RIP REM......

[slowmotion]

Good riddance. Bloody radio friendly middle-of-the-road dreary bollocks from start to finish. Yes, Stipe could sing, but the rest of it was nowt special.

An immaculate critique. The only redeeming feature of REM was the decision to ask Kate Pierson to sing. The rest was a bloody awful droning.

 

[Fnaar]

+1 to what RT said... I prefer Jedward...

 

[XmisterIS]

[QUOTE 1553603"]
It's the end of the world...
[/quote]

But only as we know it ...

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eyFiClAzq8[/media]



I had no idea that was by REM! So that's two REM songs I know.

then Tecno Hardcore dEATH tHRASH iNDUSRrial ChemicaL IDM stuff

With a dildo and a dog collar ... there is only one Till Lindemann!

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aU1wLryjuEw&feature=related[/media]

 

[wiggydiggy]

I remember reading in Q about the journalists experience in reviewing the 'New Adventures.....' album in '96 that it was delivered by courier, someone stood and waitied whilst he listened to it and then handed back. Such was the importance being placed on the album as the 'new' REM album back then.

Suffice to say after that one the last 15 years have been mostly quiet in terms of my interest and its only newsworthy as they made it so long before splitting.

Nice voice still though

 

[User482]

Good riddance. Bloody radio friendly middle-of-the-road dreary bollocks from start to finish. Yes, Stipe could sing, but the rest of it was nowt special.

I appreciate that they may not have been your cup of tea, but MOR was the very last thing they were. MOR bands don't write songs about pollution, suicide and Vietnam.

 

[Dan B]

Yeah, I lost them at about "New Adventures ..." and my reaction to learning that they'd split was mostly surprise that it hadn't happened years ago while I wasn't paying attention to them. But I'm cueing up Fables and Pageant on my computer now to remember them at probably their best

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I appreciate that they may not have been your cup of tea, but MOR was the very last thing they were. MOR bands don't write songs about pollution, suicide and Vietnam.

I remember covering "Orange Crush" in my first ever band, back when I was 17. Even then, they sounded too polished to be anything other than MOR to my ears. I know this is a taste thing, but music to me needs a few rough edges, regardless of what the lyrics happen to be about. "Everybody Hurts" may well be about suicide (or it may not - I've never listened to it closely enough to know), but the fact that it's all over the radio all the time means it's MOR, in my book.

 

[User482]

I remember covering "Orange Crush" in my first ever band, back when I was 17. Even then, they sounded too polished to be anything other than MOR to my ears. I know this is a taste thing, but music to me needs a few rough edges, regardless of what the lyrics happen to be about. "Everybody Hurts" may well be about suicide (or it may not - I've never listened to it closely enough to know), but the fact that it's all over the radio all the time means it's MOR, in my book.

You don't like them because they used to be on the radio a lot? What a strange attitude!
BTW, I wasn't talking about Everybody Hurts.

 

[MarkF]

Mid '80's they were brilliant, "Can't get there from here" from '85 was my fave, think they peaked not long after........ I was in Nebraska all though '91 and they were never off the bleedin radio with "Losing my religion", by the time I got back to the UK I was sick to death of them.

 

[fossyant]

The CD changer in the car currently has one of their albums loaded, actually, it's in the dash cd, not the changer(in the boot).

 

[dellzeqq]

Mmmmm Kate Pierson, now there's a girl who knew how to shimmy ....

and still does - here she is in 2009 - the shimmying a little less pronounced than in years gone by, but, in fairness, the lovely Ms. Pierson had just celebrated her 61st birthday

http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

 

[dellzeqq]

I remember covering "Orange Crush" in my first ever band, back when I was 17. Even then, they sounded too polished to be anything other than MOR to my ears. I know this is a taste thing, but music to me needs a few rough edges, regardless of what the lyrics happen to be about. "Everybody Hurts" may well be about suicide (or it may not - I've never listened to it closely enough to know), but the fact that it's all over the radio all the time means it's MOR, in my book.

In my book it means a lot of people like the song

I give REM credit for writing songs that meant a lot to a lot of people. That's not to say that pop music has to be meaningful or profound - the Jesus and Mary Chain and the B52s both in their different ways conveyed a message without writing lyrics that meant very much (if you except naughty dittys about anal intercourse) - but REM took on the thankless task of saying stuff.

 

[Fab Foodie]

and still does - here she is in 2009 - the shimmying a little less pronounced than in years gone by, but, in fairness, the lovely Ms. Pierson had just celebrated her 61st birthday

http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

Thanks dellzeqq.
If she ever needs a toyboy ....

 

[slowmotion]

- but REM took on the thankless task of saying stuff.

Pace, but that's the whole blooming problem, isn't it? I don't want to be lectured by Stipe or Bono. They have a powerful platform but a vacuous message. They are not philosophers of the top rank. Sadly, and tediously, they believe otherwise.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

You don't like them because they used to be on the radio a lot? What a strange attitude!

In my book it means a lot of people like the song

It may seem to be a strange attitude, but if everyone likes something, that's an indication to me that all the edges which may have made some people love them and other people hate them have been smoothed off. Leading to something which is basically pretty bland and "safe" and radio friendly and ... MOR. Speaking as a musician, I always struggled to find something - anything - clever or innovative in their songs, the only redeeming feature of which was Stipe's voice ...

Pace, but that's the whole blooming problem, isn't it? I don't want to be lectured by Stipe or Bono. They have a powerful platform but a vacuous message. They are not philosophers of the top rank. Sadly, and tediously, they believe otherwise.

... notwithstanding this point, which is absolutely spot on. About the best that can be said of Stipe is "well, at least he's not Bono. Or Sting."