rem tour 1992

Chronological Snobbery

Looking into the forgotten crevices of popular culture.

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

• R.E.M. - Automatically Live (1992)

Athens homeboys R.E.M. opened and closed their 1992 world tour with a single performance Thursday night at their hometown 40 Watt Club. The invitation-only event was a benefit recording for Greenpeace, which set up a solar-powered recording van for the occasion. The band played an 80-minute set for a capacity crowd of 600, showcasing tunes from their new album, "Automatic for the People," including a starkly rhythmic rearrangement of their current hit, "Drive." "This is an exclusive," announced vocalist Michael Stipe , garbed in his trademark baggy pants and backward fishing cap. He said none of the songs had ever been performed live. Though obviously not too rehearsed, the group gathered steam and wrapped up the show with looselimbed versions of Iggy Pop's " Funtime " and their first recording, "Radio Free Europe." Guitarist Peter Buck, looking madrigal in a Renaissance-era pageboy do, hauled out his folksy acoustic instruments, including mandolin and dulcimer. Somewhere in the back in the dark, a blond woman, alleged to be Kim Basinger , swayed. 1

MICHAEL STIPE : Thank you, you're very generous.

STIPE : Thank you, you're very generous. I think Mike has a story to tell. You can use my mic. MIKE MILLS: Peter and I just spent a week in Israel. We did a couple of days of press in Tel Aviv , and we used the opportunity to rent a Jeep and go riding about the countryside in Israel. We ended up on the Dead Sea at this strange resort hotel called Nirvana , of all things. (Laughter). And we were there talking to our friend, Karen Rose, who used to live here and now lives in Israel. And she said that she deejays sometimes and she wondered why nobody ever requested "Losing My Religion" over there. She asked a friend of hers, "How come nobody asks for 'Losing My Religion'"? And the guy said, "They do, all the time, they just don't know the English - they don't know what to call it, so they always ask for 'Oh, Life.'" (Laughter). So, that was our watch word while we were in Israel. Anytime something would happen, we would go "Oh, life." So now, for you, "Oh, Life."

STIPE : We're going to play four more songs, three of which I don't have the words to. So, I'm going to ask anyone who knows the words really well to please come down to the front. If it looks like I'm faltering, just holler the first word and I'll pick up from there. MILLS: Holly? STIPE : You know, my first cue is silence, that's a very important one. Here we go.

STIPE : I really might need help on this one.

STIPE : Thank you. MILLS: Some people think that using the capo is cheating. I'm not one of them. STIPE : Baby. MILLS: See, if it's not cheating, it doesn't work. STIPE : What's that about capos, Mike? MILLS: See, I hate these things. Okay, it is cheating.

STIPE : Is Gwen O'Looney in the house? This song goes out to Gwen O'Looney .

STIPE : We don't really know what to play now. (People shout requests). We've never played that before. (More shouts for requests). You're going to have to take turns. I can't understand you. We've never played any of those songs before, and we've - actually we haven't played most of the songs that we played tonight before, so this is kind of an exclusive. You should feel very special, because you are special. We're all special. We have a new government . (Cheers.). At least on the national level. I hope everybody here knows that on Tuesday, which is November 24, we have to go and vote for Wyche Fowler for U.S. Senate. He's really a good man. I mean that. This next song has absolutely nothing to do with senatorial races or Wyche Fowler. In fact, I don't even sing lead vocal on it. Mike Mills does.

(More shouts of requests). STIPE : I have nothing to say.

STIPE : Thank you, good night.

Taking a break from acting local in order to think global, on 19 November R.E.M. played only their second show of the year at the 40 Watt Club. It was organised especially for Greenpeace, the organisation using the solar-powered mobile recording studio Cyrus to tape the show. A version of 'Drive", specially funked-up for the occasion, was chosen to join 15 similarly recorded songs by other artists on the compilation album Alternative NRG , released in January 1994.

Before too long a DAT audience recording of the show was put out on bootleg-CD (remember, this was the heyday of CD-bootlegging). If I recall correctly, 'Automatically Live' on the legendary Kiss The Stone imprint ( KTS 141) was the first to hit the streets. Countless other discs would follow, the best of which (and the most complete) being 'This Is It' (Red Phantom RPCD 1117). The popularity of the show is hardly surprising, given that the band gave a sterling performance that night and did no other gigging in support of 'Automatic for the People' (the then-current album). To boot, Buck & co were in great spirits, entertaining the homecrowd with amusing in-between banter, AND the available audience recording was remarkably clear (if, ultimately, a bit dull sounding). In due time, a soundboard recording of the first song played at the gig (a great funked-up version of Drive) appeared on the aforementioned Greenpeace CD (January 1994). The bulk of the show was later released in the form of bonus tracks on the four CD-singles released to promote the Monster album (three tracks apiece). However, while the songs themselves sound incredible (especially 'Country Feedback', which by late 1992 had not yet been turned into the pompous dirge it became during the 'Monster' tour), the end result did not add up to a complete presentation of the show: apart from the first take of 'Drive', one more song was left off (a not particularly strong version of 'Love Is All Around', the Troggs cover which the band had performed so well in acoustic guise during the promo-tour for 'Out Of Time'), as well as the major part of the great chats in between songs.

