Yesterday R.E.M. announced their breakup, and it made me feel a bit sad. Not overly sad, mind you, just somewhat so. They were a great band who made great albums and put on great shows. And during the years before they moved to Warner Bros. Records and became international superstars, they were also among the coolest motherfuckers on the planet.
I’m not going to attempt to write a long-winded and sappy tribute to the group, that kind of thing can be found by the dozens with a quick Google search. But, if you’ll indulge me a few short paragraphs, I’d be much obliged…
If you weren’t around and musically-engaged during the years when they were building toward Biggest Band in the World status, you might not understand what all the fuss is about. There was an electricity surrounding R.E.M. that’s rare. They were never just another band, not even at the very beginning.
There was mystery and a bit of artiness, yet they also rocked and seemed like regular guys you could have a beer with. Even Stipe, who became a bit of a wank later on… In the early days they all just seemed like record store nerds with impeccable taste and talent. Their early albums, recorded for IRS, still sound fantastic today. I was listening to Reckoning while driving to work yesterday, and it’s loaded with some kind of strange, impossible-to-describe magic. It’s always been one of my favorites.
So, those guys were mighty important to me and my friends, and I’ve remained a fan. I own everything they’ve released, even the mediocre (or sub-mediocre) stuff following Bill Berry’s departure from the band. But they rebounded with a couple of good albums at the end, so they exited on a high note, I think.
During the Warner years they released two great albums: Automatic for the People, and the underrated New Adventures in Hi-Fi. And the final two were near-great, as well. The rest? Not so much. But, for the most part, they remained interesting. It makes me a bit sad they won’t be around anymore. Oh well.
Now, a few stories, and memories…
The first time I saw R.E.M. play live was apparently December 8, 1985. You can see the set list here, if you can believe it. I can’t remember if they played ZZ Top’s “Tush,” and it seems like something that might stick with me.
Anyway, I’d just recently moved away from Dunbar, and was living with a redneck I barely knew, in Greensboro, NC. I was depressed and missing my girlfriend. It was not a pretty picture… But when I heard R.E.M. would be playing nearby, I snapped up a ticket. I loved alternative/punk/college music, and never had an opportunity to see those kinds of bands play live — because I lived in West Virginia. I was excited to finally check out somebody other than Foreigner or REO Speedwagon.
The show was in a high school auditorium in Winston-Salem, and the ticket was printed on construction paper. The Minutemen were the openers, and the audience was only mildly interested.
I remember having a great time (even though I was alone), and being surprised at how rocking R.E.M were live. All the songs were sped up and punky and loud… I also recall Michael Stipe acting like a complete freak. He wrapped himself around the microphone stand, and made all sorts of strange contortions. Little did I know he’d only get weirder during the coming years.
Those are my main memories.
And just a few days later, D. Boone, one of the leaders of the Minutemen, was killed in a car crash. I saw one of their final shows, literally. If you’re unfamiliar with that band, there’s a really good documentary on Netflix Streaming, called We Jam Econo. I recommend it.
When I worked for Warner Bros., back in the day, I was somehow invited to a surreal picnic at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. It was in honor of R.E.M., and all four of them were there.
Stipe showed up with his mother, and I remember Mike Mills passing a football with some unknown kid in a grassy area. It was a very casual affair, with great food and a shitload of flowers around. R.E.M. was just hanging out there, talking with folks.
I had them sign an 8×10, which is now hanging on the wall beside me. Stipe drew a peace sign and wrote, in all caps, MICHAEL above it. Bill Berry was really nice, and the other two were somewhat snotty, if I recall correctly.
Billy Bragg was also there, and I talked with him for a few minutes. Atlanta was gearing up for the ’96 Olympics, and Billy was shitting all over it. He told me the Olympics are inherently evil, and suck cities dry. Great old architecture is routinely razed, and replaced with horrible modern facilities, he said. Therefore, we should be mourning Atlanta’s selection as a host city, and not excited by it.
Thanks, Billy! Very uplifting.
Here’s a picture of me and a few of my co-workers, posed with the members of R.E.M. at that bizarre garden party, or whatever it was. I’m kneeling near the front, in a black shirt and big ol’ Buggles glasses. Michael Stipe’s mother is not in the photo, and neither is Billy “Sunshine” Bragg. It’s too bad.
During those Atlanta days I also attended an advance “listening party” for the Automatic for the People album, in Athens. It was held at the 40 Watt Club, and was catered by Weaver D’s, a legendary local soul food restaurant. The owner inspired the title of the album, because he always said, “It’s automatic,” for some reason.
I remember him handing me a plate of unbelievable pork chops and collard greens, and so forth. I thanked him, and he said, “It’s automatic.” Apparently that was his thing.
