The John Tree
War Child
This is such a shame because I thought they were finding their groove again. Around The Sun was godawful, but I thought Accelerate and Collapse Into Now were both good albums. They'll be missed.
R.E.M. have broken up
- Thread starter MissVelvetDress_75
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The Panther
Refugee
Theirs is an interesting recorded output in that I've never really been sure what their best album is. I would probably say that
Murmur
Lifes Rich Pageant (love the lack of an apostrophe!)
Green
Automatic For The People
New Adventures in Hi-Fi
are all my favorites, equally. Reckoning, Document, Out of Time, and Monster would be slightly lesser efforts (but still great). Fables of The Reconstruction never really clicked with me, and of the post-Berry albums I'm only familiar with Up and Reveal, both of which are good but not great -- way over-produced, for one thing.
Murmur
Lifes Rich Pageant (love the lack of an apostrophe!)
Green
Automatic For The People
New Adventures in Hi-Fi
are all my favorites, equally. Reckoning, Document, Out of Time, and Monster would be slightly lesser efforts (but still great). Fables of The Reconstruction never really clicked with me, and of the post-Berry albums I'm only familiar with Up and Reveal, both of which are good but not great -- way over-produced, for one thing.
arw
Blue Crack Addict
kramwest1
has a
Eponymous.
(No one else? Really? I am old?)
(No one else? Really? I am old?)
MrPryck2U
ONE love, blood, life
While I could see REM getting together for maybe the sake of a benefit or a special concert. I couldn't see them getting together for a full blown reunion tour. I feel fortunate to have seen them 3 times, with two of those shows being at MSG. They were an awesome live band.
powerhour24
ONE love, blood, life
New Adventures in Hi-Fi
Damn, where's Lance? This is the one thing we agree on.
Damn, where's Lance? This is the one thing we agree on.
IWasBored
Blue Crack Supplier
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canedge
Refugee
Eponymous was my first REM cassette. I really liked it at the time.
My favourite era had to be 94-95 with Monster and HiFi. Let Me In, Crush with Eyeliner and of course, Ebow the Letter.
I saw them in 2001 on a street and 2004 at Cobo Hall. Both were sub-u2 but still enjoyable.
Someone I know engineered the Murmur Deluxe edition tracks so it is easy forget that this was once a small little band that could. And also lets not forget the huge debt every Indie band post 1990 owes to REM.
My favourite era had to be 94-95 with Monster and HiFi. Let Me In, Crush with Eyeliner and of course, Ebow the Letter.
I saw them in 2001 on a street and 2004 at Cobo Hall. Both were sub-u2 but still enjoyable.
Someone I know engineered the Murmur Deluxe edition tracks so it is easy forget that this was once a small little band that could. And also lets not forget the huge debt every Indie band post 1990 owes to REM.
Lancemc
Blue Crack Addict
djerdap
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
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How about your 10 favourite songs with a brief explanation why it is your favourite?
Country Feedback - One of the most emotional songs I've heard, largely thanks to Stipe's delivery and Peter Buck's beautiful guitar playing. The live versions present the apex of R.E.M.'s career.
These Days - So much fucking energy in this one! Amazing chorus, great lyrics, Stipe giving his all again. The ultimate R.E.M. rocker, along with...
Begin the Begin - Basically the same thing as These Days. These two should go together all the time. One of their most memorable guitar riffs.
Fall on Me - Stunning chorus. They could have played Stand Up Comedy for the rest of the song and I could care less. Thankfully, the verses are almost as impressive before that heavenly chorus comes in. Lifes Rich Pageant is a masterpiece.
It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) - Probably the only R.E.M. hit I loved and it never got old for me. Basically the song that turned me into a fan.
New Test Leper - Brilliant lyrics, Stipe's best performance since the I.R.S. years. New Adventures in Hi-Fi is a wonderful album, which leads us to...
Leave - Bill Berry is a great songwriter. This is a 7-minute masterpiece, the guitar riff is infectious, and you gotta love that siren that just makes the song roll.
Try Not To Breathe - A personal favourite from Automatic For the People (album that never really worked for me). It's one of those songs with a unique R.E.M. sound that has never been replicated. There is no better example for Mike Mills' long-praised backing vocals.
