History R.E.M.

1 history

1.1 1980–1981: formation
1.2 1981–1987: i.r.s. records , cult success
1.3 1987–1990: breakthrough
1.4 1990–1993: non-touring years , international success
1.5 1994–1996: return touring , continued success
1.6 1997–2000: berry s departure , up
1.7 2000–2007: reveal , around sun
1.8 2007–2011: accelerate, collapse now, , breakup

history
1980–1981: formation

in january 1980, michael stipe met peter buck in wuxtry records, athens record store buck worked. pair discovered shared similar tastes in music, particularly in punk rock , protopunk artists patti smith, television, , velvet underground. stipe said, turns out buying records [buck] saving himself. stipe , buck met fellow university of georgia students mike mills , bill berry, had played music since high school , lived in georgia. quartet agreed collaborate on several songs; stipe later commented there never grand plan behind of . still-unnamed band spent few months rehearsing , played first show on april 5, 1980, @ friend s birthday party held in converted episcopal church in athens. after considering names twisted kites , cans of piss , , negro wives , band settled on r.e.m. (which stands stage of sleep called rapid eye movement), stipe selected @ random dictionary.

record producer mitch easter (far left) important in defining band s sound, producing of material until 1984

the band members dropped out of school focus on developing group. found manager in jefferson holt, record store clerk impressed r.e.m. performance in hometown of chapel hill, north carolina, moved athens. r.e.m. s success immediate in athens , surrounding areas; band drew progressively larger crowds shows, caused resentment in athens music scene. on next year , half, r.e.m. toured throughout southern united states. touring arduous because touring circuit alternative rock bands did not exist. group toured in old blue van driven holt, , lived on food allowance of $2 each per day.

during summer of 1981, r.e.m. recorded first single, radio free europe , @ producer mitch easter s drive-in studios in winston-salem, north carolina. single released on local independent record label hib-tone initial pressing of 1 thousand copies, sold out. despite limited pressing, single garnered critical acclaim, , listed 1 of ten best singles of year new york times.

1981–1987: i.r.s. records , cult success

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.

1987–1990: breakthrough

scott litt produced string of r.e.m. s breakthrough albums in late 1980s , mid-1990s.

don gehman unable produce r.e.m. s fifth album, suggested group work scott litt. litt producer band s next 5 albums. document (1987) featured of stipe s openly political lyrics, particularly on welcome occupation , exhuming mccarthy , reactions conservative political environment of 1980s under american president ronald reagan. jon pareles of new york times wrote in review of album, document both confident , defiant; if r.e.m. move cult-band status mass popularity, album decrees band there on own terms. document r.e.m. s breakthrough album, , first single 1 love charted in top 20 in us, uk, , canada. january 1988, document had become group s first album sell million copies. in light of band s breakthrough, december 1987 cover of rolling stone declared r.e.m. america s best rock & roll band .

frustrated records did not see satisfactory overseas distribution, r.e.m. left i.r.s. when contract expired , signed major label warner bros. records. though other labels offered more money, r.e.m. signed warner bros.—reportedly amount between $6 million , $12 million—due company s assurance of total creative freedom. in aftermath of group s departure, i.r.s. released 1988 best of compilation eponymous (assembled input band members) capitalize on assets company still possessed. band s 1988 warner bros. debut, green, recorded in nashville, tennessee, , showcased group experimenting sound. record s tracks ranged upbeat first single stand (a hit in united states), more political material, rock-oriented orange crush , world leader pretend , address vietnam war , cold war, respectively. green has gone on sell 4 million copies worldwide. band supported album biggest , visually developed tour date, featuring back-projections , art films playing on stage. after green tour, band members unofficially decided take following year off, first extended break in band s career. in 1990 warner bros. issued music video compilation pop screen collect clips document , green albums, followed few months later video album tourfilm featuring live performances filmed during green world tour.

1990–1993: non-touring years , international success

r.e.m. reconvened in mid-1990 record seventh album, out of time. in departure green, band members wrote music non-traditional rock instrumentation including mandolin, organ, , acoustic guitar instead of adding them overdubs later in creative process. released in march 1991, out of time band s first album top both , uk charts. record sold 4.2 million copies in alone, , 12 million copies worldwide 1996. album s lead single losing religion worldwide hit received heavy rotation on radio, did music video on mtv , vh1. losing religion r.e.m. s highest-charting single in us, reaching number 4 on billboard charts. there ve been few life-changing events in our career because our career has been gradual, mills said years later. if want talk life changing, think losing religion closest gets . album s second single, shiny happy people (one of 3 songs on record feature vocals kate pierson of fellow athens band b-52 s), major hit, reaching number 10 in , number 6 in uk. out of time garnered r.e.m. 7 nominations @ 1992 grammy awards, nominations of artist year. band won 3 awards: 1 best alternative music album , 2 losing religion , best short form music video , best pop performance duo or group vocal. r.e.m. did not tour promote out of time; instead group played series of one-off shows, including appearance taped episode of mtv unplugged , released music videos each song on video album film on. mtv unplugged session of losing religion recorded members of atlanta symphony orchestra in madison, georgia, @ madison-morgan cultural center.

