blue330 wrote:I'm not sure about the words to Moral Kiosk! I was singing what it sounds like to me.
We could probably start a thread somewhere about lyrics, what was actually said and what they mean. John Lennon in the documentary Imagine describes his own lyrics as "gibberish", while others assumed Michael Stipe's lyrics were just that. Seems like Mitch handled the situation appropriately. I wonder what REM tribute bands do? (There's gotta be plenty out there)
My initial attraction to REM were Michael's vocal melodies and annunciations, and how they acted as counterpart to the rest of what was going on. That and how anything but ordinary Mike Mills' basslines were. Personally, I'm much too shallow to figure out actual lyrics
Rickygirl wrote:Ah, I was at that one too.... I was lucky, I know.
Hey, we might have seen each other!!!
With the amount of people at these shows: I bet we did!
So, did you go to the whole Minus 5 tour of the UK (like two gigs - the best one being the Colchester gig, imo) a couple of years ago, as well?
When I look back at my teens one of the few positive things would be R.E.M. - I would go on the day of release to the store to get the album... to devour it and then after about a year the wait for the next would start, plus listening to songs over and over again and always finding something new.
As I type World Leader Pretends is playing... wonderful song!
Yes, I was! The Colchester gig was fantastic, but soooooo hot!! I went to The Charlotte in Leicester with Robyn. One of our members ("feedback") was the sound guy that night! I also did the Camden gig.
blue330 wrote:The drummer at that show called Bill Berry up to ask him what he was singing in the background, and he said, "I don't know, "ooooh", I guess..."
That's great!
And thanks for all the stories, Mitch. I'm slowly trying to put some sort of "Peter Buck's guitars over the years" article together and might ask you for some assistance then.
/David
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2002 360/6 JG - 1989 370/12 MG
(plus some other 20 guitars and basses...)
blue330 wrote:The drummer at that show called Bill Berry up to ask him what he was singing in the background, and he said, "I don't know, "ooooh", I guess..."
That's great!
And thanks for all the stories, Mitch. I'm slowly trying to put some sort of "Peter Buck's guitars over the years" article together and might ask you for some assistance then.
/David
That's an excellent idea. I haven't done a recent search, but while REM is a well documented band, the details of recording sessions and equipment is not. Given the immense impact that REM had on rock and pop music, such a documentation is definitely warranted. Mitch -- you really need to write a book similar to Geoff Emerick's book about his time spent recording The Beatles. Easy for me to say, of course!
Rickygirl wrote:Yes, I was! The Colchester gig was fantastic, but soooooo hot!! I went to The Charlotte in Leicester with Robyn. One of our members ("feedback") was the sound guy that night! I also did the Camden gig.
I can't really remember it being hot... my buddy Mike and me were right in front of John Ramberg. And close enough to not be in the way by just a tiny bit... did give me a rare and great opportunity to observe his techniques! I never expected to see the Minus 5 this close to home. Is John Ramberg still part of the M5? Or has he moved on with his own band, the Tripwires and other projects?
The Charlotte... and with Robyn - you are so lucky
I hope nobody minds derailing a classic R.E.M. thread into Peter's side projects
I do echo the sentiment that a book on the recording sessions would be very interesting!
'67 Fender Coronado II CAB * '17 1963 ES-335 PB * currently rickless
I now own the deluxe editions of "Murmur" and "Reckoning," as well as "Live at the Olympia in Dublin." It turns out I'd owned the "Live at Larry's Hideaway" (Toronto, July 8, 1983) bootleg but somehow lost track of my cassette copy. The sound quality of the CD version is much-improved, although some of the songs on "Murmur" have so many vocal and guitar overdubs that it was hard for the band to create the same atmosphere onstage. I had forgotten that such classics as "7 Chinese Bros." and "Harborcoat" were written that early. I like the Aragon Ballroom (Chicago, July 7, 1984) companion to the remastered "Reckoning" even better, perhaps especially because it was a show I'd never heard documented when I was collecting bootlegs in the mid to late 1980's. The opening version of the Velvet Underground's "Femme Fatale" is among the most poignant songs the band has ever done. And although the version of "Radio Free Europe" is a bit rough around the edges and Stipe takes liberties with the lyrics almost to the point of incoherence, the rest of the CD is a great example of the energy the band could create at their shows back in those days.