Orange Crush - I'm a sucker for those songs where R.E.M. just decides to fucking RAWK. It's similar in that vein to U2 where most of my favourites belong to their heavier side. Gotta love that bridge, especially live when the audience goes nuts.
Laughing - The song that just sums up the beautiful and unique record that is Murmur.
Country Feedback - One of the most emotional songs I've heard, largely thanks to Stipe's delivery and Peter Buck's beautiful guitar playing. The live versions present the apex of R.E.M.'s career.
These Days - So much fucking energy in this one! Amazing chorus, great lyrics, Stipe giving his all again. The ultimate R.E.M. rocker, along with...
Begin the Begin - Basically the same thing as These Days. These two should go together all the time. One of their most memorable guitar riffs.
Fall on Me - Stunning chorus. They could have played Stand Up Comedy for the rest of the song and I could care less. Thankfully, the verses are almost as impressive before that heavenly chorus comes in. Lifes Rich Pageant is a masterpiece.
It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) - Probably the only R.E.M. hit I loved and it never got old for me. Basically the song that turned me into a fan.
New Test Leper - Brilliant lyrics, Stipe's best performance since the I.R.S. years. New Adventures in Hi-Fi is a wonderful album, which leads us to...
Leave - Bill Berry is a great songwriter. This is a 7-minute masterpiece, the guitar riff is infectious, and you gotta love that siren that just makes the song roll.
Try Not To Breathe - A personal favourite from Automatic For the People (album that never really worked for me). It's one of those songs with a unique R.E.M. sound that has never been replicated. There is no better example for Mike Mills' long-praised backing vocals.
Orange Crush - I'm a sucker for those songs where R.E.M. just decides to fucking RAWK. It's similar in that vein to U2 where most of my favourites belong to their heavier side. Gotta love that bridge, especially live when the audience goes nuts.
Laughing - The song that just sums up the beautiful and unique record that is Murmur.
Globo14
Refugee
Didn't really listen to them all that much, but it's a shame to see them go. They really were a great band.
deep
Blue Crack Addict
there's a petition on twitter you can sign
to get them to reunite one last time for anyone that missed out on at least one live show
bono_212
Blue Crack Distributor
Well it's something WE agree on at any rate. It's a toss up between that one and Automatic for me.
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
To these I would add:
Finest Worksong (I go back and forth on whether this or Begin The Begin is their best opener)
Undertow
Sitting Still
Harborcoat
Sweetness Follows
Find The River
I Believe
Lancemc
Blue Crack Addict
Holy fuck Sweetness Follows, yes.
purpleoscar
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
Reckoning/New Adventures in Hi-Fi.
Yes it's definitely time. I thought their last album was only so-so. Reveal was the last album that I would buy. Still they are one of the best rock-bands. I probably like 30-40 songs.
Yes it's definitely time. I thought their last album was only so-so. Reveal was the last album that I would buy. Still they are one of the best rock-bands. I probably like 30-40 songs.
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
Jeez, you're a tough customer.
purpleoscar
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
cobl04
45:33
I love Nightswimming. What album is Country Feedback on?
purpleoscar
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
Boy I love the live version of Country Feedback. Great solo:
R.E.M. _ Country Feedback - YouTube
Out of time
R.E.M. _ Country Feedback - YouTube
Out of time
CrashedCarDriver
Refugee
Never saw them live though
*sighs*
Im surprised they managed to keep going for so long given that they thrived on a confrontational approach to making music. People get put off from listening to R.E.M at the workplace
They were never a pleasant listen in terms of the subject matter they were dealing with in their songs
But yeh, hell of a band
Fav tracks:
Country Feedback
Let Me In
Life and how to live it
Leave
*sighs*
Im surprised they managed to keep going for so long given that they thrived on a confrontational approach to making music. People get put off from listening to R.E.M at the workplace
They were never a pleasant listen in terms of the subject matter they were dealing with in their songs
But yeh, hell of a band
Fav tracks:
Country Feedback
Let Me In
Life and how to live it
Leave
LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
10 favorite REM songs:
Perfect Circle
Sitting Still
7 Chinese Bros.
Driver 8
Cuyahoga
It's The End of the World As We Know It
Nightswimming
Find The River
What's The Frequency, Kenneth?
