r.e.m. recorded chronic town ep mitch easter in october 1981, , planned release on new indie label named dasht hopes. however, i.r.s. records acquired demo of band s first recording session easter had been circulating months. band turned down advances of major label rca records in favor of i.r.s., whom signed contract in may 1982. i.r.s. released chronic town august first american release. positive review of ep nme praised songs auras of mystery, , concluded, r.e.m. ring true, , s great hear unforced , cunning this.
i.r.s. first paired r.e.m. producer stephen hague record debut album. hague s emphasis on technical perfection left band unsatisfied, , band members asked label let them record easter. i.r.s. agreed tryout session, allowing band return north carolina , record song pilgrimage easter , producing partner don dixon. after hearing track, i.r.s. permitted group record album dixon , easter. because of bad experience hague, band recorded album via process of negation, refusing incorporate rock music clichés such guitar solos or then-popular synthesizers, in order give music timeless feel. completed album, murmur, greeted critical acclaim upon release in 1983, rolling stone listing album record of year. album reached number 36 on billboard album chart. re-recorded version of radio free europe album s lead single , reached number 78 on billboard singles chart in 1983. despite acclaim awarded album, murmur sold 200,000 copies, i.r.s. s jay boberg felt below expectations.
r.e.m. made first national television appearance on late night david letterman in october 1983, during group performed new, unnamed song. piece, titled so. central rain (i m sorry) , became first single band s second album, reckoning (1984), recorded easter , dixon. album met critical acclaim; nme s mat snow wrote reckoning confirms r.e.m. 1 of beautifully exciting groups on planet . while reckoning peaked @ number 27 on album charts—an unusually high chart placing college rock band @ time—scant airplay , poor distribution overseas resulted in charting no higher number 91 in britain.
michael stipe (left) , peter buck (right) on stage in ghent, belgium, during r.e.m. s 1985 tour.
the band s third album, fables of reconstruction (1985), demonstrated change in direction. instead of dixon , easter, r.e.m. chose producer joe boyd, had worked fairport convention , nick drake, record album in england. band members found sessions unexpectedly difficult, , miserable due cold winter weather , considered poor food; situation brought band verge of break-up. gloominess surrounding sessions ended providing context album itself. lyrically, stipe began create storylines in mode of southern mythology, noting in 1985 interview inspired whole idea of old men sitting around fire, passing on ... legends , fables grandchildren .
they toured in canada in july , august 1985, , throughout europe in october of year, including in netherlands, england (one concert held @ famous hammersmith palais in london), ireland, scotland, france, switzerland, belgium , west germany. on october 2, 1985, group played concert in bochum, west germany, german tv show rockpalast. stipe had bleached hair blond during time. fables of reconstruction performed poorly in europe , critical reception mixed, critics regarding dreary , poorly recorded. previous records, singles fables of reconstruction ignored mainstream radio. meanwhile, i.r.s. becoming frustrated band s reluctance achieve mainstream success.
for fourth album, r.e.m. enlisted john mellencamp producer don gehman. result, lifes rich pageant (1986) featured stipe s vocals closer forefront of music. in 1986 interview chicago tribune, peter buck related, michael getting better @ s doing, , s getting more confident @ it. , think shows in projection of voice. album improved markedly upon sales of fables of reconstruction , peaked @ number 21 on billboard album chart. single fall on me picked support on commercial radio. album band s first certified gold selling 500,000 copies. while american college radio remained r.e.m. s core support, band beginning chart hits on mainstream rock formats; however, music still encountered resistance top 40 radio.
following success of lifes rich pageant, i.r.s. issued dead letter office, compilation of tracks recorded band during album sessions, many of had either been issued b-sides or left unreleased altogether. shortly thereafter, i.r.s. compiled r.e.m. s music video catalog (except wolves, lower ) band s first video release, succumbs.
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