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REM calls it a day

Yes, it seems like only yesterday.....I was a kid at college (The University of Alabama), back in 1982, I had just finished setting up the stage (I always worked Stage Crew for the concerts that came thru), and sat down at the back of Foster Hall to rest and hear their sound check. They broke into "Radio Free Europe", then "Sitting Still", "Laughing", "Catapult", "Shaking Through".......I thought Wow!, these guys are pretty good.
I always loved the early stuff, especially the bass/drum sound, really driving, with those jingle/jangle guitars and wailing vocals on top, truly a new and unique sound. 'Loved it!
 
From the EP up through Green was some of the best music of my often misspent youth.
I have liked a few things since then, and thought the newest album actually had some strong material, but IMO they haven't been great since Green. I saw them on that tour and they were absolutely monsters. The height of their playing and songwriting, again IMO. Mike Mills is a great player and singer and I hope we do hear more from him.
 
I can understand not being a fan, and I can understand being indifferent to a band's output, but what's up with the people hopping in to chime "oh, thought they broke up years ago"...did you REALLY ever even think that, and if so, what did you base that upon anyway? There were no rumors. They've been pretty prolific this whole time. I'm willing to bet you NEVER thought they broke up.

At times, I think it's more an effort to be snarky and to be catty than based on any actual thought ever having taken place.

I'll say I have been hit or miss with them since "Automatic" as I felt the fire just wasn't there, but they were an incredibly important band to me and many people and I won't slag them. I also prefer to think they are above doing the cash-in tour with the hollow album to tour on. A little more credibility than that.
 
Not much for pop music so I went to listen what all the hub was about. Not much. No offense to the folks who like them but I hear no groove, little to no melody, and the recordings sound very good and the arraingments I heard were professionally done. The musicianship is ok (basslines are boring) but if this is the biggest group for the last 20 years it confirms why Rock n Roll took a dump. Then I saw their from England and that explains that lack of a groove and feel. Those are some stiff boys there, they make the Beatles sound like the Isley Bros hahahaha!!! Doc
 
Not much for pop music so I went to listen what all the hub was about. Not much. No offense to the folks who like them but I hear no groove, little to no melody, and the recordings sound very good and the arraingments I heard were professionally done. The musicianship is ok (basslines are boring) but if this is the biggest group for the last 20 years it confirms why Rock n Roll took a dump. Then I saw their from England and that explains that lack of a groove and feel. Those are some stiff boys there, they make the Beatles sound like the Isley Bros hahahaha!!! Doc

Um, they're from Athens, GA.
 
I would not want to upset anyone here with what I'll say but I really do believe that when you don't have anything to say it's better to shut up and I really respect the bands who new when to quit. Now, I liked REM a lot, especially Monster, but I like it more like this then to see them disappointing me with mediocre tunes in the future. There's not many worse things then seeing your one-time-heroes over bloomed and still living in the past 'cause the past was evidently better. I'd also use the chance to advice U2 members to do the same thing, although they could have done it 15 years ago...
 
I would not want to upset anyone here with what I'll say but I really do believe that when you don't have anything to say it's better to shut up and I really respect the bands who new when to quit. Now, I liked REM a lot, especially Monster, but I like it more like this then to see them disappointing me with mediocre tunes in the future. There's not many worse things then seeing your one-time-heroes over bloomed and still living in the past 'cause the past was evidently better. I'd also use the chance to advice U2 members to do the same thing, although they could have done it 15 years ago...

Your opinion is valid, but I suggest listening to their last two albums, Accelerate and Collapse into Now. They are both very good. Each album have very strong direction. They knew that they wanted, so they made it happen.

Accelerate/I] happens to be my third favorite REM album. They have 15 albums.

It seems like they accomplished what they wanted to accomplish as REM. Perhaps they knew they had no more creative juices left. I am sad about that, but I am happy they left on top. So I sorta agree with ya there.

And I agree with the U2 thing.
 
Your opinion is valid, but I suggest listening to their last two albums, Accelerate and Collapse into Now. They are both very good. Each album have very strong direction. They knew that they wanted, so they made it happen.

Accelerate/I] happens to be my third favorite REM album. They have 15 albums.

It seems like they accomplished what they wanted to accomplish as REM. Perhaps they knew they had no more creative juices left. I am sad about that, but I am happy they left on top. So I sorta agree with ya there.

And I agree with the U2 thing.


Around the Sun had some of their best songs according to my ears.
 
I remember hearing all about how REM is the four members and the four members only, and then Bill Berry had a stroke or an aneurism and they went on without him. I, at least, thought that they should have changed their name. Have they even made a record in the last five years?

They have enough money to last a few years before a reunion tour.
 

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