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Saturday, September 24, 2011

Career Review: R.E.M. Remembered


If my last post about R.E.M.'s disbanding sounded flippant, it was purely reactionary.


Unlike most people, my "love affair" with R.E.M. began just after the height of their popularity in around 1996-7, the time when Bill Berry left the group due to health reasons.


Much had been documented about this and thought I'd better find out what I'd missed apropos their music, as most of my 80's and early 90's was swept up in Prince's funky Purple dance-pop.

In late 96, new management in the office I was working in had this "brilliant" (not) idea of shuffling people around and as a result, many staff found themselves in roles they had no skill-set or aptitude for.  Morale was at an all-time low. 

Then I came across this song from R.E.M.'s back catalog.
"World Leader Pretend" struck a chord deep within me and empowered me to take a gigantic leap of faith.
This one song means more to me than words could convey.

My favourite "era" is when they were a four-piece (1980-97). 
Although Stipe had famously said that a 3-legged dog is still a dog, the band's chemistry had irrevocably changed when Bill bode adieu. 
The combination of Stipe's enigmatic yet emotive vocals, indecipherable and at times decidedly cryptic lyrics; Peter Buck's inventive use of Rickenbacker guitars (He also made mandolins cool again); Mike Mills' memorable bass lines and vocal backing;  Bill Berry's never-excessive drumming and counter-vocals.  Together, the sum was definitely greater than the parts.



I'd never purport to do justice by this band's legacy/impact/import with this short article.
It'd never be possible - nor would it be fair.






Thanks for a spectacular journey.

Take a bow, boys.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Wilco Everywhere


Wilco's The Whole Love is set for release 27th Sep 2011 in US and was already the shops 22nd Sep in Oz (While I wait for my pre-order to arrive...).





The boys have been busy.




Jeff Tweedy's hilarious reading of The Black Eyed Peas' I Gotta Feeling:



...and then a greatest hits package on Letterman.  A Must Watch.
(21/09/2011, Ed Sullivan Theatre, New York.  Set is 63:35).

R.E.M. Calls It a Day / Michael Stipe's New Career


What's with The White Stripes, LCD Soundsystem and now R.E.M. calling it quits in 2011? 
At this rate, we'll be left with 2-bit talentless bands and little left to look forward to in music...

Read their full account here.


Michael Stipe's already hot on his next career as an internet flasher.  NSFW! 
Catch glimpses of this rock sausage here.



Oh well.  Sniff.