REM May Call It Quits Next Year

Let's face it, they died when hey released 'Up'. Nice try at a new direction but it didn't work. REM panicked and went back to doing what they have always done best, making records that sound exactly like REM, except this time it just wasn't the same.

Thank god that this maay actually be true, past it years ago and have only produce what can only be described as cack since.

Thing is tho that the Rolling stones had some many hits that they can afford to that, where as REM could never do just that alone

fair enuff guv', you may have a point there.

There was an interview around the time of New Adventures . . . when Peter Buck said as they are writing tunes for an album there will always be one song (inevitably thrown away) with a working title like Another Fucking REM Song. Up was a bad album, they were just trying to be Radiohead, and after that they resorted to making a whole album of REM songs. Reveal was boring, and I've heard nothing interesting from them since. Bad Day was shit aswell.

just so happens i saw rage at reading '00. that was lucky, just in time.

they have to release one more album if they are gonna split...can't finish your career on a best of, and not a tremendous one at that.

e-bow the letter is a fucking great song.

You can't finish your career four releases into a five album deal...
they owe Warners one. That'll be out in September, I reckon (they always seem to release their albums in september), and then one last tour, and probably a good time to quit.

However, there's a new REM DVD out in February which is a live performance in Germany, and it's excellent. Still a great band.

and Ebow is a wonderful song. It's better than Imitation of Life. Animal is... nothing.

aah!
this is ridiculous. the importance of rem cannot be overstated. their breakthrough in '80s america broke college radio wide open, gave rise to indie-mainstream crossover and lead to the rise of alternative ie interesting music in general. they consistently produce challenging, intelligent music, stand by their strong ethical point of view (well, michael stipe's anyway) and i can't help but think that if it wasn't for them, many of today's greatest bands would either not exist or at the least would not receive commercial airplay etc.
show some respect to the band that started it all fer chrissakes.
this site probably wouldn't even been here if they'd never released murmur.
long may they reign.

"animal" is a great rem song. reminds me of the early rem period even of 'monster'. i think we can expect an interesting new record this year and i won't call it the last.

the guys have been on tour for quite a few months in 2003. peter might had his period when he was talking about rem's future. he is normally THE member who can't get enough of making music and going on tour.

whatever happens - r.e.m. are one of the most influencial rock bands of our time. no matter if it is their early style, their in the-middle-of-it-all or their up-2-date one.

probably for the best - that Stipe character doesn't look well does he - he wants to put his feet up and get some scotch eggs in him

i found their music pretty average. nothing to write home about. no one will notice their gone. companies will just find another band to replace them!!

I think u'll find a hell of a lot of people will notice they're gone!! They've been one of, if not the most influential and important bands of the last 20 years!

I admit that reveal wasn't v good, altho I've been high is quality, but i'm still lookin forward to their next record.

However, if their next album isn't a return to form then maybe it'll be time for them to quit, but they'll never be forgotten.

Callan youre wrong. I think REM are as important and ertainly more prolific than say a band like Nirvana, and equally as good and influential. Nirvana only did 2 great albums ( Nevermind, In Utero) while REM have done more like 5 (Green, Out Of Time, Automatic, Monster, Reveal)

perhaps i was wrong by saying that they won't be missed, but they are certainly not more influential than Nirvana, who basically layed out the path for bands like REM and other bands. they basically changed the face of music. no band can surpass Nirvana.

This Nirvana who 'layed out the path for bands like REM' would presumably be the same one who released their debut album a year after REM's major label debut (and 6th album)? And, erm, released their first big hit album in 1991, the same year as REM's first?

Certainly some remarkable path laying there!

fair enough. i take it back

dear friend,
i do agree the fact that they may be dead in US,but not in rest of world.Their latest hit collection is in top 10 in countries like UK,Australia and Europe.Simple truth is that Americans don't have ability to appreciate good music and they are blinded by mediocre rap and bubblegum pop music.REM will come back with a bang this year with a superb album.I am sure of that.