REM has "called it a day."

[Adrian B AWESOME]

R.E.M. CALL IT A DAY (UPDATED WITH BAND MEMBERS' COMMENTS)


"To our Fans and Friends: As R.E.M., and as lifelong friends and co-conspirators, we have decided to call it a day as a band. We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished. To anyone who ever felt touched by our music, our deepest thanks for listening." R.E.M.

In their own words: The guys share their thoughts on why now.

MIKE

"During our last tour, and while making Collapse Into Now and putting together this greatest hits retrospective, we started asking ourselves, 'what next'? Working through our music and memories from over three decades was a hell of a journey. We realized that these songs seemed to draw a natural line under the last 31 years of our working together.

"We have always been a band in the truest sense of the word. Brothers who truly love, and respect, each other. We feel kind of like pioneers in this--there's no disharmony here, no falling-outs, no lawyers squaring-off. We've made this decision together, amicably and with each other's best interests at heart. The time just feels right."

MICHAEL

"A wise man once said--'the skill in attending a party is knowing when it's time to leave.' We built something extraordinary together. We did this thing. And now we're going to walk away from it.

"I hope our fans realize this wasn't an easy decision; but all things must end, and we wanted to do it right, to do it our way.

"We have to thank all the people who helped us be R.E.M. for these 31 years; our deepest gratitude to those who allowed us to do this. It's been amazing."

PETER

"One of the things that was always so great about being in R.E.M. was the fact that the records and the songs we wrote meant as much to our fans as they did to us. It was, and still is, important to us to do right by you. Being a part of your lives has been an unbelievable gift. Thank you.

"Mike, Michael, Bill, Bertis, and I walk away as great friends. I know I will be seeing them in the future, just as I know I will be seeing everyone who has followed us and supported us through the years. Even if it's only in the vinyl aisle of your local record store, or standing at the back of the club: watching a group of 19 year olds trying to change the world."

Gonna go listen to Reckoning now.

[Jim T.]

This happened 10 years ago and they're only just now seeing it.

[Adrian B AWESOME]

Yeah...haven't liked an album since New Adventures in Hi-Fi...still, one of my all-time favorite bands.

[Artie Pink]

Their 31 year run was a great 12 year run.

[chazbot]

Sad that I'll never get to see them in concert again. Just one of those bands I grew up with.

[Jef UK]

Please take U2 with you, and then travel backwards through the timestream erasing yourselves from history.

[Matt C. Linton]

Please take U2 with you, and then travel backwards through the timestream erasing yourselves from history.

Or, you know, maybe just don't listen to their music.

[Artie Pink]

Please take U2 with you, and then travel backwards through the timestream erasing yourselves from history.:lol: Fuckin'-A right!

[Adrian B AWESOME]

Look at Jim pretend to not like REM. How cute.

[PeterSparker]

They did provide the setting for that great moment in Tommy Boy when Farley and Spade mumble way through the verses of 'The End of the World'. So at least we got that!

[Ben]

Bye

[Gregory]

Automatic for the People, Monster, Up.

I appreciate those albums.

[bachman]

Please take U2 with you, and then travel backwards through the timestream erasing yourselves from history.

:roll:

[artimoff]

I havn't liked an album of thiers sense Bill Berry left, but it's sad when it's official.

[Cth]

Finally their reign of terror is over?

[Artie Pink]

:roll: Yes, I also look up to Jef for that! Yay, us!

[Ashwin Pande]

Is Everybody Hurting?

Is Everybody Crying?

I don't remember the rest of the song.

[dasNdanger]

Loved their early stuff. I was into REM before anyone else seemed to know they existed. Then they caught on, and...well...I moved on. But I still love most of their music, and their albums were very listenable from start to finish.

