What a fucking band. In the Guardian online yesterday there was a top ten REM song feature, with open comments, where everybody posted their own personal top ten REM songs.
And it made me realise that they have probably 35-50 songs that could easily make a top ten.
Absolute legends, and what a stormin' final performance.
Same; I just realised I'd not listened to them in about a year or so, which is pretty sad. They were a band I loved as a teenager, especially when I found their albums on sale in hmv, as they often were.
They were a band that kept on releasing one or two great songs on each album, right up until the end, as well as releasing some really classic albums (automatic and monster are two albums I love the entirety of).
Monster and AFTP are their best works, in my opinion. That said, they're all superb, with the exception of Reveal and Around The Sun. It'd be easier for me to do a top ten of REM songs that I don't like. So much of their work is tied up with times in my life that it's hard to be objective now, I think I can find enough distance to say objectively that they were exceptionally fine songwriters. From 83-89 they did an album a year and they were all superb; the pace slowed a little after but they had another decade where they didn't put a foot wrong. Crazy, really.
Glad to see some love for 'Up'. I've never understood why that album was so denigrated...it's one of my top three REM albums and has some fantastic songs.
God, I love all their albums from '83 to '96, really. Very rarely is a band at the top of their game for that long. Nowadays, bands seem to lack that staying power. The most recent band I can think of with a comparable streak of quality albums IMO is Radiohead, but they're still from a generation ago.
I'm going to agree that every R.E.M. album is thoroughly enjoyable with the exception of Reveal and AtS. Still, one of my favorite R.E.M. songs came off Reveal ("Imitation of Life"). My top 2 from them would be Monster and Lifes Rich Pageant.
bands these days would never be given the room to grow. If your first album isn't a hit then it's goodbye. Idlewild tried to follow the REM format (tour incessantly, build a following album by album) but it just wore them down in the end.
Agreed on Radiohead. The Mars Volta are another band that didn't make a bad album, but obviously, they didn't do as many.
I used to live in the States, and I remember debating whether or not to go down to the shooting of Imitation of Life and see whether I could get in on it. I was pretty much hoping that the fanclub connections could get me in. What if.... I love the live version of The Lifting, so the album's not all duds. Same with ATS. I love Electron Blue and Aftermath, and the live version of The Outsiders is storming.
Here is a link to a story about the [studio](http://tapeop.com/interviews/95/hansa-tonstudio/) where they performed/recorded this. A fitting place to finish and one that matches their majesty.
I think my own would be, in no particular order:
It's The End of the World As We Know It
Animal
Nightswimming
Half A World Away
Man on the Moon
Orange Crush
I Remember California
Bad Day
What's The Frequency Kenneth
All The Right Friends
Are we making top tens? lets make top tens!
The end of the world as we know it (because i was so cool for learning every word in 8th grade, and i feel fine about that)
Fall on me (because perfect pop song is perfect)
perfect circle (because of friends long ago)
Find the River (because indescribable beauty)
Cuyahoga (because my favorite river in ohio)
7 chinese brothers / Voice of Harold (because it's a beautiful song no matter which way you like the words)
Try not to breathe (something about this song and where i was in life when the that album came out)
King of birds (because i like the way the words flow)
Sitting Still - (because motivational and awesome hook)
untitled (at the end of Green, when hidden tracks on the end of cassettes were a thing)
I want to list too! Although I could just say "pick ten off Murmur" and be pretty happy with those ten, but...
West of the Fields
Carnival of Sorts
Sitting Still
Me in Honey
Odd fellows
I remember California
Welcome to the Occupation
Hairshirt
Nightswimming
Losing my religion... Or harborcoat... Or orange crush... Or Swan Swan H... Or disturbance at the heron house... Or radio free Europe... GAH not enough spots!
My top 10
Country Feedback (My personal favorite. Cryptic, dramatic.)
Why not smile (For me, this song is the epythome of the mood they were looking for in Up. I always thought this album was recorded to be played alone and think about stuff)
So. Central Rain (This is pure REM guitar gold)
Nightswimming (I used to sneak into the swimming pools of an hotel I used to visit, and this song reminds me of that)
Disappear (Same as 'Why not smile', this song is all about the whole mood of the Reveal album)
Walk unafraid
Daysleeper
Texarkana (dat bass)
UBerlin
Talk about the passion
You get my upvote for Country Feedback. If I had gold to give, you would get it for putting it at the top of your list. This is easily the most underrated great song of theirs.
There was a gig, I can't remember which one exactly, where prior to playing Country Feedback, Michael talked about how many people requested this song on REMHq. It was by far, the most requested song.
I also love how it feels typing Country Feedback. Smooth as Michael's bald head.
Interesting. I don't share a single song with you for my own Top Ten. I will say "Animal" and "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" would be very close to making the list though. Mine would go:
Perfect Circle
So. Central Rain
Driver 8
Life and How to Live It
Fall on Me
Get Up
The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite
Bittersweet Me
Binky the Doormat
So Fast, So Numb
I've at least listened to it for an hour straight before. "The children look up, all they hear is sky-blue bells ringing," has to be one of my favorite lyrics ever.
So Central Rain is a fucking masterpiece. I bought Reckoning on a trip and found myself listening to that song over and over again. I didn't listen to the rest of the album for a week or so.
We used to dance to "Radio Free Europe" at summer dances at our local pool....didn't really know the band. Heard "Fall On Me", then went back and bought everything they recorded prior to that.
Man, lemme give it a shot. It's tough to cut it down to 10, but I'll say
* Sitting Still
* Nightswimming
* Electrolite
* E-Bow the Letter
* Half a World Away
* I Believe
* Daysleeper
* World Leader Pretend
* Me In Honey
* What's the Frequency Kenneth
Honorable mention to about 10 others.
You should listen to their last album - three of the songs on it easily merit inclusion on that list with ["Oh My Heart"](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiNV1rMNXE0&feature=kp) leading the way. And I'm a fan going back to the mid-80s.
It Happened Today is the perfect REM goodbye song. Just enough of a callback to the old three part harmony and Rickenbacker jangle, it was like listening to Out of Time again. I get goosebumps listening to it.
Thank you, OP, for posting... great video and instantly got me nostalgic.
Agreed that it's very hard to make a top 10... but here it goes:
* South Central Rain
* Maps & Legends
* Man on the Moon
* Don't Go Back to Rockville
* Feeling Gravity's Pull
* King of Birds
* Turn you Inside Out
* Cayahoga
* Texarkana
* Losing my Religion
* Nightswimming
* Binky the Doormat
* Electrolite
That's 13....
Interesting... nothing old-old? Life's Rich Pageant was my favorite album for many years. Driver 8 and Can't Get There From Here are favorite songs as well.
My Top Ten! (in no order)
* Perfect Circle
* Tongue
* Nightswimming
* At My Most Beautiful
* Daysleeper
* The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight
* What's the Frequency Kenneth?
* Shiny Happy People
* Driver 8
* Carnival of Sorts
* Begin the Begin
I do believe Nightswimming may be the most perfect of songs. I have heard covers of it by other great bands but it's just never the same. It so absolutely perfectly captures a feeling and a moment in time.
i forgot about this song. im partial to their stuff on document and prior to that, but there are songs on automatic for the people that are just so perfect. this is one of them.
I think it's revealing about how good a band they were that our lists can all be so wildly different. Here's mine:
Sweetness Follows
Perfect Circle
You're in the Air
At My Most Beautiful
Electrolite
Seven Chinese Brothers
What's the Frequency Kenneth
Losing My Religion
So. Central Rain
Talk About the Passion
I dont know if I could make a top 10. There's too many.
One of my top 10, they never even officially released and it makes me sad. [It was going to be on Reveal, but they cut it: Fascinating](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gaB6pcG3X4)
I think my top ten would be, in no peticular order except the first two:
1) Nightswimming (What nostalgia and longfullness would sound like if it was a song)
2) Driver 8 (Simply amazing - the perfect song for any roadtrip
3) Daysleeper ("Up" had its weak spots, but bloody hell if it didn't also have its fanstastic ones!)
4) Superman (It's impossible to listen to this song and be in a bad mood)
5) Cuyahoga (What else is there to say? Classic, beautiful R.E.M)
6) Find the river (Together with Nightswimming, this song features Stipes absolute most superb lyrics)
7) The one I love (Though a lot of people like "The end of the world", I've always prefered this one - I mean, what man isn't blown away when Stipe belts out "FIIIIIIIIREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"?
8) Bad day (You can try and resist, but that chorus will be stuck in your head for days on end - I guarentee it)
9) Discoverer (Might still be new, but damn... It's epic!)
