Classic R.E.M.

[Sweden]

Yes, I already had Chronic Town and was anticipating the show. Even though it was early in their career, they already were getting a lot of airplay on college stations and progressive radio like WHFS in the DC area (where I'm from). So I looked upon them as a major act at the time. I was an avid follower of other IRS bands, too.
They were a lot of fun to see - like I mentioned earlier, it was a very casual setting. They played one song twice (opening and closing, I believe). My memory is hazy but I think it was "Radio Free Europe".

Sounds surprising that they should have played the same song twice, they've never really done that any other time to the best of my knowledge.

The timeline lists the set from that show as:

23 September 1982 - Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL
set: Gardening At Night / 9-9 / Pilgrimage / Shaking Through / Wolves, Lower / Laughing / Romance / Sitting Still / Moral Kiosk / Pretty Persuasion / Catapult / 1,000,000 / West Of The Fields / Radio Free Europe
encore: White Tornado / Last Date / Ages Of You / Carnival Of Sorts (Boxcars)

Would have been pretty damn cool to see them in '82, that's for sure, even though I've been lucky enough to see them in a few pretty small venues also since. Well, since I was two years old in 1982 I have to resort to Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88PA4N9d ... re=related

/David

[lyric_girl]

I have been a fan of REM since 1988 or so, but didn't see them live until 2008, which I know is a travesty. However, that being said, on the Accelerate tour they did start digging through their catalogue and I was honoured and amazed to hear both Driver 8 and Cuyahoga live at the show in Mansfield, MA. I thought I was gonna cry.

It is indeed an honour to have Mitch Easter on this forum.

My fave albums remain to date, Reckoning and Fables. I am one of those fans who HATED Monster and still do to this day.

I am thrilled to know that their next album is forthcoming and will admit to having only been interested in Ricks because of Peter Buck.

[electrofaro]

So, there will be no Deluxe or Reissue of Fables? It's already May and no word on it... I've lost faith in a reissue appearing...

[Sweden]

So, there will be no Deluxe or Reissue of Fables? It's already May and no word on it... I've lost faith in a reissue appearing...

There has been the odd word here and there, and while those references mentioned a June release date which now seems a bit unlikely, I'm certain it will come out before too long.

The most official note was when Athens college station WUOG played a previously unavailable studio demo of "Throw Those Trolls Away" (aka. When I Was Young) on their "R.E.M. 30 years" show on April 5th. The demo was provided to them by the R.E.M. offices and was said to be included on the bonus disc to the forthcoming re-release.

On a Rickenbacker related note, I recently put flatwounds on my Rick 360, following Mitch's info, and it's certainly closer to THE Buck sound than what I previously managed. I only put .011's on there though, even though I understand Peter tends to use .013 or something....

/David

[scott_s]

I've noticed the lack of string-squeak on the early R.E.M. records, but I always figured Peter was nimble about switching fingers rather than sliding around on songs like "7 Chinese Brothers" and "Little America"!

I've got a set of flatwound 0.011s lying around for a project that never got completed (an attempt at an electric cello) -- might be time to give them a whirl! The 330 could use fresh strings anyway...

- Scott

[rkbsound]

For Peter Buck's string choice, see here: http://www.rickbeat.com/gallery/peterbuck/peterbuck.htm

This how I've had my 360JG strung for the last 5 years, but I'm really ready to lighten it up a bit. Heavy strings like this are a lot of fun to hit, though!

[scott_s]

This how I've had my 360JG strung for the last 5 years, but I'm really ready to lighten it up a bit. Heavy strings like this are a lot of fun to hit, though!

They sure are! My 330 arrived with 0.010's, and it didn't take long before I'd worked it up to 0.012's. Even with those, it almost had that awesome "no strings" feel thanks to the recut nut, nearly-straight neck, and <1/16" action.

I'm kinda on the fence with these flats. They're super-easy to play and easy on the fingertips (partly because I moved down a gauge) and the D/G strings have a nice clang instead of a twang, but the low-E and A have more of a "thmm-thmm" sound. I generally prefer it when the strings sound bright from one side to the other. I'll give them a little more time, but I'll probably go back to the roundwound 0.012's. Or maybe 0.013's -- I do love the resistance they give on my Strat.

