R.E.M.-R.I.P.

non_amos Fri Sep 23, 2011 2:09 am

http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2011/09/rem-breaks-up.html?utm_source=contactology&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Paste_Lifeline%2009-15-11_9_15_111

By Tyler Kane
R.E.M. Breaks Up

Update: Band members later added their own personal statements on R.E.M.’s website, and it sounds like the split was on good terms. You can see their comments below.

R.E.M. has announced that they’re calling it quits. In a statement on their site today the band wrote about the break up. The Athens, Ga. band gained popularity in the late ‘80s and went on to record hits like “Losing My Religion” and “Everybody Hurts.” Their last recorded album was 2011’s Collapse Into Now. Frontman Michael Stipe wrote on his Tumblr shortly after the announcement, saying “THANKS PETER, MIKE, BILL, BERTIS AND EVERYONE WHO WAS EVER THERE, WHAT AN ADVENTURE!!! XXX MICHAEL”

R.E.M.’s statement:

“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.”

Statements from the band:

Mike Mills

“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 Stipe

“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 Buck

“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.”

I don't know if anyone here likes R.E.M. or not but I found this through my e-mail & was taken a little 'off-guard' by it. If you like their music, sad day indeed, but at least it's an amicable split & they're still gonna be friends. They also know when 'it's time' to call it a day. Gene Simmons, are you listening?!

webhead2006 Fri Sep 23, 2011 3:11 am

Man saw the news earlier sucks they decided to hang it all up for now.

thecolorsblend Fri Sep 23, 2011 11:59 am

All I'm really surprised about is that it's happening now. I got the impression a few years ago that they were aware the band had a shelf life and didn't have much of a road ahead of them. In fact, I think Mills even suggested they only had another two or three records at most left in them before it would be closing time.

I haven't really followed them since the old Up days but I'm going to miss them. They had a unique sound way back in an era when everyone wanted to be Nirvana or Pearl Jam (not that there's anything wrong with those two bands). They were alternative pioneers. Sad to see 'em go.

non_amos Fri Sep 23, 2011 1:07 pm

Might be a good time to break out the old LPs & CDs. I think I have most of them but not all. I already saw on VH1 Classic where they were showing videos this morning. I'm sure in the coming days we'll see more of that type of thing. I'm sure there will be more 'greatest hits' now too.

webhead2006 Fri Sep 23, 2011 2:18 pm

Makes me remember now the season 3 smallville episode slumber that just featured rem songs.

Apologist Puncher Fri Sep 23, 2011 11:24 pm

non_amos Sat Sep 24, 2011 12:22 am

AP, you beat me to the punch man! I had that same idea while ago. Only problem was, I was at work & couldn't. Smile

Speaking of that song though, do you suppose it could make it to the new film? You see, duh apologists are already accusing Zack Snyder of using 'rock music' before he's even made the film! I guess it's because he's known for doing that very thing, with WATCHMEN being a notable example. But that film also had a 'musical score' as well because there were even 2 different soundtracks for sale, one with the rock tunes & the other with the score. But duh apologists also want just a score only. No rock or pop tunes whatsoever.

ME? I'm open to the idea if it fits the film. I believe SUPERMAN by R.E.M. could fit the film, possibly. Mainly due to the chorus:

I am I am I am Superman and I know what's happening
I am I am I am Superman and I can do anything

I can envision this tune maybe fitting one of the battle scenes, or maybe one of the rescue scenes that Superman does. There's other songs I'd like to hear too but that's better saved for another thread.

thecolorsblend Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:10 am

REM did at times do things that pissed me off. I don't care about corporate sponsorship, faux punk rock "ethics" or any of that other shit. But if you're going to identify yourself with that mentality, it'd sure help if your actions matched your words. REM signed with Warner Bros records back in, what, '90 or '91? They then reupped in '97 or something for something like $80 million, which at the time was the biggest contract anyone ever had.

For the Smallville episode (Slumber? Too lazy to check, but I think that's right. "REM", "Slumber", get it?), it was nothing but REM songs... which just so happened to all be songs from their greatest hits collection that just so happened to be hitting stores within a week or two of that episode's airing.

I like their music but deeply resented shit like that. "Good enough for thee but not for me".

non_amos Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:15 am

That sounds like a stunt that Vince McMahon would pull to get you to order a pay-per-view or buy the latest DVD coming out on Tuesday. I wonder what the new one be next week? Surprised

thecolorsblend Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:21 am

What I will say is that Monster is one of the great rock records of the 90's. Seems a lot of people overlook it for Out of Time or Automatic For The People... but I dig on Monster. It's as thoughtful as anything they ever put out but it had a little more balls to it.

New Adventures In Hi-Fi is another winner, though under-appreciated at the time. I was about 15 when it came out and it helped give me a respect for ALBUMS rather than CD's with a collection of singles on them.

Up was awesome too. Between that and some other stuff from about the same time, I developed a whole new appreciation for electronic music that continues to this day. I don't think they continued much in this direction but I wish they had. It really gave the band a whole new sound.

non_amos Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:34 am

Life's Rich Pageant is one of my favorites. It's also the 1st CD I bought of theirs & this was like 2003 at a flea market for 2 bucks! I more than got my money's worth as I still play it from time to time & incidentally it's the same album that the Superman song is from. Seems a little late in the game for me buying their music especially when I had heard some of it back in the day but that CD inspired me to go out & buy more CDs & even the vinyl as well.

Apologist Puncher Sat Sep 24, 2011 11:26 pm

You guys do know that The Clique/R.E.M's "Superman" was in an episode of 'Lois & Clark', right? I believe it was called "Tempus, Anyone?"....

Yep, it was: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman_(The_Clique_song)

R.E.M. version

Lead singer Michael Stipe was not as enthusiastic about recording the song as the other band members were, and as a result bassist Mike Mills debuted on lead vocals with Stipe providing background.

The B-side to the single, a surf rock instrumental entitled "White Tornado", was first recorded by the band in 1981. The version used on the single was recorded in January, 1984, during the Reckoning sessions, but remained unreleased until "Superman."

Gary Zekley joined R.E.M. on stage during a performance at Northern Illinois University in De Kalb, Illinois, on October 21, 1986.

The R.E.M. version was played during the "Tempus, Anyone?" episode (3x14) of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.

The song appears in a CSI: NY episode.

webhead2006 Sat Sep 24, 2011 11:29 pm

Cool i forgot it was in there too and man side note on lois and clark show tempus was a pretty great villain.

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