On 2 now...absolutely magnificent.

I was losing my claret religion today with those day dreamers !

Not many, if any, bands have so many quality songs over such a long period of time.

Not watched it but they had it absolutely boxed off as Yanks in music in the early 90's.

Automatic for the People is one of the all time classic albums.

But let's not go with any of that.......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cdZQ41 ... IM&index=8

Pushing an Elephant up a tree is one of my favourite REM lyrics of many..simply one of the greatest bands to walk this planet

Pushing an elephant up the stairs,isn't it?
Lyric to The Great Beyond.

Stevie2112 wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 13, 2022 3:33 pm

Pushing an elephant up the stairs,isn't it?
Lyric to The Great Beyond.

I really shouldn't post after a skinfull..your right...stairs it is "

Fantastic band. Automatic for the People is, indeed, an all time classic and I would say completed their particularly brilliant run of half dozen albums albums from 1986 onwards starting with Life's Rich Pageant.
Could pick any one of loads of songs but Nightswimming...off Automatic...is a thing of rare beauty so have gone with that (love the video too)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahJ6Kh8klM4

Agree with most of that Stalbans,but prefer this to Nightswimming.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfyng5OHEOE
As you say,great album.

Not going to argue with that Stevie2112 as both superb songs. I just find Nightswimming really haunting and strangely nostalgic....though not sure why as Ive never swam anywhere at night !

Find The River is a beautifully crafted song.

Remember watching an interview with Michael Stipe.

The REM front man was sounding disgruntled by his belief that whenever he'd been in a karaoke bar he'd never seen anyone do an REM song.

The sympathetic answer to his bewilderment was, "nobody sings or sounds like you do,"........

Recorded it and finished watching this morning, such a brilliant band,original nothing go compare to them. Broke up at right time as well. Stipe's favourite song Country feedback is something else.

Always liked REM and thought they were a very good singles band

From Athens. Been to both. When I was down there and just prior to REM - a good band - Sweet Home Alabama was THE number. Lynyrd Skynyrd. Many of them perished in a plane crash out of Greenevill SC. The plane ran out of fuel and one who escaped the crash was shot by a farmer. Poor bugger.

Stalbansclaret wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 13, 2022 8:52 pm

Not going to argue with that Stevie2112 as both superb songs. I just find Nightswimming really haunting and strangely nostalgic....though not sure why as Ive never swam anywhere at night !

Don't know if you watched the programme on Saturday mate,but "nightswimming" was played and Michael Stipe explained what it was about...beautifully haunting song which only Stipe could sing.

I remember REM just becoming known. They were really being hyped. I saw them in 1985 at Milton Keynes supporting U2. They were really bad. Bono had to come on and plead for the crowd to stop chucking bottles at them. They didn’t so they departed the stage early. Obviously they got better in later years !

TheOriginalLongsider wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 15, 2022 5:58 pm

I remember REM just becoming known. They were really being hyped. I saw them in 1985 at Milton Keynes supporting U2. They were really bad. Bono had to come on and plead for the crowd to stop chucking bottles at them. They didn’t so they departed the stage early. Obviously they got better in later years !

I was there as well. The Ramones also played. A great day out.

PhiladelphiaChris wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 15, 2022 6:11 pm

I was there as well. The Ramones also played. A great day out.

Me too. Milton Keynes was wasn't as glamorous as it sounded . It was just a sloped field (muddy) on the day.

Watched the Ramones and Spear of Destiny (did Billy Bragg play or am I imaging it?) then thumbed it back home. Regret not sticking around for REM and U2.

Been trawling through REM's back catalogue all week since seeing them on the BBC on Saturday,everyone will have a favourite track this is mine ...absolutely beautiful song.
https://youtu.be/RokyGRQP0no

RingoMcCartney wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 16, 2022 12:41 am

Me too. Milton Keynes was wasn't as glamorous as it sounded . It was just a sloped field (muddy) on the day.

Watched the Ramones and Spear of Destiny (did Billy Bragg play or am I imaging it?) then thumbed it back home. Regret not sticking around for REM and U2.

The milkman of human kindness definitely played although his mic wasn’t plugged in for the first few songs

Fables of the Reconstruction came out in 1985 the time of that Milton Keynes concert, my favourite period of REM.

TheOriginalLongsider wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 16, 2022 5:33 pm

The milkman of human kindness definitely played although his mic wasn’t plugged in for the first few songs

I'm not imaging things then , he did indeed play !

Thanks for the confirmation

Apparently Faith Brothers also played but I can’t remember them. I remember NME announced Squeeze and the Alarm as late additions but they didn’t actually play