after spending months off, r.e.m. returned studio in 1991 record next album. late in 1992, band released automatic people. though group had intended make harder-rocking album after softer textures of out of time, somber automatic people [seemed] move @ more agonized crawl , according melody maker. album dealt themes of loss , mourning inspired sense of ... turning thirty , according buck. several songs featured string arrangements former led zeppelin bassist john paul jones. considered number of critics (as buck , mills) band s best album, automatic people reached numbers 1 , 2 on uk , charts, respectively, , generated american top 40 hit singles drive , man on moon , , hurts . album sell on fifteen million copies worldwide. out of time, there no tour in support of album. decision forgo tour, in conjunction stipe s physical appearance, generated rumors singer dying or hiv-positive, vehemently denied band.

1994–1996: return touring , continued success

after band released 2 slow-paced albums in row, r.e.m. s 1994 album monster was, buck said, rock record, rock in quotation marks. in contrast sound of predecessors, music of monster consisted of distorted guitar tones, minimal overdubs, , touches of 1970s glam rock. out of time, monster topped charts in both , uk. record sold 9 million copies worldwide. singles s frequency, kenneth? , bang , blame band s last american top 40 hits, although singles monster reached top 30 on british charts. warner bros. assembled music videos album automatic people release parallel in 1995.

in january 1995, r.e.m. set out on first tour in 6 years. tour huge commercial success, period difficult group. on march 1, berry collapsed on stage during performance in lausanne, switzerland, having suffered brain aneurysm. had surgery , recovered within month. berry s aneurysm beginning of series of health problems plagued monster tour. mills had undergo abdominal surgery remove intestinal adhesion in july; month later, stipe had have emergency surgery repair hernia. despite problems, group had recorded bulk of new album while on road. band brought along eight-track recorders capture shows, , used recordings base elements album. final 3 performances of tour filmed @ omni coliseum in atlanta, georgia , released in home video form road movie.

r.e.m. re-signed warner bros. records in 1996 reported $80 million (a figure band asserted originated media), rumored largest recording contract in history @ point. group s 1996 album new adventures in hi-fi debuted @ number 2 in , number 1 in uk. 5 million copies of album sold reversal of group s commercial fortunes of previous 5 years. time writer christopher john farley argued lesser sales of album due declining commercial power of alternative rock whole. same year, r.e.m. parted ways manager jefferson holt, allegedly due sexual harassment charges levied against him member of band s home office in athens. group s lawyer bertis downs assumed managerial duties.

1997–2000: berry s departure , up

after drummer bill berry quit in 1997, r.e.m. continued trio.

in april 1997, band convened @ buck s kauai vacation home record demos of material intended next album. band sought reinvent sound , intended incorporate drum loops , percussion experiments. sessions due begin in october, berry decided, after months of contemplation , discussions downs , mills, tell rest of band quitting. berry told bandmates not quit if break result, stipe, buck, , mills agreed carry on three-piece blessing. berry publicly announced departure 3 weeks later in october 1997. berry told press, m not enthusiastic have been in past doing anymore . . . have best job in world. m kind of ready sit , reflect , maybe not pop star anymore. stipe admitted band different without major contributor: me, mike, , peter, r.e.m., still r.e.m.? guess three-legged dog still dog. has learn run differently.

the band performing in 1999 on tour

the band cancelled scheduled recording sessions result of berry s departure. without bill different, confusing , mills later said. didn t know do. couldn t rehearse without drummer. remaining members of r.e.m. resumed work on album in february 1998 @ toast studios in san francisco. band ended decade-long collaboration scott litt , hired pat mccarthy produce record. nigel godrich taken on assistant producer, , drafted in screaming trees member barrett martin , beck s touring drummer joey waronker. recording process plagued tension, , group came close disbanding. bertis downs called emergency meeting band members sorted out problems , agreed continue group. led off single daysleeper , (1998) debuted in top ten in , uk. however, album relative failure, selling 900,000 copies in mid-1999 , selling on 2 million copies worldwide. while r.e.m. s american sales declining, group s commercial base shifting uk, more r.e.m. records sold per capita other country , band s singles regularly entered top 20.

a year after s release, r.e.m. wrote instrumental score andy kaufman biographical film man on moon, first group. film took title automatic people song of same name. song great beyond released single man on moon soundtrack album. great beyond reached number 57 on american pop charts, band s highest-charting single ever in uk, reaching number 3 in 2000.

