Substance hasn't been reissued on vinyl. Low Life is available in hundreds of pressing variations on vinyl. I see it all the time. I've seen Substance in a store exactly 2 times in the last 15 years and New Order is always my first stop.
― brotherlovesdub, Friday, 22 January 2016 23:44 (eight years ago) link
I ran across a copy of Chomp in Austin at something Ears record store. It was a nice OG pressing for a decent price. Only time i've ever seen it though.
― brotherlovesdub, Friday, 22 January 2016 23:45 (eight years ago) link
then i decided to look it up just in case and i sold it for 50 dollars on discogs. !!! substance!
this is insane. I have no idea how anything is valued in the vinyl market, it's completely baffling.
― Οὖτις, Friday, 22 January 2016 23:48 (eight years ago) link
To them, R.E.M. has always been a bunch of boring old dudes.
youth of today otm
― Οὖτις, Friday, 22 January 2016 23:49 (eight years ago) link
Substance hasn't been pressed on vinyl for 30 years! How is it insane for that to be that expensive? I'm still looking for a UK gatefold copy. There will be a new Singles Box Set released this year with remastered versions of all the singles, but I think those will be 7" remasters, not the 12" original versions.
― brotherlovesdub, Friday, 22 January 2016 23:53 (eight years ago) link
if R.E.M. had broken up in 1997, the millennials would be demanding their reunion at the coachella
― tylerw, Friday, 22 January 2016 23:54 (eight years ago) link
Were millenials demanding Husker Du? I tend to agree with the premise that it's a sonic thing.
― timellison, Friday, 22 January 2016 23:55 (eight years ago) link
Check out the price on the original pressing of Get Ready. You want to talk about insanity.
― brotherlovesdub, Friday, 22 January 2016 23:56 (eight years ago) link
the lack of REM on that recent 1980s Pitch4k list was pretty o_0. i mean christ there was more Lionel Richie in it than REM.
― piscesx, Friday, 22 January 2016 23:58 (eight years ago) link
Was there really?
That's right embarrassing.
― Austin, Saturday, 23 January 2016 00:06 (eight years ago) link
I still hear plenty of REM influence in stuff like Real Estate. Has it really aged that poorly?
― o. nate, Saturday, 23 January 2016 01:17 (eight years ago) link
No, I think the the biggest irony of all is that those early R.E.M. albums still hold up.
― Austin, Saturday, 23 January 2016 01:24 (eight years ago) link
dead john bonham ftw
― mookieproof, Saturday, 23 January 2016 01:30 (eight years ago) link
REM don't even seem to have the cross generational visibility of
who cares? why should they? and it doesn't matter.
― we can be heroes just for about 3.6 seconds (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 23 January 2016 01:33 (eight years ago) link
I think the early R.E.M. albums still hold up but I also hear very little R.E.M. in contempo indie, Real Estate included, and I think that's why they went down the memory hole at Pitchfork.
And yes, that Bangles EP is great -- How Is The Air Up There? especially -- though I think All Over the Place is where they really achieve mastery of what they're doing.
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Saturday, 23 January 2016 02:41 (eight years ago) link
Photos from May 16, 1980
― Brad C., Wednesday, 3 February 2016 12:51 (eight years ago) link
I remember back when they used to say that they would have a gig on December 31st, 1999 and when the clock stroke twelve they would split. Even though it always sounded implausible, my teenager self found that idea so poetic I couldn't help feeling somewhat disappointed when 2000 came and they were still there. The albums they released after that point didn't relieve my disappointment either.
It seems really clear now but, even though Stipe was always the spokesperson, I can't think of any other of the big bands that was less about the individuals and more about the band than R.E.M was. Which I suppose also hurts their marketability in today's landscape: there's no clear charismatic figure with a compelling narrative to sell the band; they also don't belong to any scene that's been rediscovered either.
Anyway, these kind of things happen all the time. Bowie and Talking Heads were pretty much has beens in the late 90's-early 2000's and look at how revered they're now.
― cpl593H, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 13:59 (eight years ago) link
there's no clear charismatic figure with a compelling narrative to sell the band
I never thought that'd be much of an issue for rock bands. I know that for pop stars coming out of the tv talent contests the "journey" is a big selling point but it doesn't seem to have any lasting power or have much effect in other countries.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 14:27 (eight years ago) link
I think REM basically played the game right. They were indie weirdoes from the start and that's what they sort of are now, like a Feelies that convinced millions of people to buy their records. We're talking about a band that didn't even bother touring behind its two biggest records. Possibly their two weirdest, most eccentric records, at that. They always seemed happy keeping it low key, playing clubs, going to house parties/shows in Athens, etc. Pretty private and insular. The nicest thing about them fading back into the ether is their albums have remained vital, viable things ripe for rediscovery.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 14:37 (eight years ago) link
They were indie weirdoes from the start and that's what they sort of are now, like a Feelies that convinced millions of people to buy their records.
They started out as indie weirdos, but they turned into this shlocky, boring, baroque bands. They're not like the Feelies at all on their last, what, 5-10 records?
― a (waterface), Wednesday, 3 February 2016 16:19 (eight years ago) link
they just got older. it happens. ask bob mould about it!
― scott seward, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 16:23 (eight years ago) link
nothing beats how embarrassed i was when i went and saw the tom tom club in like 1990. oh my god someone's parents were drunk and having a crazy funky luau party in a club in philly and it was not easy to watch. how far the mighty had fallen...
