~ REM appreciation thread ~

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Sian-of-the-dead
Sian-of-the-dead Posts: 8,963
edited May 2008 in Other Music
Ok, so it's 08:55am and i'm sat at my desk listening to Monster for the second time this morning and i've decided we should pool together and show some appreciation for the Georgia boys!

Me personally, I never really liked REM that much. Afterall, I wasn't supposed to like REM - I was a 'metal' fan :rolleyes:
I don't understand how such a great band have passed me by for so many years?! :confused: Sure, like most people, I knew the singles like Great Beyond and Shiny Happy People but never looked into them further... if i'd only known songs like Leave and So Fast, So Numb existed!
What started it was, a few months ago Audiodave copied me Accelerate and compiled me a CD of some of their stuff, for me to give them a better chance than just their singles collection... it was love at first listen (Actually i'd just like to openly thank Dave for doing those CDs for me, for starting my obsession and giving me the opportunity to see them live in August)
They've managed to weedle their way into my top 5 bands of all time (brutally pushing White Zombie into the '6' position) and i'm currently in the process of purchasing their album back catalogue.
As I said, I'm seeing them in August at Twickenham and i'm about as excited as a kid in a candy store. I can't wait to see What's The Frequency, Kenneth? (my favourite REM song - tbh, I loved it since it came out in '94... I reiterate: "if only i'd known" :rolleyes: ) So Fast, So Numb (that's gonna be great to see with Dave and Ross *grins*) and Mr Richards, live... I just know it's gonna be amazing!

So here goes...

*stands*

Hello, My name is Sian and I love REM :o:D
Been to this many PJ shows: Reading 2006 London 2007 Manchester & London 2009 Dublin, Belfast, London, Nijmegen & Berlin 2010 Manchester 1 & Manchester 2 2012...

... and I still think Drive-By Truckers are better.
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Comments

  • chime
    chime Posts: 7,839
    :o *coughs* I'll be there too :p
    So are we strangers now? Like rock and roll and the radio?
  • Soupy
    Soupy Posts: 171
    Great band *obviously*.

    One think that stands me apart from most other fans is that I love 'Reveal' and like 'Around the Sun' quite abit. For me their weak period was 'New Adventures' a rather bland album with 4 outstanding tracks and 'Up' which aside from 'Walk Unafraid' was easily their worst album (for me).
  • Sian-of-the-dead
    Sian-of-the-dead Posts: 8,963
    chime wrote:
    :o *coughs* I'll be there too. :p

    Shit!! Didn't mean to forget you, Pip *feels stoopids* Sorry hun :(
    Soupy wrote:
    Great band *obviously*.

    One think that stands me apart from most other fans is that I love 'Reveal' and like 'Around the Sun' quite abit. For me their weak period was 'New Adventures' a rather bland album with 4 outstanding tracks and 'Up' which aside from 'Walk Unafraid' was easily their worst album (for me).
    Really? I love Up and New Adventures :o
    Reveal is next on the list to buy :D
    Been to this many PJ shows: Reading 2006 London 2007 Manchester & London 2009 Dublin, Belfast, London, Nijmegen & Berlin 2010 Manchester 1 & Manchester 2 2012...

    ... and I still think Drive-By Truckers are better.
  • Julien
    Julien Posts: 2,457
    REM is one of my favorite bands.
    Monster, new adventures in hifi, up, accelerate... so many good albums !
    2006: Antwerp, Paris
    2007: Copenhagen, Werchter
    2009: Rotterdam, London
    2010: MSG, Arras, Werchter
    2012: Amsterdam, Prague, Berlin
    2014: Amsterdam, Stockholm
  • Sian-of-the-dead
    Sian-of-the-dead Posts: 8,963
    Julien wrote:
    REM is one of my favorite bands.
    Monster, new adventures in hifi, up, accelerate... so many good albums !
    Favourite songs? :)
    Been to this many PJ shows: Reading 2006 London 2007 Manchester & London 2009 Dublin, Belfast, London, Nijmegen & Berlin 2010 Manchester 1 & Manchester 2 2012...