Suspicion
New Test Leper and At My Most Beautiful missed the cut, barely. Excellent songs.
Perfect Circle
Sitting Still
7 Chinese Bros.
Driver 8
Cuyahoga
It's The End of the World As We Know It
Nightswimming
Find The River
What's The Frequency, Kenneth?
Suspicion
New Test Leper and At My Most Beautiful missed the cut, barely. Excellent songs.
IWasBored
Blue Crack Supplier
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yeah, i'm bummed out. where'd i put my stipe avatar?
cobl04
45:33
I like Imitation of Life a hell of a lot.
beegee
Neon Zebra
Country Feedback was my wedding song.
last unicorn
Blue Crack Addict
I'm devastated by this news.
Somehow I kind of sensed something like this coming up after not having REM tour this year. Their last album was great. I will miss them, they've been a huge part of my life and I have always loved their music.
Hopefully there will at least be some release of rare and unreleased material.
Man, the world will be a poorer place without this band and their music.
Some of my favorites:
What's The Frequency, Kenneth?
These Days
Man On The Moon
It's The End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
Cuyahoga
Imitation of Life
Walk Unafraid
Finest Worksong
Crazy
Hollow Man
(I was originally gonna make my own top 10 list, but - as I've been listening to REM all day since I heard the news - I could not bring myself to stop at ten
)
Discoverer
The One I Love
Imitation of Life
World Leader Pretend
Radio Free Europe
So Fast So Numb
Laughing
Losing My Religion
Country Feedback
So. Central Rain
That Someone Is You
I'm gonna miss these guys a lot
What's The Frequency, Kenneth?
These Days
Man On The Moon
It's The End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
Cuyahoga
Imitation of Life
Walk Unafraid
Finest Worksong
Crazy
Hollow Man
(I was originally gonna make my own top 10 list, but - as I've been listening to REM all day since I heard the news - I could not bring myself to stop at ten
)Discoverer
The One I Love
Imitation of Life
World Leader Pretend
Radio Free Europe
So Fast So Numb
Laughing
Losing My Religion
Country Feedback
So. Central Rain
That Someone Is You
I'm gonna miss these guys a lot
Vlad n U 2
Blue Crack Addict
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Sadsadsad.
They were a great band.
They were a great band.
Maoilbheannacht
Refugee
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Well, lets compare the stats for the last album/tour for both U2 and R.E.M.
U2 - NLOTH - sold about 4 million copies worldwide.
R.E.M. - Collapse into Now - sold just under 400,000 copies worldwide.
U2 - 360 tour - GROSSED - $736 million
R.E.M. - Collapse into Now tour - GROSSED - less than $30 million
U2's 360 tour broke all gross and attendance records in history. It is the highest attended tour of all time. NLOTH was the 7th biggest selling album around the world in 2009.
R.E.M.'s Collapse into Now was the lowest seller of their entire career, although a big reason for that is the collapse of the entire music industry in terms of selling albums.
On the tour R.E.M. largest crowd in the United States was less than 14,000 despite only playing 14 shows in the United States.
The two bands could not be at more different places in terms of commercial sales of albums and concert tickets. U2 is at the top of everything, while R.E.M. is near the bottom, at least in terms of being popular and widely recognized for their latest efforts on tour and in the studio.
Now, I think Collapse Into Me is a great album and I think R.E.M. is an amazing live band and I am shocked that they are suddenly breaking up. Unfortunately, the general public and much of their old fan base either has not heard their new material, or has simply turned away. I'm not saying that had anything to do with them breaking up, but I'm still puzzled as to why they won't continue as a band. Why not take a break for a number of years and then get back together. Why break up if there are no personal differences and everyone still loves and enjoys making music?
I wonder sometimes if the remaining band members have grown apart. I think all of them live in different states in the US. Although some people will claim being in your 50s is old, its not. It might be if you play NFL football, but its not if your a musician. The Rolling Stones are about to go into their 70s in the next year or two and they still have a new album and tour planned for 2012.
Many people often ask U2 why they don't break up. What they have said is that they all love making and performing music. So then the next thing they think is who they would like to do that with, and the same names come up each time.
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