The band didn’t show at this shindig, unfortunately. But the album sounded amazing, and it turned out to be one of their best. It was a fun evening, the kind of perk I never took for granted. Man, the Atlanta years were a blast… Low-paid, but always fun.
A less positive story is one an ex-girlfriend told me.
There was a guy in Greensboro who loved music, but was confined to a wheelchair by cerebral palsy. We all knew him, because he was always at shows, hanging out in record stores, and engaging in all things music-related. R.E.M. was his favorite band.
My ex took him to see them play live, in Raleigh (I think), and somehow scored backstage passes. While they were there, she asked all four band members to sign a poster for him. All were very nice about it, until she got to Peter Buck. She said he looked over at the wheelchair, and the gnarled kid sitting in it, turned back to her and said, “What’s its name?”
And why am I laughing? That’s horrible. Anyway…
There are other stories, but I’m starting to lose interest. I saw them with 10,000 Maniacs a few times on the same tour (fanboy), including a show in Charleston, WV. And I ran into Peter Buck at a Robyn Hitchcock show once. He wasn’t friendly. Also, I remember reading an article about them in Creem, during the early years. It said Stipe and the reporter were walking through a rock club, and someone yelled, “Michael! I love everything you do!!” And Michael Stipe turned to the guy and said, “I shit, you know.” Heh.
But I’m calling it a day. I hope this hipster trip down memory lane wasn’t too painful for you guys.
I’ll see you again on Monday.
Have a great weekend!
Now playing in the bunker
Crossroads Road just 99 cents for Kindle!
Well LA-TEE-DA!!
well played, bikerchick!
I recall sitting next to you at the Charleston show. Or, was that someone else, another band at another time? Hell, those years are a bit blurry now.
I think we went to that show together, Bill. You, me, and a few other people. I remember Natalie Merchant kept pulling clumps of hair out of her head, and dropping them on the stage. Wotta freak.
Did she really? While she was a 10,000 maniac or after? God, I used to kinda sorta dig her.
10,000 Maniacs opened for R.E.M., and she was yanking clumps of hair. I don’t know why.
Prolly all hopped up on the tincture of laudanum or something. Jesus.
I saw one of those shows where 10,000 Maniacs opened for REM, (in North or South Carolina) and I was really surprised that Natalie Merchant appeared to be wasted on stage – I hadn’t thought she was the type. At one point she even slurred ” I don’t know where the fuck I am…”
I just remember he singing Peace Train in a house dress and doing her hippy dance. Good times !
Uh, that would be “her” not he.
Stipe must have had enough of adoration… Or he was a shitfreak…
I’m going with shitfreak, for a thousand, Alex. I think Stipe shaved his head and got into german scat porn.
German scat porn…………………….Mmmmmmmmmmmmm!
So the ‘I shit you know’ was a pickup line for him then.
I know exactly how you feel. When “Wham” broke up I tried to kill myself by eating a whole bag of cough drops in one setting (not really).
Glad the eye-taal-icks are off on this bitch.
What made that sad is that they were in love.
Exactly. And what boy of jacking off age didn’t cry the day the whole thing shit the bed? Or have I said too much?
Honestly, you haven’t said enough.
Say “shit the bed” again.
But say it in a careless whisper.
That’s right. I got song titles.
I understand the Smith Brothers Licorice Drops can be quite lethal.
Especially if chopped and snorted.
talk about rocks!
These were “Ricola” cough drops. Useless for killing yourself, but I didn’t know it at the time. When I got most of the way through the bag I got tired, then I got worried that I’d just fall asleep and not die. So I put the remaing drops in my ass.
I woke up a stick mess. And Wham was gone. With my heart.
Ya know, it’s strange.
I was typing my tragic story as you were typing yours, but it seems that Wham! was a strong part of both of our lives, but in a different way.
Ricola drops- rookie mistake.
I nearly offed myself when New Backstreet Boy Block Kids broke up, but I got through it, and now they’re touring again, so I’m happier now than ever, and I’m taking my 16 year old girlfriend to see them.
Best wishes to Michael Stipe.
Yeah, well, you’ve got that. George Michael isn’t doing shit these days and then we lost Cory Haim, and I don’t know. Fuck me.
Reminds me of something Uncle Mortie used to say:
“We still got Feldman!”
He was talking about something else, but still… you know… shit, I’m just trying to help.
Indeed.
A little known fact: the Smith Brothers swept into the suburban areas outlying the cities of America in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Following the scourge that was and is crack cocaine, they introduced a mentholated and licorice based high to soccer moms and caregivers which crushed families and created haunted, motherless children.
I am one of those children.
Though already in my teens by then, I’ll never forget the shock of walking in from sousaphone practice and seeing Aunt Muffy, who raised me up bless her sainted soul, reverse cowgirling Irish Jamaal, eyes closed and with a sticky, codeine-enhanced trickle falling from her nostril.