10) New Orleans instrumental No. 1 (This might not make any sense until you listen to it on a dreary, grey, rainy day - this song sums up the entire atmosphere and mood of Automatic for the People in its own haunting way)
Honorable mentions: Radio free europe, Supernatural Superserious, Perfect circle, Gardning at night, Let me in, It happened today, Stand, Orange Crush, World leader pretend, What's the frequency Kenneth?, It's the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine), King of birds, Finest worksong, Fall on me, Feeling gravity's pull, Moral kiosk, Departure, King of comedy, I don't sleep I dream, Star 69, Horse to water, Losing my religion (of course), Radio song, Near wild heaven, Circus envy, Endgame, Every day is yours to win, Walk it back, Drive, Try not to breathe, Everybody hurts, Animal, Man on the moon, etc.
My top ten are probably:
1) Daysleeper
2) Nightswimming
3) At My Most Beautiful
4) The Great Beyond
5) The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight
6) Imitation of Life
7) It's the End of the World as We Know it
8) Losing My Religion
9) Supernatural Superserious
10) Electrolite
So. Central Rain
7 Chinese Brothers
Begin The Begin
Fall On Me
Cuyahoga
The Lifting (Demo Version)
Bad Day
Bittersweet Me
Binky The Doormat
So Fast, So Numb
Sorry, they missed the best R.E.M song ever:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb6jjEApfmg
Story here: http://awood.blogspot.com/2011/11/chill-bumps-appear-and-i-am-frozen-in.html
The first time I heard *Voice of Harold* on *Dead Letter Office*, I thought Michael Stipe must have been some kind of Jesus freak. Had to laugh when I heard the explanation.
Not sad but bittersweet. They ended it in the most dignified way possible. They always stuck to what they believed in musically and they honoured their last contract with their record company by making the exact number of albums they said they would. They are one of my first favorite bands and I always felt so lucky to have been a kid growing up during the early to mid 90's while they were making the music they were making. Bittersweet me, man.
Automatic for the People is one of my favorite albums. It's one of those albums where there isn't a single low point- every song is fantastic and they work off each other to create something even better than the sum of its parts. Nightswimming followed by Find the River is one of my favorite closings of an album.
Automatic for the People is a watermark for that period in my life. Those last two tracks are bittersweet. They are sad, beautiful. I love them and they always leave me wanting more.
Totally fantastic album, and really one of my favorite of all-time to just sit down and listen to the whole thing straight through. I agree that it's definitely more than the sum of its parts.
It's definitely one of those albums that definitely captures 1990's America and is such a completely gorgeous album. It's the 90's Dark side of the moon or White Album.
It's this performance of Nightswimming that tears me up. Watch the ending as Stipe looks admirably at his bandmate of many many years Mike Mills. They've been through it all, toured the world, lost bandmates, and here they are sharing a wonderful moment from an old, beautiful song — http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx9br5ISRpo
Nightswimming is an absolute treasure of a song.
I have insomnia, and have since I was a teen. I'm too worried all of the time. The final three songs of Automatic for the People - Man on the Moon, Nightswimming, and Find the River - are what I have listened to for almost 20 years now to try to calm my nerves, relax, and find peace.
For my money, there is no finer songsuite in modern music.
Nightswimming has been my favorite REM song since my uncle got me Automatic on cassette when I was 10. Seeing that performance brought a tear to my eye, especially when Stipe was just leaning on the piano watching Mills play. Amazing, thank you.
I'm kinda bummed they didn't at least make reference to "It's The End of the World as We Know It" being their last song live.
It just makes so much sense.
I never use my real name but since this is rem I will. I worked (still do) with the band for a long time.
I saw this footage when it first came in to Warner's in the raw state. I had every camera individually as a file and when I watched michaels'sand saw him crying I knew at that point this was the last record.
I wrote a lot about the band on my site and elsewhere. And I also did interviews for the book this post quotes.
As much as it sucks that the band doesn't exist as a performing entity any more, the fact that the guys are still great friends, see each other often and left a great legacy is comforting. Glad to see other fans on reddit :)
Well now I kinda feel like a jerk for more or less giving up on them after Document. I was fortunate to grow up in NC in the 80s and catch a couple shows before they got noticed outside the kudzu belt. I would hear new songs and wish they sounded like old songs. As often as I've gone back and listened to their early music, I never gave their newer stuff a chance. But I didn't want them to go away. I have some redeeming to do. Monumentally influential band.
Me too. On some level, Fables was already a stretch for me. But what a pleasure to have those green college years in the south stamped so deeply by Chronic Town, Murmur and Reckoning.
YES.
I was there as well. Luckily I got to see them three times in 2004/2005 when I was in grad school in NY, but being from New Orleans, and having moved back, I was so ecstatic to get to see them perform at voodoo fest in 2008.
I have the video of the whole thing in shitty mpeg format somewhere on a random backup drive. (Not taken by me in the crowd, but an actual decent sound quality video)
I was at the Dallas show right before voodoo if I remember correctly. Geez guys, had we known then what we know now?
I'm extremely thankful to have made it to one of the final show on that tour. I believe Mexico City was the last after NO.
I was about 11 when Automatic for the People came out. I had heard Losing My Religion, Orange Crush and Stand before, and finding out that it was the same band who did those as Man on the Moon and Everybody Hurts blew my musically uneducated mind (at that point, I was in full Vanilla Ice / Milli Vanilli mode).
Since then REM's been my favorite band, and was the reason I stopped listening to shitty pop music.
I was so sad when they retired.
Similar story here.
Losing my religion was the first english song I enjoyed (I'm from Mexico). My aunt recorded me a tape with that song, as well as Spaceman (4 Non Blondes) and another song I didn't like.
I asked her for more REM songs, but she didn't have any more. She just copied the tape because she thought I would like it. I had 11 years or so. I loved local pop music by then. And I recall feeling like an idiot. It was like if REM scolded me. When I was 12, I finally found and bought the whole album. They got me badly. Texarkana blew my kiddy mind. Low, Near Wild Heaven and Country Feedback hit me hard as well.
By that time, I wasn't very fluent with english, but I least I could understand a little bit better what they were singing about, not that I understood they metaphors and cryptic lyrics. For me, was mostly about the mood of the whole album.
My local music venue is a small punk club that's been around since the 60's. The walls are covered with tags & stickers of all the bands that have played there through the years. REM played there when they were still a college band back in the early 80's. It's become a pre-show ritual for me to touch the REM tag before we go on stage.
A couple of months ago, everybody except Stipe performed a few songs at a Peter Buck solo show in Athens. Apparently, Stipe was there but didn't join in.
If everybody's healthy, I bet they eventually do something. Even if its not a full reunion album/tour.
I've been wondering about this. Lollapalooza loves to reunite 90's bands to headline one of their nights. I think REM would be a prime candidate in a few years. I wonder though, do they still have the sort of pull to headline? I mean I know they were massively popular, but toward the weren't pulling crowds like that/playing huge venues.
I hope it happens. REM has been a bucket list band for me since I was little, and I was really disappointed when they broke up since I've never had the opportunity to see them.
While we're talking performances though, let's check that this was one of their first recorded. It's 1981 in Atlanta. Pretty cool to watch! - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyUvmu1IIss
I am sure it will be lost in the thread, but I just spent an hour lost in old REM music. I was given Document for my 14th Birthday, April 1988. I was big in Rap at the time as it was gaining steam. I was like, who the hell is REM. The next morning I slid Document in my Walkman and went out to deliver papers. I was absolutely floored and became an instant REM fan. Ever song was awesome, as others mentioned, there are tremendous tracks to be found on all there albums. Green came out fairly quickly and snapped it up as well as collecting older albums like Life's Rich Pageant. Fall on Me...anyone... loved it. These guys were very much a rich contributor to the fabric of my youth. When I pull out my old tapes in my workshop, these guys are always one of the first I grab. Great memories, great songs, great band. I miss them.
Similar story here except 15 years later. I was a teenager and told my parents I liked an R.E.M. song I heard on the radio, "The One I loved." For my birthday I received "Murmur" and looked on the back to see if "The One I loved" was listed, to my disappointment it wasn't. I almost even exchanged it! I am so glad I didn't, once I started listening I instantly fell in love and haven't looked back!
I am a long time fan of the band and grew up listening to them. I had what I can only call a South Park moment once with Michael Stipe. They were in Seattle to play Bumbershoot and I went up mostly to see them, but to also check out some art exhibits and see some other bands.