One song is partly responsible for me catching a husband. See...it was Labor Day weekend, and I was in the car with an 18-year old friend (I was 26...), and I played this song. My friend took that as some sign to come on to me, and well...it rather took me by surprise since we were JUST friends. Okay...still no idea what happened there, but I did stop before things got too...messy. ;) I mean...he was only 18. So, the following weekend this stranger rides into town. We meet, I invite him to see some of the local sites (with friends), and...well...while in the car I played the same REM song I had the week before. Shortly thereafter, we're sitting on the jetty looking out over the moonlit bay, and this guy comes on to me. Again, it totally took me by surprise, but I stopped him dead in his tracks. Afterall, he was just 20 and I was 26 and I didn't want to be responsible for [almost] corrupting two young men in as many weeks. The next few months were a bit interesting, as the 18-year old and the 20-year old both vied for my affections. In the end, the older guy won out because - frankly - he had a job. :)

This is the song:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjkJZ5N6Jnw


das

[Jim Schnobrich]

Never cared for the band. Can't bands just agree between themselves to not make anymore music without making a big statement about it ? That way when they eventually re-unite it doesn't seem as cheesy.

[silverboy]

I appreciate that they never went super-blatant mainstream like U2, but they could have called it a day 15 years ago and not been worse for wear.

[Urgur the Gurgur]

Loved their early stuff. I was into REM before anyone else seemed to know they existed. Then they caught on, and...well...I moved on.

dasNdanger, the first hipster.

[Gregory]

Wow, Troy Davis and REM in one day. Way to go, Georgia.

[Adrian B AWESOME]

Wow, Troy Davis and REM in one day. Way to go, Georgia.

:lol:

[bachman]

Wow, Troy Davis and REM in one day. Way to go, Georgia.

Winner

[dasNdanger]

dasNdanger, the first hipster.


What's the difference between a hipster, an emo, and a goth? Aren't they all like...the same...only with different eye liner?


Wow, Troy Davis and REM in one day. Way to go, Georgia.

:lol:


das

[PeterSparker]

Is Everybody Hurting?

Is Everybody Crying?

I don't remember the rest of the song.

This reminds me that Fred playing 'Everybody Hurts' when Beetlejuice was discussing suicide on Stern is another example of their music serving valuable comedic purposes!

[bartleby]

I saw some mention of how John Mayer, of all people, talked about spending roughly the first decade of his musical career focused on writing songs and then planned to spend the next decade or so just playing those songs. Regardless of how much you might dislike Mayer's music, I think most can agree on that being a philosophy that more artists should embrace.

[DAVE]

"A wise man once said--'the skill in attending a party is knowing when it's time to leave.'
So REM decided to stay at that party about 17 years after the party ended, the house was sold, and the guy who threw the party died of old age.

[silverboy]

"Nightswimming" is a great song. "At My Most Beautiful," as well.

[totalsellout]

i think rem just don't get the credit they deserve. they broke a lot of ground int the 80s/90s, and they did while maintaining their integrity. they might not have made any hits in the last 10 years, but they did make music that they enjoyed making, so i don't know why they should have quit earlier.

bunch 'a haters.:D

[The Hodag]

Great band.

Snark away like above-it-all fourteen year olds, but most of us would be lucky to hit REM's creative heights in our lives.

[Artie Pink]

So REM decided to stay at that party about 17 years after the party ended, the house was sold, and the guy who threw the party died of old age.:rofl:

[slamminsam56]

What's the difference between a hipster, an emo, and a goth? Aren't they all like...the same...only with different eye liner?



:lol:


das


Hipsters are mostly known for liking only obscure things and being resentful if it becomes popular.

[Greyman]

Great band.

Snark away like above-it-all fourteen year olds, but most of us would be lucky to hit REM's creative heights in our lives.
The new guy agrees. :)

[Bill Nolan]

Brian Williams must be a huge fan (he's about the right age), because he just wasted 30 seconds of the NBC Nightly News on a piece on this which began "Shocking news out of Atlanta today..." Oy... :roll:

[Pidge]

I'm sad that they called it quits, for all the hate they seem to be getting in this thread, they broke down a ton of barriers for pretty much all indie rock for the past thirty years and their most recent record "Collapse Into Now" is pretty great.

[TIP]

Chronic Town
Murmur
Reckoning
Fables of the Reconstruction
Life's Rich Pageant
Document
Green
Out of Time (let's ignore Shiny Happy People)
Automatic for the People

An amazing run above. The next one (Monster) was okay and they lost me after that.

I was the right age when they (and the Replacements and so on) defined what was then called College Radio.

The remaining three gave it a good long go post-Berry.

[Caley Tibbittz]

They did what they loved. U2's doing what they love. Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan are doing what they love. I'm not seeing a problem.