On November 19, 1992, R.E.M. gave an invitation-only, solar-powered performance at Athens' 40 Watt Club to record a song for an upcoming Greenpeace album that will promote solar energy. Along with two takes of "Drive" (electric versions, one of which will appear on the album), the band performed "Monty Got a Raw Deal", "Everybody Hurts", and "Man on the Moon", followed by classics including "Losing My Religion", "Begin the Begin", and a "cattle-call" version of "Radio Free Europe". Accompanying R.E.M. was John Keane, who provided assistance on bass, pedal-steel guitar and acoustic guitar. In response to questions about a tour, Peter Buck said: "This is it. This is the tour. And after this we are going to take a long rest." This show has been bootlegged on CD under several titles, the best sounding and most complete version being "We Support Greenpeace." A well-shot video of this performance was also available at one time in the underground market.

2 comments:

Fantastic post about a favorite bootleg of mine. If you don't mind, I linked to this on my post for today. It's Michael Stipe's birthday, y'know ...

I just found this while listening to Monster. This is a great bootleg to have. A blast to listen to. Thanks for the thorough breakdown!

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• January 31, 1992 Setlist

R.E.M. Setlist at 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA, USA

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• Losing My Religion Play Video
• Arms of Love ( Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians  cover) Play Video
• Country Feedback Play Video
• Love Is All Around ( The Troggs  cover) Play Video
• Fall on Me Play Video
• Finest Worksong Play Video
• I Can Only Give You Everything ( Them  cover) Play Video
• Funtime ( Iggy Pop  cover) Play Video

Note: Mental Health Benefit

Edits and Comments

6 activities (last edit by PhilippeLandry , 15 Mar 2018, 05:08 Etc/UTC )

Songs on Albums

• Arms of Love by Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians
• Funtime by Iggy Pop
• I Can Only Give You Everything by Them
• Love Is All Around by The Troggs
• Country Feedback
• Losing My Religion
• Finest Worksong

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R.e.m. gig timeline.

• Jun 15 1991 40 Watt Club Athens, GA, USA Add time Add time
• Nov 10 1991 Madison-Morgan Cultural Center Madison, GA, USA Add time Add time
• Jan 31 1992 40 Watt Club This Setlist Athens, GA, USA Add time Add time
• Nov 19 1992 40 Watt Club Athens, GA, USA Add time Add time
• Sep 02 1993 MTV Video Music Awards 1993 Universal City, CA, USA Add time Add time

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R.E.M. Concerts 1990s

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April 5, 1990 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA (supporting Beast Penis and Jarvik 8)

March 14-15, 1991 Borderline, London, ENG (supported by Chickasaw Mudd Puppies)

March 22, 1991 Shocking Club, Milan, ITY

April 28, 1991 Capitol Plaza Music Hall, Charleston, WV (Mountain Stage, with Larry Groce, Robyn Hitchcock, Clive Gregson & Christine Collister, Bob Thompson, Billy Bragg, Twister Sisters, and Peter Holsapple)

June 15, 1991 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA (supported by Vic Chesnutt)

January 31, 1992 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA (Mental Health Benefit, supported by Five Eight and Michelle Malone)

November 19, 1992 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA (Alternative NRG, Greenpeace Benefit show)

September 2, 1993 Universal Amphitheater, Universal City, CA (MTV Video Music Awards, with Madonna, Lenny Kravitz, Sting, Soul Asylum, Aerosmith, Naughty By Nature, The Spin Doctors, Pearl Jam, The Edge, and Janet Jackson)

R.E.M. Aneurysm '95 Tour:

(supported by Radiohead from August 1-October 1, unless noted)

January 13-14, 1995 Perth Entertainment Center, Perth, Australia (supported by Died Pretty and Grant Lee Buffalo)

January 16, 1995 Adelaide Entertainment Center, Adelaide, Australia (supported by Died Pretty and Grant Lee Buffalo)

January 18-20, 1995 Sydney Entertainment Center, Sydney, Australia (supported by Died Pretty and Grant Lee Buffalo)

January 22-23, 1995 Brisbane Entertainment Center, Brisbane, Australia (supported by Died Pretty and Grant Lee Buffalo)

January 25-26, 1995 Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, Australia (supported by Died Pretty and Grant Lee Buffalo)

January 28, 1995 Western Springs Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo and Crowded House)

February 1-2, 1995 Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo)

February 4, 1995 Taipei International Convention Center, Taipei, Taiwan (supported by Sissey Chau)

February 5, 1995 Queen Elizabeth Arena, Hong Kong, CHN

February 7, 1995 Singapore Indoor Stadium, Singapore

February 15, 1995 Anoeta Velodrome, San Sebastian, Spain (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo)