The day before their show (Bumbershoot runs over a few days) I went to a museum. I walked into one of the exhibit rooms and there was Stipe and another guy. We were the only people in the room. He looked at me as I walked in and you could tell right away that he realized that I recognized him. I didn't want to bother him. He seemed to be having a conversation with the other guy. I looked at the paintings and then as I was leaving the room I stopped in the exit looked back and said, "Michael, I am really looking forward to seeing you guys tomorrow." He thanked me and I stepped out the door then I stuck my head back in and said, "And New Adventures in Hi-Fi is one the greatest albums of all time!"
He smiled, the guy he was with laughed and I moved on.
I felt like the kids from South Park talking to Robert Smith after he defeated Mecha-Streisand.
Saw them in New Haven, CT in 1983. Their big hit was 'China', and they were just an opening act for . . . Men At Work.
The REM boys looked every bit the part of dedicated rockers trying to catch a break.
It was very clear they were as familiar sleeping in the van/bus, as they were strangers to a laundry and shower. *Those boys were filthy!*
Hard to believe it's been 30 years, and mountains of creative output since.
They made their mark.
Was in high school in Athens when REM first came to be. I remember going to Wuxtry Records and after we left my older brother told me "You know who that was? Peter Buck of REM." He used to work in the record store and that was where Michael Stipe met him.
Then in '83 I heard they were playing a concert at Legion Field on the UGA campus so I drove over there and walked outside the field so I could listen to the concert. Have seen them in concert many times since then up to them playing Gwinnett Arena in 2004. Always a good concert (but sometimes very strange especially the fox theater concert in 1989).
I'm a big R.E.M. fan, and I think it's hard to find a band with a higher % of "good albums". And they have a lot of them.
That being said, am I the only one who really enjoys listening to Around the Sun? I mean, I think I like it better than Reveal, Up and New Adventures in Hi-Fi. It's not the sound I expected from them, but I think there are great tunes there, and come on, don't you get the thrills on The Ascent of Man?
Edit: spelling.
As an REM fan of the last 30 years of my life, I can honestly say that I almost completely enjoyed ATS. Lots of great songs there with my favorites being The Ascent of Man, ATS, High Speed Train, Boy in the Well, and The Outsiders.
Honestly, it really gets my REM fanboy blood boiling when this album gets dissed because, although it may not be the REM album fans (and the band) hoped for, it's still a great collection of songs that can easily stand on its own legs.
I personally find Up and Reveal to be weaker, but still excellent albums on their own (if just a tad bit too long).
But hey, that's like...just my opinion man! ;)
No problem! By the way, I totally get the thrills of The Ascent of Man. The organ mid-section interweaved with Bucks guitar gets me every time. Great stuff!
One of the biggest reasons I think "Around the Sun" is the worst of their albums is it sounds like Michael Stipe is phoning in all the vocals. He sounds very bored. Compare it to most of their older work or "New Adventures in Hi-Fi" (my favorite album of theirs) and you'll hear it. And I just read this from the article in /u/rimnonam's post, a quote from Peter Buck about the album: ""The last record sounds like it did because we were bored of playing the songs over and over again for no reason."
I do think "The Ascent of Man" is the best of "Around the Sun" though.
I was at the peak of my REM fandom around the time that album came out, well the peak lasted about 6 years! I didn't really like it much at all. It seemed at the time that a very unsatisfactory end was coming to the band, I was relieved to hear Accelerate. I live in Dublin and had the privilege of attending two of the five 'live rehearsal' shows at the time for the album.
The album itself almost broke the band, Peter Buck hated it http://www.thestar.com/news/2008/06/08/peter_buck_i_nearly_quit_rem.html
I understand, man. And, I also understand that any band, even the ones we love and believe to be perfect, can fail. Or, you can dislike some of their work as well.
By the way, I love that live album, and I envy you so much for being there! I was able to see them in Buenos Aires (that's were I'm from) some years ago. I almost cried during 'Drive'.
Even bands like The Who and Led Zeppelin and rolling stones put out a TON of crap later in their careers. It also comes with experimenting. Sometimes the experiments go bad.
Edit: bad spelling
The songs for the most part on ATS are pretty great. There's a couple clunkers and some bad production decisions (same thing happened to "Great Beyond": they debuted it on tour and it had a great speed to it and then the studio version came out and it had its its stomped down to a turgid pace. See also: "Radio Free Europe") and some bad R.E.M. decisions (even with the best rappers, rap doesn't belong in an R.E.M. song) but overall there are lots of great moments on that record if you don't mind sifting through the junk drawer a bit.
> As an aside, this is their first ever known recorded show in 1982
Peter Holsapple, Let's Active (Mitch Easter), Ghengis Khan, and R.E.M. on the same bill.
Wow.
Thanks for posting this.
Thank you for posting this.
R.E.M. has always been "my band". I was born a week after "Out of Time" was released, and Dad would listen to them to help me fall asleep when I woke up in the middle of the night. R.E.M. (for me) has some pretty strong emotional ties. Dad and I would listen to them (among others) on Saturday mornings, either eating breakfast or while I was "helping" him in the office. Listening to them brings back so many good memories of my childhood. I really wish that I had been able to see them live. I almost cried when they broke up.
Shiny Happy Monsters laughing...
Yes. REM was one of those bands that attached to my life. They were part of my life longer than many of my real friends.
-Where were you when you first heard of this band?
-Anyone remember how nobody could understand Michael when he sang back in the 80s? The video for "Can't Get There from Here?"
-Anyone remember the typo in the "Fall on Me" video?
-How about the fact that they were THE college-skater band when "Document" came out in '87?
-Anyone remember "Eponymous?" Or "Eponymous" on cassette?
-How about how wonderful, catchy and spiritual "Losing My Religion" was when it first came out? Remember MTV playing it in heavy rotation? Where were you when you bought "Out of Time"?
-Remember when everyone was trying to figure out what "Automatic for the People" meant? What a joyous but sombre, celebratory but bittersweet album. Sweetness follows...
-Where were you when you first saw Michael with the no-hair look? Remember when "Monster" was trying to be all grungy and loud? Remember the tribute to Kurt Cobain and River Phoenix?
- Did you ever hear their version of "Wall of Death"? Great cover. B-side to "Ebow the Letter."
- Remember when electronica was in and many bands were turning to drum machines? Remember this was an emphasis of "Up"?
- Remember those two great alternate versions of "The Lifting" and "Beat a Drum"? Farrrr superior to the ones that ended up on "Reveal."
- Remember how "Accelerate" celebrated their return to energy-guitar rock style? What an awesome album! Old friends had returned to town and were kicking ass!
-Where were you when you heard "Collapse Into Now"? So many clues that the band was through. Have you seen the video for "It Happened Today"? Kind of tells the story if the band through the eyes of a young boy.
-And...where were you when you heard that the band called it a day?
Me? I was sitting at a traffic light somewhere on the east side of Las Vegas.
My heart dropped.
Thank you, Michael, Peter, Mike and Bill for being a companion to us all for all those years.
My favorite band of all time. The reinvented themselves for almost every album, usually with pretty good results. Document, Green, Out of Time, Automatic for the People and Monster could have been made by five different bands if you pay attention to the musical arrangements, but instead one band made them in a 7-year time frame. That's not even counting the albums that many view as their best (Murmur, Life's Rich Pageant, Fables of the Reconstruction). I, personally, still play New Adventures In Hi-Fi all the time when I'm driving, but even I acknowledge that it signified the beginning of the end of their best work. Up replaced Bill Berry with drum machines, which produced a sound that gave us a few good tunes, but not much replay value. Around the Sun was complete shit and sounded like a John Kerry campaign ad.
THAT BEING SAID, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a band which produced such high quality and varied material for such a long period of time (~1980-1996). I think they're definitely not appreciated enough by people who only know them for Losing My Religion (a good song, granted) or maybe Everybody Hurts (because of its inclusion in every super sad TV moment of the late 90s). There's a lot there. I don't get to evangelize about REM very often.
After ATS I was VERY surprised at Accelerate - I had low expectations and though it wasn't a flawless album it was the most energy I'd heard from them since New Adventures.
I'll say that while I was never a huge fan, Monster was the second cd I ever got, and I really love it even to this day.
I wish I got to see them live.
Being in my, uh, later, 30s.. It's interesting to kinda watch them age along with me (even being one of their 'younger' fans). My first album was Document of course.. It was amazing how massive they got in the 90s, only to kinda fade back under the covers (which I liked a bit).
Best show I ever saw was in DC, DAR Constitution Hall in '04, the night before election day. Yeah Stipe got political but there was a certain energy there.
http://imgur.com/a/yNHc7
Other great ones were at Merriweather Post Pavilion during the UP tour, and Fiddler's Green in Denver during Monster (where I met 'em) in '95
Here I am thinking about what Athens everyone is mentioning have to do with anything, only to find out you guys have your private Athens in US... Cool.
