REM=DEAD

Yeah, the first time I saw the Beatles live it was ok  ;D

How ironic, since most of  REM post Document catalogue can easily be categorized as elevator music.  On top of that there is no bigger self-righteous douche-bag than Michael Stipe, (except maybe BWallace).

Brian_Wallace wrote:

R.E.M. are one of the greatest bands ever just for this quote from Michael Stipe: "?I've always referred to the Beatles as elevator music, because that's exactly what they were."

Brian

jeffml wrote:
How ironic, since most of  REM post Document catalogue can easily be categorized as elevator music.  On top of that there is no bigger self-righteous douche-bag than Michael Stipe, (except maybe BWallace).

Obvious.  Since Bono and Billy Corgan are still breathing.  Do you mean outrageously TALENTED, self-righteous douche-bags?  Then I agree 100% about Misters Stipe and Wallace.

The unique thing about R.E.M. is that the may be the only band whose "Critically acclaimed/Undeniably Great" period and "World Wide Popularity" period are almost mutually exclusive.  Explain to common folk what the "great, you know, great in a Pitchfork way" albums are and they may reply "You mean the one with 'Shiny Happy People' on it?".  And to the people on this message board this may seem outrageous, but later singles like "Leaving New York" and "Imitation of Life" are more recognizable and "popular" to the general population than "So. Central Rain" and "Can't Get There From Here."

And while they didn't leave on top, they really did have the best of both worlds.

Brian

I don't hate the Beatles. They are just like Nirvana in the fact they were the poster boys for a genre. Plenty of other bands far superior to the Beatles within their genre but the Beatles just happened to be in the right place at the right time. The best band by far in that 60's 'Brit invasion' was without a doubt The Kinks. Dave Clark Five and Gerry and the Pacemakers I would also put above the Beatles.

Personally, I much prefer the Beatles early stuff and find their drug created shit, well…….shit. I am considering buying the Beatles compilation that is in Starbucks at the moment, so I'm not 'anti-Beatles' at all. They just weren't as good as history as led us to believe. Revolver would be my favorite album of theirs.

REM did absolutely nothing for me whatsofuckingever. And Michael Stipe is just a pretentios narsassistic douchebag who has a face you'd never get tired of kicking.

jeffml wrote:
How ironic, since most of  REM post Document catalogue can easily be categorized as elevator music.  On top of that there is no bigger self-righteous douche-bag than Michael Stipe, (except maybe BWallace).

Brian_Wallace wrote:

R.E.M. are one of the greatest bands ever just for this quote from Michael Stipe: "?I've always referred to the Beatles as elevator music, because that's exactly what they were."

Brian

err……BONO?

R.E.M. @ 9:30 Club 1983-03-18 (03-12?)

Gardening at Night
9-9
Catapult
Pilgrimage
Seven Chinese Brothers
Laughing
Wolves, Lower
Romance
Sitting Still
1,000,000
West of the Fields
Radio Free Europe
Last Date
Ages of You
We Walk
Carnival of Sorts

http://www.mediafire.com/?1zih8n4hus1jxqz

no "losing my religion" = FAIL.

Frank wrote:

REM did absolutely nothing for me whatsofuckingever. And Michael Stipe is just a pretentios narsassistic douchebag who has a face you'd never get tired of kicking.

:)

Memories from Mike Mills on playing the 9:30: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/click-track/post/rem-and-dc-battle-of-the-bands-with-the-same-name-and-keeping-the-streak-alive/2011/09/21/gIQAReAdnK_blog.html?wprss=click-track

kosmo wrote:
so basically the argument is that The Beatles are horrible, because they have hardcore fans.  Newsflash that argument could made about any band with a hardcore fan base. i.e. Pearl Jam, Radiohead, Wilco, Pink Floyd, Phish, GBV, etc, etc, etc.

No. Fans of PJ, Radiohead, Wilco, PF, Phish, GBV listen to other shit than just those bands…including the Beatles. Hardcore Beatles fans DON'T LISTEN TO ANYTHING ELSE, well other than maybe top 40 radio, because they are simpletons.

How are you so familiar with hardcore Beatles fans?

Thousand wrote:

kosmo wrote:
so basically the argument is that The Beatles are horrible, because they have hardcore fans.  Newsflash that argument could made about any band with a hardcore fan base. i.e. Pearl Jam, Radiohead, Wilco, Pink Floyd, Phish, GBV, etc, etc, etc.

No. Fans of PJ, Radiohead, Wilco, PF, Phish, GBV listen to other shit than just those bands…including the Beatles. Hardcore Beatles fans DON'T LISTEN TO ANYTHING ELSE, well other than maybe top 40 radio, because they are simpletons.

Thousand wrote:

kosmo wrote:
so basically the argument is that The Beatles are horrible, because they have hardcore fans.  Newsflash that argument could made about any band with a hardcore fan base. i.e. Pearl Jam, Radiohead, Wilco, Pink Floyd, Phish, GBV, etc, etc, etc.