February 17, 1995 Madrid Community Sports Palace, Madrid, Spain (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo)

February 18, 1995 Sant Jordi Palace, Barcelona, Spain (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo)

February 19, 1995 Zenith Omega, Toulon, France (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo)

February 20, 1995 PalaStampa, Turin, Italy (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo)

February 22-23, 1995 PalaEUR, Rome, Italy (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo)

February 24-26, 1995 Assago Forum, Milan, Italy (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo)

February 27, 1995 Bologna Sports Hall, Bologna, Italy (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo)

March 1, 1995 De Malley Ice Rink, Lausanne, Switzerland (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo)

March 2-3, 1995 Zurich Indoor Stadium, Zurich, Switzerland (cancelled due to Bill Berry brain aneurysm)

March 5, 1995 Toulouse Sports Palace, Toulouse, France (cancelled due to Bill Berry brain aneurysm)

March 6, 1995 Tony Garnier Hall, Lyon, France (cancelled due to Bill Berry brain aneurysm)

March 9, 1995 Galaxy, Amneville, France (cancelled due to Bill Berry brain aneurysm)

March 13, 1995 Hamburg Sport Hall, Hamburg, Germany (cancelled due to Bill Berry brain aneurysm)

March 14-15, 1995 Festhalle, Frankfurt, GER (cancelled due to Bill Berry brain aneurysm)

March 17, 1995 Hans Martin Schleyer Hall, Stuttgart, Germany (cancelled due to Bill Berry brain aneurysm)

March 18, 1995 Franken Hall, Nuremberg, Germany (cancelled due to Bill Berry brain aneurysm)

March 20-21, 1995 Olympia Hall, Munich, Germany (cancelled due to Bill Berry brain aneurysm)

March 23-24, 1995 Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Germany (cancelled due to Bill Berry brain aneurysm)

March 27-28, 1995 Deutschland Hall, Berlin, Germany (cancelled due to Bill Berry brain aneurysm)

March 30, 1995 Helsinki Ice Hockey Stadium, Helsinki, Finland (cancelled due to Bill Berry brain aneurysm)

April 1, 1995 Globe Arena, Stockholm, Sweden (cancelled due to Bill Berry brain aneurysm)

April 2, 1995 Scandinavium, Gothenburg, Sweden (cancelled due to Bill Berry brain aneurysm)

April 3, 1995 Spektrum, Oslo, Norway (cancelled due to Bill Berry brain aneurysm)

April 5, 1995 Forum, Copenhagen, Denmark (cancelled due to Bill Berry brain aneurysm)

April 7 & 9-11, 1995 Wembley Arena, London, England (cancelled due to Bill Berry brain aneurysm)

April 13-14, 1995 NEC Arena, Birmingham, England (cancelled due to Bill Berry brain aneurysm)

April 16-17, 1995 Scottish Exhibition & Conference Center, Glasgow, Scotland (cancelled due to Bill Berry brain aneurysm)

April 19-20, 1995 Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, England (cancelled due to Bill Berry brain aneurysm)

May 3-4, 1995 Blockbuster Desert Sky Pavilion, Phoenix, AZ (Cancelled, Tour Rehearsals)

May 5, 1995 Blockbuster Desert Sky Pavilion, Phoenix, AZ (Cancelled, supported by Sonic Youth)

May 6, 1995 Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV (Cancelled, supported by Sonic Youth)

May 7, 1995 Sports Arena, San Diego, CA (Cancelled, supported by Sonic Youth)

May 9-10, 1995 Great Western Forum, Inglewood, CA (Cancelled, supported by Sonic Youth)

May 12-13, 1995 Arrowhead Pond Of Anaheim, Anaheim, CA (Cancelled, supported by Sonic Youth)

May 14, 1995 Glen Helen Blockbuster Pavilion, Devore, CA (Cancelled, supported by Sonic Youth)

May 15-17, 1995 Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View, CA (supported by Sonic Youth)

May 19, 1995 Memorial Coliseum, Portland, OR (supported by Sonic Youth)

May 20, 1995 Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, BC (supported by Sonic Youth)

May 21, 1995 Gorge Amphitheater, George, WA (supported by Sonic Youth)

May 23, 1995 Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT (supported by Sonic Youth)

May 24-25, 1995 Fiddler's Green Amphitheater, Greenwood Village, CO (supported by Sonic Youth)

May 27-28, 1995 Sandstone Amphitheater, Bonner Springs, KS (supported by Sonic Youth)

May 30, 1995 Target Center, Minneapolis, MN (supported by Sonic Youth)

May 31, 1995 Marcus Amphitheater, Milwaukee, WI (supported by Luscious Jackson)

June 2-4, 1995 Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, IL (supported by Luscious Jackson)

June 6-7, 1995 The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, MI (supported by Luscious Jackson)