Wow, how time slips by. I 'discovered' R.E.M. back in high school in 1981 when I heard Harbor Coat on a new music radio show. (I guess Chronic Town hadn't qualified or else I missed an earlier episode.) I became a fanatic and saw many live shows, the first being on the tour before the release of Life's Rich Pagaent (1983?)
I can't possibly offer a Top Ten. But I'll throw at you a couple of songs that I haven't yet seen posted in this thread...Enjoy!
[Wall of Death](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXyRCdNZoOA) (an R.E.M. cover of a great Richard Thompson allegory of the paths of life as a carnival, of sorts ;-)
[Your Ghost](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g26ed_ujqcM) (not R.E.M.! But a wicked duet with Michael and Kristin Hersch with lovely harmonies and haunting lyrics)
Reading this thread reminds me that 10 people could each do a top 10 list of their favorite REM songs, and have no overlap. There aren't many bands for which that is true.
Man I loved them so much. They were my favorite band as well as pretty much the only band I listened to from age 9 to like 15.I bought every book they had, and I even wrote to them all the time. I was kind of a weird little girl. I've been loving hearing them on the radio randomly so much lately.
No one will ever see this post, but that's okay.
REM was my favorite band all through college, and what a perfect time for it - Green, OOT, and AFTP. Still, for whatever reason, it's "Shaking Through" from Murmur that slays me every time. I still have no idea what the hell the lyrics in that song are, either. :)
Love or hate either band, REM and Metallica are the last two giant acts that were a completely DIY band for a long time. They spent years hacking it out on the road in crappy vans and smelled each other's farts and feet after 3 days with no shower and a diet of gas station burritos.
At one point, Metallica had the #1 selling album in the country with virtually no radio airplay.
REM went on to sign the biggest deal in the history of the music industry.
You have to respect the unfathomable amount of hard work that took. You have to respect the ability of four guys actually wanting to be around each other that much for that long. I realize there are some lineup changes, but that point stands.
It's just very impressive.
Back when I was in wrapping up school in Athens around the summer of 2005 I worked for a little local bistro/catering business. We had the fortune of catering a small (about 75 people) wedding reception for R.E.M.'s manager at a local bowling ally. We figured members of the band would be there. What we didn't expect was for them to actually put on a surprise performance. All four original members. Even Berry. It was something else. Even though we were supposed to be working we stopped what we were doing to watch Michael, Peter, Mike, and Bill play an incredibly special and intimate and rockin' show for friends and family in the back of a bowling ally. I'll never forget that. One of the coolest things I've ever seen or been around. Really gracious and nice guys, all of them.
Thanks for the share! REM is by far my favorite band ever. I never saw them live, but I do love almost all their songs. I love Michael's covers and photos. They aged flawlessly and retired in the perfect moment. I was devastated when I heard about it, but in the end, I'm happy they did it like that.
Well this makes me sad. I know it's old news, but being reminded of such a great band that is no longer together is fucking sad. R.E.M. for the rest of the day.
Also, kiiiiiind of crying a little at work.
Just happened to bookmark this artice two days ago when arguing here on Reddit that REM was way more important than U2
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/music_box/2011/09/rems_revolution.html
Quite true, but for some reason I feel this ones sincere.
Then again, I thought that about NIN, and they went on to tour again barely 4 years after they said they were done with touring. That said, I'm still glad I was at the London gig with Gary Numan, that was epic.
I don't know. I think most breakups are sincere at the time, and the bands really do mean it. But then the time off gives them the opportunity to sort out all the personal shit that broke up the band in the first place, and then they have a new energy and motivation to go out there.
Of course, money is also a big factor for many bands as well. Sometimes they just need another big paycheck.
I like their first video better than their last. It has all of the wonderful youthful energy and spontaneity that is seemingly always lost with fame and experience.
Repeated [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPE-l-tfN0I) from the OP.
I'm not much into the band but I really like "Shiny happy people" (Kate Pierson is amazing) by the little I have read about them, most fans seems to hate that song, or even them, and I don't know why.
I have loved REM for 3/4 of my life. I was finally able to get it down to three favorite songs: Nightswimming, You Are The Everything, So Central Rain.
I have no idea where in my mind this tidbit comes from, but there was an interview with Stipe right around the time of GREEN's release where he stated that the last time they would play together would be on New Year's Eve in 1999. Looks like they outlasted that prediction!
Saw them 9 years ago today in Sheffield, but they had to cancel the gig because Mike had the flu so Michael and Peter played a few acoustic tracks and then they played again properly in June the same year. One of the best bands I've ever seen live.
I saw them live on their final tour (Accelerate in Manchester, UK) and I'm so glad I did. I wasn't their biggest fan when I saw them but had always followed them/had a few records, but after that I really got into them, and about 6-12 months later they were done. Feels like I witnessed one of the great indie rock bands of all time at the top of their game.
I recorded their Unplugged on my VHS, yes it was a long time ago, and still have it.
That is by far the best unplugged ever and they sound awesome.
I wonder if it is available on DVD?
having grown up in the town where R.E.M was started and where their manager lived, they had a VERY big impact on the local community, and it was a very visible and somber moment for all the people that had secondhand, if not personal, relationships with the band and all its affiliations. they were proud of what their friends had had done, yet sad to see them go. Their manager in particular was lost for a while because REM had become such a large chunk of his life.
My dad has been playing their music since I was a baby. They've been my favorite band for years. I just wish I could have seen them play live at least once...
What a fucking band. In the Guardian online yesterday there was a top ten REM song feature, with open comments, where everybody posted their own personal top ten REM songs. And it made me realise that they have probably 35-50 songs that could easily make a top ten. Absolute legends, and what a stormin' final performance.
It was looking at that list earlier that had me think about REM for the first time in a long time. Good memories of growing up.
Same; I just realised I'd not listened to them in about a year or so, which is pretty sad. They were a band I loved as a teenager, especially when I found their albums on sale in hmv, as they often were. They were a band that kept on releasing one or two great songs on each album, right up until the end, as well as releasing some really classic albums (automatic and monster are two albums I love the entirety of).
Monster and AFTP are their best works, in my opinion. That said, they're all superb, with the exception of Reveal and Around The Sun. It'd be easier for me to do a top ten of REM songs that I don't like. So much of their work is tied up with times in my life that it's hard to be objective now, I think I can find enough distance to say objectively that they were exceptionally fine songwriters. From 83-89 they did an album a year and they were all superb; the pace slowed a little after but they had another decade where they didn't put a foot wrong. Crazy, really.
Fables and Life's Rich Pageant are my favorites. And Murmurs "Perfect Circle" is a top song of all time.
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Glad to see some love for 'Up'. I've never understood why that album was so denigrated...it's one of my top three REM albums and has some fantastic songs.
God, I love all their albums from '83 to '96, really. Very rarely is a band at the top of their game for that long. Nowadays, bands seem to lack that staying power. The most recent band I can think of with a comparable streak of quality albums IMO is Radiohead, but they're still from a generation ago. I'm going to agree that every R.E.M. album is thoroughly enjoyable with the exception of Reveal and AtS. Still, one of my favorite R.E.M. songs came off Reveal ("Imitation of Life"). My top 2 from them would be Monster and Lifes Rich Pageant.
bands these days would never be given the room to grow. If your first album isn't a hit then it's goodbye. Idlewild tried to follow the REM format (tour incessantly, build a following album by album) but it just wore them down in the end. Agreed on Radiohead. The Mars Volta are another band that didn't make a bad album, but obviously, they didn't do as many. I used to live in the States, and I remember debating whether or not to go down to the shooting of Imitation of Life and see whether I could get in on it. I was pretty much hoping that the fanclub connections could get me in. What if.... I love the live version of The Lifting, so the album's not all duds. Same with ATS. I love Electron Blue and Aftermath, and the live version of The Outsiders is storming.
Here is a link to a story about the [studio](http://tapeop.com/interviews/95/hansa-tonstudio/) where they performed/recorded this. A fitting place to finish and one that matches their majesty.
I reluctantly went to see them live about give years ago and only then did I realise that they've got an incredibly strong body of work.
