Moon River'. They meant something special to me back in those days (along with Husker Du)

Last album i bought was "New adventures in Hi Fi" and that was probably three albums too late, brought in habit and faith

edit: to replace with correct 'river' song

Edited September 23, 2011 by mjazzg

[A Lark Ascending]

Last album i bought was "New adventures in Hi Fi" and that was probably three albums too late, brought in habit and faith

I just couldn't get any buzz from "New adventures in Hi Fi". That's where I stopped.

'Monster' was OK but seemed like too calculated a move to reconnect with punk roots. 'Automatic' just seemed a step too over produced.

Edited September 23, 2011 by A Lark Ascending

[Royal Oak]

I loved REM in when I was in my late teens. A chance hearing of "Rockville" turned me onto them. I saw them a couple of times on the "Green" tour, but never bought another record after "Out Of Time"

[Shawn]

They are really cool guys as well. I met the band in Savannah Georgia in the late 80's (at an after show party) and then later bumped into Peter Buck in Seattle...we were both waiting in line for burgers at Dick's Drive-In on Capitol Hill. They were very down to earth and friendly both times.

My favorite R.E.M. song is one of the earliest..."Gardening At Night". Another forgotten gem is "Odd-fellow's Local 151".

[Chicago Expat]

I think my favorite REM song is "World Leader Pretend." Maybe coming in second is "Half a World Away". Third place would be a tie between about a hundred different songs.

[BFrank]

They do seem to be very straight forward guys. I've met Mills and Scott McCaughey (the '5th REM') - very approachable.

[Aggie87]

They do seem to be very straight forward guys. I've met Mills and Scott McCaughey (the '5th REM') - very approachable.

Agree about Mills - I met him and Ken Stringfellow when Ken was a sideman. Both cool guys.

[BFrank]

They do seem to be very straight forward guys. I've met Mills and Scott McCaughey (the '5th REM') - very approachable.

Agree about Mills - I met him and Ken Stringfellow when Ken was a sideman. Both cool guys.

Really? Stringfellow was a sideman, too?

I'm a big Posies fan. Talked to him a little last time they were in town.

[Aggie87]

Yeah, he has played with them on a number of tours, similar to McCaughey. He was also on a few of the Minus 5 albums with Buck & McCaughey.

[BFrank]

Cool!

[Quincy]

My favorite R.E.M. song is one of the earliest..."Gardening At Night".

My favorite vinyl side is Chronic Town w/ "Wolves, Lower," "Gardening At Night" and "Boxcars."

If you want to hear the horror of what might have been, check out the Stephen Hague produced demo of Catapult. That brought back some hairy memories of synth bands of the early '80s.

[Afric Pepperbird]

How can all you dissing Poptarts not like their classic "Driver 8?"

(shakes head in amazement)

[clifford_thornton]

My favorite R.E.M. song is one of the earliest..."Gardening At Night".

My favorite vinyl side is Chronic Town w/ "Wolves, Lower," "Gardening At Night" and "Boxcars."

If you want to hear the horror of what might have been, check out the Stephen Hague produced demo of Catapult. That brought back some hairy memories of synth bands of the early '80s.

Nice Big Black reference in the blog title.

[ghost of miles]

Moms--I've always dug Clark's songs for the Byrds (such as this one, plus "Feel a Whole Lot Better," "Here With You," etc.), but I haven't checked out his solo work. I'll take a look at the Clark section in Landlocked when I'm down there later this week; any particular recs for original albums or anthologies?

Edited September 27, 2011 by ghost of miles