June 9, 1995 Polaris Amphitheater, Columbus, OH (supported by Luscious Jackson)

June 10, 1995 Star Lake Amphitheater, Pittsburgh, PA (supported by Luscious Jackson)

June 11, 1995 Gund Arena, Cleveland, OH (supported by Luscious Jackson)

June 13, 1995 Molson Amphitheater, Toronto, ON (supported by Luscious Jackson)

June 14, 1995 Forum, Montreal, QC (supported by Luscious Jackson)

June 16-18, 1995 Great Woods Performing Arts Center, Boston, MA (supported by Luscious Jackson)

June 20, 1995 Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, NY (supported by Luscious Jackson)

June 22-24, 1995 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY (supported by Luscious Jackson)

June 28, 1995 Waldbuhne, Berlin, GER (supported by The Cranberries)

June 29, 1995 Roskilde Festival Site, Roskilde, Denmark (Roskilde Festival, with The Armageddon Dildos, Belly, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Biohazard, Blur, Bo Stief, Bob Dylan, Body Count, The Boredoms, Bunny Wailer, Capercaillie, Caspar Brotzmann, Cathedral, Centuras, Cords, Craig Mack, C.V. Jorgensen, D-A-D, Deborah Harry, Di Leva, Dick Dale, Dizzy Mizz Lizzy, DJ Typhoon, Dreadzone, Eat Static, Echobelly, Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Fluke, Freak Kitchen, Freak Power, Freddy Johnson, Fun-Da-Mental, G.Love & Special Sauce, Gene, George Thorogood & The Destroyers, Gil Scott-Heron, Goldie, Grant McLennan, The Gravediggaz, Hotel Hunger, Ice-T, Inside the Whale, Jason & The Scorchers, Jeff Buckley, Jimmy Page & Robert Plant, Johnny Madsen, Katell Keineg, Kemistry & Storm, Konkhra, Koxbox, Les Hommes Qui Wear Espandrillos, Les Tambours du Bronx, Lisa Germano, Little Annie, Love Shop, LIVE, Massive Attack, Martin Hall, Marxman, MC 900 Ft. Jesus, Mikael Wiehe, Millencolin, Morphine, Nationalteatern, Napalm Death, Neneh Cherry, NOFX, Oasis, Odd Gallery, Paul Oakenfold, Paul Weller, PJ Harvey, The Pretty Maids, The Prophets of Da City, Psyched Up Janis, Psychick Warriors ov Gaia, Renegade Soundwave, Sanne Salomonsen, Savage Affair, Seigmen, Shane McGowan & The Popes, Shed Seven, Sheryl Crow, Shihad, Shinehead, Shootyz Groove, Sick of It All, Silverchair, Sinead O'Connor, Slash's Snakepit, Soul Asylum, Soul Coughing, Space Head, Spearhead, Strawberry Slaughterhouse, Stretch Arm Strong, Suede, Supergrass, Testament, The Aloof, The Black Crowes, The Brandos, The Cardigans, The Chemical Brothers, The Cranberries, The Cure, The Flaming Lips, The Mutton Birds, The Neville Brothers, The Offspring, The Prodigy, The Roots, The Saw Doctors, The Selecter, The Source Experience, The Young Gods, These Animal Men, Thomas Helming, Tiamat, Tricky, Urban Turban, Urge Overkill, Van Halen, Velvet Belly, Velvet Crush, Veruca Salt, Waltari, War, Weezer, Weld, Whale, dEUS, downset.)

July 1, 1995 Torhout Festival Park, Torhout, Belgium (Rock Torhout, with Belly, Body Count, Channel Zero, Jeff Buckley, LIVE, Morphine, PJ Harvey, Senser, Spearhead, The Cranberries, The Cure, The Offspring, Therapy?, and dEUS)

July 2, 1995 Werchter Festival Park, Rotselaar, Belgium (Rock Werchter, with Belly, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Body Count, Channel Zero, The Dave Matthews Band, Jeff Buckley, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Morphine, Orbital, PJ Harvey, Senser, The Cranberries, The Cure, The Offspring, The Scene, Therapy?, Tricky, Weezer, and dEUS)

July 3, 1995 Bercy Omnisports Palace, Paris, France (supported by Belly and The Cranberries)

July 5, 1995 Ernst Happel Stadium, Vienna, Austria (supported by Belly and The Cranberries)

July 7, 1995 Great Allmend, Frauenfeld, Switzerland (Out In the Green, with Belly, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Clawfinger, Dream Theater, Elton John, Faith No More, George Thorogood & The Destroyers, Inner Circle, Jimmy Page & Robert Plant, Kix, Megadeth, Nathan Cavaleri, Oasis, The Pat Travers Band, Paul Rodgers, Paul Weller, Rod Stewart, Shane MacGowan & The Popes, Sheryl Crow, Silverchair, Slash's Snakepit, Status Quo, The Beautiful South, The Dubliners, The Kelly Family, The Neville Brothers, Ugly Kid Joe, Vanessa-Mae, Warrant)

