REM: Songwriter's Hall of Fame Induction interview

[Obliviax]

A friend of mine is friends with REM's guitarist, Peter Buck. I understand he now has become a huge baseball fan and creates music about baseball. As they are being inducted they are getting some more airplay and interviews. I thought this to be great interview. Several of them have had challenges along the way. But it appears that they are all in a good place and happy with their life's journeys. And there is really some great music in there. IMHO, an under-appreciated group.

 

[Lesgo_Brandon]

Probably my favorite band growing up. I wasn't a huge fan of their work after Bill Berry left but they did have some gems there. The choice to us drum machines on some records just sounded off. Great to see they still get along after all these years.

 

[87 Penn St8]

I was an early fan- as was my bride. Where we diverged was seeing them on their rise.

She saw them on a lawn party at Rutgers in maybe 1984. About 150 people. She and a girlfriend with a 6 pack of Beck's. Michael Stipe had hair covering his face and didn't look up.

In the Summer of 1985 me and a buddy had to choose between seeing Roger Waters Pros and Cons of Hitchiking tour at The Spectrum or REM at The Warner Theater in West Chester. Eric Clapton playing lead for Waters was the tiebreaker. Fun show but we made a mistake.

I would first see them in State College- but by then they were big. Great band- with possibly the best Unplugged session (or tied with aforementioned Slowhand).

Driver 8 and Fall On Me are my favs.

 

[PA college fan]

Thanks for posting this Obliviax. One of my three all time fav bands. Authentic and had their own style. Coolest college band in 80s. I started hearing them on college radio right after Penn State and saw them with my future wife at a little club in Oakland on Pitt’s campus. Michael Stipe was so hyperkinetic and so energetic (maybe substance driven) and it was nothing like I’ve ever witnessed. True musicians who stayed authentic and left the past behind.

 

[mattu12]

Thanks for posting. Highly recommend their Perfect Square concert DVD. Comparing Michael Stipe's performance to the early days is astonishing.

 

[LionFan87b]

Probably my favorite band growing up. I wasn't a huge fan of their work after Bill Berry left but they did have some gems there. The choice to us drum machines on some records just sounded off. Great to see they still get along after all these years.

I'm in the minority of fans who think that Up is one of their best records. It was very jarring and different than their previous work.

 

[Lesgo_Brandon]

I was an early fan- as was my bride. Where we diverged was seeing them on their rise.

She saw them on a lawn party at Rutgers in maybe 1984. About 150 people. She and a girlfriend with a 6 pack of Beck's. Michael Stipe had hair covering his face and didn't look up.

In the Summer of 1985 me and a buddy had to choose between seeing Roger Waters Pros and Cons of Hitchiking tour at The Spectrum or REM at The Warner Theater in West Chester. Eric Clapton playing lead for Waters was the tiebreaker. Fun show but we made a mistake.

I would first see them in State College- but by then they were big. Great band- with possibly the best Unplugged session (or tied with aforementioned Slowhand).

Driver 8 and Fall On Me are my favs.

If I were to pick two favorites I'd probably go Half a World Away and Find a River. I don't think either were singles but I remember hitting repeat on the CD player again and again and again for both.

 

[mcpat]

Murmur through Monster were amazing. I especially liked Document and Automatic for the People. My favorite band.

 

[LionFan87b]

Murmur through Monster were amazing. I especially liked Document and Automatic for the People. My favorite band.

Of all the records that included Bill Berry, those two are probably my favorite. Sweetness Follows is one of less appreciated songs that really stands out. Great use of feedback.

 

[87 Penn St8]

If I were to pick two favorites I'd probably go Half a World Away and Find a River. I don't think either were singles but I remember hitting repeat on the CD player again and again and again for both.

Half a World Away from the MTV Unplugged is fantastic

 

[mcpat]

To this day, Automatic For The People is in my truck’s CD player. I typically listen to 1st Wave or Lithium, but on a trip, I’ll switch over to the album. I sometimes miss just listening to albums, actually.

Try Not to Breathe is probably my favorite song on AFTP, but they’re all great.

 

[mcpat]

My Top 10 Non-Mainstream (not as popular) REM songs (in no particular order):

Oddfellows Local 151
Perfect Circle
Harborcoat
Pilgrimage
The Wrong Child
King of Birds
Belong
Try Not to Breathe
World Leader Pretend
I Believe

 

[LionFan87b]

My Top 10 Non-Mainstream (not as popular) REM songs (in no particular order):

Oddfellows Local 151
Perfect Circle
Harborcoat
Pilgrimage
The Wrong Child
King of Birds
Belong
Try Not to Breathe
World Leader Pretend
I Believe

I love that dissonant guitar chord in the opening of Oddfellows...

 

[PSU Soupy]

Fall on me....... first three songs of Life's Rich Pagaent Probably listened to 5000 times while starting a sales career on the road in a Ford Taurus.....driving through North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Memories.

 

[LionFan87b]

Fall on me....... first three songs of Life's Rich Pagaent Probably listened to 5000 times while starting a sales career on the road in a Ford Taurus.....driving through North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Memories.

Agreed! Those three songs plus Underneath the Bunker and Swan Swan H.