How The West Was Won And Where It Got Us: An REM Thread

[VinylGuy]

I think Blue is a great end to Collapse

One of my favorites songs from them.

[joostone]

There are times where I argue with friends that REM is the most influential band in the last thirty years. And therefore one of the most influential bands in history of rock (where they sit alongside the beatles, led zep etc...)..anyone agree??

[Norah]

There are times where I argue with friends that REM is the most influential band in the last thirty years. And therefore one of the most influential bands in history of rock (where they sit alongside the beatles, led zep etc...)..anyone agree??

Absolutely.

[stip]

We All Go Back is off what album? A compilation?

Yeah, the Greatest Hits thing from last year.

there are three new songs on them. Hallelujah is pretty good. A month of saturdays is a throw away. We All Go Back is really good

[mray10]

There are times where I argue with friends that REM is the most influential band in the last thirty years. And therefore one of the most influential bands in history of rock (where they sit alongside the beatles, led zep etc...)..anyone agree??

Absolutely.

Hm. They're a great band, and I love them. I see influence in terms of bringing "college radio"/indie type rock to prominence, but where else do you see their influence?

I'm certainly open to the argument, but I don't think I've ever looked at another band and thought, "they remind me of REM," or "They're trying to do it the way REM does." Or anything of that ilk.

[Norah]

There are times where I argue with friends that REM is the most influential band in the last thirty years. And therefore one of the most influential bands in history of rock (where they sit alongside the beatles, led zep etc...)..anyone agree??

Absolutely.

Hm. They're a great band, and I love them. I see influence in terms of bringing "college radio"/indie type rock to prominence, but where else do you see their influence?

I'm certainly open to the argument, but I don't think I've ever looked at another band and thought, "they remind me of REM," or "They're trying to do it the way REM does." Or anything of that ilk.

Just because you don't always hear REM in other bands doesn't mean the influence isn't their. But the best example I can think of is the influence Up had on Radiohead's Kid A.

I've always thought that whatever music a musician is listening to is influencing him, whether you hear it directly or not. It's impossible to listen to art in a vacuum and not let it have any affect on the art you then create. And you always hear about bands like Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Radiohead, etc singing REM's praises.

[epilogue]

Fun Fact: How The West Was One And Where It Got US is the song that made me an REM fan for life. While not their best song, it's still one of favorites. Maybe my very favorite, as it's the one I listen to the most.

[nyquillyn]

For starters, there is a shitload of REM in Pavement and Pavement was/is the inspiration behind about half the "indie" bands out there.

[matt reeder]

I just wish I could have seen them live.

same.

They didn't tour much, obviously. I missed them many, many times but was lucky enough to see them once:

September 26, 2003
United Center
Chicago, IL

Setlist:
01. Finest Worksong
02. Begin the Begin
03. So Fast, So Numb
04. Drive
05. Animal
06. Shaking Through (played by request; first performance since 1989)
07. Fall on Me
08. Bad Day
09. The One I Love
10. Imitation of Life
11. Daysleeper
12. All the Way to Reno (You're Gonna Be a Star)
13. I Believe
14. Losing My Religion
15. At My Most Beautiful
16. She Just Wants to Be
17. Walk Unafraid
18. Man on the Moon

Encore:
19. Nightswimming
20. Everybody Hurts
21. Electrolite
22. Get Up
23. It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)

That was a great tour. I heard almost all of my favorite R.E.M. songs save "Leave", which they almost never played live, and "What's the Frequency Kenneth", which they didn't play much that tour. "Shaking Through" was incredible, since it's maybe my favorite early R.E.M. song and they hadn't played it since the Green tour. I think I was the only person in my section excited about it (and I was definitely the only person excited to hear "I Believe").

I'm jealous of my friends that got to see them on the Monster tour.

[Norah]

I'd be a little disappointed if I saw them and they didn't play Country Feedback.

[matt reeder]

Reading this thread reminds me of a conversation I had with my wife recently. We were talking about R.E.M. and I made the argument that they're the best band in rock history nobody ever talks about because they were around for so long people began to forget about them. She said that was because so much of their music is forgettable; I said that's because so many bands were inspired and influenced by them that nobody remembers that R.E.M. did it first (the Decemberists for example; these guys owe their career to R.E.M.).

