REM: Classic or dud?

Yeah Tyler, that was a cool piece. I had never heard anything this early from REM I don't think, and it is a lot of fun.

no surprise to see the byline on that, tylerw, you always bring the hightone

I think the May 30 show was the second time I saw them; the first was when they opened for the Brains on campus a couple of weeks earlier

this is representative of how they sounded well into 1981, when their setlist started to include more of the material that appeared on the first two IRS records

They definitely sound a bit like Wire at times in this, which isn't that surprising, but yeah really punchy and tight at times. Would have been a fun show I am sure.

radical, brad, you have eternal bragging rights.
yeah this stuff is so much fun - you can imagine them putting out a record of some of this early stuff in 1981 or thereabouts and having a totally different career.
another good early thing, from a week after the 40 Watt show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F2G7L6vLNY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JTNM5aRl4k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58ceTXVcoMI

it seems like they got popular in athens pretty fast -- the crowd at that 40 Watt show sounds super into it. Was that pretty standard for local bands, or were they just a band that people were instantly drawn to?

thanks for the links, tyler ~ and the great story

it seems like they got popular in athens pretty fast -- the crowd at that 40 Watt show sounds super into it. Was that pretty standard for local bands, or were they just a band that people were instantly drawn to?

iirc there were very few non-cover/non-frat-party bands playing in Athens in 1980, so anything faintly "new wave" or "punk" was received with wild enthusiasm (no one I knew as a freshman was very clear on what those labels meant or to whom they applied) ... Pylon was active and I guess the Method Actors, but R.E.M. immediately became more popular than those bands, maybe because they were less art-schoolly ... the epidemic of young Athens bands didn't really get going until 1982

the B-52's were too big to play Athens in 1980 ... there were no clubs open to non-cover local bands except Tyrone's O.C. (which burned down in January 1982) and the 40 Watt Club ... the Mad Hatter, a larger frat-oriented venue, put on a few shows but probably lost money on them ... R.E.M. had to go to Atlanta and North Carolina for gigs

The May 1980 iteration of the 40 Watt Club was just barely afloat as something other than a house party space, and I'm certain it was way over capacity for that show with maybe 100-200? people packed in

that is awesome. yeah when researching the article i sort of expected there to be a lot more info about that early scene (and there probably is somewhere, but i didn't find too much).
even on those early songs, REM had the big chorus thing down, which maybe is what distinguished them a bit from say, pylon.

Spotify just removed Chronic Town EP tracks from Dead Letter Office.

best heard on vinyl anyways

True, i'll just bring my turntable into the office tomorrow.

http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/1034022/disappear-unplugged.jhtml

So there was that one IRS rarities set from last month...and guess what:

http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2014/05/20/rem-complete-rarities-warner-bros-1988-2011/

