http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/sep/21/rem-rock-band-split
Sad news tonight although I haven't heard an album of theirs since New Adventures in Hi Fi they were one of my favourite bands during my teenage years. Life's Rich Pageant and AFTP probably their best 2 albums.
Saw them at Slane in 1995 with Oasis, great day out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCQ0vDAbF7s&feature=fvst Class band, saw them at Ardgillan Castle alongside Ocean Colour Scene and Moby, what a concert!
Slane '95 was my first ever gig, and the "Live Rehearsal" shows in the Olympia about 4 or 5 years ago have been firmly entrenched in my top 5 ever gigs since the moment I walked out the door.
Great band.
they done it their way, on their terms...great band
2 of my favourites
Fall On Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf6vCjtaV1k&ob=av2e
Orange Crush
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mSmOcmk7uQ&ob=av3e
http://url.ie/d6lp
Never really was an REM Fan, but there was no doubting Michael Stipe was a Great Songwriter.
May I recommend the following Bans for REM Fans:
Magazine (Howard Devoto was the precursor to Michael Stipe with his idiosyncrasy).
XTC (Cut from the same cloth as Magazine, Radiohead were also inspired by them).
Husker Du (Minnesota Punk Band. Same Political Leanings as REM).
The Flaming Lips (Basically REM on Acid).
REM made tremendous music and were as good a band as there was in the world for a decade. Saw them live once and they rivalled Springstein in my opinion, they were that good.
the songwriting was a cut above the rest as well.
Jesus, I had forgotten just how good they were. Just did a youtube trawl. Every song a memory. Every song a place and time going right back to the early albums. Good and bad times. Unreal stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEC9BOtsNp4&feature=related
To suggest the Flaming Lips are like REM on acid spectacularly misses the point of both bands
Quote from: stew on September 22, 2011, 08:32:54 PM
REM made tremendous music and were as good a band as there was in the world for a decade. Saw them live once and they rivalled Springstein in my opinion, they were that good.
the songwriting was a cut above the rest as well.
Stipe was a tremendously charismatic front man. In The Point one night during Man On The Moon I remember him standing with his arm in the air. He looked around the crowd and jerked his head at us all. Every single one of us raised his/ her arm straight in the air in exactly the same way.
He didn't even have to say it.
It's the end of the world as we know it!
Quote from: mc_grens on September 22, 2011, 10:36:08 PM
Quote from: stew on September 22, 2011, 08:32:54 PM
REM made tremendous music and were as good a band as there was in the world for a decade. Saw them live once and they rivalled Springstein in my opinion, they were that good.
the songwriting was a cut above the rest as well.
Stipe was a tremendously charismatic front man. In The Point one night during Man On The Moon I remember him standing with his arm in the air. He looked around the crowd and jerked his head at us all. Every single one of us raised his/ her arm straight in the air in exactly the same way.
He didn't even have to say it.
A bit like Hitler in that way. :P
Quote from: All of a Sludden on September 23, 2011, 12:05:31 AM
It's the end of the world as we know it!
And I feel fine! I do. They haven't been essential listening since New Adventures in Hi-Fi. I still buy their albums because I love their sound but none of their albums since then would be in my top five. I leave it to Dave Grohl (http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2011/sep/22/rem-alternative-rock-dignity) to sum up why they were so cool:
QuoteWe all looked up to them, not really as idols or rock stars, but more like the cool dudes that you bought weed from who dabbled in photography and worked at the local record shop
As deiseach said, they haven't been cutting edge for a long time now, but in their day they were peerless. What I liked best about them was that they were simply musicians doing their music - damn all oul marketing bollix.
Here's my favourite - I'd forgotten momentarily that it was written by Bill Berry, his departure was the beginning of the end.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxScb69VIL4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxScb69VIL4)
Fond memories of seeing them first, in the TV Club, of all places.
Quote from: mc_grens on September 22, 2011, 10:36:08 PM
Quote from: stew on September 22, 2011, 08:32:54 PM
REM made tremendous music and were as good a band as there was in the world for a decade. Saw them live once and they rivalled Springstein in my opinion, they were that good.
the songwriting was a cut above the rest as well.
Stipe was a tremendously charismatic front man. In The Point one night during Man On The Moon I remember him standing with his arm in the air. He looked around the crowd and jerked his head at us all. Every single one of us raised his/ her arm straight in the air in exactly the same way.
He didn't even have to say it.
Hitler was great at that as well. Not one decent album, though.
Quote from: Hardy on September 23, 2011, 10:57:56 AM
Quote from: mc_grens on September 22, 2011, 10:36:08 PM
Quote from: stew on September 22, 2011, 08:32:54 PM
REM made tremendous music and were as good a band as there was in the world for a decade. Saw them live once and they rivalled Springstein in my opinion, they were that good.
the songwriting was a cut above the rest as well.
Stipe was a tremendously charismatic front man. In The Point one night during Man On The Moon I remember him standing with his arm in the air. He looked around the crowd and jerked his head at us all. Every single one of us raised his/ her arm straight in the air in exactly the same way.
He didn't even have to say it.
Hitler was great at that as well. Not one decent album, though.
Oh I dunno..."Beer Hall Putsch" had a couple of catchy ones...
REM were fantastic.
Great band - saw them in Lansdowne Road and the Odyssey - will be missed.