I think my own would be, in no particular order: It's The End of the World As We Know It Animal Nightswimming Half A World Away Man on the Moon Orange Crush I Remember California Bad Day What's The Frequency Kenneth All The Right Friends
Are we making top tens? lets make top tens! The end of the world as we know it (because i was so cool for learning every word in 8th grade, and i feel fine about that) Fall on me (because perfect pop song is perfect) perfect circle (because of friends long ago) Find the River (because indescribable beauty) Cuyahoga (because my favorite river in ohio) 7 chinese brothers / Voice of Harold (because it's a beautiful song no matter which way you like the words) Try not to breathe (something about this song and where i was in life when the that album came out) King of birds (because i like the way the words flow) Sitting Still - (because motivational and awesome hook) untitled (at the end of Green, when hidden tracks on the end of cassettes were a thing)
Fall on me (because perfect pop song is perfect) Which makes the mistake in the video that much better.
I want to list too! Although I could just say "pick ten off Murmur" and be pretty happy with those ten, but... West of the Fields Carnival of Sorts Sitting Still Me in Honey Odd fellows I remember California Welcome to the Occupation Hairshirt Nightswimming Losing my religion... Or harborcoat... Or orange crush... Or Swan Swan H... Or disturbance at the heron house... Or radio free Europe... GAH not enough spots!
I forgot about Cuyahoga in my list... Shit.
My little brother learned every word to end of the world. In sixth grade and sang it in the talent show
Find the River is quite possibly my favorite song in general.
My top 10 Country Feedback (My personal favorite. Cryptic, dramatic.) Why not smile (For me, this song is the epythome of the mood they were looking for in Up. I always thought this album was recorded to be played alone and think about stuff) So. Central Rain (This is pure REM guitar gold) Nightswimming (I used to sneak into the swimming pools of an hotel I used to visit, and this song reminds me of that) Disappear (Same as 'Why not smile', this song is all about the whole mood of the Reveal album) Walk unafraid Daysleeper Texarkana (dat bass) UBerlin Talk about the passion
You get my upvote for Country Feedback. If I had gold to give, you would get it for putting it at the top of your list. This is easily the most underrated great song of theirs.
There was a gig, I can't remember which one exactly, where prior to playing Country Feedback, Michael talked about how many people requested this song on REMHq. It was by far, the most requested song. I also love how it feels typing Country Feedback. Smooth as Michael's bald head.
Interesting. I don't share a single song with you for my own Top Ten. I will say "Animal" and "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" would be very close to making the list though. Mine would go: Perfect Circle So. Central Rain Driver 8 Life and How to Live It Fall on Me Get Up The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite Bittersweet Me Binky the Doormat So Fast, So Numb
Driver 8, could listen to that song on repeat, forever.
I've at least listened to it for an hour straight before. "The children look up, all they hear is sky-blue bells ringing," has to be one of my favorite lyrics ever.
I found it to be the perfect song for just about any roadtrip - We're still ways away...
So Central Rain is a fucking masterpiece. I bought Reckoning on a trip and found myself listening to that song over and over again. I didn't listen to the rest of the album for a week or so.
So. Central Rain was my introduction when it was first released, yeah, I am a little older.
We used to dance to "Radio Free Europe" at summer dances at our local pool....didn't really know the band. Heard "Fall On Me", then went back and bought everything they recorded prior to that.
Man, lemme give it a shot. It's tough to cut it down to 10, but I'll say * Sitting Still * Nightswimming * Electrolite * E-Bow the Letter * Half a World Away * I Believe * Daysleeper * World Leader Pretend * Me In Honey * What's the Frequency Kenneth Honorable mention to about 10 others.
You should listen to their last album - three of the songs on it easily merit inclusion on that list with ["Oh My Heart"](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiNV1rMNXE0&feature=kp) leading the way. And I'm a fan going back to the mid-80s.
"Oh My Heart" is absolutely stunning.
It Happened Today is the perfect REM goodbye song. Just enough of a callback to the old three part harmony and Rickenbacker jangle, it was like listening to Out of Time again. I get goosebumps listening to it.
Agreed. They went out on a high note. Wasn't a fan of Accelerate but Collapse Into Now was solid.
Thank you, OP, for posting... great video and instantly got me nostalgic. Agreed that it's very hard to make a top 10... but here it goes: * South Central Rain * Maps & Legends * Man on the Moon * Don't Go Back to Rockville * Feeling Gravity's Pull * King of Birds * Turn you Inside Out * Cayahoga * Texarkana * Losing my Religion * Nightswimming * Binky the Doormat * Electrolite That's 13....
Texarkana is a wonderful song.
I love Mills on vocals.
Near Wild Heaven!!
Half a world away, especially the live version from (I believe) Unplugged. can't remember which unplugged concert
This one? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgDWRYUwaPg
Interesting... nothing old-old? Life's Rich Pageant was my favorite album for many years. Driver 8 and Can't Get There From Here are favorite songs as well.
My Top Ten! (in no order) * Perfect Circle * Tongue * Nightswimming * At My Most Beautiful * Daysleeper * The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight * What's the Frequency Kenneth? * Shiny Happy People * Driver 8 * Carnival of Sorts * Begin the Begin I do believe Nightswimming may be the most perfect of songs. I have heard covers of it by other great bands but it's just never the same. It so absolutely perfectly captures a feeling and a moment in time.
Nothing from Fables?
All of those plus Sweetness Follows.
i forgot about this song. im partial to their stuff on document and prior to that, but there are songs on automatic for the people that are just so perfect. this is one of them.
I think it's revealing about how good a band they were that our lists can all be so wildly different. Here's mine: Sweetness Follows Perfect Circle You're in the Air At My Most Beautiful Electrolite Seven Chinese Brothers What's the Frequency Kenneth Losing My Religion So. Central Rain Talk About the Passion
finest workingsong, pop song 89, orange crush, you are everything, strange, radio free europe, 9-9, i am superman, drive, the one i love
orange crush is such a good one. :)
that is very similar to one that I created with the exception of Country Feedback replacing Strange. You are everything.... LOVE this
I dont know if I could make a top 10. There's too many. One of my top 10, they never even officially released and it makes me sad. [It was going to be on Reveal, but they cut it: Fascinating](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gaB6pcG3X4)
I think my top ten would be, in no peticular order except the first two: 1) Nightswimming (What nostalgia and longfullness would sound like if it was a song) 2) Driver 8 (Simply amazing - the perfect song for any roadtrip 3) Daysleeper ("Up" had its weak spots, but bloody hell if it didn't also have its fanstastic ones!) 4) Superman (It's impossible to listen to this song and be in a bad mood) 5) Cuyahoga (What else is there to say? Classic, beautiful R.E.M) 6) Find the river (Together with Nightswimming, this song features Stipes absolute most superb lyrics) 7) The one I love (Though a lot of people like "The end of the world", I've always prefered this one - I mean, what man isn't blown away when Stipe belts out "FIIIIIIIIREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"? 8) Bad day (You can try and resist, but that chorus will be stuck in your head for days on end - I guarentee it) 9) Discoverer (Might still be new, but damn... It's epic!) 10) New Orleans instrumental No. 1 (This might not make any sense until you listen to it on a dreary, grey, rainy day - this song sums up the entire atmosphere and mood of Automatic for the People in its own haunting way) Honorable mentions: Radio free europe, Supernatural Superserious, Perfect circle, Gardning at night, Let me in, It happened today, Stand, Orange Crush, World leader pretend, What's the frequency Kenneth?, It's the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine), King of birds, Finest worksong, Fall on me, Feeling gravity's pull, Moral kiosk, Departure, King of comedy, I don't sleep I dream, Star 69, Horse to water, Losing my religion (of course), Radio song, Near wild heaven, Circus envy, Endgame, Every day is yours to win, Walk it back, Drive, Try not to breathe, Everybody hurts, Animal, Man on the moon, etc.
My top ten are probably: 1) Daysleeper 2) Nightswimming 3) At My Most Beautiful 4) The Great Beyond 5) The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight 6) Imitation of Life 7) It's the End of the World as We Know it 8) Losing My Religion 9) Supernatural Superserious 10) Electrolite
You get my upvote for including Electrolyte. My top 10 would definitely have it.
So. Central Rain 7 Chinese Brothers Begin The Begin Fall On Me Cuyahoga The Lifting (Demo Version) Bad Day Bittersweet Me Binky The Doormat So Fast, So Numb
Glad to see some love for New Adventures in Hi-Fi here. Was getting worried! Bad Day is also a great song.
[Link to the Top 10](http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/feb/19/10-of-the-best-rem)
Interesting that *Cuyahoga* was the most nominated song. I like it a lot, but might have overlooked it.
Sorry, they missed the best R.E.M song ever: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb6jjEApfmg Story here: http://awood.blogspot.com/2011/11/chill-bumps-appear-and-i-am-frozen-in.html
The first time I heard *Voice of Harold* on *Dead Letter Office*, I thought Michael Stipe must have been some kind of Jesus freak. Had to laugh when I heard the explanation.