1. “Funtime” (Live) (Iggy Pop Cover)
2. “Ghost Rider” (Suicide Cover)
3. “Dark Globe” (Syd Barrett Cover)
4. “Pop Song 89” (Acoustic Version)
5. “Memphis Train Blues” (Non-Album Track)
6. “Skin Tight” (Live Orlando, FL April 30, 1989) (Ohio Players cover)
7. “Losing My Religion” (Acoustic) (Live At KFOG)
8. “Losing My Religion” (Live In Dublin 2005)
9. “Rotary Eleven” (Non-Album Track)
10. “You Are The Everything” (Live – Greensboro Coliseum, NC 11/10/1989)
11. “Love Is All Around” (Live)
12. “Shiny Happy People” (Dance To The Music Mix)
13. “Shiny Happy People” (Pop Mix)
14. “Shiny Happy People” (Hip Mix)
15. “It’s a Free World Baby” (Non-Album Track)
16. “Winged Mammal Theme” (Non-Album Track)
17. “First We Take Manhattan” (Leonard Cohen Cover)
18. “Everybody Hurts” (Album Fade)
19. “Mandolin Strum” (Non-Album Track)
20. “Orange Crush” (Live Version)
21. “Man On The Moon” (Album Edit)
22. “Arms Of Love” (Non-Album Track)
23. “World Leader Pretend” (Live) (Charleston WV 4/28/91)
24. “Belong” (Live) (Charleston WV 4/28/91)
25. “Low” (Live) (Charleston WV 4/28/91)
26. “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” (Non-Album Track)
27. “Fretless” (Non-Album Track)
28. “Everybody Hurts” (Live) (9/2/93-Los Angeles for the MTV Video Awards)
29. “Orange Crush” (Instrumental)
30. “Fall On Me” (Live)
31. “Me In Honey” (Live)
32. “Finest Worksong” (Live)
33. “Drive” (Live) (1992)
34. “Funtime” (Live) (1992)
35. “Radio Free Europe” (Live) (1992)
36. “What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?” (Live at SNL-11/12/94)
37. “Bang And Blame” (Live at SNL-11/12/94)
38. “I Don’t Sleep, I Dream” (Live at SNL-11/12/94)
39. “What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?” (Radio Version)
40. “Monty Got A Raw Deal” (Live)
41. “Everybody Hurts” (Live) (Athens, GA ’92)
42. “Man On The Moon” (Live) (Athens, GA ’92)
43. “Bang And Blame” (Album Version w/o Between Track Noise)
44. “Losing My Religion” (Live) (Athens 1992) (Applause Faded)
45. “Country Feedback” (Live) (Athens 1992) (Applause Faded)
46. “Begin The Begin” (Live) (Athens 1992)
47. “Undertow” (Live)
48. “Wichita Lineman” (Live) (Non-Album Track)
49. “New Test Leper” (Live Acoustic)
50. “Tricycle” (Instrumental) (Non-Album Track)
51. “Departure” (Live) (Rome Soundcheck)
52. “Wall Of Death” (From “Beat The Retreat”-Richard Thompson Tribute Album)
53. “The Wake Up Bomb” (Live Version) (Atlanta)
54. “Binky The Doormat” (Live Version) (Atlanta)
55. “King Of Comedy” (808 State Remix)
56. “Be Mine” (Mike On Bus Version)
57. “Love is All Around” (The Troggs Cover)
58. “Sponge” (Vic Chesnutt Cover)
59. “Emphysema” (Non-Album Track)
60. “Sad Professor” (Live In Studio Version)
61. “Why Not Smile” (Oxford American Version)
62. “Surfing The Ganges” (LP Version)
63. “Suspicion” (Live In Studio Version)
64. “Lotus” (Weird Mix)
65. “Electrolite” (Live From Jools Holland)
66. “Man On The Moon” (Live From Jools Holland)
67. “Suspicion” (Live At Ealing Studios)
68. “At My Most Beautiful” (Radio Remix)
69. “Passenger” (Recorded From “Later” With Jools Holland)
70. “Country Feedback” (Recorded From “Later” With Jools Holland)
71. “So. Central Rain” (Live From “Later”)
72. “The Great Beyond” (Non-Album Track)
73. “The One I Love” (Live From Glastonbury Festival)
74. “Everybody Hurts” (Live From Glastonbury Festival)
75. “Man On The Moon” (Live From Glastonbury Festival)
76. “Yellow River” (Non-Album Track)
77. “165 Hillcrest” (Non-Album Track)
78. “Imitation Of Life” (Live From Trafalgar Square)
79. “Summer Turns To High” (32 Chord Song Demo)
80. “I’ve Been High” (Live Video Version) (Channel V, Sydney)
81. “The Lifting” (Original Version)
82. “Beat A Drum” (Dalkey Demo)
83. “2JN” (Non-Album Track)
84. “Favorite Writer” (Non-Album Track)
85. “Out in the Country” (Non-Album Track)
86. “Adagio” (Unused Tune)
87. “Turn You Inside-Out” (Live Version)
88. “Chance” (Dub)
89. “Drive” (Live Version) (1994)
90. “Star Me Kitten” (Featuring W.S. Burroughs)
91. “Revolution” (Non-Album Track)
92. “Leave” (Alternate Version)
93. “The Lifting” (Demo)
94. “The One I Love” (Live Version) (MMM Sydney)
95. “Maps & Legends” (Live Rehearsal Version)
96. “Tongue” (Live Rehearsal Version)
97. “Little America” (Live Rehearsal Version)
98. “South Central Rain” (Live Rehearsal Version)
99. “Imitation Of Life” (Live Rehearsal Version)
100. “So Fast, So Numb” (Live) (Athens Rehearsal Sessions, 2004)
101. “All The Right Friends” (Live) (Athens Rehearsal Sessions, 2004)
102. “Animal” (New Mix)
103. “Pretty Persuasion” (Live) (NYC 2003)
104. “Welcome To The Occupation” (Live) (NYC 2003)
105. “You Are The Everything” (Live) (Raleigh, NC-Oct. 10, 2003)
106. “These Days” (Live) (Toronto-Sept. 30, 2003)
107. “(Don’t Go Back To) Rockville” (Live) (Oslo NRK P1 National Radio-Oct. 25, 2003)
108. “Wanderlust” (Live-Santa Barbara, CA 2004)
109. “Sweetness Follows” (Live) (Recorded in Cincinnati-Oct. 27, 2004)
110. “Horse To Water” (Live In Vancouver)
111. “Indian Summer” (Non-Album Track)
112. “Living Well Is The Best Revenge” (Live In London)
113. “Auctioneer” (Live In London)
114. “Hollow Man” (Live In London)
115. “Supernatural Superserious” (Live In London)
116. “Fall On Me” (Live In London)
117. “West Of The Fields” (Live In London)
118. “Horse To Water” (Live In London)
119. “Man-Sized Wreath” (Live In London)
120. “Man On The Moon” (Live In London)
121. “Mr. Richards” (Vancouver)
122. “Living Well Jesus Dog” (Non-Album Track)
123. “Airliner” (Non-Album Track)
124. “Redhead Walking” (Non-Album Track)
125. “Houston” (iTunes Live From London)
126. “Harborcoat” (Live At The Olympia)
127. “Letter Never Sent” (Live At The Olympia)
128. “Second Guessing” (Live At The Olympia)
129. “Pretty Persuasion” (Live At The Olympia)
130. “NOLA-4/26/10” (Non-Album Track)
131. “That Someone Is You” (Live In The Studio)

I looked up the IRS rarities and noticed it was mostly Dead Letter Office and various other stuff that had seen the light of day before.
But...man I love 'Voice of Harold'.

gotta rep for Ghost Rider which was the only version of that song i knew for like 10 years.