[Doc Randy]

This reminds me that Fred playing 'Everybody Hurts' when Beetlejuice was discussing suicide on Stern is another example of their music serving valuable comedic purposes!

It has always been a dream of mine to go to a stripclub and bribe the DJ to play 'Everybody Hurts'. I would love to see the dancers do their best to try to make it sexy. Ideally, the girls and the audience would reflect on their bad decisions that led them to this point in their lives and the whole room would erupt into tears.

Yeah... I know it is just a dream, but it is all I've got.

[Doc Randy]

U2's doing what they love.

Too bad their music just keeps getting worse and worse. They are turning into the superstar music equivalent of Patty the Daytime Hooker. A little older. A little fatter. Past their prime and desperately clinging on to their long-disappeared greatness. Just turning tricks because it is all they know how to do.

[Josh!]

While I prefer their late 80s/early 90s stuff (through "New Adventures") I thought "Accelerate" and "Collapse into Now" were quite good. A few tracks on "Reveal" and "Up" too-- "Around the Sun" was their only true stinker.

[Matt C. Linton]

While I prefer their late 80s/early 90s stuff (through "New Adventures") I thought "Accelerate" and "Collapse into Now" were quite good. A few tracks on "Reveal" and "Up" too-- "Around the Sun" was their only true stinker.

Agreed. Or I would if I could remember a single song on Around the Sun.

[Greyman]

Never cared for the band. Can't bands just agree between themselves to not make anymore music without making a big statement about it ? That way when they eventually re-unite it doesn't seem as cheesy.
All they really did was put a press release on their website, though.

[bradical]

A permanent vacation.

[bradical]

I wonder if during this break any of the members might drive a rake?

[bradical]

Fire!

[Caley Tibbittz]

Too bad their music just keeps getting worse and worse. They are turning into the superstar music equivalent of Patty the Daytime Hooker. A little older. A little fatter. Past their prime and desperately clinging on to their long-disappeared greatness. Just turning tricks because it is all they know how to do.
I completely disagree. I loved No Line On The Horizon. Lyrically, it contained some of their best work ("Moment of Surrender", "Stand Up Comedy", "White As Snow", and "Cedars of Lebanon" being great standouts, and the title track being my favorite). I felt Eno's hand was a bit heavy in the final mix, but that got largely jettisoned when the tracks were played live. And they're playing new tracks live. "Every Breaking Wave", an updated version of the unreleased "Mercy", and "Glastonbury". All great stuff. I wish they'd stop being nervous about releasing their next album and just do it already.

I feel U2 is dismissed for seeming pompous, overexposed, over-accepted, and for simply taking themselves for granted. But to argue that they're making bad music? I don't feel that's fair.

For all the styles they've adopted, borrowed from, and often largely cast off, they've steadily made music in their own style the entire time with similar sensibilities and intentions. I feel that people who only like the old stuff just don't want to like the new stuff. Because the new stuff is the old stuff; the heart and purpose of the band has never really changed.

But I listen to a full U2 concert at least 3 days a week and own all their albums and a good chunk of their singles. I even own The Passengers album they did. So you might think I'm biased. I like to think I'm just on to something.

[RickLM]

A great band.

[Artie Pink]

I completely disagree. I loved No Line On The Horizon. Lyrically, it contained some of their best work ("Moment of Surrender", "Stand Up Comedy", "White As Snow", and "Cedars of Lebanon" being great standouts, and the title track being my favorite). I felt Eno's hand was a bit heavy in the final mix, but that got largely jettisoned when the tracks were played live. And they're playing new tracks live. "Every Breaking Wave", an updated version of the unreleased "Mercy", and "Glastonbury". All great stuff. I wish they'd stop being nervous about releasing their next album and just do it already.

I feel U2 is dismissed for seeming pompous, overexposed, over-accepted, and for simply taking themselves for granted. But to argue that they're making bad music? I don't feel that's fair.

For all the styles they've adopted, borrowed from, and often largely cast off, they've steadily made music in their own style the entire time with similar sensibilities and intentions. I feel that people who only like the old stuff just don't want to like the new stuff. Because the new stuff is the old stuff; the heart and purpose of the band has never really changed.