July 8, 1995 Harness Bahrenfeld, Hamburg, Germany (supported by Belly and The Cranberries)

July 9, 1995 Outdoor Swimming Pool Area, Duren, Germany (supported by Belly, Oasis, and The Cranberries)

July 11, 1995 Slavia Stadium, Prague, Czech Republic (cancelled due to Mike Mills abdominal surgery)

July 13-14, 1995 Prince of Oranjehal, Utrecht, Netherlands (cancelled due to Mike Mills abdominal surgery)

July 15, 1995 Kitzingen Airfield, Kitzingen, Germany (cancelled due to Mike Mills abdominal surgery)

July 17, 1995 Prince Phillip Hall, Zaragoza, Spain (cancelled due to Mike Mills abdominal surgery)

July 18, 1995 Ventas Bullring, Madrid, Spain (cancelled due to Mike Mills abdominal surgery)

July 20, 1995 Jose Alvalade Stadium, Lisbon, Portugal (cancelled due to Mike Mills abdominal surgery)

July 22, 1995 Slane Castle, Slane, Ireland (Slane Festival, with Belly, Luka Broom, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Oasis, and Sharon Shannon)

July 23, 1995 Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff, WAL (supported by Belly, Del Amitri & The Cranberries)

July 25-26, 1995 Alfred McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield, ENG (supported by Magnapop (25th), Belly (25th), Echobelly (26th), Terrorvision (26th) & The Beautiful South)

July 27, 1995 Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland (supported by Belly, Spearhead, and The Cranberries)

July 29-31, 1995 National Bowl, Milton Keynes, ENG (supported by (29th) Belly & Blur & (30th) Sleeper, Radiohead & The Cranberries)

August 1, 1995 Waldbuhne, Berlin, GER (supported by Radiohead)

August 3, 1995 Spektrum, Oslo, NOR (supported by Radiohead)

August 4, 1995 Maritime Museum, Stockholm, SWE (supported by Radiohead)

August 6, 1995 Cibali Stadium, Catania, ITY (supported by Radiohead & Flor)

August 9, 1995 Ramat Gan Stadium, Ramat Gan, ISR (supported by Radiohead)

August 11, 1995 Prague Sports Hall, Prague, Czech Republic (supported by Echobelly)

September 7, 1995 Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY (MTV Video Music Awards, with Alanis Morissette, Bon Jovi, Green Day, Hole, Hootie & The Blowfish, LIVE, Michael Jackson, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Silverchair, TLC, and White Zombie)

September 8, 1995 Miami Arena, Miami, FL (supported by Radiohead)

September 9, 1995 Thunder Dome, St. Petersburg, FL (supported by Radiohead)

September 11, 1995 Starwood Amphitheater, Nashville, TN (supported by Radiohead)

September 12, 1995 Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center, Birmingham, AL (supported by Radiohead)

September 13, 1995 Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Baton Rouge, LA (supported by Radiohead)

September 15-16, 1995 Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, The Woodlands, TX (supported by Radiohead)

September 17, 1995 South Park Meadows, Austin, TX (supported by Natalie Merchant & Radiohead)

September 19, 1995 Reunion Arena, Dallas, TX (supported by Radiohead)

September 20, 1995 Starplex Amphitheater, Dallas, TX (supported by Radiohead)

September 22-23, 1995 Riverport Amphitheater, St. Louis, MO (supported by Radiohead)

September 24, 1995 New World Music Theater, Chicago, IL (supported by Radiohead)

September 26, 1995 Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN (supported by Radiohead)

September 27, 1995 Jack Breslin Student Events Center, Lansing, MI (supported by Radiohead)

September 29, 1995 Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, NY (supported by Radiohead)

September 30, 1995 Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey, PA (supported by Radiohead)

October 1, 1995 Meadows Music Theater, Hartford, CT (supported by Radiohead)

October 3, 1995 FleetCenter, Boston, MA (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo)

October 4, 1995 Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo)

October 6, 1995 Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo)

October 7, 1995 Nassau Coliseum, Hempstead, NY (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo)

October 9, 1995 Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo)

October 10, 1995 Richmond Coliseum, Richmond, VA (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo)

October 12-14, 1995 The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo)

October 16-17, 1995 USAir Arena, Landover, MD (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo)

October 18, 1995 Nissan Pavilion, Linton Hall, VA (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo)

October 20, 1995 Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo)

October 21, 1995 Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, OH (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo)

October 22, 1995 Crisler Arena, Ann Arbor, MI (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo)

October 24, 1995 Hilton Coliseum, Ames, IA (supported by Grant Lee Buffalo)

October 27, 1995 Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV (supported by Luscious Jackson)

October 28, 1995 Sports Arena, San Diego, CA (supported by Luscious Jackson)

October 30-31, 1995 Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, CA (supported by Luscious Jackson)