    ... and I still think Drive-By Truckers are better.
  • Julien
    Julien Posts: 2,457
    Sian-of-the-dead wrote:
    Favourite songs? :)
    e-bow the letter
    walk unafraid
    accelerate
    crush with eyeliner
    radio song
    leave
    finest work song
    lotus

    ...and many more
    2006: Antwerp, Paris
    2007: Copenhagen, Werchter
    2009: Rotterdam, London
    2010: MSG, Arras, Werchter
    2012: Amsterdam, Prague, Berlin
    2014: Amsterdam, Stockholm
  • audiodave
    audiodave Posts: 1,623
    Sian-of-the-dead wrote:
    Shit!! Didn't mean to forget you, Pip *feels stoopids* Sorry hun :(


    Really? I love Up and New Adventures :o
    Reveal is next on the list to buy :D
    Did you buy Document? If not, I think that should be your next to buy. ;)

    Awesome band. Grew up listening to them, and the more I hear by them, the more I love. Loving old REM especially at the moment.
    ~AKA Dave-of-the-dead~

    I don't wanna think, I wanna feel

    Dublin 23/08/06 Lisbon I 04/09/06 Lisbon II 05/09/06 Paris 11/09/06 Verona 16/09/06

    London 18/06/07 Dusseldorf 21/06/07 Copenhagen 26/06/07 Nijmegen 28/06/07
  • Sian-of-the-dead
    Sian-of-the-dead Posts: 8,963
    audiodave wrote:
    Did you buy Document? If not, I think that should be your next to buy. ;)

    Awesome band. Grew up listening to them, and the more I hear by them, the more I love. Loving old REM especially at the moment.

    bugger.

    *adds to list and logs into amazon*

    :o
    Been to this many PJ shows: Reading 2006 London 2007 Manchester & London 2009 Dublin, Belfast, London, Nijmegen & Berlin 2010 Manchester 1 & Manchester 2 2012...

    ... and I still think Drive-By Truckers are better.
  • muppet
    muppet Posts: 980
    I've never really liked R.E.M and I don't know why. Stipe is a great singer, and I like a few songs. But I can just never get into them. Their songs sound so "flashy" and over produced and I didn't like their recent album at all.
  • Sian-of-the-dead
    Sian-of-the-dead Posts: 8,963
    muppet wrote:
    I've never really liked R.E.M and I don't know why. Stipe is a great singer, and I like a few songs. But I can just never get into them. Their songs sound so "flashy" and over produced and I didn't like their recent album at all.

    I used to feel like that but something changed and I don't quite know what. It could've been because I listened to an album (Accelerate actually!) all the way through instead of a few songs on the radio every now and again. I think listening to some less well known material also helped in that I realised how diverse this band are.
    I love Stipe, he appears to be a great performer and IMO his lyrics are second only to Ed's. Besides, he's quirky :D
    Been to this many PJ shows: Reading 2006 London 2007 Manchester & London 2009 Dublin, Belfast, London, Nijmegen & Berlin 2010 Manchester 1 & Manchester 2 2012...

    ... and I still think Drive-By Truckers are better.
  • ||Release_Me||
    ||Release_Me|| Posts: 1,871
    WOOOOOOOO! i have no problem admitting that R.E.M is in my top 3 favourite bands list. I love Stipe's lyrics, his voice, and the fact that some of the music isn't too complex but manages to sound absolutely fascinating/beautiful at the same time.

    Favourite albums are Life's Rich Pageant (first 5 or 6 tracks are mind blowing), New Adventures, Around The Sun, and Accelerate.

    The show in August is going to be off the charts, i can't wait to experience it with you guys. Crossing my fingers for Electron Blue, Fall On Me, So Fast So Numb, and of course Sing For The Submarine. That last song haunts my dreams!
    "This town deserves a better class of criminal... and I'm gonna give it to them."

  • rhinomagic
    rhinomagic Charlottesville, VA Posts: 2,553
    R.E.M. is among my most favorite of rock bands. And they have been for 15 years or so. Their catalog is quite impressive and I can't wait to see them live.

    Great idea for a thread!

    .
    Memphis 1994
    New Orleans 1995
    Fort Lauderdale 1996
    Atlanta & Birmingham 1998
    New Orleans 2000
    Tampa 2003
    Kissimmee 2004
    New York City (x 2) 2008
    East Troy (x 2) 2011
    Chicago & New Orleans 2013
    Hampton, Raleigh, Boston 2016
    Baltimore 2020
    Louisville 2022
    Philadelphia & Baltimore 2024
  • Sian-of-the-dead
    Sian-of-the-dead Posts: 8,963
    rhinomagic wrote:
    R.E.M. is among my most favorite of rock bands. And they have been for 15 years or so. Their catalog is quite impressive and I can't wait to see them live.

    Great idea for a thread!

    .

    Erm... I've only really listened to them for about 2 months... not quite 15 years... :o but I can't wait to see them either! :D

    Which gig/s are you going to? :)
    Been to this many PJ shows: Reading 2006 London 2007 Manchester & London 2009 Dublin, Belfast, London, Nijmegen & Berlin 2010 Manchester 1 & Manchester 2 2012...