It was an interesting conversation because we both love R.E.M. but I strongly feel that they deserve even more credit than they get. One of the things that bonded my wife and I when we first met was that I introduced her to early R.E.M. (particularly Murmur) and she fell in love with it, and consequently, me. Or something.

[matt reeder]

I'd be a little disappointed if I saw them and they didn't play Country Feedback.

I love that song but I think it would have fallen flat on that audience. It was another shitty Chicago crowd that wasn't going to appreciate anything like that. I think the only way they could have improved that show was to go all-out, Monster-style and do a big rock show instead of playing so much early material. I loved the early material but the crowd definitely did not get it.

Country Feedback would have resulted in about 10% of the crowd going apeshit and the other 90% headed for the bathroom and / or the beer line.

[Norah]

I'd be a little disappointed if I saw them and they didn't play Country Feedback.

I love that song but I think it would have fallen flat on that audience. It was another shitty Chicago crowd that wasn't going to appreciate anything like that. I think the only way they could have improved that show was to go all-out, Monster-style and do a big rock show instead of playing so much early material. I loved the early material but the crowd definitely did not get it.

Country Feedback would have resulted in about 10% of the crowd going apeshit and the other 90% headed for the bathroom and / or the beer line.

I don't give a shit what anyone else does.

[matt reeder]

I'd be a little disappointed if I saw them and they didn't play Country Feedback.

I love that song but I think it would have fallen flat on that audience. It was another shitty Chicago crowd that wasn't going to appreciate anything like that. I think the only way they could have improved that show was to go all-out, Monster-style and do a big rock show instead of playing so much early material. I loved the early material but the crowd definitely did not get it.

Country Feedback would have resulted in about 10% of the crowd going apeshit and the other 90% headed for the bathroom and / or the beer line.

I don't give a shit what anyone else does.

I don't really either, but that crowd was flat. I was more disappointed that they didn't play "What's the Frequency Kenneth". I got into R.E.M. with Monster and I still love that album more than most people. I knew they weren't going to play much from that album but I was at least hoping for WTFK.

[stip]

REM was excellent the times I saw them (4-5, maybe) but the concerts always felt a little flat. There was always a curious lack of energy in the room, despite the band. Not true of the monster tour, but the subsequent times i saw them I really felt it.

[epilogue]

Yeah, totally missed the boat on this one. Really wish I could have seen them live.

[stip]

honestly the better live boots really capture the experience.

[epilogue]

Is there a favorite of these boots that you'd recommend starting with? Or just any of 'em?

[matt reeder]

Is there a favorite of these boots that you'd recommend starting with? Or just any of 'em?

This one's my current favorite. It should be on Dime at the moment...
--------------------------------
21 November 1995 - The Omni, Atlanta, GA

Source: Soundboard

Lineage: 2 x first gen Sony UX.Pro 90s IEC II/Type II High Bias. Transferred to CD by JEMS: Nakamichi 670ZX (azimuth adjust) > Lyra soundcard > Wavelab
Torrented by me: CD-R > EAC > Flac

The finale of the Monster tour presented in pristine quality… enjoy!

Disc 1
01. What's The Frequency, Kenneth?
02. Crush With Eyeliner
03. Drive
04. Fall On Me
05. Wake-Up Bomb
06. Undertow
07. Losing My Religion
08. Binky The Doormat
09. Bang And Blame
10. Zither
11. Strange Currencies
12. Revolution
13. Tongue
14. Man On The Moon

Disc 2

01. Country Feedback
02. Find The River
03. The One I Love
04. Pop Song 89
05. Get Up
06. Star 69

encore:
07. Nightswimming
08. Let Me In
09. Everybody Hurts
10. Java - Band Intro
11. So. Central Rain - Happy Birthday to Rain Phoenix
12. Departure
13. Radio Free Europe
14. It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
15. Wild Thing

[Norah]

It should be on Dime at the moment...

Don't see it.