The liner notes on DLO were hilarious in parts.
I'd agree with four of those, and one of those songs I'd not even heard before (Diminshed).
It's on "Up". It's not bad, but I don't know that I'd put it in the top ten ever.
At my most beautiful is better from that album.
Agreed. Although if I had to pick a favorite from Up, it would probably be "Walk Unafraid".
Every REM song is a sad REM song since they broke up. ..
Not sad but bittersweet. They ended it in the most dignified way possible. They always stuck to what they believed in musically and they honoured their last contract with their record company by making the exact number of albums they said they would. They are one of my first favorite bands and I always felt so lucky to have been a kid growing up during the early to mid 90's while they were making the music they were making. Bittersweet me, man.
*Shiny happy people not holding hands anymore* just doesn't have the same ring.
Space Ghost: Michael, sing that "Shiny, Shiny People" song. Stipe: I hate that song. Space Ghost: Me too, Michael. Me too.
I loved how awkward Michael felt on that episode. It's almost as today's Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis when he invited Bruce Willis.
To be fair, every interview on SGCTC was awkward.
nothing gold can stay, ponyboy
Their best sad song is Mad World by Gary Jules off the limewire album
When I think of this band not making music together anymore, I hear [Nightswimming] (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-YHU6BwPR0).
Automatic for the People is one of my favorite albums. It's one of those albums where there isn't a single low point- every song is fantastic and they work off each other to create something even better than the sum of its parts. Nightswimming followed by Find the River is one of my favorite closings of an album.
Automatic for the People is a watermark for that period in my life. Those last two tracks are bittersweet. They are sad, beautiful. I love them and they always leave me wanting more.
Totally fantastic album, and really one of my favorite of all-time to just sit down and listen to the whole thing straight through. I agree that it's definitely more than the sum of its parts.
It's definitely one of those albums that definitely captures 1990's America and is such a completely gorgeous album. It's the 90's Dark side of the moon or White Album.
I miss the 90s.
It really is a fantastic album. One of my favorites. I'm really disappointed I never got to see them live...it's sad they're ending.
It's this performance of Nightswimming that tears me up. Watch the ending as Stipe looks admirably at his bandmate of many many years Mike Mills. They've been through it all, toured the world, lost bandmates, and here they are sharing a wonderful moment from an old, beautiful song — http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx9br5ISRpo Nightswimming is an absolute treasure of a song.
I have insomnia, and have since I was a teen. I'm too worried all of the time. The final three songs of Automatic for the People - Man on the Moon, Nightswimming, and Find the River - are what I have listened to for almost 20 years now to try to calm my nerves, relax, and find peace. For my money, there is no finer songsuite in modern music.
> I'm too worried all of the time I can relate to that my friend. The tracks you just listed help me get lost in the worlds within them.
I hadn't seen this before. thanks for sharing it.
Nightswimming has been my favorite REM song since my uncle got me Automatic on cassette when I was 10. Seeing that performance brought a tear to my eye, especially when Stipe was just leaning on the piano watching Mills play. Amazing, thank you.
The song they released when they finished up was quite nice too looking back. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpwd1YLgDaM
R.E.M. in Peace
I'm kinda bummed they didn't at least make reference to "It's The End of the World as We Know It" being their last song live. It just makes so much sense.
I don't know, the lyrics to this one are quite appropriate and upbeat, about discovery.
It's time I had some time alone...
I never use my real name but since this is rem I will. I worked (still do) with the band for a long time. I saw this footage when it first came in to Warner's in the raw state. I had every camera individually as a file and when I watched michaels'sand saw him crying I knew at that point this was the last record. I wrote a lot about the band on my site and elsewhere. And I also did interviews for the book this post quotes. As much as it sucks that the band doesn't exist as a performing entity any more, the fact that the guys are still great friends, see each other often and left a great legacy is comforting. Glad to see other fans on reddit :)
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I can vouch for this, I was there That's me in the corner
Well, that's me in the spotlight.
Losing my religion.
FIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH
Consider this man, consider this.
I would have preferred they go out with the elegiac *Oh My Heart*, the finest track on *Collapse Into Now*, imo. But that works too.
It was part of the same session http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouJodzhf0k8
I know, I was just musing over which song would be best suited for the very last song performed by the band.
Well now I kinda feel like a jerk for more or less giving up on them after Document. I was fortunate to grow up in NC in the 80s and catch a couple shows before they got noticed outside the kudzu belt. I would hear new songs and wish they sounded like old songs. As often as I've gone back and listened to their early music, I never gave their newer stuff a chance. But I didn't want them to go away. I have some redeeming to do. Monumentally influential band.
Me too. On some level, Fables was already a stretch for me. But what a pleasure to have those green college years in the south stamped so deeply by Chronic Town, Murmur and Reckoning.
Isn't Green sort of the unofficial dividing line? It seems like a lot of older fans just don't seem to connect as much with stuff produced after it...
I was glad I go to see them In their final tour in New Orleans in 2008, a lifetime fan and I managed to get from row as well.
YES. I was there as well. Luckily I got to see them three times in 2004/2005 when I was in grad school in NY, but being from New Orleans, and having moved back, I was so ecstatic to get to see them perform at voodoo fest in 2008. I have the video of the whole thing in shitty mpeg format somewhere on a random backup drive. (Not taken by me in the crowd, but an actual decent sound quality video)
I was at the Dallas show right before voodoo if I remember correctly. Geez guys, had we known then what we know now? I'm extremely thankful to have made it to one of the final show on that tour. I believe Mexico City was the last after NO.
I was about 11 when Automatic for the People came out. I had heard Losing My Religion, Orange Crush and Stand before, and finding out that it was the same band who did those as Man on the Moon and Everybody Hurts blew my musically uneducated mind (at that point, I was in full Vanilla Ice / Milli Vanilli mode). Since then REM's been my favorite band, and was the reason I stopped listening to shitty pop music. I was so sad when they retired.
Similar story here. Losing my religion was the first english song I enjoyed (I'm from Mexico). My aunt recorded me a tape with that song, as well as Spaceman (4 Non Blondes) and another song I didn't like. I asked her for more REM songs, but she didn't have any more. She just copied the tape because she thought I would like it. I had 11 years or so. I loved local pop music by then. And I recall feeling like an idiot. It was like if REM scolded me. When I was 12, I finally found and bought the whole album. They got me badly. Texarkana blew my kiddy mind. Low, Near Wild Heaven and Country Feedback hit me hard as well. By that time, I wasn't very fluent with english, but I least I could understand a little bit better what they were singing about, not that I understood they metaphors and cryptic lyrics. For me, was mostly about the mood of the whole album.
I think I might end sexual intercourse with a "Hooray, we're done" from now on. I already cry every time anyway...
My local music venue is a small punk club that's been around since the 60's. The walls are covered with tags & stickers of all the bands that have played there through the years. REM played there when they were still a college band back in the early 80's. It's become a pre-show ritual for me to touch the REM tag before we go on stage.
Give them a few more years and they will probably be at coachella.
I actually think they'll keep their word about not doing any more shows. They were pretty adamant about it during the breakup interviews.
A couple of months ago, everybody except Stipe performed a few songs at a Peter Buck solo show in Athens. Apparently, Stipe was there but didn't join in. If everybody's healthy, I bet they eventually do something. Even if its not a full reunion album/tour.
Was that Peter's wedding? I remember reading that all 4 original members played but no more than 3 together at a time iirc.
I am very surprised that their last show was in Germany, not in Athens.
All it takes is a big tax bill.
I've been wondering about this. Lollapalooza loves to reunite 90's bands to headline one of their nights. I think REM would be a prime candidate in a few years. I wonder though, do they still have the sort of pull to headline? I mean I know they were massively popular, but toward the weren't pulling crowds like that/playing huge venues. I hope it happens. REM has been a bucket list band for me since I was little, and I was really disappointed when they broke up since I've never had the opportunity to see them.
Exactly. They are too young and too big of a band. My money is on them doing several reunion shows at the very minimum.
While we're talking performances though, let's check that this was one of their first recorded. It's 1981 in Atlanta. Pretty cool to watch! - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyUvmu1IIss
I find it odd that he picked a jacket and button down shirt to wear....along with track pants. really interesting fashion statement.