But I listen to a full U2 concert at least 3 days a week and own all their albums and a good chunk of their singles. I even own The Passengers album they did. So you might think I'm biased. I like to think I'm just on to something.U2 used to put out albums when they had riffs that were burning in 'em, and songs they had passion about. Now they put out an album when their battery of accountants tell them Q3 is wide open for maximum saturation and their attorneys suggest a tour would be a perfect shelter from excessive taxation burdens.

[bradical]

U2 used to put out albums when they had riffs that were burning in 'em, and songs they had passion about. Now they put out an album when their battery of accountants tell them Q3 is wide open for maximum saturation and their attorneys suggest a tour would be a perfect shelter from excessive taxation burdens.

We are one, Jim, but we are not the same.

[The Hodag]

U2 used to put out albums when they had riffs that were burning in 'em, and songs they had passion about. Now they put out an album when their battery of accountants tell them Q3 is wide open for maximum saturation and their attorneys suggest a tour would be a perfect shelter from excessive taxation burdens.

Fuckin' NO rocker can hang on to the passion they had in their prime decade.

Anyway, it's great for us you're a fly on their wall and know their motivations so well.

[The Hodag]

The new guy agrees. :)

Good ta meet ya. :thumb:

Watch out that you don't trip on the snark here. It's a good place, but people leave that shit strewn all over the floor.

[Rafiennes]

Saw REM twice on the MONSTER tour. Radiohead opened up for them.
One of the best rock and roll shows I've ever seen.

Even though I stopped following after UP they were a major force in my musical world in the 90s.
Sad to see 'em go but it has to happen for every band some time.

[Masculine Todd]

hey that losing my religion song's p. catchy, huh?

[Masculine Todd]

How come rem didn't start rapping? Don't they know people rap now?

[chazbot]

How come rem didn't start rapping? Don't they know people rap now?

They left that embarrassment for Rivers Cuomo.

[Greyman]

Good ta meet ya. :thumb:

Watch out that you don't trip on the snark here. It's a good place, but people leave that shit strewn all over the floor.
Not to worry, I've got my waders on. ;)

[Greygor]

They were still going? Go Figure. Not meant to be snarky but I thought they had split up

[Doug]

Document is a really good album.

[modungo]

I'd put the first 5 R.E.M. records up against the best 5 records of any band ever. Murmur is definitely in my top 10, all time.

Also, as a kid from the south, it was great having those guys out there representing that not everybody down here fit into the cliche.

[silverboy]

Of all the people who are sad that they broke up, how many bought an album they put out in the past 10 years?

[Greyman]

Of all the people who are sad that they broke up, how many bought an album they put out in the past 10 years?
I have all of their albums.

[Mwstattel]

REM is still around. . . WAS still around?

[Pidge]

Of all the people who are sad that they broke up, how many bought an album they put out in the past 10 years?

I also have all their albums, collapse into now came out in march and is excellent, it gave me high hope for their future.

[Masculine Todd]

REM is still around. . . WAS still around?

Yeah dude, it said that in the OP. u confused mayne? lawl i help u

[Ashwin Pande]

Oh, life. It's bigger. It's bigger than you and you are not me.

I don't remember the rest.

[Jef UK]

Or, you know, maybe just don't listen to their music.

Your rapier wit cuts deep.

[Matt C. Linton]

Your rapier wit cuts deep.

Not wit, just a statement of common sense. With a subtext of "you could try not being a douche".

[DAVE]

You're gonna need wayyy more than subtext to get Jef to try and not be a douche!

[bachman]

The Great Beyond
Let Me In
Man on the Moon
Nightswimming
Radio Free Europe
Strange Currencies
At My Most Beautiful
Bang and Blame
Crush with Eyeliner
Drive
E-Bow the Letter
Fall on Me
Finest Worksong

Show some damn respect! I can mock a possibly innocent man being executed, but great alternative music is serious shit.

[Rafiennes]

http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/blogs/pop-life/r-e-m-r-i-p-thank-you-for-running-it-into-the-ground-20110922

[Rian Fike]

People tend to forget that R.E.M. was one of the most influential punk bands of all time.

Dont believe me? It's all here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPE-l-tfN0I

True revolutionaries.

[bradical]

How come rem didn't start rapping? Don't they know people rap now?

did you forget radio song? hey, hey, hey!

hey, hey, hey.

[russw]

Their 31 year run was a great 12 year run.

Is that the year they released Stand? because that was the song that killed them for me