R.E.M. <<scroll down for Photos>>
I recall that around the time of my divorce, all things musical seemed a bit stale and stagnant. I was looking back at the old stuff, rather than forward or even at the current scene.
I was talking about music likes and dislikes with a work collegue and he noticed my retro outlook and a few days later he handed me a tape of some tracks he thought I would like. On one side of the C-90 cassette were a few tunes by R.E.M. (the other side had 10,000 Maniacs) and I was intrigued.
To say that one group got me back into the music loving fold is perhaps a little overstated, but the sound of tracks like "Perfect Circle", "Cuyahoga", "Fall On Me", "Swan Song H", "The One I Love" and "Radio Free Europe" made me sit up.
This band (Peter Buck, Mick Mills and Bill Berry) could play, and Michael Stipe's voice was great. Investigation was necessary.
Until that point, R.E.M. had recorded on the independent IRS label but their next album was being released by Warner Bros.
1991's "Out Of Time" took R.E.M. from cult band status to international stars. "Losing My Religion", "Low", "Near Wild Heaven" and "Country Feedback" are great tracks.
Shortly after this "The Best of R.E.M." was released by IRS and ends with the epic "It's The End Of The World As We Know It (But I Feel Fine" which always strikes me as very neat.
1992 saw the release of most people's favourite "Automatic For The People" which spawned "Drive", "Everybody Hurts", "Man On The Moon", "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite" and "Nightswimming". In the main, Automatic was an acoustic album - beautiful noises with mandolins and guitars.
In 1994, "Monster" was released. In contrast to Automatic, this was electric - an amplified, glorious noise, with singles "What's The Frequency, Kenneth?" and "Bang and Blame".
1996's "New Adventures In Hi-Fi" produced "E-Bow The Letter" and "Electrolite".
Drummer Bill Berry left the band amicably and between 1998 and 2011, five albums were produced. "Up", "Reveal", "Around The Sun", "Accelerate" and "Collapse Into Now".
"At My Most Beautiful", "Bad Day", "Daysleeper", "All The Way From Reno", "It Happened Today"
In 1999, the wonderful "The Great Beyond" was written for the film "Man In The Moon"
Michael Stipe also sang this in a trail for BBC Radio 2 - a great vocal.
In 2005, R.E.M. played at Live8.
Personally, I like these records - they offer much and while not reaching the giddy heights of, say, "Lifes Rich Pageant" from the IRS days, or "Automatic For The People", some of the highlights are great.
I was talking about music likes and dislikes with a work collegue and he noticed my retro outlook and a few days later he handed me a tape of some tracks he thought I would like. On one side of the C-90 cassette were a few tunes by R.E.M. (the other side had 10,000 Maniacs) and I was intrigued.
To say that one group got me back into the music loving fold is perhaps a little overstated, but the sound of tracks like "Perfect Circle", "Cuyahoga", "Fall On Me", "Swan Song H", "The One I Love" and "Radio Free Europe" made me sit up.
This band (Peter Buck, Mick Mills and Bill Berry) could play, and Michael Stipe's voice was great. Investigation was necessary.
Until that point, R.E.M. had recorded on the independent IRS label but their next album was being released by Warner Bros.
1991's "Out Of Time" took R.E.M. from cult band status to international stars. "Losing My Religion", "Low", "Near Wild Heaven" and "Country Feedback" are great tracks.
Shortly after this "The Best of R.E.M." was released by IRS and ends with the epic "It's The End Of The World As We Know It (But I Feel Fine" which always strikes me as very neat.
1992 saw the release of most people's favourite "Automatic For The People" which spawned "Drive", "Everybody Hurts", "Man On The Moon", "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite" and "Nightswimming". In the main, Automatic was an acoustic album - beautiful noises with mandolins and guitars.
In 1994, "Monster" was released. In contrast to Automatic, this was electric - an amplified, glorious noise, with singles "What's The Frequency, Kenneth?" and "Bang and Blame".
1996's "New Adventures In Hi-Fi" produced "E-Bow The Letter" and "Electrolite".
Drummer Bill Berry left the band amicably and between 1998 and 2011, five albums were produced. "Up", "Reveal", "Around The Sun", "Accelerate" and "Collapse Into Now".
"At My Most Beautiful", "Bad Day", "Daysleeper", "All The Way From Reno", "It Happened Today"
In 1999, the wonderful "The Great Beyond" was written for the film "Man In The Moon"
Michael Stipe also sang this in a trail for BBC Radio 2 - a great vocal.
In 2005, R.E.M. played at Live8.
Personally, I like these records - they offer much and while not reaching the giddy heights of, say, "Lifes Rich Pageant" from the IRS days, or "Automatic For The People", some of the highlights are great.
I saw REM play at Twickenham in 2008 on their "Accelerate" tour.
Michael Stipe was on top form and things looked good. To me, they were still offering good value and had much to offer.
Here is an article produced on Record Store Day 2014 which tends to agree with me <<click for more>>.
In 2012, the band announced very calmly that they were "calling it a day as a band".
I heard Michael Stipe say that it is better to leave a party when people are still enjoying your company rather than after they have got bored with you.
I like R.E.M. and miss them - luckily their body of work is just enough to keep me happy
Number of times seen: 1 + Live8
Michael Stipe was on top form and things looked good. To me, they were still offering good value and had much to offer.
Here is an article produced on Record Store Day 2014 which tends to agree with me <<click for more>>.
In 2012, the band announced very calmly that they were "calling it a day as a band".
I heard Michael Stipe say that it is better to leave a party when people are still enjoying your company rather than after they have got bored with you.
I like R.E.M. and miss them - luckily their body of work is just enough to keep me happy
Number of times seen: 1 + Live8
General note regarding the pictures:
I have no idea from where the stock photo of the artist on this page has come from, and I am not claiming any ownership.
If you would like a credit mentioned, please contact me.
(09 Oct 2015)
I have no idea from where the stock photo of the artist on this page has come from, and I am not claiming any ownership.
If you would like a credit mentioned, please contact me.
(09 Oct 2015)