R.E.M. has broken up

[Sal Kramer]

I've been an REM fan since the mid 1980's. One of the first times I saw them live, they opened for The English Beat. The band became irrelevant after Bill Berry left. There was a time that they were the best band in the world, but that was many, many years ago...

 

[pewtavert]

How is this surprising to anyone? I actually thought they broke up 15 years ago until I read that. The last time they put something out worth listening to was back in '96.

I've been an REM fan since the mid 1980's. One of the first times I saw them live, they opened for The English Beat. The band became irrelevant after Bill Berry left. There was a time that they were the best band in the world, but that was many, many years ago...

That's like saying that Morrissey became irrelevant when the Smiths broke up! Total nonsense!

 

[Oso Blanco]

The band became irrelevant after Bill Berry left.

My thoughts exactly!

 

[Death Disco]

My thoughts exactly!

Then please explain to those of us who are not as enlightened how the drummer made them relevant before he left...

 

[Oso Blanco]

Then please explain to those of us who are not as enlightened how the drummer made them relevant before he left...

I didn't say that. It might just be a coincidence that the band went downhill after he left. I think they reached their peak with Out Of Time and Automatic For The People, and became just plain boring after Monster.

 

[Death Disco]

I didn't say that. It might just be a coincidence that the band went downhill after he left. I think they reached their peak with Out Of Time and Automatic For The People, and became just plain boring after Monster.

I listen to the post-Monster stuff a lot more than I listen to anything from the 80s albums. I never listen to Out Of Time - I've given it many chances but just don't see it as the epic album others seem to.

 

[dv79]

I didn't say that. It might just be a coincidence that the band went downhill after he left. I think they reached their peak with Out Of Time and Automatic For The People, and became just plain boring after Monster.

I completely agree. Monster was their last album in my opinion, and that's pushing it. Although, their best years were always the IRS years. Green was great and Out of time was really good. But I slowly started losing interest in them after that. Monster was the last album I acutally purcahsed from them. I remember hearing Bad Day thinking wow they are sounding like their old selves again. Then I came to learn that they just re-recorded an old song.

They are also 11 years late in breaking up. I remember in the 80's they kept saying they would end it in the year 2000. haha, I never took that seriously of course. I also was kind of dissapointed to see them appear in an episode of the Simpsons. But the demise of the Simpsons shall be left for another conversation.

Again, these are just my opinions, I respect them for being releveant for so long, just not in my world.

 

[Oh my god. it's Robby!]

according to last fm, I have only played their songs 23 times in the last 4 years
so I guess their break up does not affect me much
however, I am sad for all the people here that are affected by their break up
Morrissey fans who are also are R.E.M. fans tend to come from the less hateful segment of the population of posters here

 

[SparkleBoy]

I could be wrong. I could be right.

 

[stipey]

I don't care what the people who didn't like R.E.M. have to say. I care what the people who do like them have to say. Obviously with my screen name you can see I'm a huge R.E.M. fan. This is very sad to me. I traveled around to see these guys on the last four tours. It is also disappointing to me that in my opinion they put out a great album called Collapse Into Now and 6 months later have the nerve just to quit. Michael says the decision wasn't easy. Well if it wasn't so easy than the decision should of been to stay together. Even if they didn't make any new albums anymore and just toured sometimes. That would be much more accepting to me. That said I love this band so much and they have given me so much joy through these last 20 years. Time really does fly. I knew they wouldn't be together forever but I thought for sure they would carry the band at least another ten years. R.E.M. and their music will live on for years and years to come hopefully. The members are alive and well so that's a great thing.

 

[silentandgrey]

To those who thought Monster was the last great album, you really need to check out New Adventures In Hi-Fi.

 

[chrisarclark]

IMHO the greatest American Rock band of the past 30 years.

the greatest American band of all-time- no argument.

 

[chrisarclark]

surprising lack of knowledge and appreciation of R.E.M. there is here. anyone who would suggest that Monster was their last great album really doesnt hava clue- New Adventures In Hi-Fi is easily a top5 R.E.M.

Murmur - 5/5
Reckoning - 5/5
Fables Of The Reconstruction - 4.5/5
Lifes Rich Pageant - 5/5
Document - 5/5
Green - 4/5
Out Of Time - 4/5
Automatic For The People - 5/5
Monster - 4.5/5
New Adventures In Hi-Fi - 5/5
Up - 4/5
Reveal - 3.5/5
Around The Sun - 3/5
Accelerate - 4/5
Collapse Into Now - 4.5/5

a little generous on some accounts perhaps, but not really- a spectacular 30+ year career that ended too soon.