It's almost anathema to admit it, but in the early 80s, if you were lookin' for new music, R.E.M woulda been one of the groups you'd listen to. I even saw 'em live (reckoning, not bad, but). Nothing topped the Chronic Town/Murmur sound, but they changed mebbe a li'l bit too fast. I like yr quote that's in here, somewhere, John, from Rev. Horton Heat. After Murmur, everyone wanted to sound like them (if not jangle-y, then the rootsy-ness of Reckoning [ever notice from 84-87 how many folks did the Born In The USA bit? Ugh!])
John Battles said:
To be fair , REM , for me, jumped the shark after their first album. I admit , this is like an intervention , but , I liked the "Chronic Town" EP and the "Murmur " LP , but , that was 30 years ago.....They seemed different when they first came out.
Stipe's unintelligible drone was novel. For a short time.
John Battles said:That was early REM ? How many millions of albums had they sold when that appeared on the well - intentioned , but vastly disappointing, "When The Pyramid Meets The Eye".?...I guess it was right around that time that REM went from being huge in our eyes , to HUGE in the eyes of the whole goddamn universe , that early 90's turning point for them......I thought it was fair , I guess. I could probably name four or five tracks on that comp that I'd say were very good. I thought ZZ Tops' "Reverberation" was the best , and I have'nt been a ZZ Top fan since the late 70's.
IDON MINE said:What did you all think of REMs version of Roky's "I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE"? I know, it's one of their earlier ones, but you know, it never hurts ta ask.
John Battles said:Thank You !!!!! I always liked what Jim Heat (Horton Heat) said , "I liked REM , until they became a GENRE". They were getting carbon - copied by 85 - 85 like Nirvana was by the early '90S.
Alison said:Well thank god R.E.M. finally broke up.... dudes jumped the shark years ago, and now Peter Buck is finally unleashed...