R.E.M. CALL IT A DAY (UPDATED WITH BAND MEMBERS' COMMENTS) "To our Fans and Friends: As R.E.M., and as lifelong friends and co-conspirators, we have decided to call it a day as a band. We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished. To anyone who ever felt touched by our music, our deepest thanks for listening." R.E.M. In their own words: The guys share their thoughts on why now. MIKE "During our last tour, and while making Collapse Into Now and putting together this greatest hits retrospective, we started asking ourselves, 'what next'? Working through our music and memories from over three decades was a hell of a journey. We realized that these songs seemed to draw a natural line under the last 31 years of our working together. "We have always been a band in the truest sense of the word. Brothers who truly love, and respect, each other. We feel kind of like pioneers in this--there's no disharmony here, no falling-outs, no lawyers squaring-off. We've made this decision together, amicably and with each other's best interests at heart. The time just feels right." MICHAEL "A wise man once said--'the skill in attending a party is knowing when it's time to leave.' We built something extraordinary together. We did this thing. And now we're going to walk away from it. "I hope our fans realize this wasn't an easy decision; but all things must end, and we wanted to do it right, to do it our way. "We have to thank all the people who helped us be R.E.M. for these 31 years; our deepest gratitude to those who allowed us to do this. It's been amazing." PETER "One of the things that was always so great about being in R.E.M. was the fact that the records and the songs we wrote meant as much to our fans as they did to us. It was, and still is, important to us to do right by you. Being a part of your lives has been an unbelievable gift. Thank you. "Mike, Michael, Bill, Bertis, and I walk away as great friends. I know I will be seeing them in the future, just as I know I will be seeing everyone who has followed us and supported us through the years. Even if it's only in the vinyl aisle of your local record store, or standing at the back of the club: watching a group of 19 year olds trying to change the world."
WOW. I was never a huge fan. You cannot, however, ignore their popularity and contributions to alternative music over the last 30+ years. Good for them that they get to walk away as friends and on their own terms. I'm sure we'll see them as a band again.
I haven't been a fan of their music over the last ten or so years. However, their first twenty years were so incredible I think it solidifies them as one of (if not) the best American rock bands of all time. Who else is there? Talking Heads? Beach Boys? Once you try to starting thinking of American bands who are better than REM you'll suddenly realize how many of the best rock bands are British.
Remember when KISS did their "final" tour back in 1996? Just sayin'..... Anyway, I'm one of those annoying REM fans that listened to them in high school (80's) before anyone else had ever heard of them - then jumped off the bandwagon after they got too big with Out of Time.
Journey? Are you kidding? The Band, Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, Allman Brothers, tons of bands with lasting legacies that dwarf these bands.
The Eagles, Guns and Roses, Nirvana, The Ramones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, RHCP and The Beach Boys come to mind too.
I saw them in 1987 at the Universal Ampitheatre in LA on the "Life's Rich Pageant" tour....amazing show. Saw them again in 1993 or so on the "Monster" Tour in LA at the Forum...good but not as good as 1987. I kind of lost interest in them after "Monster".
Thanks for playing, but I don't think any of the bands mentioned thus far are better than R.E.M. While some have albums that are just as good (if not better) than R.E.M.'s best albums, the sheer quantity of good material most bands release is pretty paltry compared to R.E.M.'s first 20 years, where IMHO they released 11 consecutive great albums. Many of the other bands mentioned barely released three albums total. Good call on the Byrds, BTW!
I'm in total agreement about REM. Love the band and they are top 10 easy. My original reply was the folly of listing Journey.
Pretty sure that's the case with almost 100% of their fans. I don't know anyone who liked the post Monster material.
A lot of their albums these past 10-12 years are underrated. Was one called "Up"? I liked it a ton but it was released post-popular-R.E.M. R.I.P. R.E.M.
I hear ya. I think Bill Berry leaving the band hastened their decline, even though with his health issues, he did the right thing.
