Farewell Then, R.E.M.

[Dino]

"To our Fans and Friends: As R.E.M., and as lifelong friends and co-conspirators, we have decided to call it a day as a band. We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished. To anyone who ever felt touched by our music, our deepest thanks for listening." R.E.M.

http://remhq.com/news_story.php?id=1446

Thoughts? I always thought they'd be one of those unstoppable bands that would of gone on and on.
Goodbye then. Was it public apathy that killed them off? (And who will Q magazine put on their covers now? )

[SiHart]

Perhaps it was that their last three albums weren't actually all that great that finished them off?

It's sad. They were one of those bands I thought would be around for the rest of time. At their very best they were one of the greatest bands in the world. Life's Rich Pagent, Green, Automatic for the People, New Adventures..., Up and Reveal are some of my most well played CDs and are still huge favourites. Live they were pretty damn awesome too.

[Rob McCow]

Wow - their site is really being hammered at the moment.

It is a shame. There was always the thought that they could come back at any time and be great again. They'd done it before, more than a few times!

[Si Hunt]

They stopped making great music, simple as. I like to think I'm indicative of your average R.E.M fan - when I heard "Automatic" I became a fan for life/buy before hear. I grew to love "Up". I adored "Reveal". I bought "Around the Sun" and hardly played it. I got "Accellerate" when it was cheap. I never bothered with "Collapse Into Now".

It seemed self willed. They chose to make the last two albums because they wanted to. They must know that the public like lilting, acoustic, mournful, jaunty, tuneful R.E.M, not lots of fuzzy guitars and thrashy songs. But how long can you go on making bad albums because you want to?

I await the Michael Stipe solo career.

Si.

[Si Hunt]

This made me laugh:

"A wise man once said, 'The skill in attending a party is knowing when it's time to leave,'" said Stipe.

Yeah. 2001!

Si.

[Milky Tears]

No great surprise... even though Collapse Into Now is their best album in a decade.

[Rob McCow]

Could this be a cynical ploy to boost sales of their last album?

Because I might pick up a copy now....

[SiHart]

Why not, it can't be more than £2 by now.

[Awesome Wells]

I loved them; but I was never *in* love with them.

[SiHart]

I was in love when they made New Adventures in HiFi.

[Dirk Gently]

I've never heard more than the "Best of..." as far as I'm aware & it's a good album.
I may pick up others if they are cheap. Obviously I'm not a huge fan but I do love the tracks on said album.

[SiHart]

new comprehensive career Best of coming this year- with Shiny Happy People! http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/ne...new-songs.html

Track listing:
Disc 1:
1. 'Gardening at Night'
2. 'Radio Free Europe'
3. 'Talk About the Passion'
4. 'Sitting Still'
5. 'So. Central Rain'
6. '(Don't Go Back to) Rockville'
7. 'Driver 8'
8. 'Life and How to Live It'
9. 'Begin the Begin'
10. 'Fall on Me'
11. 'Finest Worksong'
12. 'It's the End of the World as We Know it (and I Feel Fine)'
13. 'The One I Love'
14. 'Stand'
15. 'Pop Song 89'
16. 'Get Up'
17. 'Orange Crush'
18. 'Losing My Religion'
19. 'Country Feedback'
20. 'Shiny Happy People'

Disc 2
1. 'The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite'
2. 'Everybody Hurts'
3. 'Man on the Moon'
4. 'Nightswimming'
5. 'What's the Frequency, Kenneth?'
6. 'New Test Leper'
7. 'Electrolite'
8. 'At My Most Beautiful'
9. 'The Great Beyond'
10. 'Imitation of Life'
11. 'Bad Day'
12. 'Leaving New York'
13. 'Living Well Is the Best Revenge'
14. 'Supernatural Superserious'
15. 'Überlin'
16. 'Oh My Heart'
17. 'Alligator_Aviator_Autopilot_Antimatter'
18. 'A Month of Saturdays'
19. 'We All Go Back to Where We Belong'
20. 'Hallelujah'

[Si Hunt]

Hmmm. Five songs from the last two rubbish albums but no room for "All The Way To Reno", "Find The River", "Strange Currencies" or "Daysleeper"!

Si.

[Anthony Williams]

I'm not overly surprised that they've decided to call it a day - I can't remember a single song by them from the last 10 years!

[SiHart]

Hmmm. Five songs from the last two rubbish albums but no room for "All The Way To Reno", "Find The River", "Strange Currencies" or "Daysleeper"!

They never get it quite right, do they? Both Up and Reveal deserved a better showing.

[Si Hunt]

To be fair, it's not a bad collection; there's quite an eclectic mix; "Up" wasn't a hugely successful album and "Beautiful" was the biggest hit. I'm glad there's room for "New Test Leper" even though that wasn't a big hit; it shows some degree of thought has gone into it. I'd have put a radio edit of "I'll Take The Rain" on, and possibly another cut from "Monster" but, hey, we all have our personal favourites. The liberal showing from the last album possibly suggests some bias, however.

Si.

[Dino]

Mmmm... what's the name of that one that goes "Bang Bang Bang Bang"? I think it was from the mid 90's. Although no "All The Way To Reno" is a bit of a deal breaker. *Keeps hold of 2003 Best Of R.E.M.

[Rob McCow]

Bang and Blame from Monster is the one that goes 'Bang! Bang! Bang!'

E-Bow The Letter. I'll Take The Rain. Drive.

And for the old school purists, Coyahuga.

[SiHart]

Bang and Blame from Monster is the one that goes 'Bang! Bang! Bang!'

Followed by Blame! Blame! Blame!

[Rob McCow]

Oh it's got three 'NEW SONGS' on it. Scraps!

Despite announcing their split last week, REM are set to release three brand new songs on their first ever Greatest Hits album, which is out on November 14.

‘We All Go Back To Where We Belong’, ‘A Month of Saturdays’ and ‘Hallelujah’ will feature on the 40 song collection ‘REM, Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage, 1982 – 2011’.

The three tracks were recorded in the band’s hometown of Athens, Georgia over the summer with producer Jacknife Lee, after the release of their final album ‘Collapse Into Now’.

The album will cover their 31 years as a band from their early days on the IRS label (1982-1987) to their time with Warner Bros. Records (1988-2011). Before their split the band had sold more than 85 million albums across the world.

[Si Hunt]

Why does this sound more cynical to me when announced a few days after the split, than it would if they'd said "We're splitting and will be going out with a Best Of"?

It's like "we're off, no more". Then a few days later, "Here's three more songs".

Dunno, it's odd! Me being silly, I guess.

Si.

[Si Hunt]

REM will never share a stage again, says Mike Mills

The legendary rock group officially parted ways last week after a 31-year career together.

The bassist revealed that he would never share a stage again with his former bandmates Michael Stipe and Peter Buck, but added that their split was amicable and on good terms.

"There is sadness because I will never play on the same stage as Peter and Michael again," he told Rolling Stone. "We're doing this for good reasons, and we end up looking back at all the fun, the joy and the incredible opportunities we had.

"It's not because we have to or we can't stand each other or we suck. We're happy, but we're done."

THEY WILL NEVER REUNITE.

Si.

[Si Hunt]

NEVER!

Si.

[Rob McCow]

With Michael Stipe aged 51, it's entirely possible they will reunite in ten years' time.

Band meeting:
"How can we make our new best of (at least our third) sell?"
"Split the band!"
"Awesome."

[Dirk Gently]

Despite announcing their split last week, REM are set to release three brand new songs on their first ever Greatest Hits album, which is out on November 14.

So The Best of...' isn't the Greatest Hits then, otherwise it isn't "the first ever"