November 1, 1995 Great Western Forum, Los Angeles, CA (supported by Luscious Jackson)

November 3, 1995 Glen Helen Pavilion, San Bernardino, CA (supported by The Gin Blossoms, The Meat Puppets, and Luscious Jackson)

November 4, 1995 Desert Sky Pavilion, Phoenix, AZ (supported by Luscious Jackson)

November 7, 1995 Pyramid Arena, Memphis, TN (supported by Luscious Jackson)

November 8, 1995 Thompson-Boling Arena, Knoxville, TN (supported by Luscious Jackson)

November 10, 1995 Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center, Chapel Hill, NC (supported by Luscious Jackson)

November 11, 1995 Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC (supported by Luscious Jackson)

November 12, 1995 Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, NC (supported by Luscious Jackson)

November 14, 1995 Leon County Civic Center, Tallahassee, FL (cancelled due to storm damaging venue)

November 15, 1995 Orlando Arena, Orlando, FL (supported by Luscious Jackson)

November 16, 1995 North Charleston Coliseum, Charleston, SC (supported by Luscious Jackson)

November 18-19 & 21, 1995 Omni, Atlanta, GA (supported by Luscious Jackson)

June 14, 1998 Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Washington D.C. (Tibetan Freedom Concert, with Money Mark, Mutabaruka, KRS-One, The Dave Matthews Band, Live, Herbie Hancock & The Headhunters, Sean Lennon, Buffalo Daughter, Pulp, The Jungle Brothers, Wyclef Jean, The Wallflowers, Blues Traveller, Radiohead, Luscious Jackson, Sonic Youth, A Tribe Called Quest, The Beastie Boys, Pearl Jam, and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Tracey Chapman, Beck, and Patti Smith cancelled)

June 15, 1998 United States Capitol West Lawn, Washington, DC (National Day of Action for Tibet Rally, with Perry Farrell, David Crosby & Sean Lennon, and Thom Yorke)

October 17-18, 1998 Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View, CA (Bridge School Benefit Concert, with Jonathan Richman, The Wallflowers, The Barenaked Ladies, Sarah McLauchlan, Phish, Neil Young, and The Eels)

October 21, 1998 Bowery Ballroom, New York City, NY

November 2, 1998 Verdigris, Hamburg, GER

November 6, 1998 Orpheum Theater, Vienna, AUT

November 9, 1998 Stockholm Winter Garden, Stockholm, SWE

November 12, 1998 FilaForum, Milan, ITY (MTV Europe Music Awards, with Faithless, Madonna, All Saints, The Manic Street Preachers, Aqua, Pras & Destiny's Child, Five, Busta Rhymes, Rammstein, and Robbie Williams)

February 22, 1999 Carnegie Hall, New York City, NY (Tibet House Benefit Concert, with Phillip Glass, Robert Thurman, Chakasam-Pa, Cibo Matto, Shawn Colvin, Foday Suso, Nawang Khechog & Peter Kater, Trey Anastasio, and Patti Smith & The Patti Smith Group)

February 25, 1999 Ariston Theater, San Remo, ITY (San Remo Music Festival, with Al Bano, Alanis Morissette, Alex Britti, Allegra, Anna Oxa, Antonella Ruggiero, Arianna Martina Bergamaschi, Blur, Boris, Cher, Daniele Groff, Daniele Silvestri, Dr. Livingstone, Elena Cataneo, Emilia, Enzo Gragnaniello e Ornella Vanoni, Eugenio Finardi, Filippa Giordano, Five, Francesca Chiara, Franco Battiato, Gatto Panceri, Gianluca Grignani, Gianni Morandi, Irene Lamedica, Ivano Fossati, Jose Carreras, Leda Battisti, Lenny Kravitz, Mariah Carey, Mariella Nava, Marina Rei, Massimo Di Cataldo, Max Gazze, Nada, Nino D'Angelo, Orchestra di Musica Leggera Della RAI di Roma, Quintorigo, Riccardo Cocciante, Ricky Martin, Skunk Anansie, Soerba, Stadio,

March 2, 1999 The Tabernacle, London, ENG

March 4, 1999 Congress Centrum, Hamburg, GER (Echo Awards, with Cher, Alanis Morrisette, The Lighthouse Family, and Modern Talking)

March 6, 1999 CEZ Arena, Plzen, CZR (Czech Grammy Awards)

Summer 1999 Tour:

June 17, 1999 Atlantic Pavilion, Lisbon, POR (supported by Suede)

June 19, 1999 La Peineta Stadium, Madrid, SPA (Gutierrez Festival, with Hole, Manta Ray, Melon Diesel, Molotov, Orbital, Placebo, and Sexy Sadie)

June 20, 1999 Vial Institute of Vigo, Vigo, SPA (supported by Sexy Sadie)

June 22-23, 1999 Earls Court, London, ENG (supported by (22nd) Stereolab & (23rd) Wilco)

