My wife told me that every REM song I listen to has ah-ah-ah in it. I didn't realize it, but there's truth to it. Mike Mills' harmony is what makes REM so great for me.
In the early days Michael became bored of singing as fast as the music so he started singing at his own much slower speed which involved having to elongate his vowels.
I was introduced to REM in 1987 as a 8th grader and they have been, and always will be the band that impacted me the most. I'm sitting here in 2023 almost pushing 50 and still have the same emotional feelings. Pretty crazy!
Late summer, early 80 s, Tulsa, CAINS ballroom, Sunday night, 7 people in the crowd, unknown opening act hits the stage, 10 second later my jaw hits the floor. It was REM. 40 years later they are still favorite band and my jaw is still on the floor. That night they played the same stage that Hank Williams to the Sex Pistols have played. That is frickin poetic!!!
Phobos XXI saw them play it live at Cullen auditorium at the University of Houston in 1984 and it was my favorite song of the night. I just couldn’t see why it didn’t get more radio play. But then again it was completely different from anything else played at the time. And yes I’m old. Lol
I'm glad that they keep on posting stuff on RU-vid, Facebook and their website even though they disbanded four years ago! Keeps my hopes up for a reunion. I love you REM, you're always gonna be my favorite band!
Sure sounds like the Ric 360 he played since they formed, most likely the one in the video. Just read an article it had been stolen while they were in Finland (of all places!) back in 2008. Wonder if it was ever located and returned to him?
I first heard this in December 1982 and was struck by the brilliance of that EP as I'd never heard anything like it; it is now December 2019 and it sounds as fresh today as it did then - I've still never heard anything like it (if I'm still around, I'll report back in December 2056 if anything's changed).
It's funny, I remember reading Peter Buck saying he could always tell the guitar players in the crowd at REM gigs, because they would stand near his side of the stage and watch the fingers of his left hand, and he always wanted to apologise to them (in his wryly self-deprecating Peter Buck way, I'm sure), because, "Sorry guys, it's just G, D minor, E........they're just good chords".
Where it all started. I still get chills at those first guitar notes. It was love at first listen for me. I grew up listening to them. They are the soundtrack of my life. I miss them so much❤
I will put the IRS years up against one’s catalogue. Pure, timeless, genius. The writing, the lead/backing vocals, Peter’s guitar, Mike’s steady thumping bass, and Bill’s steady, solid timekeeping. These albums had a mystique about them. I marvel at how they still give me joy after all these years. They are especially soothing in these difficult, uneasy, and unsettling times.
Crazy to think this was recorded in 1981/2. It was so different from anything else (readily available) at the time. The number 1 song of 1982 was Olivia Newton-John - Physical. Think about that.
Not sure why R.E.M. would declare themselves irrelevant. (Not that Peter Buck's opinion stands for all, but still an important opinion.) This, right here, is maybe even the most relevant song today. For all anyone knows, R.E.M.'s relevancy follows a cycle similar to the sun. About 28 years? So, for all anyone knows, their highest potential could be heading for another peak right now.
I saw this video just once, in the early 90's when I was a little fella. Never did again til now. The song got stuck in my head since then, it just struck me today and I searched here and BAM!.
My favorite R.E.M. concert (I saw them three times) was August 10, 1985 at the Fox Theatre in Detroit. The Three O'Clock followed by the Replacements and finally R.E.M. I was blown away.
R.E.M es atemporal , se pone mejor con el paso del tiempo , sus discos no envejecen al contrario de muchos contemporaneos de ellos que estaban con el tecladito en los 80 ' s y cuando uno los escucho hoy los ubica especificamente en ese tiempo .
it was exactly two years ago when i downloaded the this is r.e.m. playlist on spotify to finally dive into their discography. this song came on, i immediately fell in love and am now a fan. this song is still my favourite r.e.m. i guess
The REM I fell for in the early -mid 1980s. Saw them live 1984, in Athens. Bought Chronic Town and Reckoning records, 1984. Saw them again live at Legion Field, Athens when Fables of the Reconstruction came out. And heard a lot of REM unreleased songs on the University radio station WUOG, like Voice of Harold. What noisy cat days were they, then ...
