spectoremg Posted August 15, 2019 Share Posted August 15, 2019 I love their output between Document and Automatic For the People, even Monster and Up were good. I recently browsed the rest of their albums and was shocked at how awful they were. They probably hung around at least ten years too long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted August 15, 2019 Share Posted August 15, 2019 2 minutes ago, spectoremg said: I love their output between Document and Automatic For the People, even Monster and Up were good. I recently browsed the rest of their albums and was shocked at how awful they were. They probably hung around at least ten years too long. For me it's everything up to Monster (maybe even some of New Adventures.... But then the quality rapidly drops off. Who knew losing a drummer would have such an impact. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted August 15, 2019 Share Posted August 15, 2019 Never a big fan but loved Out of Time 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob Posted August 15, 2019 Share Posted August 15, 2019 One band that always really grates on me. Guess we all have them - Stipe's vocals for me, have always been a huge switch-off. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoBass Posted August 15, 2019 Share Posted August 15, 2019 Personally I wouldn’t go as far as to say that the final albums were awful, but they certainly weren’t great, and I agree that they probably hung around too long. I loved R.E.M. from Murmur up to Automatic... and though I really liked the odd track thereafter (Electrolite, Daysleeper) I’d largely lost interest by then. The quality of their output seemed to deteriorate after Bill Berry left. I wonder if that’s coincidence? Bill was always much more than ‘just the drummer’. When they finally split up I did wonder if U2 might get the hint as well... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectoremg Posted August 16, 2019 Author Share Posted August 16, 2019 Personally I think like lots of bands they just ran out of creative steam. As for U2, as long as the juggernaut keeps filling stadiums they'll keep on releasing dross which doesn't have to be the case; Genesis proved that with their tour in 2007. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 I loved some of REM's stuff, mainly the older ones I have to admit. Whether I like a band or not, I'm always in awe of those who you can instantly recognise though, which certainly was the case with REM. Same goes for instrumentalists too, particularly guitarists. In a world of over distorted sounds with no originality, to hear someone play with a unique tone and touch still gets me every time. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 they're one of those bands who I want to like based on their politics and general approach to music but I only like Murmur. On the subject of bands who've gone on way way too long, Status Quo top the list. Even after Rick Parfitt has died, Rossi and co still carry on churning out dross, e.g. the dire current single Backbone which Planet Rock loves playing. Like the equally woeful Two Way Traffic, the lyrics are basically a load of cliched phrases cobbled together 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 (edited) When we first met, keen to impress each other in the first flush of love, Mrs. Pook and I agreed we both liked REM. We don't - nether of us does, never have. Sweet tho, isn't it ? We were probably hammered, but still... Edited August 16, 2019 by ahpook 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectoremg Posted August 16, 2019 Author Share Posted August 16, 2019 1 hour ago, Barking Spiders said: they're one of those bands who I want to like based on their politics and general approach to music but I only like Murmur. On the subject of bands who've gone on way way too long, Status Quo top the list. Even after Rick Parfitt has died, Rossi and co still carry on churning out dross, e.g. the dire current single Backbone which Planet Rock loves playing. Like the equally woeful Two Way Traffic, the lyrics are basically a load of cliched phrases cobbled together R2 are annoying their listeners with it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectoremg Posted August 16, 2019 Author Share Posted August 16, 2019 45 minutes ago, ahpook said: When we first met, keen to impress each other in the first flush of love, Mrs. Pook and I agreed we both liked REM. We don't - nether of us does, never have. Sweet tho, isn't it ? We were probably hammered, but still... A relationship built on deceit and alcohol, have you been together a while? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz39 Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 I like Accelerate, some of UP is ok too. Monster was their peak for me, early albums excellent until the radio-friendly dross of Automatic and Out of TIme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 (edited) 10 minutes ago, spectoremg said: A relationship built on deceit and alcohol, have you been together a while? Good point, doesn't sound like the best start does it ? At least we were both lying, I can't imagine spending 26 years with an REM fan ! Edited August 16, 2019 by ahpook 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectoremg Posted August 16, 2019 Author Share Posted August 16, 2019 6 minutes ago, ahpook said: Good point, doesn't sound like the best start does it ? At least we were both lying, I can't imagine spending 26 years with an REM fan ! 26 years, very good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 I’m going to buck the trend her and say that I prefer their later output; ‘New Adventures In Hifi’ being A particular favourite. I’m not saying their early stuff is schit, far from it. Just my personal opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40hz Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 I think 'Up' is great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 New Adventures was the last good one. I saw them at Brixton Academy in 2003 and it was some anniversary of recording Fables of the Reconstruction so they played Feeling Gravity's Pull/Maps and Legends/Driver 8/Life and How To Live It - after that they could have played anything from Up or Reveal and it wouldn't have mattered 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 I wish I had a career in recording and performance lasting decades that meant I did not have to have a proper job and people could discuss it on forums. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted August 16, 2019 Share Posted August 16, 2019 Everything after Fables sucks a55. That is all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted August 17, 2019 Share Posted August 17, 2019 Just the later ones? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky 4000 Posted August 17, 2019 Share Posted August 17, 2019 (edited) I like that song that goes 'Fiyaaaaaaaaaaaa....' Reminds me of Beavis & Butthead. Uhh huh huh, yeah. FIRE!!! Eheh heh.... fire is cool. Edited August 17, 2019 by Ricky 4000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbayne Posted August 17, 2019 Share Posted August 17, 2019 I love all the stuff on irs. When they were signed to Warner’s they got to commercial for my tastes. That bloody awful shiny happy people was the kiss of death for them. IMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted August 17, 2019 Share Posted August 17, 2019 39 minutes ago, Hobbayne said: I love all the stuff on irs. When they were signed to Warner’s they got to commercial for my tastes. That bloody awful shiny happy people was the kiss of death for them. IMHO The singles off Out of Time were the worst tracks on the album. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolverinebass Posted August 17, 2019 Share Posted August 17, 2019 REM were a band I never liked too much as I found them a bit boring and dare I say it too safe. That's not to say they don't have good songs, but most of them said nothing to me. They certainly hung around too long. Then again, most bands do. Not everyone quits at the top like The Jam. My theory is that The Rolling Stones are the model of what happens when you try to carry on forever especially after you're incredibly successful. U2's career has followed that pattern and if you compare the ages of the members between the two bands and the albums they released at similar ages there are some very interesting parallels. Not necessarily interesting music I hasten to add, but interesting "time of life" parallels of waning creative juices and the occasional good song. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted August 17, 2019 Share Posted August 17, 2019 I didn't like the first five or six albums at all, but I'd concur with a few posts that the early-middle period stuff (Out Of Time/Automatic For The People) was listenable. My dad died around the time Everybody Hurts came out and my mum took some comfort from that track, so I bought her Automatic For The People. Did a few long US road trips around the period these two came out and they were on the radio constantly, so you just bought them. Different times. I bought Monster and New Advertures In Hi-Fi but never listened to NAiHF all the way through, after this I left the party. I recently put together a Spotify playlist...my interest re-sparked for some reason or another. Never listened to it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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