R.E.M. Hall of Fame Induction- Gardening At Night

R.E.M. plays Gardening at night at their 2007 rock and roll hall of fame induction

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Music

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• R.e.m.
• hall
• of
• fame
• rock
• and
• roll

[tarheel1967]

Actually, REM's best years were the years with IRS records. They had greater commercial success when they went to Warner Bros., but there's something about those first 5 records that is incredible. They also went astray after the fired Jefferson Holt. They always referred to him as their 5th member. I think the music went in a different direction when he was no longer in the picture.

[SMThomasson]

Fucking emotional.

[lordsalisbury1]

BILL BERRY!

Bill Berry.

Bill dot Berry.

[bernlin2000]

@toribjork10 Yeah their career can clearly be broken up into sets of 5 albums: the IRS albums are numbered 5, and then the ones with Bill at Warner are numbered 5 as well. As a 3-piece band there were 5 albums. Honestly, the beginning of those sets are usually my favorite albums (although I do like Out of Time somewhat more than Green): Murmur, Green, Up of those 3 sets though, it's hard to disagree that the first set is the best artistically.

[bernlin2000]

@tarheel1967 It's a deep musical integrity: they didn't lose it when they moved to Warner brothers, but it did change. They became more popular, but there was an "innocence lost" turning point.

[MusicalElitist1]

@tarheel1967: Also when Bill left them, they lost some of thier magic.

[toribjork10]

yeah yeah, the IRS years were great of course. but IMO, my personal fave era was monster, hi-fi, and up. those 3 records have some of my favorite REM songs. new adventures in hi-fi is probably my favorite REM record released. however i'm kinda partial to reckoning also.

[toribjork10]

@gilly775 yeah but berry left way after the first five records. there's a definate sound change after document. then again after hi-fi, which is also when holt left. and when around the sun came out they changed their sound again... but i think you're right though in that i don't think holt had anything to do with their musical direction. i like the IRS years, but i'm also a big fan of monster, hi-fi, and up also. i think people discredit some of their later records that are amazing.

[gilly775]

@tarheel1967: Wth??? "astray" after Holt was fired? Are you kidding me? Berry left the band. That alone was why the REM sound changed because they had a drum machine for most of the songs on Up. Not because of Holt being canned. Check the interviews. The members of REM all mentioned the different sound because of Berry leaving and that they wanted to experiment.

[echadmeir]

FIrst time I heard this, my roommate, a Southerner, came back to school from break in '84 and said I just had to listen to this. Great then and now. Just so alive.

[atotalzoo]

@peacefrogx I'm quite sure there will never be a reunion..........

[MAMRetro]

@tarheel1967 Can't agree with you more on your comments from a year ago. There's not a bad song an any of the first five IRS albums. Quality and brilliance. Sure, they made good records after that but the foundation of their fan base and their following lay in the first five releases, and the Chronic Town EP.