- Scott

[Folkie]

Scott,

And that string resistance is essential to Peter Buck's playing style, at least on the early records. I remember learning those circular arpeggios for the first time. I was playing a Gibson J-35 acoustic set up with round wound .013 gauge strings. I've tried to replicate this playing style on my Stratocaster (which is set up with .010's) to no avail. For the record, I have a round wound D'Addario .010 set on my 330/12.

Robert

[scott_s]

Definitely! Those first couple of records were a big influence on me while I was learning how to play guitar (which is not to say that I can now, but I digress...), so for better or worse, I can't stand guitars with less than 0.011's on them. The strings fly around too much when I try to play the arpeggios in "Wolves, Lower" or "Radio Free Europe" or...

And don't get me started on unwound thirds!

- Scott

[electrofaro]

So, there will be no Deluxe or Reissue of Fables? It's already May and no word on it... I've lost faith in a reissue appearing...

The most official note was when Athens college station WUOG played a previously unavailable studio demo of "Throw Those Trolls Away" (aka. When I Was Young) on their "R.E.M. 30 years" show on April 5th. The demo was provided to them by the R.E.M. offices and was said to be included on the bonus disc to the forthcoming re-release.

Wow... I love demos, outtakes and different versions/mixes (not dance mixes, though), so that is good news if it will really be included

Thanks for filling us in, David. I haven;t been to Murmurs for quite some time, so missed this bit of info.

As for strings - first thing I did when my 360 needed new strings was go for flats - I've gone up from 010 to 011. As for string sounds - some Sex Pistols recordings give a lot of squaking, which I could kind of duplicate with roundwounds. I think PLB somewhere said he hated those extra noises?

[scott_s]

It's possible... that squeak can get really annoying, especially if you have a lot of treble to your sound. It seems like lightening the finger pressure during a "move" helps, but doesn't eliminate it.

And I hate to contradict Mr Easter (since he's one of my heroes and "was there" for the early R.E.M. stuff, so he'd know), but when I look at early live pics of Peter Buck, the wound strings look "roundwound" to me. By that I mean, they have kind of a white, uniform reflection that means that some part of the winding is always reflecting the stage light to the camera, regardless of the angle of the guitar. With flats, they tend to "disappear" if the angle is wrong, or have a really shiny reflection when they catch the light that makes them look like "big plain strings", you know?

Also, Peter Buck has talked about using Dean Markleys for 25-odd years now, and I'm not sure if they manufacture flatwound guitar strings...

- Scott

[electrofaro]

Also, Peter Buck has talked about using Dean Markleys for 25-odd years now, and I'm not sure if they manufacture flatwound guitar strings...

Did he say on which guitar, though? He owns so many...

[scott_s]

Also, Peter Buck has talked about using Dean Markleys for 25-odd years now, and I'm not sure if they manufacture flatwound guitar strings...

Did he say on which guitar, though? He owns so many...

Here's a Fables-era article... the implication seems to be for all his guitars: http://www.rem-central.com/history-of-r ... nstruction

The Rickenbacker FAQ mentions him using 0.013-0.056-gauge Dean Markleys on his 360.

[electrofaro]

Here's a Fables-era article... the implication seems to be for all his guitars: http://www.rem-central.com/history-of-r ... nstruction

The Rickenbacker FAQ mentions him using 0.013-0.056-gauge Dean Markleys on his 360.

Thanks for that link, Scott! I should've known about the brand & gauge he used - I now remember I read it on the Rickbeat site! I just checked and it says DMs there, too! Woops... as long as I remember where I live, eh

Interesting read, though - I sometimes wish all these interviews would be available online.

I might try Dean Markleys next then - never hurts to try another brand!

[electrofaro]

And the news is... July 13 the reissue of Fables is released:

http://remhq.com/news_story.php?id=1167

Heard the news through this: http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/N ... bles-0518/

Great news