I locked myself in my bedroom, smoking crack and repeatedly playing “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go.” By Wham!
You just made me very nostalgic for Katrina and the Waves “Walking on Sunshine.”
Excuse me everyone. I have a date with a headset and a jar of Vick’s menthlaoed rub….(sniff sniff)
You’d have to use a garden hose for a straw!
Fucking Blackberry…..that reply was meant for madz “rocks” comment. GrrrRrrrrr…..
Has anyone seen that episode of Iconoclasts with Michael Stipe and Mario Batelli? Apparently they became friends along the way and they went to Stipes’ place and cooked some vegan dinner for themsleves and a bunch of Stipes’ friends. Then, Stipes and Batelli hopped on a private learjet and zipped off to a U2 concert.
Anyone?
Well said, Jeff. I first saw R.E.M. March 12, 1983 at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. (I only know the exact date ’cause of your link to the Timeline). I was a college-radio nerd (Music Director), so got to hang out backstage with R.E.M. and the opening act, Let’s Active. All the guys (including Peter Buck) were real nice — and you’re very correct about describing them as regular guys who one would enjoy having a beer with. I met them all a few more times over the years thereafter (I remained in the “alternative music” arena after college), and always found them to be friendly and down-to-earth guys. So there’s a bit of sadness in seeing the band come to an end, even though I haven’t been as into them in the past ten years as I was in the first ten years. Anyway, great post today.
Must be something in the air today…things are very odd. Frickin’ Chinese I bet. Or chemtrails.
If you gotta like a three letter named band, I gotta go with I.C.P.
Landau Eugene Murphy Jr., from Logan, WV, winner of America’s Got Talent, will sing The National Anthem Saturday night at the WVU-LSU game (ABC 8:00pm). I was gonna say that you could probably just turn the TV off after that, but that would just be feeding into my pessimism, cynicism,etc. On a more humorous note, Morgantown police has delivered over 700 “warnings” to residents of Morgantown, probably concentrated in Sunnyside, not to burn any couches in their front yards (usually done when WVU loses). Fines will range from $50 to $1,000. Neither the city nor the university wants to see any burning couches on national TV, as the game will be broadcast by ABC, and will have a huge national audience. This, after ESPN showed a WV fan in the stands shortly after Marshall’s first TD against WV in the first game of the season for both teams. The fan’s shirt said, “West Fucking Virginia”. Yea, everybody saw it. Fans have been warned about that, too.
I like that Murphy dude. Good story there.
I will be rooting for West Virginia.
Even though they just got through stomping my heart when they beat Maryland.
Hopefully those folks won’t burn their couches inside their homes as an alternative.
Saw an interview with him from a local WV TV station, and he seemed just as humble as he appeared after his win. Beats detailing cars.
That Maryland game had me kinda nervous near the end. I think Maryland ran outta time, or they might have taken it.
An old joke, but burning their couches inside their homes would be considered urban renewal.
I like the guy…great back-story. Hope he nails it on Saturday night. It might be the highlight of the night for WV fans.
Like I said, watch a movie, then check the score in Sunday’s paper. I don’t think the Mounties are up to this one. But I hope so.
When I was walking into town this morning, there was already signs of mayhem. Besides the usual trash and puke, I saw tipped over pop machines, garbage cans, burnt furniture, etc.
Don’t know if I’ll have access to a TV at 8 pm (wedding reception) but good luck Eugene and WVU, this buckeye is not real fond of LSU or the SEC.
Oh, plus I love WVU for giving Michigan RichRod.
I was drunk when they showed that guy wearing that T-shirt and I could have sworn it said “Wet Fucking Vagina”.
Yeah, my Mom and sister loved watching Murphy. Oh hell, I flipped over and watched him, too. He does seem like a solid cat. I’m glad he won.
Fuck all those kids he beat.
Just kidding.
Not to be overly agreeable here, but West Virginia appeared to have about 37 fast defensive backs out there at the same time. And they watched their film beforehand.
This may have contributed to MD running out of time.
Urban renewal? No comment.
I live in a mud hut.
That has computer access.
That was a reply to Greg.
I continue to occasionally show signs of mental decay with this reply thing.
It’s really not all that hard.
I may be dumb.
Jeff Casteel, WV’s defensive coordinator, has a few years under his belt, and he’s good at what he does. Coach Holgerson, one of the best offensive guys around, is working with players he didn’t recruit, and they’re all very young, so I’ll give him a couple years to get his act together.
Stipe’s dick was all over the net yesterday because he put them on his Tumblr site (whatever the hell that is).. of course, i had to look …he looks ill..
I just googled it. God, he looks like a holocaust survivor that’s been on a meth binge.
I decided yesterday, that I could die at peace without looking at Mr. Stipes penis.