June 25, 1999 Worthy Farm, Pilton, ENG (Glastonbury Festival, with Add N to (X), Al Green, Annie Christian, Ash, The Barenaked Ladies, Beth Orton, Billy Bragg, Binary Finary, Bjorn Again, Blondie, Breakbeat Era, Built to Spill, Burning Spear, Bush, Cast, The Chicks, Coldplay, Cornelius, Courtney Pine, Death in Vegas, Delirious?, DJ Cash Money, Dodgy, Dogstar, The Doves, Dr. Didg, Dr. Dooom, Electrasy, Eliza Carthy, Everlast, Fabio & Grooverider, Fatboy Slim, FC Kahuna, Feeder, The Freestylers, FreQ Nasty, The Fun Lovin' Criminals, Gay Dad, Gomez, Headrillaz, Heather Nova, Henry McCullough, Hole, Hurricane #1, Ian Dury & The Blockheads, Impulsion, Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros, Junior Delgado, Kelis, Krust, Kula Shaker, Lamb, Lenny Kravitz, The London Community Gospel Choir, Los Amigos Invisibles, The Manic Street Preachers, Marianne Faithfull, Mercury Rev, Merz, Mishka, Mogwai, Moke, Muse, Nojahoda, Orbital, Patti Smith, Paul Oakenfold, Pavement, The Queens of the Stone Age, Rasmus, Roots Manuva, Roy Harper, The Scratch Perverts, Sharkey, Sharon Shannon, Skunk Anansie, Snowpony, Squarepusher, Straw, The Super Furry Animals, Texas, The Beautiful South, The Cardigans, The Chemical Brothers, The Corrs, The Creatures, The Delgados, The Roots, Tindersticks, Toploader, Travis, Ultrasound, Underworld, Wilco, Witness, Yothu Yindi, Younger Younger 28's, and dEUS)

June 26, 1999 Oberhausen Arena, Oberhausen, GER (supported by Wilco and Suede)

June 27, 1999 Festhalle, Frankfurt, GER (supported by Wilco and Suede)

June 29, 1999 Niedersachsenstadion Sport Park, Hanover, GER (supported by Catatonia and Suede)

June 30, 1999 Wuhlheide Park, Berlin, GER (supported by Catatonia and Suede)

July 2, 1999 Roskilde Festival Site, Roskilde, DEN (Roskilde Festival, with 22-Pistepirkko, The A1 People, Al Green, Albita, Alliance Ethnik, An der beat, Andre Williams, Apoptygma Berzerk, B12, Badmarsh & Shri, The Barenaked Ladies, Basement Jaxx, Blonde Redhead, Blondie, Blur, Built to Spill, Busi Mhlongo, Carlinhos Brown, Cassius, Chaser, Cibo Matto, Coldcut, Cornelius, Covenant, Daude, Death in Vegas, Deepfried Toguma, Den Gale Pose, Derrick Carter, Die Sterne, DJ 360 Degrees, DJ Frank E, DJ Gilb'R, DJ Rap, Echo & The Bunnymen, Ernest Ranglin, Eva Dahlgren, Everlast, Fabio & Grooverider, Faithless, Frederic Galliano, Gluecifer, The Guano Apes, Hallucinogen, HammerFall, Heather Nova, Hedningarna, Hotel Hunger, I:Cube, Jello Biafara, Johnny Madsen, Junior Delgado, Kashmir, Koxbox, Lamb, Liberator, Los Amigos Invisibles, Maas, Mangu, The Manic Street Preachers, Marcos Valle, Margareth Menezes, Marilyn Manson, Maryam Mursal, Mbongeni Ngema, Mercury Rev, Metallica, Ministry, Minus 8, Mixmaster Wolf, Molotov, Monster Magnet, Moses Taiwa Molelekwa, Motorpsycho, Mouse on Mars, Nashville Pussy, Noise Khanyile & The Jo'burg City Stars, Olu Dara, On Trial, Opiate, Orbital, Phuzekhemisi, Placebo, Pole, Port Friendly, Psyched Up Janis, Radio Tarifa, The Raga Rockers, Raul Paz, Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali, Robbie Williams, Rue East, Saiko-Pod, Salamat, Schneider TM, Silicone Soul, Skunk Anansie, Solex, Spain, The Stereophonics, Suede, The Superheroes, Teebee, The Boulevard Connection, The Burnouts, The Chemical Brothers, The Creatures, The Divine Comedy, The Flaming Lips, The Makers, The Nomads, The Rasmus, The Residents, The Roots, The Tubes, The Tuesdays, Thomas Helming, Tim Christensen, Transglobal Underground, Trigbag, Tu Nokwe, TV-2, Ulf Lundell, Yossi Fine, Waldemar Bastos, Wilco, Withering Surface, and bob hund)