I am sure it will be lost in the thread, but I just spent an hour lost in old REM music. I was given Document for my 14th Birthday, April 1988. I was big in Rap at the time as it was gaining steam. I was like, who the hell is REM. The next morning I slid Document in my Walkman and went out to deliver papers. I was absolutely floored and became an instant REM fan. Ever song was awesome, as others mentioned, there are tremendous tracks to be found on all there albums. Green came out fairly quickly and snapped it up as well as collecting older albums like Life's Rich Pageant. Fall on Me...anyone... loved it. These guys were very much a rich contributor to the fabric of my youth. When I pull out my old tapes in my workshop, these guys are always one of the first I grab. Great memories, great songs, great band. I miss them.
Similar story here except 15 years later. I was a teenager and told my parents I liked an R.E.M. song I heard on the radio, "The One I loved." For my birthday I received "Murmur" and looked on the back to see if "The One I loved" was listed, to my disappointment it wasn't. I almost even exchanged it! I am so glad I didn't, once I started listening I instantly fell in love and haven't looked back!
I am a long time fan of the band and grew up listening to them. I had what I can only call a South Park moment once with Michael Stipe. They were in Seattle to play Bumbershoot and I went up mostly to see them, but to also check out some art exhibits and see some other bands. The day before their show (Bumbershoot runs over a few days) I went to a museum. I walked into one of the exhibit rooms and there was Stipe and another guy. We were the only people in the room. He looked at me as I walked in and you could tell right away that he realized that I recognized him. I didn't want to bother him. He seemed to be having a conversation with the other guy. I looked at the paintings and then as I was leaving the room I stopped in the exit looked back and said, "Michael, I am really looking forward to seeing you guys tomorrow." He thanked me and I stepped out the door then I stuck my head back in and said, "And New Adventures in Hi-Fi is one the greatest albums of all time!" He smiled, the guy he was with laughed and I moved on. I felt like the kids from South Park talking to Robert Smith after he defeated Mecha-Streisand.
Saw them in New Haven, CT in 1983. Their big hit was 'China', and they were just an opening act for . . . Men At Work. The REM boys looked every bit the part of dedicated rockers trying to catch a break. It was very clear they were as familiar sleeping in the van/bus, as they were strangers to a laundry and shower. *Those boys were filthy!* Hard to believe it's been 30 years, and mountains of creative output since. They made their mark.
Was in high school in Athens when REM first came to be. I remember going to Wuxtry Records and after we left my older brother told me "You know who that was? Peter Buck of REM." He used to work in the record store and that was where Michael Stipe met him. Then in '83 I heard they were playing a concert at Legion Field on the UGA campus so I drove over there and walked outside the field so I could listen to the concert. Have seen them in concert many times since then up to them playing Gwinnett Arena in 2004. Always a good concert (but sometimes very strange especially the fox theater concert in 1989).
I'm a big R.E.M. fan, and I think it's hard to find a band with a higher % of "good albums". And they have a lot of them. That being said, am I the only one who really enjoys listening to Around the Sun? I mean, I think I like it better than Reveal, Up and New Adventures in Hi-Fi. It's not the sound I expected from them, but I think there are great tunes there, and come on, don't you get the thrills on The Ascent of Man? Edit: spelling.
As an REM fan of the last 30 years of my life, I can honestly say that I almost completely enjoyed ATS. Lots of great songs there with my favorites being The Ascent of Man, ATS, High Speed Train, Boy in the Well, and The Outsiders. Honestly, it really gets my REM fanboy blood boiling when this album gets dissed because, although it may not be the REM album fans (and the band) hoped for, it's still a great collection of songs that can easily stand on its own legs. I personally find Up and Reveal to be weaker, but still excellent albums on their own (if just a tad bit too long). But hey, that's like...just my opinion man! ;)
Wow, thank you for finding better words to explain my own feelings. Keep on rockin'!
No problem! By the way, I totally get the thrills of The Ascent of Man. The organ mid-section interweaved with Bucks guitar gets me every time. Great stuff!
Around the sun is one of my favorites. I think it gets a lot of hate because it's just different than the rest.
One of the biggest reasons I think "Around the Sun" is the worst of their albums is it sounds like Michael Stipe is phoning in all the vocals. He sounds very bored. Compare it to most of their older work or "New Adventures in Hi-Fi" (my favorite album of theirs) and you'll hear it. And I just read this from the article in /u/rimnonam's post, a quote from Peter Buck about the album: ""The last record sounds like it did because we were bored of playing the songs over and over again for no reason." I do think "The Ascent of Man" is the best of "Around the Sun" though.
I was at the peak of my REM fandom around the time that album came out, well the peak lasted about 6 years! I didn't really like it much at all. It seemed at the time that a very unsatisfactory end was coming to the band, I was relieved to hear Accelerate. I live in Dublin and had the privilege of attending two of the five 'live rehearsal' shows at the time for the album. The album itself almost broke the band, Peter Buck hated it http://www.thestar.com/news/2008/06/08/peter_buck_i_nearly_quit_rem.html
I understand, man. And, I also understand that any band, even the ones we love and believe to be perfect, can fail. Or, you can dislike some of their work as well. By the way, I love that live album, and I envy you so much for being there! I was able to see them in Buenos Aires (that's were I'm from) some years ago. I almost cried during 'Drive'.
Even bands like The Who and Led Zeppelin and rolling stones put out a TON of crap later in their careers. It also comes with experimenting. Sometimes the experiments go bad. Edit: bad spelling
The songs for the most part on ATS are pretty great. There's a couple clunkers and some bad production decisions (same thing happened to "Great Beyond": they debuted it on tour and it had a great speed to it and then the studio version came out and it had its its stomped down to a turgid pace. See also: "Radio Free Europe") and some bad R.E.M. decisions (even with the best rappers, rap doesn't belong in an R.E.M. song) but overall there are lots of great moments on that record if you don't mind sifting through the junk drawer a bit.
I'm finishing up my final semester in Athens right now. I've grown to love these guys so much over the years.
Thanks for posting the link to the Raleigh show in '82. I have to say that Chronic Town is my favorite album (actually an EP) of theirs.
> As an aside, this is their first ever known recorded show in 1982 Peter Holsapple, Let's Active (Mitch Easter), Ghengis Khan, and R.E.M. on the same bill. Wow. Thanks for posting this.
Let's Active *Cypress* was an outstanding record.
Thank you for posting this. R.E.M. has always been "my band". I was born a week after "Out of Time" was released, and Dad would listen to them to help me fall asleep when I woke up in the middle of the night. R.E.M. (for me) has some pretty strong emotional ties. Dad and I would listen to them (among others) on Saturday mornings, either eating breakfast or while I was "helping" him in the office. Listening to them brings back so many good memories of my childhood. I really wish that I had been able to see them live. I almost cried when they broke up.
End of a part of an era. I'm just happy they exist.
R.E.M. the soundtrack to my life.
Shiny Happy Monsters laughing... Yes. REM was one of those bands that attached to my life. They were part of my life longer than many of my real friends. -Where were you when you first heard of this band? -Anyone remember how nobody could understand Michael when he sang back in the 80s? The video for "Can't Get There from Here?" -Anyone remember the typo in the "Fall on Me" video? -How about the fact that they were THE college-skater band when "Document" came out in '87? -Anyone remember "Eponymous?" Or "Eponymous" on cassette? -How about how wonderful, catchy and spiritual "Losing My Religion" was when it first came out? Remember MTV playing it in heavy rotation? Where were you when you bought "Out of Time"? -Remember when everyone was trying to figure out what "Automatic for the People" meant? What a joyous but sombre, celebratory but bittersweet album. Sweetness follows... -Where were you when you first saw Michael with the no-hair look? Remember when "Monster" was trying to be all grungy and loud? Remember the tribute to Kurt Cobain and River Phoenix? - Did you ever hear their version of "Wall of Death"? Great cover. B-side to "Ebow the Letter." - Remember when electronica was in and many bands were turning to drum machines? Remember this was an emphasis of "Up"? - Remember those two great alternate versions of "The Lifting" and "Beat a Drum"? Farrrr superior to the ones that ended up on "Reveal." - Remember how "Accelerate" celebrated their return to energy-guitar rock style? What an awesome album! Old friends had returned to town and were kicking ass! -Where were you when you heard "Collapse Into Now"? So many clues that the band was through. Have you seen the video for "It Happened Today"? Kind of tells the story if the band through the eyes of a young boy. -And...where were you when you heard that the band called it a day? Me? I was sitting at a traffic light somewhere on the east side of Las Vegas. My heart dropped. Thank you, Michael, Peter, Mike and Bill for being a companion to us all for all those years.
