When did REM turn shite (1 Viewer)

[Pantone247]

and was it all Mike Mills fault?

 

[nEiLo]

It started with Monster, then got worse around the time of Reveal.

I blame Peter Buck.

 

[Psychotic no 2]

What do you mean 'turn'?

 

[clonan attack]

Haven't been the same since Berry left,
that said some outstanding songs on each of the last few disappointing albums, example: Leaving New York is amazing.

Last amazing REM album is New Adventures in Hi-Fi, possibly their best too. Certainly of the Warner Bro's years.

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

to say that rem have turned to shite presupposes that they were at some time good. therein lies the problem at the heart of your question.

 

[MDR]

I was only thinking about this earlier. Within a short period they lost jefferson (holt?) the manager, Bill Berry (drummer) and Scot Litt (producer) and that may have broken the magic formula they had. Also the melody seemed to disappear from their songs.

Daysleeper is good though.

 

[Pantone247]

What do you mean 'turn'?

to say that rem have turned to shite presupposes that they were at some time good. therein lies the problem at the heart of your question.

back to rock school for the both of you!

 

[nEiLo]

Last amazing REM album is New Adventures in Hi-Fi, possibly their best too. Certainly of the Warner Bro's years.

that album is a load of bollox. i can't understand how people think it's their best...

 

[nEiLo]

back to rock school for the both of you!

That's brilliant... so is this:

 

[Pantone247]

I blame Peter Buck.

interesting, why so?

Is it cause he let Mills get too mouthy?

I really think Mikey Mills has a lot to answer for here...

 

[Pantone247]

That's brilliant... so it this:

as is...

actually Reckoning is probably my favourite. I got it on CD recently and was amazed at how much of my youth came rushing back at me... real shiver up the spine stuff

 

[Stan Bowles]

You really should have had a 'But they've always been shit' option in fairness.

 

[nEiLo]

interesting, why so?

Is it cause he let Mills get too mouthy?

I really think Mikey Mills has a lot to answer for here...

I remember reading an interview around the time of Up and it mentioned Buck's fascination with keyboards etc

 

[Richie]

New Adventures = a lot of great songs, but needs a few tracks trimmed off
Up = excellent (especially considering the circumstances)
Revel = pretty mediocre, excepting one or two songs
.. and the last one got such bad reviews everywhere that I didn't have the heart to actually listen to it. God knows where they go from here, time to call it a day maybe... Got the 'When the Light is Mine' IRS-years DVD for Christmas, quality stuff. There's some great early interviews in the extras- Peter Buck aged 21 comes across as a hilariously cocky indie scenester type, namedropping some cult new wave or punk band in every second sentence.

 

[Vinnie]

It's been mostly indistinguishable bollocks since Automatic For The People. A few amazing songs interspersed among a hive of mediocrity. Up was actually a decent album with some amazing moments having said that.

I blame Bono.

 

[Dktr. Faustus]

At about 1990

 

[Jerry Twig]

that album is a load of bollox. i can't understand how people think it's their best...

post of the year so far.

this poll is crap cos everything in the options happened in the space of a week.

 

[nlgbbbblth]

I blame Mike Stevens.

for me, they turned crap when they released Reveal and got even worse with Around The Sun.

Up is a great record, New Adventures in Hi-Fi is somewhat overrated.
Nothing tops the IRS albums. Amazing.

 

[Wilbert]

I blame Mike Stevens.

Me too! But not for the current state of REM.
I saw them in the Point last february and Peter Buck looked like he couldn't give a shit!

 

[clonan attack]

So the IRS DVD is worth getting? Have avoided all the best ofs up to now cos i have every album.
E-bow the letter, Leave, Binky the Doormat, How the West was won... are all amazing songs, whole album is deadly besides Zither which always annoyed me. My favourite Warner Bro's album anyway.

Murmur probably my favourite IRS one.

Think everyone agree's they lost it mid 90's anyway.