R.E.M. has decided to "call it a day as a band." They've had a pretty good run, although they were pretty much phoning it in after "Automatic for the People" and to a lesser extent "Monster". Dare I say it's the end of the band as we know it and they feel fine?
For me these guys were the first glimpse into the world of music that wasn't pumped into your ears via 80's radio. They were, ahem, iconic alternative music trailblazers, and I will always regard "murmur" as possibly the best album of all time. And by the way, they will always be the version that included drummer Bill Berry, and the one that you could never understand what the hell Stipe was singing. That trio bullshit never worked.
Oh well, all good things must come to an end. Just enjoy this video of them in their prime...
12 comments:
Decent sound on that clip, love it.
Murmur was the first CD I bought.
I haven't listened to anything since Monster so I should probably just shut up.
The interwebs has a setlist archive of every show they did. I looked up my third concert ever attended, which was R.E.M. 10/01/86:
1 October 1986 - Coliseum Arena, Oakland, CA
support: Guadalcanal Diary
set: Have You Ever Seen The Rain? / These Days / Moral Kiosk / Cuyahoga / Gardening At Night / Maps And Legends / The One I Love / Sitting Still / Driver 8 / The Flowers Of Guatemala / Shaking Through / White Tornado / I Believe / Swan Swan H / Superman / Can't Get There From Here / Pretty Persuasion / Little America
encore 1: Fall On Me / Auctioneer (Another Engine) / Life And How To Live It
encore 2: Rotary Ten / Strange / Fever / Funtime / Just A Touch / So. Central Rain
notes: The make up show for the cancelled 26 September show. Since the Greek only held about 5,000, the band only managed, with some more ticket sales, to fill about two-thirds of the new, bigger venue, and they blocked off several sections with canvas
They played "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" because the first show got rained out. I remember thinking to myself "please please play songs off Murmur like 'Shaking Through' and 'Sitting Still' and don't only play Life's Rich Pageant stuff" -- was glad they complied. I remember some of the concert chatter, Michael Stipe saying "I pledge allegiance to Dr. Seuss", etc.
Any you other bastards find an R.E.M. concert you attended from the Archive?
Sadly I never saw them. I know! Amazing, right? I did have tix for a show in 86 or so, but it was cancelled due to a hurricane and was never re-scheduled. I quit listening after Fables. Or I should say, I listened to every album, but didn't LOVE anything after Fables. You still have to consider them one of the greats, though.
I saw 'em on the Green tour in Pullman, WA and then a couple of years ago on the Accelerate tour here in RDU. The only post-Automatic album I really loved was the one before the last one (Accelerate). I really like this album because it is the sound of a band having a really good time. I wish more bands would admit when the magic is gone and hang it up. I'm looking at you, Mick.
yeah, Joe I sort of don't believe you never saw them live. Have you blocked out a memory somehow?
Never saw 'em, either.
This kinda feels like hearing that a beloved high school teacher has died. A bummer, but not devastating.
I saw pageantry tour, document, green, and then once in Memphis for monster. Had a ticket to see them in Prague but it was canceled at showtime. Actually got to meet Michael Stipe and talk to him in Prague. I was as happy as a leetle gurl. Seriously though, these guys were IT for me years ago. But I agree with jay, it's too bad but no biggie.
Matt, when have you not been happy as a leetle gurl?
Isn't Dave a beloved high school teacher?
That's not what I heard.
Haw haw.
Asses o' Jack, both of ya.
I was with Jay when he was never seeing them and that's my only excuse. I liked Reckoning even better than Murmur, but it was mostly down hill from there.
Post a Comment