I worked in a record store in Boulder, Colorado back in the 80s. Once, a couple came in who I thought were probably homeless (the store was on the outdoor mall downtown, there were a lot of unhoused people who ended up there esp. in the summer), or possibly just traveling people. Only after they left did I realize it was Michael Stipe and Natalie Merchant, who were in town to perform that night.
― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Friday, 8 July 2022 18:23 (one year ago) link
“beat a drum” is the best song on reveal
― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Friday, 8 July 2022 18:39 (one year ago) link
otm, always loved that one
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 8 July 2022 19:56 (one year ago) link
I owned the album and can remember almost nothing about it.
― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Friday, 8 July 2022 20:26 (one year ago) link
It's looooooooooooooooong
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 8 July 2022 20:47 (one year ago) link
Stipe is known around town for not bathing too regularly. Once in college, I was with my roommate at Jackson St. Books, and the guy ahead of us reeked as if he hadn't bathed in a week, and my roomie turned to me and whispered "That guy smells like pee." "That guy" apparently heard, because he turned around and surprise!--it was Michael Stipe, demanding to know why she'd said that.
Take oasis, Stipe's not bathing
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Friday, 8 July 2022 23:20 (one year ago) link
Try Not to Bathe
― Nutellanor Roosevelt (Ye Mad Puffin), Saturday, 9 July 2022 02:19 (one year ago) link
More like 'Michael STINK', amirite?
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 9 July 2022 02:32 (one year ago) link
Aromatic for the People
― Nutellanor Roosevelt (Ye Mad Puffin), Saturday, 9 July 2022 02:38 (one year ago) link
"It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Need A Shower)"
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 9 July 2022 02:59 (one year ago) link
Mike’s Rich, Pungent
― Clay, Saturday, 9 July 2022 03:07 (one year ago) link
Reekoning
― Bunheads Pilot Enthusiast (morrisp), Saturday, 9 July 2022 03:12 (one year ago) link
Deodorant (IRS Records 1987)
― Master of Treacle, Saturday, 9 July 2022 03:23 (one year ago) link
SmellySmellySmelly Superman
― deep luminous trombone (Eazy), Saturday, 9 July 2022 03:35 (one year ago) link
everybody pees
― maf you one two (maffew12), Saturday, 9 July 2022 04:47 (one year ago) link
Sweatiness Follows
― Muad'Doob (Moodles), Saturday, 9 July 2022 04:53 (one year ago) link
Where's the fragrancy, Kenneth?
― Portsmouth Bubblejet, Saturday, 9 July 2022 11:07 (one year ago) link
Swan Swan B.O.
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 9 July 2022 13:05 (one year ago) link
Can Smell That From Here
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Saturday, 9 July 2022 13:09 (one year ago) link
Legit dying at “Aromatic for the People” lmfao
― broccoli rabe thomas (the table is the table), Saturday, 9 July 2022 15:36 (one year ago) link
All the Way to Reno (You're Gonna Need a Gas Mask)
― maf you one two (maffew12), Saturday, 9 July 2022 16:07 (one year ago) link
The Scent of Man
― Nasty, Brutish & Short, Saturday, 9 July 2022 16:44 (one year ago) link
BO Free Europe
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 9 July 2022 16:55 (one year ago) link
What’s the Reekquency, Kenneth?
― Bunheads Pilot Enthusiast (morrisp), Saturday, 9 July 2022 17:08 (one year ago) link
Supernatural Superodious
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 9 July 2022 17:38 (one year ago) link
Losing My Basic Personal Grooming Habits
― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Saturday, 9 July 2022 18:02 (one year ago) link
Smelt And I Dealt It
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 9 July 2022 18:08 (one year ago) link
Stinky the Doormat
― Western® with Bacon Flavor, Saturday, 9 July 2022 18:30 (one year ago) link
Shiny Happy People Holding Noses
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 9 July 2022 18:36 (one year ago) link
Wolves, Odor
― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Saturday, 9 July 2022 19:07 (one year ago) link
B-O The Letter
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Saturday, 9 July 2022 19:18 (one year ago) link
Really Enjoys Marinating
― Bunheads Pilot Enthusiast (morrisp), Saturday, 9 July 2022 19:26 (one year ago) link
Try Not To Breathe (when Mike is in the room)
― Muad'Doob (Moodles), Saturday, 9 July 2022 21:24 (one year ago) link
Somewhere I've still got a tape of the early live bootleg File Under Kudzu, which is pretty lively, along the lines of what Brad C. was talking about way upthread. Discogs shows the CD version, but ads on there now screw w my olde laptop.
