Michael and Mazza to take music biz breaks

"I no longer want to make art that other people, particularly record companies, are turning into a product"

Marilyn Manson was making art? Ah, now he tells us!!!

And his records are balls. Thank-you.

as far as iwas concerned \stipe has been taking a break since 1993 anyway

See I always think the criticism of REM is kinda unfair. I mean I accept that they lack the consistency they had from Green to Automatic (though you could argue they lacked that beforehand too) but there have been a number of fantastic songs since.

To name a few:

Crush With Eyeliner
I Don't Sleep I Dream
Let Me In
Walk Unafraid (which, depending on my mood can be my favourite REM song; on other days it's Everybody Hurts, World Leader Pretend or the Wrong Child)
At My Most Beautiful
Diminished
I've Been High
Disappear
The Outsiders (I accept I seem to be in a minority on that last one)

OK, I think they tend to release the wrong singles (tho' I actually really like Imitation of Life and Leaving New York) and I accept that Around the Sun was one-paced and seemed to be treading water.

But I still expect them to return to something resembling top form. I really enjoyed them live in Cardiff last week and even the more recent songs sounded great (making me wonder whether over-polished production may be one of the biggest issues) and new song "I'm Gonna DJ" suggests they still are capable of finding the energy that was slightly lacking on Around the Sun

New Adventures is their best album - at least the best since they became the global superstars they are. Leave, E-Bow and others on there are adventurous and progressive.

The last album is pretty poor, but i liked Reveal in a 'fairly catchy but nothing new' kind of way.

Personally, I find them utterly inessential (What a pompous, music hack thing to say, but stick with me...) they've never really made a bad record, but I've never felt compelled to buy one, or had any strong feelings either way, other than that Michael Stipe is a bit of a berk.

Monster is the only REM album I own, and is therefore my favourite by default.

Haha! 'Twould be a splendid idea, if it weren't for the fact that Ginger Fish meets probably none of my criteria. Thanks anyway.


Join my band you singy drummy bastards!