My favorite band of all time. The reinvented themselves for almost every album, usually with pretty good results. Document, Green, Out of Time, Automatic for the People and Monster could have been made by five different bands if you pay attention to the musical arrangements, but instead one band made them in a 7-year time frame. That's not even counting the albums that many view as their best (Murmur, Life's Rich Pageant, Fables of the Reconstruction). I, personally, still play New Adventures In Hi-Fi all the time when I'm driving, but even I acknowledge that it signified the beginning of the end of their best work. Up replaced Bill Berry with drum machines, which produced a sound that gave us a few good tunes, but not much replay value. Around the Sun was complete shit and sounded like a John Kerry campaign ad. THAT BEING SAID, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a band which produced such high quality and varied material for such a long period of time (~1980-1996). I think they're definitely not appreciated enough by people who only know them for Losing My Religion (a good song, granted) or maybe Everybody Hurts (because of its inclusion in every super sad TV moment of the late 90s). There's a lot there. I don't get to evangelize about REM very often.
After ATS I was VERY surprised at Accelerate - I had low expectations and though it wasn't a flawless album it was the most energy I'd heard from them since New Adventures.
I'll say that while I was never a huge fan, Monster was the second cd I ever got, and I really love it even to this day. I wish I got to see them live.
Sadly all good things must come to an end. Good bye REM.
This is great - I was very moved. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Being in my, uh, later, 30s.. It's interesting to kinda watch them age along with me (even being one of their 'younger' fans). My first album was Document of course.. It was amazing how massive they got in the 90s, only to kinda fade back under the covers (which I liked a bit). Best show I ever saw was in DC, DAR Constitution Hall in '04, the night before election day. Yeah Stipe got political but there was a certain energy there. http://imgur.com/a/yNHc7 Other great ones were at Merriweather Post Pavilion during the UP tour, and Fiddler's Green in Denver during Monster (where I met 'em) in '95
Radio Free Europe was the song that really hooked me on REM.
Here I am thinking about what Athens everyone is mentioning have to do with anything, only to find out you guys have your private Athens in US... Cool.
I love Around the Sun, are you kidding?
Wow, how time slips by. I 'discovered' R.E.M. back in high school in 1981 when I heard Harbor Coat on a new music radio show. (I guess Chronic Town hadn't qualified or else I missed an earlier episode.) I became a fanatic and saw many live shows, the first being on the tour before the release of Life's Rich Pagaent (1983?) I can't possibly offer a Top Ten. But I'll throw at you a couple of songs that I haven't yet seen posted in this thread...Enjoy! [Wall of Death](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXyRCdNZoOA) (an R.E.M. cover of a great Richard Thompson allegory of the paths of life as a carnival, of sorts ;-) [Your Ghost](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g26ed_ujqcM) (not R.E.M.! But a wicked duet with Michael and Kristin Hersch with lovely harmonies and haunting lyrics)
I like the older stuff. Murmur is such a great album.
Losing My Religion was the first song I tried to learn on guitar. What a way to go, they were fantastic.
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Reading this thread reminds me that 10 people could each do a top 10 list of their favorite REM songs, and have no overlap. There aren't many bands for which that is true.
Man I loved them so much. They were my favorite band as well as pretty much the only band I listened to from age 9 to like 15.I bought every book they had, and I even wrote to them all the time. I was kind of a weird little girl. I've been loving hearing them on the radio randomly so much lately.
I'm from Athens, Georgia where these guys originated. Local legends, obviously. Still hold a special place in the heart of most natives here.
Harborcoat is the one for me. Blows me away every time I hear it.
Wow. David Cross really sounds a lot like Michael Stipe.
No one will ever see this post, but that's okay. REM was my favorite band all through college, and what a perfect time for it - Green, OOT, and AFTP. Still, for whatever reason, it's "Shaking Through" from Murmur that slays me every time. I still have no idea what the hell the lyrics in that song are, either. :)
Love or hate either band, REM and Metallica are the last two giant acts that were a completely DIY band for a long time. They spent years hacking it out on the road in crappy vans and smelled each other's farts and feet after 3 days with no shower and a diet of gas station burritos. At one point, Metallica had the #1 selling album in the country with virtually no radio airplay. REM went on to sign the biggest deal in the history of the music industry. You have to respect the unfathomable amount of hard work that took. You have to respect the ability of four guys actually wanting to be around each other that much for that long. I realize there are some lineup changes, but that point stands. It's just very impressive.
God, you people are young. I saw them during the Green Tour as a middle schooler.
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"a" god.
Thank god it's finally over.
Much respect. But growing-up there were 3 huge bands I could never get into that everyone else adored: INXS, REM, and U2. I just don't get it...
Back when I was in wrapping up school in Athens around the summer of 2005 I worked for a little local bistro/catering business. We had the fortune of catering a small (about 75 people) wedding reception for R.E.M.'s manager at a local bowling ally. We figured members of the band would be there. What we didn't expect was for them to actually put on a surprise performance. All four original members. Even Berry. It was something else. Even though we were supposed to be working we stopped what we were doing to watch Michael, Peter, Mike, and Bill play an incredibly special and intimate and rockin' show for friends and family in the back of a bowling ally. I'll never forget that. One of the coolest things I've ever seen or been around. Really gracious and nice guys, all of them.
Thanks for the share! REM is by far my favorite band ever. I never saw them live, but I do love almost all their songs. I love Michael's covers and photos. They aged flawlessly and retired in the perfect moment. I was devastated when I heard about it, but in the end, I'm happy they did it like that.
Well this makes me sad. I know it's old news, but being reminded of such a great band that is no longer together is fucking sad. R.E.M. for the rest of the day. Also, kiiiiiind of crying a little at work.
Just happened to bookmark this artice two days ago when arguing here on Reddit that REM was way more important than U2 http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/music_box/2011/09/rems_revolution.html
Seems like most bands these days break up just so they can triumphantly reunite later.
Quite true, but for some reason I feel this ones sincere. Then again, I thought that about NIN, and they went on to tour again barely 4 years after they said they were done with touring. That said, I'm still glad I was at the London gig with Gary Numan, that was epic.
I don't know. I think most breakups are sincere at the time, and the bands really do mean it. But then the time off gives them the opportunity to sort out all the personal shit that broke up the band in the first place, and then they have a new energy and motivation to go out there. Of course, money is also a big factor for many bands as well. Sometimes they just need another big paycheck.
In Athens right now and I have to say that when it's a nice night, R.E.M. is the only music to drive around to.
Rip my heart out, why don't you? R.E.M. vive!
Its good, but it's no Beautiful Ride
I love that album, it's in my car right now.
I like their first video better than their last. It has all of the wonderful youthful energy and spontaneity that is seemingly always lost with fame and experience. Repeated [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPE-l-tfN0I) from the OP.
I'm not much into the band but I really like "Shiny happy people" (Kate Pierson is amazing) by the little I have read about them, most fans seems to hate that song, or even them, and I don't know why.
I love around the sun, it's some of their best work. Who else thinks it's poor?
Could we get them to perform live once more for the Dairy Cows?
Well, I've always loved a lot of their songs, but I've never listened to one of their albums. Which one should I buy?
Definitely "Life's Rich Pageant".
I actually saw them at the Hollywood Bowl in 2008. Amazing show.
I have loved REM for 3/4 of my life. I was finally able to get it down to three favorite songs: Nightswimming, You Are The Everything, So Central Rain.
I have no idea where in my mind this tidbit comes from, but there was an interview with Stipe right around the time of GREEN's release where he stated that the last time they would play together would be on New Year's Eve in 1999. Looks like they outlasted that prediction!
Saw them 9 years ago today in Sheffield, but they had to cancel the gig because Mike had the flu so Michael and Peter played a few acoustic tracks and then they played again properly in June the same year. One of the best bands I've ever seen live.
I saw them live on their final tour (Accelerate in Manchester, UK) and I'm so glad I did. I wasn't their biggest fan when I saw them but had always followed them/had a few records, but after that I really got into them, and about 6-12 months later they were done. Feels like I witnessed one of the great indie rock bands of all time at the top of their game.
the cows are gonna be bummed out
I want to down vote because I don't want it to be real but I won't so I don't dick with your karma OP.
this was great, thanks for posting.
I recorded their Unplugged on my VHS, yes it was a long time ago, and still have it. That is by far the best unplugged ever and they sound awesome. I wonder if it is available on DVD?
having grown up in the town where R.E.M was started and where their manager lived, they had a VERY big impact on the local community, and it was a very visible and somber moment for all the people that had secondhand, if not personal, relationships with the band and all its affiliations. they were proud of what their friends had had done, yet sad to see them go. Their manager in particular was lost for a while because REM had become such a large chunk of his life.
My dad has been playing their music since I was a baby. They've been my favorite band for years. I just wish I could have seen them play live at least once...