R.E.M succumbs

[WT]

I honestly thought they broke up long ago

This.

Too much sap .. 'Shiny Happy People' made me write them off for good. Give me more 'Orange Crush' and "Fall On Me'.

 

[pmv]

I like Pearl Jam. Never liked R.E.M.

/shrug

KT

Always "quite liked" R.E.M. Never liked Pearl Jam at all.

My level of liking didn't vary at all from the 80's to 00's either. Liked pretty much all their albums to the same moderate degree (except I might have missed the last couple entirely). Though I do hate "Shiny Happy People" - I think that was _supposed_ to be annoying, right?

Oh well. RIP REM.

 

[BUTCH1]

Mott the Hoople and the Game of Life. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Andy Kaufman in the wrestling match. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Monopoly, twenty one, checkers, and chess. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Mister Fred Blassie in a breakfast mask. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Let's play Twister, let's play Risk. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
See you in heaven if you make the list. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Times changing...

'Ya gotta remember this was a tribute song to a performer that peaked in the 70's, that generation played a LOT of board games (I'm one) as without computers and 3 channels of TV to choose from that's what we wound up doing, we had some "Risk" games that took days to resolve so those comments are correct for the time era depicted in the song..

 

[Homerboy]

irrelevant for years, but BEYOND a ground breaking and monumental, game changing band.
They completely defined college radio and independent music.

 

[Fausto]

This. They got very full of themselves (or, at least Stipe did) after signing with Warner.

Their 80s stuff was awesome (Murmur-Green). Then they went mainstream in the early 90s and were pretty much a different band after that, with the occasional semi-throwback to their roots (Monster).

What I really loved about R.E.M. was the superb musicianship of Buck, Mills and Berry. I think that, ultimately, Stipe was unnecessary.

I disagree. He's a weird cat for sure, but his voice, artistic vision, and stage presence (once he quit singing with his back to the audience, of course) contributed as much to "REM" as anyone else in the band.

 

[Homerboy]

I disagree. He's a weird cat for sure, but his voice, artistic vision, and stage presence (once he quit singing with his back to the audience, of course) contributed as much to "REM" as anyone else in the band.

Yeap. Coupled with the musicianship of the other 3 made for an all time classic band.

 

[skyking]

Heard about it on NPR today. The reporter covering the story was a fan, and was glad it was finally over. They released an album last year that according to him was "completely forgettable".

 

[Miramonti]

R.E.M produced some great original-style music. Nothin but respec.

 

[brblx]

One of the worst bands ever. Almost as bad as Pearl Jam

lulz. ten was a landmark album.

REM used to be good, but their CD's have been brick-walled pop for a while now.

 

[grrl]

I like (early) Pearl Jam. Never liked R.E.M.

/shrug

Fixed that for me.

 

[brblx]

Fixed that for me.

i think it's implied that recent pearl jam is garbage.

for fuck's sake they released a 30 minute LP.

 

[Farang]

I don't think it really means anything at this point. I'd put $1,000 on them performing live again someday in the future. Might even put the same on a new recording also coming out.

99% of the time bands only permanently dissolve over deaths. Even then they go to outstanding (sometimes ridiculous) lengths to continue. See Sublime.

 

[grrl]

i think it's implied that recent pearl jam is garbage.

for fuck's sake they released a 30 minute LP.

I added the early so the haters would understand.

I remember owning quite a few 30 minute LPs! If one hit 45 minutes it was considered long.

 

[qliveur]

I disagree. He's a weird cat for sure, but his voice, artistic vision, and stage presence (once he quit singing with his back to the audience, of course) contributed as much to "REM" as anyone else in the band.

Yes, yes he did.

Considering how they turned out, however, I don't consider that a positive thing.

Ultimately, R.E.M. drowned in Stipe's hubris.

 

[dawp]

I always found the story behind the title 'What's the frequency, Kenneth' to be interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWkMhCLkVOg&ob=av3n

Monster was the last REM CD I bought,

 

[brblx]

I added the early so the haters would understand.

I remember owning quite a few 30 minute LPs! If one hit 45 minutes it was considered long.

we talking about records? ruh-roh, someone's showing their age.

if not, hells no, i say LP = 50+ mins. most of the bands i like tend to max the disc at 70-80 mins. 30 is an EP (aka a single plus a few other solid tracks).

i'm thinkin PJ's last album, years after the previous, was 33 mins. for like 13 songs. that's a pop atrocity.

 

[SP33Demon]

Ahhhh, retirement.... but wait, now they can do reunion gigs. :thumbsup:

"If you believe... they put a man on the moon... man on the mooooon ♪♪♪ ♫♫♪♪♫♫♪♫♫♪♪♫♫♫

Who doesn't like that song?

"Andy Kaufman in a wrestling match...yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪♪♪ ♫♫♪♪♫♫♪♫♫♪♪♫♫♫

Dam you Mosh, I can't stand R.E.M. but totally forgot about that song. It's pretty dam awesome.

 

[paperfist]

Mott the Hoople and the Game of Life. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Andy Kaufman in the wrestling match. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Monopoly, twenty one, checkers, and chess. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Mister Fred Blassie in a breakfast mask. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Let's play Twister, let's play Risk. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
See you in heaven if you make the list. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Times changing...

lol I always thought it was Mister Fred Blassie in a wrestling mask...

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!

 

[grrl]

we talking about records? ruh-roh, someone's showing their age.

Guilty as charged.

 

[Fausto]

Yes, yes he did.

Considering how they turned out, however, I don't consider that a positive thing.

Ultimately, R.E.M. drowned in Stipe's hubris.

I wouldn't assign it all to him. Everyone associated with the band lost their way once the Warner deal was signed. Stacks of cash and long-term label security makes for ego explosions and boring music.

 

[zoiks]

I honestly thought they broke up long ago

Same here.

 

[qliveur]

I wouldn't assign it all to him. Everyone associated with the band lost their way once the Warner deal was signed. Stacks of cash and long-term label security makes for ego explosions and boring music.

Yeah, you're right, of course. For me, Stipe was always the standout due to his self-righteous politics and general arrogance.

Looking back, I really shouldn't lump Green with their IRS albums, because it's pretty obvious that it's where their transition to pop happened. They were never the same after that.

 

[TheAdvocate]

Ahhhh, retirement.... but wait, now they can do reunion gigs. :thumbsup:

"If you believe... they put a man on the moon... man on the mooooon ♪♪♪ ♫♫♪♪♫♫♪♫♫♪♪♫♫♫

Who doesn't like that song?

"Andy Kaufman in a wrestling match...yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪♪♪ ♫♫♪♪♫♫♪♫♫♪♪♫♫♫

Actually, I kinda hate that one.

 

[qliveur]

Loving all of the "I hate R.E.M. but I love that song!" comments.

LOL

 

[Saint Nick]

REM is a unique taste. There are albums of theirs that really aren't that good, but a lot of them are solid gold...

Some of them were also engineered very poorly and you can barely understand the lead vocal's muffled singing. LOLOL