Saw this tour at FAU in Boca. The year before they opened for the English Beat at the University of Miami......both were murmur and chronic town sets. loved them and still have a t-shirt somewhere
THANK YOU FOR THIS... Wow whatta blast from the past. I was there that night and as I recall the Killkenny Kats were at Maxwell's the same weekend and The Squalls were playing the Peppermint Lounge in the City. It was an all Athens old home week, goin' on 25 yrs. ago now....
This lyrical nonsense still sends me out of my rocking chair......and represents the long moment in which they were they best possible anti-dote to all the usual bull-shite.
I've seen REM a couple of times and love the old stuff best, but I would kill to see this live. They have never bettered Murmur, though I love almost all their albums, and this is the best song on Murmur, I think.
There ya go...another Fan....of the BEST Co -habitation from these guys..Its got the stringy ry. thing goin during the Verses,and the Ch. with the A downplay (I can hear...)The perfect Mix of writing,Bass line(as usual),and Peters right hand....Damn...Murmur will always be IT...
I absolutely Agree..Murmur is IT - look at 2:52= the Band is so tight and M.S. is right on the money with his impeccable timing..coming back into that last chorus....Damn..I was gonna write about why I didnt like Sgt.Peppers / Magical Mystery Tour...lol...
A great song, tho with REM i have about 100 favorites. I saw them live in 1986 and i aint been the same since. I saw them live in 2004 and just as great. They get different all the time but always awesome.
you can't really tell it from this video, but when michael grins at the start it is because Pete has bumped him with his guitar. He used to do this to get a laugh out of michael. Contrary to other comments here, by this time REM were very professional - they had been stars in Athens for years. And yes, they got even better right up to the green world tour. It was then, in 1989, that they were "on top of the world" - get tourfilm to see them as they were at their height.
Think they got a lot better as a live band later on. Look at their performance at Pinkpop '89. Stipe just got better and better as a frontman as the band progressed. This is quite a weak performance by REM's high standards.
I have to strongly disagree. I lived in Athens in late 70's and early 80's and saw them countless times and they were incredible. IMO they pretty much sucked as a live band after 1985 as did most of their later music..
And I have to strongly AGREE with you. I saw them on their earliest tours out in San Francisco in early 80s, they played smalled venues (of course larger each time) but they left us awestruck and I was in the so-called "rock press" at the time. They were flawless. The singing was a pleasure --having Mike and Bill singing harmonies. Some of the best live shows I ever saw and I saw everyone back then. You were lucky to have seen them in Athens.
"...waisting time sitting still..." per Bill Berry in cd notes to best of R.E.M. "And I Feel Fine." Bill Berry thinks some of Stipe's lyrics are sayings unique to Michael Stipe's family. Read liner notes to Best of R.E.M. the I.R.S. Years. Great insight into their songs and meanings.
Peter's guitar is out of tune here... and it still sounds great....I loved this band so much....
deweypug 4 months ago
Saw this tour at FAU in Boca. The year before they opened for the English Beat at the University of Miami......both were murmur and chronic town sets. loved them and still have a t-shirt somewhere
telair 1 year ago
Mike's bass playing is sublime as always. Such an awesome performance and band.
demonddumas 1 year ago 2
@demonddumas And his harmonies!!! Mills contribution to this band is amazing...
ClueSign 1 year ago 2
Comment removed
veritasrex66 1 year ago
"Brand spankin' new" Great southernism,delivered with a perfect drawl. Love it!
veritasrex66 1 year ago
murmur is such a awesome work...to have that as your early stuff...is one hell of a talent...
rockthistownn 3 years ago
THANK YOU FOR THIS... Wow whatta blast from the past. I was there that night and as I recall the Killkenny Kats were at Maxwell's the same weekend and The Squalls were playing the Peppermint Lounge in the City. It was an all Athens old home week, goin' on 25 yrs. ago now....
GregH1961 3 years ago
Wow, that's so cool that you were at this show.
Nigelxman 2 years ago
@GregH1961 the killkenny kats, there's a name that I havn't heard in a while. 25 years or so!
When I first saw R.E.M. the Neats opened.
