R.E.M. reunites (Michael, Peter, Mike, and Bill)

[underpants]

Original R.E.M. members rock wedding
Bill Berry joins old colleagues for guitar tech's nuptials


NEW YORK (Billboard) -- A few hundred lucky wedding guests got the surprise of their life last weekend as R.E.M.'s original four members reunited to play a seven-song set at the wedding of one of the group's road crew.

The action went down Saturday at Kingpins Bowl & Brew in the group's Athens, Georgia, home base and marks just the second time Michael Stipe, Peter Buck and Mike Mills have performed with drummer Bill Berry since his amicable 1997 departure.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Music/10/11/music.rem.reut/index.html


"I couldn't believe it," he said. "I was transfixed. I heard the count in and then 'Sitting Still,' and by the time they got to the first chorus, it was packed shoulder to shoulder."

The group went on to play some of its most beloved early tunes: "Don't Go Back to Rockville" (with bassist Mills on vocals), "Wolves, Lower," "Begin the Begin," "The One I Love," "Permanent Vacation" and "Radio Free Europe."

The beauty is that it was in Athens on a warm Saturday night, with the band on the floor with no production," Connolly said. "I had three old disco mirror balls and they hung them up -- that was the extent of the lighting show."

[Robb]

1. "I don't know if they had a chance to rehearse."

Playing together for so long, I can't imagine they needed it. :)

Must've been quite a moment. Dare I say HUGH!!!! :D

[underpants]

2. Say it Robb say it

HUGH!!!!

[Coventina]

3. I *heart* REM

Reading that story made my eyes watery.

[underpants]

5. Yes, I really liked their early funny stuff

HUGE fan here.

I found out what Philomath means!!!!

[Heidi]

4. Wait until Rabrrrrr hears!

He'll be positively :bounce:ing with glee. :evilgrin:

[underpants]

6. She'll make a beautiful looking fossil

:kick:

[Rabrrrrrr]

8. Actually, I think it's pretty cool of them -

to get back together to play for a roadie - that's cool!

What offends me is that someone had the utter lack of taste and decency that they had a wedding reception at a "Bowl and Brew". How positively Athens, Georgia of them.

I wonder how much big hair and how many fake fingernails and beers served in plastic cups were in attendance?

[flamingyouth]

7. That is so cool

I saw the original line up many times through the '80s and early '90s. I got to meet Mike Mills when I was in high school, right before one of their shows. Always one of my favorite bands from that era.

[catzies]

9. This was my feel-good story of the day. Great setlist too.

Congrats to the newlyweds, and best wishes all around.

From REMHQ:

[AntiCoup2K4]

10. I remember when REM said they would have a huge farwell show in 2000.....

...and then break up. They should have done that rather than gone on without Bill, because the band has really sufferred without him. I'm hoping they will eventually do one more album and tour together as a whole band before they call it a day.

I'd like it even better if this show got bootlegged (which it obviously did) and leaked to the net.

[enigmatic]

11. I'd expect this from them

When I was living and playing in bands in Athens (88-91), they were still living there and except for Stipe, plain ole guys you'd see around town all the time. I'd run into Peter Buck at Wuxtry's all the time; Bill Berry's newphew was a co-worker of mine and incredibly nice.

They should have broken the band up after Bill left, but what can you do? Their output for IRS is still one classic record after another, and "Murmur" is still one of the 50 greatest records ever made...

[driver8]

14. Amen, brother..."Murmur" will always be in my top 5!!

That album blew me away the first time I heard it and it still amazes me when I listen to it today. The songs, the playing, the production...It is about as close to "perfect" as you can get, IMHO. (London Calling is pretty damn close, too.)

[enigmatic]

15. I agree

They were instantly my favorite band (at that time) after Chronic Town came out, and when I bought Murmur I was dumbfounded at how good it was. Classic cut after classic cut; I was just listenig to "Stitting Still" and "Shaking Through" last night (put both cuts on the show tonight) and it's impossible not to be in a state of joy after listening to both songs.

It was one of those records where everything came together, and having Mitch Easter as a producer was just icing on the cake. I could go on for days about how monumental a record it is..

[driver8]

16. I am a big Mitch Easter fan, as well.

I had the pleasure of seeing Let's Active a few times. Mitch is a pretty good guitar player himself...but his production is what gets me.

[enigmatic]

17. I got to take a peek inside his Drive-In Studio

When my band at the time took a road trip up there to talk to Mich about recording a demo; never came to pass, but I was still in full-fan mode to see the place where all that great music was made...

[underpants]

25. Aw yes Mitch-Saw Let's Active several times and he produced...

Game Theory's "Lolita Nation" possibly the best album ever (easily top 5 of the 80's)

I saw Let's Active open for REM and with the P{oster Children at the Boathouse in Norfolk and once with some other band.

I still listen to "Big Plans for Everybody" fairly often.

[driver8]

26. I saw Let's Active at the Boathouse in Norfolk!! I was right up front.

I forgot who warmed up for them, though. I also saw Let's Active warm up for REM on the Life's Rich Pageant Tour in Tampa, Fla.

I will have to pick up "Lolita Nation". I've always liked Game Theory--one of the most underrated bands of the 1980's IMHO.

[Robeson]

12. Wish I was there.

[driver8]

13. Holy Mother of God!! It's a miracle...a miracle, I tell you!!

Please come back, Bill...the boys have forgotten how to rock since you left them.

What...no "Driver 8"???

[enigmatic]

18. hahaha

That was my favorite song of theirs for years; I would have loved to have heard them do "Letter Never Sent" and "Kahoutek", too..

[Withywindle]

19. I love Murmur too but...

...is it weird of me that Fables is still my favorite? Got treated like a red-headed stepchild at the time, but I do love it so (And when I say "favorite" I mean Top 10 of all time, maybe).

Loved them since I snuck in to see them on the Reckoning tour. (I was 14). Drifted away in the 90s, they weren't holding me anymore, but I did see them again last fall for the first time since Reagan was in office, and I really loved the show. It wasn't the same of course, but it did remind me of how important they had been to me, and that I didn't choose badly!

[enigmatic]

20. Absolutely not

To me, any of the records in the IRS years have been my favorites, and though "Fables" has always gotten the shaft by some fans (and even R.E.M. themselves), it was my favorite record of theirs for a time, too.

"Feeling Gravity's Pull", "Driver 8", "Good Advices", "Kahoutek", "Wendell Gee"; they are all among the best songs they's ever done IMO...

[enigmatic]

21. they were important to me, too

I know it's a cliche's cliche, but for a time in the mid 80's they WERE the soundtrack of my life; I can't listen to those records w/o being brought back to that time in my mind..

[driver8]

22. Man...we are definitely on the same wavelength!

I was a college dj in the early-mid 80's and everytime I hear any of the REM IRS releases, it brings back some great memories.

I stayed at college on summer and had a roommate who played guitar. He didn't know much about REM so I lent him a couple of tapes. When I got home from work that day, he had learned almost all of "Reckoning." I will never forget that.

[enigmatic]

23. I'll never forget learning to play the opening riff to S. Central Rain

and when I finally got it I couldn't stop playing it!

I'm going to have to do an all-IRS Years R.E.M. shows on the overnight very soon; this is bringing back some great memories..

[underpants]

24. Are you an REM fan?

:shrug:

[driver8]

27. It's not too obvious, is it??