Classic R.E.M.

[electrofaro]

Please fire me an e-mail when it's available.

That might be a while, then, Robert.

There's still no official word on the fact if there's even going to be a Deluxe Edition of Fables... which bothers me as Fables is a long time favourite - I actually have the first US cd edition of it, which I got during my first visit to the US... the memories of listening to it on my Sony Discman en route back to Europe (back then nobody kept you from using a portable cd player during the flight, neither was it banned then!)

[Folkie]

Werner,

I still think "Fables" was R.E.M.'s finest moment. It certainly is their purest Byrds-influenced folk rock record. The songwriting is excellent, and the electric 12-string guitar work is beautiful. I would put "Maps and Legends," "Driver 8," "Green Grow the Rushes," "Kohoutek," "Good Advices" and "Wendell Gee" at the top of my list of favorite songs in the R.E.M. canon. And Joe Boyd was just the right producer for that project.

Robert

[indianation65]

REM, analagous to The Byrds, always, except to me. I always thought of them as more "rocking." Afterall, they were an 80s southern rock band, not a 60s California band. Now the irony; I always liken them to Creedance Clearwater Revival, more six-string riffs and chords then twelve, but also a California band that sounded like a bayou band. Regardless, Reckoning and Reconstruction of the Fables are tops to me. Then they go and do an album like Document, thus confusing me more as to my favorites. Then they put out Automatic for the People, and then Up, with its Radiohead tinge. These cats just kept giving me more reasons to continually consider them my favorite band of all time. Cats, thanks for finding that church, the time, the desire and the sound! Afterall, who needs college anyway?!
...and don't forget, Grandma always says, "Remember Ever Moment."

...wisdom

[chronictown]

Werner,

I still think "Fables" was R.E.M.'s finest moment. It certainly is their purest Byrds-influenced folk rock record. The songwriting is excellent, and the electric 12-string guitar work is beautiful. I would put "Maps and Legends," "Driver 8," "Green Grow the Rushes," "Kohoutek," "Good Advices" and "Wendell Gee" at the top of my list of favorite songs in the R.E.M. canon. And Joe Boyd was just the right producer for that project.

Robert

Couldn't agree more...Fables is an absolutely sublime recording, and was a good friend during my high school years. Interestingly, apparently the band were quite miserable when they were recording this album, and almost broke up in the process.

[electrofaro]

Interestingly, apparently the band were quite miserable when they were recording this album, and almost broke up in the process.

Bill Berry is said to have flown home right after recording, not even staying for the mixing of the album! Peter Buck has said that he didn't like "Wendell Gee" at all, and the only good bit about it is his banjo part - as he doesn't like to play the banjo that much, it does say something about the song (which is one of my favs of the album). As such "Wendell Gee" is a song which the band might never play live.
Michael Stipe is said to have been depressed by english weather...

[chronictown]

Interestingly, apparently the band were quite miserable when they were recording this album, and almost broke up in the process.

Bill Berry is said to have flown home right after recording, not even staying for the mixing of the album! Peter Buck has said that he didn't like "Wendell Gee" at all, and the only good bit about it is his banjo part - as he doesn't like to play the banjo that much, it does say something about the song (which is one of my favs of the album). As such "Wendell Gee" is a song which the band might never play live.
Michael Stipe is said to have been depressed by english weather...

...and the English food (sorry Graham, Peter et al. )

I had a video clip of them playing Wendell Gee at what appeared to be a live radio broadcast(?) back in the day. It had an interesting, different arrangement IIRC.... One of my favorite songs off the album, for sure. I put on "Feeling Gravity's Pull" on my way home from work today after reading this thread....what a cool song. I don't there's anything that sounded quite like that track before or since.

[Sweden]

I had a video clip of them playing Wendell Gee at what appeared to be a live radio broadcast(?) back in the day. It had an interesting, different arrangement IIRC.... One of my favorite songs off the album, for sure. I put on "Feeling Gravity's Pull" on my way home from work today after reading this thread....what a cool song. I don't there's anything that sounded quite like that track before or since.

This clip from The Cutting Edge in 1984, perhaps?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLmbR-QM ... re=related
It was after all only played live like three times in 1985 when it was released (and actually quite a few more times than that in '84), and this is probably pretty much the only video recording of it as far as I know.

A nice song with (as always) beautiful melody but also a very cool chord progression. I personally don't like the banjo thingy though...

/D

[chronictown]

Yes, that's the one! Thanks for posting the link. I had that on a compilation REM VHS tape back in the late 80's. I remember Stipe with those shades and that cool lead that Buck plays (which, truth be told, I kind of ripped off when I was in a band in college ).

[Sweden]

Yes, that's the one! Thanks for posting the link. I had that on a compilation REM VHS tape back in the late 80's. I remember Stipe with those shades and that cool lead that Buck plays (which, truth be told, I kind of ripped off when I was in a band in college ).

It's actually included in the "When the Light Is Mine" DVD compilation from 2006, along with other songs from that broadcast.

[rkbsound]

In a lot of ways I compare REM to The Beatles. The reason is because both bands share a unique style of songwriting that is both original (though heavily influenced) and cannot be successfully repeated. The production of the early REM material is also astounding (Mitch Easter!), as is the production work of The Beatles. Different bands, different eras, but both ground-breaking and lasting.

[electrofaro]

Thanks for the link to the video - Michael Stipe said a few years back that they won't play it anymore - which is too bad

[Folkie]

I just ordered up a copy of the deluxe edition of "Murmur" from Amazon. I really look forward to hearing the live disc. Should be better sound quality than the majority of the bootlegs out there. I'll post my responses after I listen to it.

[Rickygirl]

Just bought the Deluxe editions of Murmur and Reckoning the same day i joined this forum.

Also check out their recent Live at the Olympia if you haven't already: it features ferocious yet tight versions of almost all their great pre-Green songs.

+1.000.000 (pun intended) on the "Live at the Olympia" - having been to the night of July 4 gig at the Olympia I must say there are few live albums that capture the band's live spirit like this one does!

I'm eagerly awaiting the Deluxe version of Fables...

Ha! Just seen this post!! I was there on the 4th July too!! Right at the front.

I totally agree that this is a fantastic album, but I have to say that I thought it was an out of this world "not a.." Show. The guys were really enjoying themselves and the atmosphere was brillant.

I was lucky enough to be at a Robyn Hitchcock and Venus 3 show in Oxford when Mills and Stipe joined them on stage. The Stipe was not in such a good mood that night!

...I LOVE R.E.M.!!

[scotty]

Not like you to be upfront Sarah!

[electrofaro]

Ha! Just seen this post!! I was there on the 4th July too!! Right at the front.

I totally agree that this is a fantastic album, but I have to say that I thought it was an out of this world "not a.." Show. The guys were really enjoying themselves and the atmosphere was brillant.

I was lucky enough to be at a Robyn Hitchcock and Venus 3 show in Oxford when Mills and Stipe joined them on stage. The Stipe was not in such a good mood that night!

...I LOVE R.E.M.!!

Lucky a**... I could only go to the next gig that year - the Carling Academy (or whatever the venue's name is) in London - we got a horn section, which sometimes is just what JMS sounds like when he's not having a good voice night

Not like you to be upfront Sarah!

lol