No. Fans of PJ, Radiohead, Wilco, PF, Phish, GBV listen to other shit than just those bands…including the Beatles. Hardcore Beatles fans DON'T LISTEN TO ANYTHING ELSE, well other than maybe top 40 radio, because they are simpletons.

+1

There's a DJ in the Philadelphia area, Andre Gardner.  He hosts a show called "Breakfast with the Beatles."  Anyhow, whenever he mentions The Beatles, he calls them "The Greatest Band of All-Time, The Beatles."  I mean, EVERY TIME.

If they really WERE the greatest band of all-time (which is a silly title, anyhow.  If you can definitively and irrefutably determine what THE BEST of anything is, well, then you're a loser.) then why do we have to be hit over
the head with it?  Why do people who love the Beatles have to constantly remind you of all their "stats" and their influence?  If they truly were great then someone should come to that conclusion naturally.  Not have Rolling Stone magazine and old, clueless baby boomer constantly needling us.

R.E.M.  In my opinion, very good band.  Produced some very good music.  They weren't the most, bestest, most influential, etc. anything.  No one is.  I'm not Bill Simmons/Nick Hornsby and their ilk constantly ranking and comparing things.  I had a great time enjoying what they produced.

Brian

Brian_Wallace wrote:

Thousand wrote:

kosmo wrote:
so basically the argument is that The Beatles are horrible, because they have hardcore fans.  Newsflash that argument could made about any band with a hardcore fan base. i.e. Pearl Jam, Radiohead, Wilco, Pink Floyd, Phish, GBV, etc, etc, etc.

No. Fans of PJ, Radiohead, Wilco, PF, Phish, GBV listen to other shit than just those bands…including the Beatles. Hardcore Beatles fans DON'T LISTEN TO ANYTHING ELSE, well other than maybe top 40 radio, because they are simpletons.

+1

There's a DJ in the Philadelphia area, Andre Gardner.   He hosts a show called "Breakfast with the Beatles."  Anyhow, whenever he mentions The Beatles, he calls them "The Greatest Band of All-Time, The Beatles."  I mean, EVERY TIME.

If they really WERE the greatest band of all-time (which is a silly title, anyhow.  If you can definitively and irrefutably determine what THE BEST of anything is, well, then you're a loser.) then why do we have to be hit over
the head with it?  Why do people who love the Beatles have to constantly remind you of all their "stats" and their influence?  If they truly were great then someone should come to that conclusion naturally.  Not have Rolling Stone magazine and old, clueless baby boomer constantly needling us.

R.E.M.  In my opinion, very good band.  Produced some very good music.  They weren't the most, bestest, most influential, etc. anything.  No one is.  I'm not Bill Simmons/Nick Hornsby and their ilk constantly ranking and comparing things.  I had a great time enjoying what they produced.

Brian

…and your anti-Beatles ranting is just as annoying. We get it, you don't like them…MOVE ON ALREADY

i wanted to read this thread about the band i grew up with since high school and remember how it effected me along the years . . . but then it got all brian strange and arguement, which i don't mind and it passes the time, but it leads to not making sense, like how for some reason, i really don't like bruce springsteen anymore, which is odd.  but i never stopped not liking rem.  their early work is still haunting portrait of who you are at some point in your life, their live shows were incredible spectacles with usual cool openers (until yes old age made them slow).  some albums later in time sucked but overall, they ruled.  ruled.  beavis and butthead ruled.

1985 show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBVVtNnHeEg&feature=related

Setlist:

Feeling Gravitys Pull
Harborcoat
Sitting Still
Maps And Legends
Fall On Me (original lyrics)
Green Grow The Rushes
Driver 8
Hyena
So. Central Rain
Have You Ever Seen The Rain?
Can't Get There From Here
King Of The Road
Seven Chinese Brothers
Auctioneer (Another Engine)
Old Man Kensey
Little America
Pretty Persuasion

encore 1:

Theme From Two Steps Onward
Toys In The Attic
See No Evil
Second Guessing

encore 2:

Ghost Riders In The Sky
(Don't Go Back to) Rockville
We Walk-Falling In Love Again-Behind Closed Doors
Paint It, Black

Frank wrote:
We get it, you don't like them…MOVE ON ALREADY

Woah … I just realized there isn't one post by him that this reply doesn't fit perfectly.

This is my favorite song by them  ;D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZUmrpzmYCg

ggw wrote:
R.E.M. @ 9:30 Club 1983-03-18 (03-12?)

I must've listened to this show 100x over the years.  Nice one.

I saw them only once, at their last show at Merriweather, it was a greatperformance…unlike some others here, i do like Monster, a lot, and hearing Let Me In live was heaven…

I was thinking last Monday that it would be great to see them live again, and then found out…good times though…

I used to love REM… but when it became possible to understand what Michael Stipe was saying, it just wasn't the same anymore.  Haven't really paid them any heed since the 90s.