This is just a phenomenal collection of songs. Chronic Town is a masterpiece followed by a debut that is pure genius in Murmur. Damn, they were a tight four piece.
Gregory Thomas I remember being blown away as a 10 grader when Murmur dropped. I came across Chronic Town a few years later and I still listen to many of the IRS records to this day. Actually, Chronic Town has been in heavy rotation during these days of COVID-19, shutdowns, and teleworking. CT and many REM records have been quite soothing. Yeah, I saw an old interview where Peter Buck stated that how CT came together rather quickly. They made great music together.
I seem to recall reading an article on REM somewhere that early on, fans were drawn to REM because of Stipe"s mumbled vocals, like what kind of deep message was the band saying, it must be really profound, only to find out later that Stipe was only singing lyrics that made no particular sense whatsoever, like in the case of Wolves, Lower. I dig this song precisely because of the jangly guitar arpeggios and the weird lyrics. This song was what early REM was all about.
Think this song is a warning about the perils of being caught by greed due to success. The band in those early days was quite aware that all it needed as a band was to "keep the wolf from the door". A so rock'n roll-style message. And they did it: kept the "house in order" "to put wolves out the door", otherwise those wolves (greed) would caught the posse (the band) to ride.
I hate to burst your bubble but Michael Stipe admitted in an interview that the lyrics for Chronic Town and Murmur were pure nonsense and didn't mean anything.
@@ryandooner1440 Which is exactly what someone would say if the lyrics were actually very carefully crafted and full of meaning. So, basically, who knows…
It was written and released in 1982 on E.P. so preceeds So Central and Pretty Persuasion by some time....Thus this is the original and not the copy....A great track!
One of those videos that makes me so happy I got to see them play maybe half a dozen times in small SF bay area clubs for seven/eight bucks a pop. Good old days and shit.
I saw REM at the Harvey Hubble gymnasium in Bridgeport,CT in like 81. First time I ever saw a band member crowd surf. I think Stipe did that during the cover of 8 miles high by the Byrds. Great show.
Michael Stipe is one of my favorite singers of all time that I feel influenced by, along with Thom Yorke, Bruce Springsteen, Bono, Tom Waits and Eddie Vedder
Went to see their documentary in NYC last night. Began listening to them in the '90s & it was nice to hear their music and listen to them tell their story.
I love R.E.M. ❤️️❤️️❤️️...they were so talented, too bad they have broken up now & are no longer together to give us even more great music.😢 I love R.E.M. ❤️️❤️️❤️️...they were so talented, too bad they have broken up now & are no longer together to give us even more great music.😢
Bought this record qlbum in 82' at Record Bar in Knoxville. I was 14 and very impressionable, loved the band and have listened to them ever since...great times, better life 😊❤
Like a lot of people my first intro to REM was out of time.But will always remember the first time i played this EP on tape [ back in 1993 when i lived in pakistan] it TOTALLY blew me away I have been in love ever since.IRS yrs were the best !
Was too late for this, but made it to Athens right on time for the Document tour. Tossing pizza at Gumby's right across the street from the 40 watt and the entire staff asked over to watch a warmup. They did the whole Document album. Unforgettable.
Dá um confere no meu canal (SexyBrigadeiro), que o que mais tem lá é covers do R.E.M.!! É raro, mas a gente existe!! E ainda torço por uma volta, um dia, quem sabe?!.. =)
Suspicion yourself, suspicion yourself, don't get caught Suspicion yourself, suspicion yourself, let us out Wilder, lower, wolves Here's a house to put wolves out the door In a corner garden, wilder, lower, wolves House in order, house in order House in order, house in order Down there they're rounding a posse to ride
I saw them in Champaign, IL on September 9, 1982 in Huff Gym. Stipe was so shy that he sang with his back to the audience the whole evening. Picked up Radio Free Europe single at a local record shop (b-side Sitting Still) on Hib-Tone Records that night and lost it in a divorce.
At the time I couldn’t tell the difference between REM and INXS and U2 and Duran Duran. Punk was dead, Metal was niche, Disco was over, plain rock was corporate like REO and Journey. 1981 was a great year for things just beginning and REM was one of them.
