REM Re-discovered

[Hobbayne]

There has been a lot of recent publicity regarding the 25th anniversary of the mandolin bothering 'Losing My Religion' and its parent album Out Of Time.
I have just been watching a Late Show repeat from 1991 on the BBC iPlayer where the bespectacled bass master Mike Mills switches to keyboards and Drummer Bill Berry takes over on bass on Half A World Away.
They split up at the right time I guess, but I,m off to dust of my old vinyl LP's for a trip down memory lane.

[Oopsdabassist]

One of the 1st CD's I ever bought as I recall, do like a bit of Mandolin!

[RhysP]

Loved their first five albums but I lost interest in them after that.
Mike Mills is a great bass player.

[rushbo]

I became obsessed with REM in the mid 80's. The IRS label albums are all brilliant. My "Desert Island Disc" is "Murmur" - just perfect. And Mike Mills is a wonderful Bassist.

[lurksalot]

Our rhythm guitarist is a massive fan , if he had his way we would be a tribute ! I am not sure we have ever played a gig without at least 1 REM number in there somewhere !

[spectoremg]

Document's a cracking album.

[Lozz196]

I loved out Out of Time, a truly great album, I must have worn that tape thin in my car throughout 91/92.

[Hobbayne]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1480457439' post='3184640']
I loved out Out of Time, a truly great album, I must have worn that tape thin in my car throughout 91/92.
[/quote]
I was in a band who's guitarist was a fan of the early IRS abums. We used to do Begin The Begin, but after they signed to Warners he thought they sold out.

[alyctes]

Long-time fan here.

[spectoremg]

What was there first album for Warner's?

[Trueno]

I was a huge fan in the early 90's. I even went to Athens, Georgia, ate in the Grit, ate in Weaver D's. Well... I was virtually passing through anyway.
Saw them play at Huddersfield Stadium (of all places) and they were rather impressive.

[cameltoe]

Great band.

[cameltoe]

Great video!

http://youtu.be/ycvJHQUqU1M

[Hobbayne]

[quote name='spectoremg' timestamp='1480491351' post='3184730'] What was there first album for Warner's? [/quote]

Green. Released in 1988. It was the follow up to Document.

Edited November 30, 2016 by Hobbayne

[BigRedX]

REM along with The Smiths were bands that pretty much everyone I know thought were great, and I never really understood the attraction, and even now they still don't do anything for me.

I like the odd track here and there, and given that they have a fairly extensive back catalogue I could possibly make myself a 40 minute compilation of songs I like, but I couldn't listen to any one of their albums in its entirety.

[spectoremg]

[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1480500736' post='3184814']


Green. Released in 1988. It was the follow up to Document.
[/quote]Thanks. Green was the first one I bought.
No love for Automatic...? I think it's brilliant.

[bassace]

Michael Stipe's appearance on The One Show was one of those TV moments to treasure. He really didn't want to be there.

[BrunoBass]

I was a massive fan of R.E.M. from the first album right up until Monster, and apart from the occasional flicker of greatness thereafter I lost interest after that album. Indeed, I consider Out Of Time and Automatic For The People to be amongst the greatest popular music ever made. In my opinion they should have called it quits when Bill Berry left, but there you go. A fantastic, inventive band that left an important and envious legacy.

Edited November 30, 2016 by PaulGibsonBass

[charic]

First proper gig I went too, even though I wasn't really a fan it was an amazing gig

[Cato]

[quote name='spectoremg' timestamp='1480506320' post='3184871']
Thanks. Green was the first one I bought.
No love for Automatic...? I think it's brilliant.
[/quote]

I loved Automatic for the People.

I spent quite a lot of time as a student listening to 'Try not to breathe' whilst feeling moody and misunderstood.

Edited November 30, 2016 by Cato

[spongebob]

I think I'm in the BC minority here - I've always put REM in my top most disliked bands..sorry!

Stipe's vocals have always really grated me....I'm sure he's a very nice chap, though.....and Mike Mills started out on a 4001....

So not [i]all[/i] bad, then!

[stuckinthepod]

I was a big fan of the Monster album. The album that launched 1m tremolo pedal sales!

[spectoremg]

[quote name='PaulGibsonBass' timestamp='1480509964' post='3184930']
I was a massive fan of R.E.M. from the first album right up until Monster, and apart from the occasional flicker of greatness thereafter I lost interest after that album. Indeed, I consider Out Of Time and Automatic For The People to be amongst the greatest popular music ever made. In my opinion they should have called it quits when Bill Berry left, but there you go. A fantastic, inventive band that left an important and envious legacy.
[/quote]I'd agree with this - well past their sell-by date when they decided to knock it on the head.

[Mickeyboro]

The more his Vocals became intelligible, the less interesting they became. Radio Free Europe? Hell yeah!

[Bass Culture]

Was hooked as soon as I saw them doing 'Southern Central Rain' on some BBC music show in the early 80's. 'Life's Rich Pageant' was my personal highlight from the early years, and I've always thought 'New Adventures in Hi-Fi' represented one last hurrah in an otherwise increasingly irrelevant roster of latterday albums. First time I saw them was on the Work 'tour' (one gig in the UK, I recall!) at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1987. All I remember is Pete Buck playing the opening chords of 'Finest Worksong' and turning to my mate, who had the same stupid grin on his face as I did, as our ears were assailed by this complete wall of sound. Bloody brilliant!