Looks more like a generious labia than a penis, just like DiMaggio.
Curiosity got the best of me. It is rather girthy.
I only ever had two of R.E.M.’s albums: Murmur and Green. I still have Murmur (now on CD, as opposed to vinyl) and it’s still my favorite. Green I never replaced after my cassette tape went belly up, but I did download an MP3 of “Get Up.” Always liked that song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mzd-VNs-NaQ
Whoops, I forgot I had Document too.
To add to Jeff’s brief mention of the Minutemen, the surviving members reformed with a new singer under the name fireHOSE. My husband has two of their albums, which is the only reason I know about them. I always thought they sounded like early R.E.M., which prompted a near aneurysm on my husband’s part as he hates R.E.M. with the heat of a thousand suns. How he could like fireHOSE so much when he loathes R.E.M. is anyone’s guess. Here’s a song they wrote specifically for Stipe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dA21dyNY3V4
I got to see REM on their Green tour, last stop, in Macon, GA. It was my first real concert, and it was absolutely amazing. I was in high school, and my boyfriend took me. I accidentally left his class ring in the bathroom of a Hardees we stopped at on the way, and nearly had a heart attack. Luckily, when we stopped there on the way back the manager had it. We lived in Athens when they were really heavy in the music scene there, and my mother worked at UGA. She remembers all the students talking about seeing them in the local clubs. I still love REM, and I guess I always will. Even my dad developed a fondness for them. He watched an interview with them, and Bill Berry was wearing a Future Farmers of America jacket. That’s the way straight to an ag teacher’s heart.
Did anyone else pick out Jeff before reading his description?
Yes – there have been other old photos of Jeff posted here over the years. The one with Iggy Pop comes to mind.
Dammit, Jeff, you have all these cool stories about bands you have known and admired, and actual pics to go with the stories. You write about them with skill and passion. Please give us more stories about the old days in the fast-paced entertainment business.
This was a terrific post, suitable for inclusion in any music magazine. Thanks.
jtb
I could have saw them on the Green tour. They played at the Coliseum in Morgantown. But – I didn’t care for them at the time.
Jeff – Was that when they played at Mountain Stage?
I really listen to a different type of music – but there are some R.E.M. songs I grew to like.
The fist two albums I got were Lifes Rich Pageant and Fables of The Reconstruction (around 1992 I think).
I prefer the story songs. The other stuff does not speak to me.
Nope, wasn’t the Mountain Stage show. Billy Bragg was with them for that show. He talked about driving up I-64 in the southern part of WV and they passed an exit for the town of Bragg. Then he blasted into the only song of his I like “Accident Waiting To Happen”.
That was one of the few shows they did that year. I believe some of those songs are one of those Mountain Stage cds.
Let’s all hold hands and join in a rosuing rendition of “Shiny Happy People?” Take it away!
Because I am musically illiterate, I had to google “Shiny Happy People”,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCQ0vDAbF7s&ob=av3e
this may be common knowledge to REM fans but to those of us uninformed, the drummer has the most magnificent unibrow I have ever witnessed.
I wonder how much music REM has sold since it announced they’re splitting up?
REM….never a fan. I dunno, they were probably pretty good, but I never got into them.
Speaking of REM,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8lBJXGLCoU&feature=related
Twitty-rolled!
Family Guy style!
I love REM and am pretty sad about them calling it quits. Unlike a lot of people who thought records like Up, Reveal, and Around the Sun were not up to par, I quite liked them. I saw them twice in concert, both times in Philly. The last time I saw them in Philly was for the Accelerate tour. Modest Mouse opened. For one of the encore songs, Eddie Vedder came out on stage and sang Begin the Begin as a duet with Micheal. That was pretty cool. Pearl Jam was playing in Philly on the following night.
I wanna know why virtually ALL of my chats go unaswered over there at the goddamn Facebook?
Maybe you need a younger audience?
Try http://www.ZitFaceBook.com
The threats worked.
MORGANTOWN (AP)
Cleanup crews filled three dozen dump trucks with furniture and trash from hundreds of rental properties Thursday as Morgantown officials tried to prevent or at least downsize the street fires that have long typified wekends at West Virginia University.
Sorry, continued:
Last month, the city announced it will begin filing felony charges against people caught setting fires. Convictions under the state arson code could mean one to three years in prison, depending on the severity of the charge.
Oh no.
The Maryland Terrapins are being prison raped by Temple.
I also root for the Wizards, the Orioles, and the Seahawks.
I think it must be me.
Can anybody help me?
Maybe you non-sports folks are on to something.
Oh make it stop…
LSU 36
WVU 13
Wow…just wow.
Wow is right. What a beating!
Breaking Wind News: Fartless bean pot recipe posted the other day is a hoax. That is all.