2000–2007: reveal , around sun

r.e.m. on tour in 2008, long-time collaborator scott mccaughey

r.e.m. recorded majority of twelfth album reveal (2001) in canada , ireland may october 2000. reveal shared lugubrious pace of up, , featured drumming joey waronker, contributions scott mccaughey (a co-founder of band minus 5 buck) , posies founder ken stringfellow. global sales of album on 4 million, in united states reveal sold same number of copies up. album led single imitation of life , reached number 6 in uk. writing rock s backpages, rev. al friston described album loaded golden loveliness @ every twist , turn , in comparison group s unconvincing work on new adventures in hi-fi , up. similarly, rob sheffield of rolling stone called reveal spiritual renewal rooted in musical 1 , praised ceaselessly astonishing beauty.

in 2003, warner bros. released compilation album , dvd in time: best of r.e.m. 1988–2003 , in view: best of r.e.m. 1988–2003, featured 2 new songs, bad day , animal . @ 2003 concert in raleigh, north carolina, berry made surprise appearance, performing backing vocals on radio free europe . sat behind drum kit performance of r.e.m. song permanent vacation , marking first performance band since retirement.

r.e.m. released around sun in 2004. during production of album in 2002, stipe said, [the album] sounds s taking off last couple of records unchartered r.e.m. territory. kind of primitive , howling . after album s release, mills said, think, honestly, turned out little slower intended to, in terms of overall speed of songs. around sun received mixed critical reception, , peaked @ number 13 on billboard charts. first single album, leaving new york , top 5 hit in uk. record , subsequent tour, band hired new full-time touring drummer, bill rieflin, had been member of several industrial music acts such ministry , pigface. video album perfect square released same year.

bassist mike mills performing in concert in 2008

emi released compilation album covering r.e.m. s work during tenure on i.r.s. in 2006 called , feel fine... best of i.r.s. years 1982–1987 along video album when light mine: best of i.r.s. years 1982–1987—the label had released compilations best of r.e.m. (1991), r.e.m.: singles collected (1994), , r.e.m.: in attic – alternative recordings 1985–1989 (1997). same month, 4 original band members performed during ceremony induction georgia music hall of fame. while rehearsing ceremony, band recorded cover of john lennon s #9 dream instant karma: amnesty international campaign save darfur, tribute album benefiting amnesty international. song—released single album , campaign—featured bill berry s first studio recording band since departure decade earlier.

in october 2006, r.e.m. nominated induction rock , roll hall of fame in first year of eligibility. band 1 of 5 nominees accepted hall year, , induction ceremony took place in march 2007 @ new york s waldorf-astoria hotel. group—which inducted pearl jam lead singer eddie vedder—performed 3 songs bill berry; gardening @ night, man on moon , begin begin cover of wanna dog.

2007–2011: accelerate, collapse now, , breakup

work on group s fourteenth album commenced in 2007. band recorded producer jacknife lee in vancouver , dublin, played 5 nights in olympia theatre between june 30 , july 5 part of working rehearsal . r.e.m. live, band s first live album (featuring songs 2005 dublin show), released in october 2007. group followed 2009 live album live @ olympia, features performances 2007 residency. r.e.m. released accelerate in 2008. album debuted @ number 2 on billboard charts, , became band s eighth album top british album charts. rolling stone reviewer david fricke considered accelerate improvement on band s previous post-berry albums, calling 1 of best records r.e.m. have ever made.

r.e.m. on final tour in 2008

in 2010, r.e.m. released video album r.e.m. live austin, tx—a concert recorded austin city limits in 2008. group recorded fifteenth album, collapse (2011), jacknife lee in locales including berlin, nashville, , new orleans. album, band aimed more expansive sound intentionally short , speedy approach implemented on accelerate. album debuted @ number 5 on billboard 200, becoming group s tenth album reach top ten of chart. release fulfilled r.e.m. s contractual obligations warner bros., , band began recording material without contract few months later possible intention of self-releasing work.

on september 21, 2011, r.e.m. announced via website calling day band . stipe said hoped fans realized wasn t easy decision : things must end, , wanted right, our way. long-time associate , former warner bros. senior vice president of emerging technology ethan kaplan has speculated shake-ups @ record label influenced group s decision disband. group discussed breaking several years, encouraged continue after lackluster critical , commercial performance of around sun; according mills, needed prove, not our fans , critics ourselves, still make great records. uninterested in business end of recording r.e.m. band members finished collaboration assembling compilation album part lies, part heart, part truth, part garbage 1982–2011, released in november 2011. album first collect songs r.e.m. s i.r.s. , warner bros. tenures, 3 songs group s final studio recordings post-collapse sessions. in november, mills , stipe did brief span of promotional appearances in british media, ruling out option of group ever reuniting.

in 2014, unplugged: complete 1991 , 2001 sessions released record store day. digital download collections of i.r.s. , warner bros. rarities followed. later in year, band compiled video album box set remtv, collected 2 unplugged performances along several other documentaries , live shows, while record label released box set 7in—83–88, made of 7 vinyl singles. in december 2015, band members agreed distribution deal concord bicycle music re-release warner bros. albums. continuing maintain copyright , intellectual property legacies, in march of 2016, band signed new music publishing administration deal universal music publishing group, , year later, band members left broadcast music, inc., had represented performance rights entire career, , joined sesac.