    ... and I still think Drive-By Truckers are better.
  • Housing Jim
    Housing Jim Posts: 644
    R.E.M. were one of the first bands I get into. My cousin did me a copy of Out of Time and it went from there. I remember pooling all my pocket money for weeks so i could buy Automatic for the People on cassette!!

    I loved Monster and was a bit gutted when I couldn't seem them on that tour as I was away. I love New Adventures in Hi-Fi, I think in the long run it's my favourite R.E.M. album, even if Monster is totally about "doing it" :D

    First managed to see them play at the T in the Park festival in 2003 and they did not dissapoint. The sound and sight of Country Feedback gently drifting out over the crowd as the sun went down was really quite beautiful.

    Saw them again with my now wife in 2005, who had also grown up loving them, and even though we both didn't find Around The Sun all that great we had high hopes for the live show. It was a massive let down. It just seemed like all their magic had gone to be replaced by a bland stadium rock show, designed to please those who had bought the Greatest Hits.

    However, I absolutely love Accelerate. It's an incredible record or refound energy and spark and I can't wait to see them in Cardiff this August :)
    A democracy on paper, apparently well ordered, regularly subverted by irrational chaos.

    Manchester - 4/6/2000
    London - 20/4/2006
    Dublin - 23/8/2006
    London - 18/6/2007
    New York City - 24/6/2008
    New York City - 25/6/2008 - we will be "what is up" New York
    Manchester - 18/8/2009
    Manchester - 20/6/2012
    Leeds - 6/7/2014
    London - 18/6/2018
  • Housing Jim
    Housing Jim Posts: 644
    R.E.M. were one of the first bands I get into. My cousin did me a copy of Out of Time and it went from there. I remember pooling all my pocket money for weeks so i could buy Automatic for the People on cassette!!

    I loved Monster and was a bit gutted when I couldn't seem them on that tour as I was away. I love New Adventures in Hi-Fi, I think in the long run it's my favourite R.E.M. album, even if Monster is totally about "doing it" :D

    First managed to see them play at the T in the Park festival in 2003 and they did not dissapoint. The sound and sight of Country Feedback gently drifting out over the crowd as the sun went down was really quite beautiful.

    Saw them again with my now wife in 2005, who had also grown up loving them, and even though we both didn't find Around The Sun all that great we had high hopes for the live show. It was a massive let down. It just seemed like all their magic had gone to be replaced by a bland stadium rock show, designed to please those who had bought the Greatest Hits.

    However, I absolutely love Accelerate. It's an incredible record or refound energy and spark and I can't wait to see them in Cardiff this August :)
    A democracy on paper, apparently well ordered, regularly subverted by irrational chaos.

    Manchester - 4/6/2000
    London - 20/4/2006
    Dublin - 23/8/2006
    London - 18/6/2007
    New York City - 24/6/2008
    New York City - 25/6/2008 - we will be "what is up" New York
    Manchester - 18/8/2009
    Manchester - 20/6/2012
    Leeds - 6/7/2014
    London - 18/6/2018
  • Jeremy1012
    Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
    I really like R.E.M's 80s stuff and Automatic for the People but I'm not a huge fan of much they've done since, give or take a few songs.

    This is amazing.

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

    Favourite songs are probably:

    Nightswimming
    So, Central Rain
    Pretty Persuasion
    The One I Love
    Orange Crush
    Find The River
    Daysleeper
    The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight
    "I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"
  • augustwest
    augustwest Posts: 739
    Bruce and REM...man on the moon

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BisS5JxeUW0

    when i first saw youtube clip a few weeks ago i pretty much freaked right out on how incredible it was. im not a hard core rem fan but im fan enough of the new cd to pay the money to see them play again live on this tour. i love the new cd :)
  • Brisk.
    Brisk. Posts: 11,578
    I started listening to them too

    I like murmur, automatic for the people, monster, out of time.

    I really like them

    but i cant see them on their stadium tour in august as its £55.80 a ticket...
  • TiaMija
    TiaMija Posts: 597
    Chronic Town EP, Murmur and Reckoning are the closest to my heart, but I can enjoy something from each album.
    I'm going to see them in Philly on June 18th!
    If you can, watch them on Austin City limits this weekend (May 24th)!
  • whulmef
    whulmef Posts: 176
    My fav band since kindergarten (I just graduated college so thats a long time). Sooooo many great albums.

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