Posts

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R.E.M.- Green 35th- Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills

If you were fortunate in 1983 to discover the first full-length album "Murmur" from Athens GA-based R.E.M. , you probably realize that it sounded unlike anything else at the time, and precious little ever since except maybe their followup,"Reckoning". Over the next four years and five albums on indie label IRS, Michael Stipe Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Bill Berry made some of the smartest,quirkiest, angular rock of any American band...Michael, Peter, and Mike all join me here In the Studio for the 35th anniversary of R.E.M.'s four million seller "Green".

R.E.M.- Murmur- Michael Stipe, Peter Buck

R.E.M. "Murmur" quietly emerged April 12, 1983 and has never left my essential music list, along with its follow-up "Reckoning". Michael Stipe & Peter Buck are here In the Studio for "Murmur" 40th anniversary. Songs include "Radio Free Europe","South Central Rain","Can't Get There from Here","Driver 8",  and an ultra-rare live acoustic performance of "Maps and Legends" from McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica.
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R.E.M.- Automatic for the People- Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills

R.E.M. singer/lyricist Michael Stipe, multi-instrumentalist/singer Mike Mills, and guitarist/songwriter Peter Buck all convene with me here In the Studio for "Automatic for the People" by R.E.M., estimated to have sold 18,000,000 copies worldwide because of "Man on the Moon","Everybody Hurts", & "Drive".

R.E.M.- Strange Currencies- Milton Keynes 7-30-95

At England's massive Milton Keynes Bowl in late July 1995...Enjoy "Strange Currencies" by R.E.M.

R.E.M.- These Days- Utrecht Holland 9-14-87

R.E.M.  packaged the September 1987 Utrecht Holland full concert as a bonus disc on the " Document"  anniversary deluxe edition. Here's a careening live version of "These Days" from those days.
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R.E.M.- Out of Time- Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills

It is clear on the thirtieth anniversary of R.E.M.'s "Out of Time" album that the song from it, "Losing My Religion", has weathered the time in between exceedingly well. "Pop culture, particularly in the US, everything comes and goes in cycles, as things do," points out R.E.M. singer/ lyricist Michael Stipe, "which we all realize as we all grow older and wiser, whether it's politics or music or pop culture...I always wanted to have a song that would be considered 'the song of the Summer'. As it was, that song kind of became the song of the year," he chuckled. Ten million copies sold and three Grammy Awards later, nobody could argue the case.
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R.E.M.- Monster- Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills

REM interview with Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills for “Monster”

R.E.M.- What’s the Frequency Kenneth- Milton Keynes UK 7-95

"We were touring for the first time in five years. We wanted something arena and festival ready", says R.E.M. lead singer and lyricist Michael Stipe in Newsweek about the overall sound of the Fall 1994 release Monster.   The proof of the pudding…

R.E.M.- Losing My Religion 4-28-92

This slightly slower all-acoustic performance by R.E.M. of "Losing My Religion" at the Capital Plaza Theater in Charleston WV in April 1992, replete with melancholy solo violin, may be my favorite version, thanks to the Mountain Stage...

R.E.M.- IRS Years pt 1- Michael Stipe, Peter Buck

With R.E.M. lead singer Michael Stipe and lead guitarist Peter Buck in my classic rock interview. Includes the earliest days of the Athens GA band, with songs from their first four full albums Murmur, Reckoning, Fables of the Reconstruction, & Life's Rich Pageant. Part one of two.