Murmurs.com has finally closed up for good.

Shit, forgot about Chance (Dub). used to love that one.

61. “Why Not Smile” (Oxford American Version)

loved this so much. was sad -- did not smile, as it were -- when up came out and sounded nothing like it.

I bought the new Unplugged set yesterday and listening now I notice that they edited out Stipe's opening to "It's the End of the World..." when he says MTV made them play it and that he didn't remember the words so someone had printed them out for him.

12. “Shiny Happy People” (Dance To The Music Mix)
13. “Shiny Happy People” (Pop Mix)
14. “Shiny Happy People” (Hip Mix)

uh

14. "Hello, I Love You" [Psychedelic Version]
15. "Hello I Love You"
16. "Hello I Love You" [Slight Return Mix]

it was the 90s maaaaaaaan

12. “Shiny Happy People” (Dance To The Music Mix)
13. “Shiny Happy People” (Pop Mix)
14. “Shiny Happy People” (Hip Mix)

uh

― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, May 20, 2014 7:46 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Someone should make a 'Dance To The Music & Pop Your Hip Mix'.

"Shinier, Happier" (Thom Yorke Mix)

which was the godawful '91/'92 era b side recorded live at the Bingo Hand Job gig? it's them and Bragg yukking it up improvising doing EMF's Unbelievable and such? a get-of-the-bus moment for many old fans i'm sure.

awwww I love that show. was it "Tom's Diner" you're thinking of?

Baggy trousers!

yeah that "Tom's Diner" is one of the "Near Wild Heaven" b-sides, had to check

$80 is a lot for a collection of mp3 rarities, even if there are a 130 of them

yeah if it was some kind of bargain, i'd be interested, but it is not...

$60 on emusic if you have a membership (still too much though IMO)

I actually liked the Bingo Hand Job thing. Thought it was funny at a time when they desperately needed to counter the seriousness a bit. This compilation does highlight my get-off-the-bus moment though. The 1994 SNL appearance.

Highlighting single episodes in the 90s/00s where REM fans got off the bus is fun

Shiny Happy People video has to be one. That awards show where Stipe wore all those different t shirts must be another

I had one leg out of the bus circa Around The Sun, but got yanked back on board with Accelerate. That was probably the closest I came to not giving a shit about this band.

https://twitter.com/derekmballard/status/252759100520280064

That version of "Wall of Death" is so great.

Got off the bus with "Everybody Hurts" but got right back on the first time I heard "What's the Frequency, Kenneth" on the radio

i think i have everything on this prior to say 1993 via cassettes people from Usenet mailed me. "Ghost Rider" and the acoustic "Pop Song 89" are standouts iirc.

the 2001 "Cuyahoga" is gorgeous but he changes the best line to "we are not your allies, we cannot PRETEND". grrrrrr

(talking about the new Unplugged again)

Listening to the first Unplugged right now and realize how much Fretless stands out as one of the best tracks on the whole set.

What's the Frequency, Kenneth? is such a fun song. I'd forgotten.

http://www.salon.com/2014/06/04/michael_stipes_the_cold_lands_soundtrack_his_first_new_music_since_r_e_m_s_disbandment/

“Go fuck yourselves, the lot of you—you sad, attention-grabbing, power-hungry little men,” Stipe said in a quote emailed to The Daily Beast. (He was likely referring to Trump and Cruz, two Republican presidential contenders who spoke at the rally.) “Do not use our music or my voice for your moronic charade of a campaign.”

Mike Mills, Peter Buck and others did "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville" in Norway the other night:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOqtuzguQKU

feel like old REM vinyl has hit an all time low. you can buy a decent copy of Murmur or Reckoning for under ten bucks online if you look hard enough. you could get 40 bucks for an original chronic town online 5 years ago. now you can find it for ten. i mean you can STILL get all kinds of prices for everything on a good day, just noticeable that if you wanted a complete 80's vinyl collection, now would be the time to buy one. you could probably do it for a hundred bucks if you look around for a month or so on ebay.

(anecdotal, but no 20something or younger has ever asked me if i had any REM...)

some of the first records i bought (in the late 90s) was early R.E.M. Plenty of cheap clean copies around at the time, or so it seemed.

Murmer through Life's Rich Pagent, anyway. Don't remember seeing Document much.

man the pricing for LP copies of Monster is still going strong!

I did recently pick up a very nice West German pressing of Out Of Time for like $12 or so, it sounds great.

20-somethings were still watching Teletubbies when REM last released a good single, so I can't say I'm hugely surprised at their lack of interest.