I found "Live at the Olympia" a pleasant surprise, especially since I haven't been a fan of their post-"Lifes Rich Pageant" output. They strike just the right balance between indie-radio classics and newer material and it's really a pleasure to hear them returning to their early catalog after so many years. I absolutely love the readings of "Letter Never Sent," "So. Central Rain," "Maps and Legends," "Sitting Still," "Driver 8," "Carnival of Sorts (Boxcars)," "Harborcoat," "Wolves, Lower," "West of the Fields," "Pretty Persuasion," "Gardening at Night," and, above all, "Kohoutek." After years of ignoring the material that made them so singular, the band is now embracing their roots in Byrds-influenced folk-rock, the material that earned them the title of the greatest indie-rock band ever.
Flats, eh? I've been working up some early R.E.M. and Let's Active songs for a band project, and I may have to give them a whirlon my 330. I've been using regular 0.012 roundwounds.
Feel free to moderate this if it's an inappropriate question, but are there any good resources for Let's Active lyrics? Like R.E.M., some of my favorite tunes are less than scrutable.
Maybe this counts as hijacking the thread, but I don't think so: at our gig last night, my band played "Wolves, Lower," and it was a crowd favorite (we were worried the slightly weird structure and inscrutable lyrics would be a problem).
My question, then, is this: What classic R.E.M. songs are the most fun to play live, and which go over the best? (By the way, I used my 330 FG on that and every other song last night. After we played "Wolves," our lead singer said to the crowd, "It's all about the Rickenbacker." I beamed. )
blue330 wrote:I'm not sure about the words to Moral Kiosk! I was singing what it sounds like to me.
We could probably start a thread somewhere about lyrics, what was actually said and what they mean. John Lennon in the documentary Imagine describes his own lyrics as "gibberish", while others assumed Michael Stipe's lyrics were just that. Seems like Mitch handled the situation appropriately. I wonder what REM tribute bands do? (There's gotta be plenty out there)
My initial attraction to REM were Michael's vocal melodies and annunciations, and how they acted as counterpart to the rest of what was going on. That and how anything but ordinary Mike Mills' basslines were. Personally, I'm much too shallow to figure out actual lyrics
I rarely hear accolades for Mike Mills' basslines. I'm not a bass player, but even though each member of REM brings a unique talent to the band, I'm not sure REM's sound would be so appealing if it weren't for Mike's creative bass approach. They would be more like just normal, good songs. Bill Berry had a similar unique approach (still does!) Mike Mills is perhaps, though I don't know because I don't "talk bass" with anyone, one of the more under-appreciated bass players of our time. Stipe and Buck seem to get more credit for innovation because they are so much more "visible" or out front in the music, but it wouldn't work without the talents of Mills and Berry. Can't Bill at least record the albums???
I'll give a big thumbs up to Mills. I have really developed an appreciation for the simple (even I can play them) yet melodic bass lines which makes just about any REM tune instantly recognizable to me. The sum of the parts make the whole.
rkbsound wrote:Can't Bill at least record the albums???
My question for the last decade!
Mills & Berry had a great rhythm (how many Hs in that word, again??? ) section going on. The current Bill isn't bad either, imo.
Mills knows how to use his bass to compliment the song instead of dull "boom-boom-boom" bass lines like some current bands.
'67 Fender Coronado II CAB * '17 1963 ES-335 PB * currently rickless
My guitar teacher from my high school days referred to Mike Mills' playing as "lead bass," and he didn't mean it as an insult. On the early records, Bill Berry used to do this off-beat high-hat thing that was very distinctive; he stopped doing it for some reason after Lifes Rich Pageant, I think.
Takes me back. Chronic Town was a big fave of mine, I spent quite a bit of time learning it on my 330 back when I could barely play.
I saw R.E.M. perform on my birthday in 1982, in a cafeteria in the student union of Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. The show was sparsely attended, and I had plenty of space to dance around with those 80's new wavy dance moves
Heck, back in those days I suppose I could have walked up to them after the show and started chatting, but it didn't occur to me.
That's incredible that you saw them way back in 1982! Did you already have a copy of "Chronic Town" at that point? Do you have any recollection of what they played? What was your initial response to the band?
I only became familiar with R.E.M. after "Fables" came out, and I only saw them once in concert, which was on the "Green" tour in 1989--quite a letdown after all the bootlegs from 1980-1985 I'd listened to. I would have given anything to see them back in '82!!!
That's incredible that you saw them way back in 1982! Did you already have a copy of "Chronic Town" at that point? Do you have any recollection of what they played? What was your initial response to the band?
I only became familiar with R.E.M. after "Fables" came out, and I only saw them once in concert, which was on the "Green" tour in 1989--quite a letdown after all the bootlegs from 1980-1985 I'd listened to. I would have given anything to see them back in '82!!!
Robert
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".
I was lucky, I know.