― scott seward, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 16:25 (eight years ago) link
Peter Buck used to talk about how they never wanted to fall into rock star dinosaur band cliches, specifically mentioning the Who. This was before he was arrested for drunkenly trashing an airplane cabin and attacking a flight attendant, and before they did a GREATEST HITS! tour without their original drummer.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 3 February 2016 16:36 (eight years ago) link
I think even late on REM are still quite odd, but not weird.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 17:29 (eight years ago) link
Man, over-analyzing the word "weird" here. Just meant quirky, not, like, "Swordfishtrombones" or whatever. Though certainly "Murmur" has its share of weird, and for top selling major label breakthroughs I think "Out of Time" and "Automatic" are, yeah, a little weird. Same with "New Adventures. Of course, whatever they did weird they made normal, which I guess makes it not weird, but that's hindsight. I do agree they got lame when they went big, but that whole post-Berry period is like an afterthought or echo.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 18:24 (eight years ago) link
seems weird that stipey has never made a solo album. seems like someone who would REALLY want to make a solo album. maybe we should applaud his modesty.
― scott seward, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 18:30 (eight years ago) link
Liked him with Golden Palominos.
― Glissendorfin' Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 3 February 2016 18:31 (eight years ago) link
i'm more surprised mike mills hasn't made a solo album
― tylerw, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 18:32 (eight years ago) link
his guest stuff has always been fine. he should do a duet album. no more sea shanties with courtney though.
― scott seward, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 18:34 (eight years ago) link
i liked when he would just pop up in the background in a no big deal way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge26Aybem2M
― scott seward, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 18:38 (eight years ago) link
and this one of course...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfW4-nP2G1Q
― scott seward, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 18:40 (eight years ago) link
a your ghost-like duet album could be nice!
― scott seward, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 18:41 (eight years ago) link
I'm not sure Stipe was ever much of a songwriter, I always got the sense his job was to write/sing the lyrics and look enigmatic and let the others deal with the music. There was a very specific alchemy that collapsed when Berry left.
He is genuinely more likely to direct a film than release a solo album.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 18:57 (eight years ago) link
Totally agree with Matt DC. I'm not sure Stipe on his own has much to say through music; so much of R.E.M. was collaboration from Berry, Buck and Mills. I remember seeing some rockumentaries showing how R.E.M. wrote their music and it was very much a collaborative effort. I think I remember there even were lyrics in signature songs that Stipe didn't write (wasn't most of Perfect Circle written by Berry?)
Hindsight's 20 20, of course, but R.E.M. were such a tight unit, it's easy to see why they crumbled down after Hi-Fi.
― cpl593H, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 19:04 (eight years ago) link
I just remembered their appearance in the VMAs 95 and Stipe saying "If anyone on this foursome leaves this couch right now, the other three would be more comfortable, but we wouldn't be R.E.M.". Which sounds like a cliche, but ended up being totally true in their case.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTklT8u0L7U
― cpl593H, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 19:12 (eight years ago) link
but that's him in the spotlight! just would have figured he would have wanted a solo diva moment. although i mentioned the collab/duet thing cuz i think that comes more naturally to him. so maybe he is a shrinking violet after all. remember when he was the shy one? hiding behind the hair. they are all the shy one though in a way.
― scott seward, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 19:35 (eight years ago) link
Berry is or was the most obstreperous and out-there personality of the four; they fell off hard when he left and took most of their rock attitude with him
― Brad C., Wednesday, 3 February 2016 19:41 (eight years ago) link
Im not really interested in looking out for Stipe related material, new stuff anyway; maybe the other three reined him in but he was a compelling enough frontman in the 80s and 90s but from the millenium onwards hes been terrible imo
― Master of Treacle, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 19:42 (eight years ago) link
yeah i'm not saying anyone would listen to it, just seems like a natural thing for a front-singer guy to do. videos, artwork, the whole vision thing. don't call me crazy. it totally is a normal thing for lead singers of bands to do.
― scott seward, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 19:45 (eight years ago) link
yeah! it's surprising he hasn't made a solo album produced/masterminded by like moby or nigel godrich.
― tylerw, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 19:46 (eight years ago) link
Maybe he should a Fred Schneider and bring Albini in
― Master of Treacle, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 19:49 (eight years ago) link
Should do a
maybe he should just bring fred schneider in!
― tylerw, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 19:51 (eight years ago) link
imaginary 90's stipe album would feature patti smith rapping on it probably.
― scott seward, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 20:01 (eight years ago) link
flea contributing scintillating funk bass
― tylerw, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 20:02 (eight years ago) link
CD single with future sound of london remix...
― scott seward, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 20:04 (eight years ago) link
Best Stipe appearances - Hitchcock and Hersh as shown above, but also his Golden Palominos tracks and one with the Blue Aeroplanes. Any others of note?
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 20:07 (eight years ago) link
i remember the neneh cherry one being not great.
― scott seward, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 20:08 (eight years ago) link
neneh cherry would have been on the 90's solo album. scatting with q-tip.
― scott seward, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 20:09 (eight years ago) link
stipe (in a skirt!) w/ thom yorke at the tibetan freedom concert in '98 blew the mind of little teenage me.
― dc, Wednesday, 3 February 2016 20:10 (eight years ago) link