― dow, Saturday, 9 July 2022 21:37 (one year ago) link
I first saw them on the Fables tour. They were fun back in those days. They seemed very disorganized--they'd huddle together periodically in what seemed to be a discussion about what to play next--and had a lot of energy. Saw them on every tour after that through Green, at which point they had progressed to arena rockers. Still interesting enough, but that weird magic had been lost.
― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Saturday, 9 July 2022 21:44 (one year ago) link
Had a similar experience (though the tour I saw them on was “Preconstruction” — a couple weeks before Fables was released). The huddling happened before each song in the three (!) encores they did. And they’d leap out of the huddle and into the song. The next (and last) time I saw them, in 1987, the arenas they were playing were not suited to such spontaneity, and while it was a good show, like you said, a certain magic was gone.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Saturday, 9 July 2022 22:09 (one year ago) link
Speaking of spontaneity – when I saw them on the Monster Tour, Stipe stopped at one point and told the crowd: “Anyone who saw us in Boston last night, and noticed I’m doing the same stage moves, it’s because I need to line up with the lights at the same point in every song… please don’t think we’re lazy.”
― Bunheads Pilot Enthusiast (morrisp), Saturday, 9 July 2022 22:47 (one year ago) link
Haha that reminds me that the only pre-planned lighting cue on the 1985 show I saw was at the very beginning: a light emanating from Berry’s bass drum, in an otherwise pitch-black hall, was accompanied by a train whistle sound. Even then I remember thinking, “Well, look at you, Mr. Big Time Rock Band!”
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Saturday, 9 July 2022 22:58 (one year ago) link
I posted this in the dB's thread, but Peter Holsapple talks a lot about his time with R.E.M. here:
https://www.caropop.com/caropopcast/episode/26268249/peter-holsapple-pt-2
Around the 32 minute mark, he mentions that "Bill Berry was a driving force as a songwriter for so long," singling out "Perfect Circle" (which was primarily Berry's song) and pointing out that it's his piano on that song.
― birdistheword, Friday, 15 July 2022 00:43 (one year ago) link
Love that song.
― broccoli rabe thomas (the table is the table), Friday, 15 July 2022 16:40 (one year ago) link
― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Saturday, July 9, 2022 2:44 PM (six days ago)
i have a couple of bootleg records of live shows from the Fables era and they played a variety of songs, unreleased fun tracks, and would do covers like the duo including Natalie Merchant (probably discussed upthread somewhere?)
― sarahell, Friday, 15 July 2022 16:46 (one year ago) link
sarahell, maybe the REM / Natalie Merchant track "Photograph" on a pro-choice compilation? Good song btw
― Nutellanor Roosevelt (Ye Mad Puffin), Friday, 15 July 2022 16:55 (one year ago) link
it was actually this:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJPvMub2JXI
― sarahell, Friday, 15 July 2022 16:58 (one year ago) link
i could swear they switch to "watch out a squirrel's behind you" at one point
― sarahell, Friday, 15 July 2022 17:00 (one year ago) link
love them doing "in the year 2525" eternally
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Friday, 15 July 2022 23:24 (one year ago) link
Heck of a lineup/tracklist on that 1987 gig with "Leavin On A Jet Plane"https://oldgreycat.blog/2020/03/01/a-bootleg-review-r-e-m-opal-steve-wynn-10000-maniacs-may-24-1987/
― Elvis Telecom, Friday, 15 July 2022 23:32 (one year ago) link
Think they used to encore w "Don't Fear The Reaper" and maybe "Pretty Ballerina" occasionally.
― dow, Friday, 15 July 2022 23:59 (one year ago) link
"So. Central Rain (I'm Smelly)"
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 20 July 2022 03:28 (one year ago) link
Nice to see Bill Berry having fun with fellow old people:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDU-tmoRqvQ
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 20 January 2023 17:41 (one year ago) link
Largely shot at Berry’s home in Athens, the video also features appearances by Mike Mills of R.E.M., Vanessa Briscoe Hay of Pylon, Bob Hay of the Squalls, Frank McDonald of The Glands, a namechecked Jody Stephens of Big Star, music producer David Barbe (also of Bob Mould’s Sugar)
I guess the whole album is out now, too.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 20 January 2023 17:43 (one year ago) link