MrEX3 1 year ago
This lyrical nonsense still sends me out of my rocking chair......and represents the long moment in which they were they best possible anti-dote to all the usual bull-shite.
molloyx 3 years ago
bill berry in a muscle shirt!
yum
punzelove 3 years ago
he's got very nice arms......
omddeb 3 years ago
A fine example of the early shit I loved then and now. A little off, low end production, but absolute ingenuity and rough edges.
dinnerbucket9 3 years ago
Did anyone notice that Eddie Vedder took both his look and stage presence from this show?
stormcrow7878 3 years ago 10
yes he did...and did it 7 years later
Phishean 3 years ago
ha ha yes that brown t shirt is even older than i thought
zingaradred 3 years ago
And didn't do it 1/10 as well. Though early REM was so ingenious he's not to be faulted for not pulling it off.
ord1711 3 years ago
Three great 'albums' and then a steady fade. But the early shit was inspired and original and raw and a marker for others to come.
dinnerbucket9 3 years ago
the best...god, the best...Murmur one of the best albums ever. and my favorite ....the most important to me...as a 16 year old coming of age...
tarheel8494 3 years ago
I've seen REM a couple of times and love the old stuff best, but I would kill to see this live. They have never bettered Murmur, though I love almost all their albums, and this is the best song on Murmur, I think.
jammy78 4 years ago 4
There ya go...another Fan....of the BEST Co -habitation from these guys..Its got the stringy ry. thing goin during the Verses,and the Ch. with the A downplay (I can hear...)The perfect Mix of writing,Bass line(as usual),and Peters right hand....Damn...Murmur will always be IT...
pianoman9494 4 years ago
questa la suonarono quando vennero ad Ancona nel 2003...che bei ricordi.
nunzioforpresident 4 years ago
probably one of their best songs ay...REMchout - Tnx
pianoman9494 4 years ago
Fantastic! Rockin and rolling! Look at Michael's hair, it's awesome. I so wish i could have been there!
amanita5 4 years ago
If this show was in 1984, why do they introduce this song as "brand spanking new"? It came out on Murmur in 1983. I am confused.
jontv 4 years ago
they were referring to the previous song, old man kensey.
REMchout 4 years ago 2
"murmur" should be in the same breathe as "sgt. pepper". when i was 13 in 1984 it blew me away. i quit listening to journey.
AUS10TEX 4 years ago 3
i'll take murmur over sgt. pepper anyday...
don't stop believin'!!!!
REMchout 4 years ago
I absolutely Agree..Murmur is IT - look at 2:52= the Band is so tight and M.S. is right on the money with his impeccable timing..coming back into that last chorus....Damn..I was gonna write about why I didnt like Sgt.Peppers / Magical Mystery Tour...lol...
pianoman9494 4 years ago
lmao journey. i must say, congratulations.
feedbackinhibition 4 years ago
A great song, tho with REM i have about 100 favorites. I saw them live in 1986 and i aint been the same since. I saw them live in 2004 and just as great. They get different all the time but always awesome.
remfan2000 4 years ago
What happens with Michael? He seems like... what happens with Michael!
Bagwell20 4 years ago
you can't really tell it from this video, but when michael grins at the start it is because Pete has bumped him with his guitar. He used to do this to get a laugh out of michael. Contrary to other comments here, by this time REM were very professional - they had been stars in Athens for years. And yes, they got even better right up to the green world tour. It was then, in 1989, that they were "on top of the world" - get tourfilm to see them as they were at their height.
jmp61616 4 years ago
My most favourite off murmur
hematite122 4 years ago
Holy crap I was at this show!!!!! Thank you so much for posting. They were such a great live band back then.
BushInJail 4 years ago
Think they got a lot better as a live band later on. Look at their performance at Pinkpop '89. Stipe just got better and better as a frontman as the band progressed. This is quite a weak performance by REM's high standards.
TheGargantuanSock 4 years ago
I have to strongly disagree. I lived in Athens in late 70's and early 80's and saw them countless times and they were incredible. IMO they pretty much sucked as a live band after 1985 as did most of their later music..
BushInJail 4 years ago
I guess we'll have to agree to disagree then!
TheGargantuanSock 4 years ago
And I have to strongly AGREE with you. I saw them on their earliest tours out in San Francisco in early 80s, they played smalled venues (of course larger each time) but they left us awestruck and I was in the so-called "rock press" at the time. They were flawless. The singing was a pleasure --having Mike and Bill singing harmonies. Some of the best live shows I ever saw and I saw everyone back then. You were lucky to have seen them in Athens.
ClueSign 4 years ago
one of my preferite songs ever
felicevbagnato 4 years ago
"...waisting time sitting still..." per Bill Berry in cd notes to best of R.E.M. "And I Feel Fine." Bill Berry thinks some of Stipe's lyrics are sayings unique to Michael Stipe's family. Read liner notes to Best of R.E.M. the I.R.S. Years. Great insight into their songs and meanings.
Ruda59 4 years ago
one of their best songs ever! THank you again
ddoublled 4 years ago