Jump to content

R.E.M.


gperkins151

Recommended Posts

  • 2 weeks later...

Clip from the Music Shed, New Orleans, LA. I work with engineeres at this studio as well. Had a chance to meet them while this recording session took place...

At least two of their recent songs are New Orleans-related: Houston and Oh my Heart! They're both lyrically and musically connected, to the extent that the second song is actually a sequel to the first.

During his stay in New Orleans, Michael Stipe took photographs of singer Patti Smith, who contributed vocals to Collapse into Now, the album they were recording in that studio (other recording took place in Berlin).

I would have wanted an opportunity like you had, to meet them in a studio setting. I think it's a different experience, meeting your favourite musician, after a live show in a small venue maybe, versus meeting them in a studio.

It's probably an idealisation, the way I see musicians in a studio, inputting various ideas towards a common creative goal and the body of work rapidly evolving into finished choruses, intros and finally 3 or 4 minute songs. That's the ideal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At least two of their recent songs are New Orleans-related: Houston and Oh my Heart! They're both lyrically and musically connected, to the extent that the second song is actually a sequel to the first.

During his stay in New Orleans, Michael Stipe took photographs of singer Patti Smith, who contributed vocals to Collapse into Now, the album they were recording in that studio (other recording took place in Berlin).

I would have wanted an opportunity like you had, to meet them in a studio setting. I think it's a different experience, meeting your favourite musician, after a live show in a small venue maybe, versus meeting them in a studio.

It's probably an idealisation, the way I see musicians in a studio, inputting various ideas towards a common creative goal and the body of work rapidly evolving into finished choruses, intros and finally 3 or 4 minute songs. That's the ideal.

That's a open minded way of looking at it. As for me, I was already there, recording and working on a mix up until that week. So, the engineer I was with told me to come down early that day, so I did. I didn't talk to them very long-maybe 20 minutes while they took a break and ate something. We were all in a room together just eating and stuff-about 15 people in the room. But it was definitly a more relaxed atmosphere as opposed to meeting someone backstage after a show. There was no forced uncomfortable tention or anything, just guys hanging out-playing music. That's the way it should be. I'm glad my experience with them was a memorable one. I didn't get to the point of taking pics with them and all that nonsense, even though I should have (looking back)..... I was just happy to be there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You're right, thanks for providing the correct one.

The audio link to NPR expired and I never really got to listen to the new tunes on this. Have you bought it and is it worth doing so? All of the IRS label stuff speaks for itself and I seriously listened up until the mid 90's................is the latter stuff and new tunes representative enough of what they were?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The audio link to NPR expired and I never really got to listen to the new tunes on this. Have you bought it and is it worth doing so? All of the IRS label stuff speaks for itself and I seriously listened up until the mid 90's................is the latter stuff and new tunes representative enough of what they were?

I bought it but only to own the new songs in a physical format and for the liner notes. Is it worth buying just for that? I don't think so though I did enjoy the liner notes. The songs are representative of R.E.M. in the sense that they show their various sides but other than that, they're really nothing earth shattering. Out of the three, I'd say "Hallelujah" is the most forward sounding. "We All Go Back To Where We Belong" is a mid tempo tune that is reminiscent of something that you may have heard on the radio back in the late 60s. The most common comparison has been Burt Bacharach. The song isn't very characteristic of their sound but it's still somehow fitting, especially considering the subject matter. "A Month of Saturdays" wouldn't have been out of place as a b-side done just for shits n' grins like they used to do. Mills has described it as having a very "Pylon-esque" groove which I think is pretty accurate. Are any of these songs essential to the overall R.E.M. canon? No, I don't think so but at least they show they still had some gas in their tank, especially "Hallelujah" which seems to point in the direction of where they may have been headed next, had there been another album. Or, you can listen for yourself:

http://youtu.be/WVB2IXzLwL8

Edited by Jahfin
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

I've heard that the latest album (and possibly last -also partially recorded in New Orleans) is "caked" with reverb, to an almost overwhelming point....never had a chance to listen yet, but I've talked to a few guys at the studio who said the reverb on it was a heavy dose......I'll have to check it out myself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Collapse Into Now is definitely their last album. R.E.M. announced that they were disbanding on September 21st, 2011. That's not to say there won't be any vault releases or a box set. Hopefully, there will. Document is also going to be re-released this year on the occasion of it's 25th anniversary. That will mark the end of the I.R.S. era deluxe reissues.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Not a bad performance but the quick camera cuts and MTV-style editing of the DVD it comes from (R.E.M. Live) makes it nearly unwatchable. Tourfilm is still my favorite documentation of a R.E.M. concert that's available on an officially released DVD. Hopefully they'll release one from the last tour at some point.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Funny to watch this interview (which was conducted just as the tour for Monster was getting underway in '95) in light of their recent disbanding as well as how their stance on "Shiny Happy People" has become much more tempered through the years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

From The R.E.M. Timeline page on Facebook:

It's been promised for months, and it's now online! The biggest update to the Timelime since it started is now up online for your viewing pleasure. Massive thanks to Chris Hartstonge for doing this, he has tirelessly worked on this since before Christmas and has done an incredible job. Huge thanks to Tim Abbott as well for a huge amount of research. You guys are incredible! There's hundreds of updates for you to peruse now. I've sat in the background and cracked the whip!

Enjoy everyone!

remtimeline.com

Edited by Jahfin
Link to comment
Share on other sites

dsc_0882.jpg

I really enjoyed listening to Mike Mills spin some vinyl (as well as CDs and mp3's) on Dave FM in Atlanta yesterday. There were also a few surprises such as a phone call from R.E.M.'s manager Bertis Downes and an appearance from Johnny Hibbert of Hib-tone Records, the label that issued R.E.M.'s very first single, "Radio Free Europe" b/w "Sitting Still". For anyone that may have missed it, you can still listen thanks to the podcast that's been uploaded to the Dave FM site here. There's also a Photo Gallery and a copy of Mike's Playlist.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...