REM Call It Quits

Motley Crue

According to an article in the English Metro newspaper this morning, REM have decided to disband after 31 years and 15 albums, with Michael Stipe stating that the band have done all they can.

The split was officially announced last night on their website

I know everyone says this, but truthfully, this is one band I would have actually liked to have seen before they broke up. I was always getting around to seeing them but never made that extra effort. The first radio show I ever did featured two REM songs, I was never a major fan, but did appreciate a lot of their music and their sound.

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.

I've heard a lot of people say the band never felt it was the same after Berry's departure but given that was almost 15 years ago the band must have felt it was worth continuing at least to this point.

Perhaps Stipe will concentrate more on solo material now, or at 51, will he turn his attention to something completely different.

RayCon

Banjo

I don't know what the big deal is, it's not the end of the world as we know it. I mean sure, people will be upset but everybody hurts, sometimes everybody cries.... etc etc

I lost interest after New Adventures - while Up and Reveal had some great moments they were very much the beginnings of a downward slide, and you'd be hard pressed to find anything on Accelerate or Collapse that you'd cross the street to listen to. I think they just ran out of things to say. Shame to see them break up, they were great live, but I can't honestly say I'll miss them, they very much ran their course. Will be interested to see what Mike Mills gets up to.

Grid.

Never understood the attraction....I can honestly say, there was not one song of theirs that I liked.

scudzilla

And this is in the Rock/Metal forum....why??

Are we gonna have threads for every Indie band that decides to break up?

MickShamrock

Good news day!

omerin

Please judge REM by the whole body of their work, particularly the earlier stuff. Went a bit too poppy in later years but the early stuff is beautiful.

Seem to be going against the grain here, but many happy hours was spent listening to their earlier albums and it is for that that REM will be badly missed.

Kess73

omerin wrote: »

Please judge REM by the whole body of their work, particularly the earlier stuff. Went a bit too poppy in later years but the early stuff is beautiful.

Seem to be going against the grain here, but many happy hours was spent listening to their earlier albums and it is for that that REM will be badly missed.

Yep would agree with you. Their eight album run up to and including Automatic For The People has a fair amount of quality songs.


The next seven albums was a bit of a mixed bag. Some quality songs, some filler and some rubbish.

Splitting was probably the right thing for them to do as the quality of their work defo went downhill, imho, from Monster onwards, but they were a very good band with some quality albums, and were a cracking live band.

LH Pathe

Must be widespread gushing of grief in the indie/student forum. definitive college band for 30yr or thereabouts. hope they don't feel old and irrelevent, were healthier for the charts than most shìte anyhow. Particularly today. whilst being less annoying than radiohead..

Motley Crue

LH Pathe wrote: »

Must be widespread gushing of grief in the indie/student forum. definitive college band for 30yr or thereabouts. hope they don't feel old and irrelevent, were healthier for the charts than most shìte anyhow. Particularly today. whilst being less annoying than radiohead..

I have to say I'm surprised, I always considered REM a Rock band as opposed to an Indie band

LH Pathe

Its not my thing so let it go, now

/I'd suggest they're more indie rock, alt rock.. as the much more active thread over there also suggests

but was never suggesting this one was out of place. you really think they would lean more this way than there though?

Motley Crue

LH Pathe wrote: »

you really think they would lean more this way than there though?

I guess. I mean when someone said to me that REM had broken up I had first taught of posting here before anyone else....perhaps REM are Indie....I always considered them Rock

LH Pathe

Well if Buck's work with Gary Lightbody is any indicator, Maybe he'd nothing better left to do than scrape the bottom of the barrell. Samaritan-rock, if anything.