July 4, 1999 Werchter Festival Park, Rotselaar, BEL (Rock Werchter, with The Afro Celt Sound System, Anouk, Bjorn Again, Blur, Bryan Adams, Everlast, Faithless, Fatboy Slim, Heather Nova, Lamb, Lenny Kravitz, Live, The Manic Street Preachers, Marilyn Manson, Mercury Rev, Metallica, Monster Magnet, Noordkaap, Pavement, Placebo, Praga Khan, Robbie Williams, Skunk Anansie, Soulwax, The Stereophonics, Suzanne Vega, Texas, The Chemical Brothers, The Roots, Wilco, and Zita Swoon)

July 5, 1999 Paris Omnisports Palace, Paris, FRA (supported by Patti Smith)

July 6, 1999 Stravinski Auditorium, Montreux, Switzerland (Montreux Jazz Festival, with The Afro Celt Sound System, Al Green, Alanis Morissette, Anthony B, Audio Active, Baaba Maal, B.B. King, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Beverley Knight, Black Star Liner, Blondie, Bob James, Boney James & Rick Braun, Buster Williams, Carl Craig, Charles Lloyd, Chico Cesar, Christof Lauer, Chucho Valdes, Corey Harris, Daniela Mercury, The Dave Weckl Band, David Sanborn, Dissidenten, Dr. Israel, Eagle-Eye Cherry, Earl Sixteen, Edgar Winter, Elba Ramalho, Eleftheria Arvanitaki, Elvis Costello, Ernest Ranglin, The Esbjorn Svensson Trio, Ethnician, The FourPlay String Quartet, Fred Wesley, The Freestylers, Gary Moore, George Duke, Gianna Nannini, GusGus, Hans Kennel, Herbie Hancock, Incognito, James Taylor, Jeb Loy Nichols, Jimi Tenor, Jimmy Rogers, Jonny Lang, Jordan Cook, Josef Molnar, Jovanotti, Kenny Drew Jr., Kenny Garrett, Khaled, Kila, Kristin Hersh, Kudsi Erguner, Larry Carlton, Lynden David Hall, Lynne Arriale, Manu Katche, Mari Boine, Marianne Faithfull, Mich Gerber, Milton Nascimento, Morgan Heritage, Natacha Atlas, Ney Matogrosso, The Nightmares on Wax, Nitin Sawhney, Noa, Olu Dara, Oscar D'Leon, The Pat Metheny Trio, Prezident Brown, Princess Erika, Rachelle Ferrell, Remember Shakti, Rickie Lee Jones, Robben Ford, Roots Manuva, Terra Samba, The Blues Brothers Band, The Dubliners, The Egg, The Jeff Healey Band, The Roots, Thierry Lang, The Tindersticks, Transglobal Underground, Trilok Gurtu, Vertu, Waldemar Bastos, Wasis Diop, Wide Mouth Mason, dEUS,

July 8, 1999 Vienna State Opera, Vienna, AUT (supported by Patti Smith)

July 9, 1999 Kis Stadium, Budapest, HUN (supported by Heaven Street Seven, Ulloi Uti Fuck, and dEUS)

July 11, 1999 Renato Dall'Ara Stadium, Bologna, ITY (supported by Afterhours, Wilco, and Suede)

July 13, 1999 Riem Riding Stadium, Munich, GER (supported by Wolfsheim and Wilco)

July 14, 1999 Zurich Indoor Stadium, Zurich, SUI (supported by Wilco)

July 16, 1999 Lansdowne Road, Dublin, IRE (supported by Paddy Casey and The Divine Comedy)

July 17, 1999 Manchester Evening News Arena, Manchester, ENG (supported by Teenage Fanclub)

July 19-21, 1999 Stirling Castle, Stirling, SCOT (supported by Feeder on 19th, Stereolab on 20th, and Teenage Fanclub on 21st)

July 23, 1999 Athens Athletic Stadium, Athens, GRE (supported by Pyx Lax)

July 25, 1999 Bonifika Sport Hall, Koper, SLN (supported by Vlado Kreslin & Mali Bogovi and The Bambi Molesters)

August 9-10, 1999 Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA (supported by Mercury Rev)

August 11, 1999 Irvine Meadows Amphitheater, Irvine, CA (supported by Mercury Rev)

August 13, 1999 Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA (supported by Mercury Rev)

August 15, 1999 Red Rocks Amphitheater, Denver, CO (supported by Mercury Rev)

August 17, 1999 Retama Park Polo Grounds, Selma, TX (supported by Mercury Rev and Wilco)

August 19, 1999 Riverport Amphitheater, St. Louis, MO (supported by Wilco)

August 20, 1999 New World Music Theater, Chicago, IL (supported by Wilco)

August 21, 1999 Midway Stadium, St. Paul, MN (supported by Wilco)

August 23, 1999 Pine Knob Music Theater, Clarkston, MI (supported by Wilco)

August 24, 1999 Molson Amphitheater, Toronto, ON (supported by Wilco)

August 25, 1999 Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH (supported by Wilco)

August 27, 1999 Alltel Pavilion, Raleigh, NC (supported by Wilco)

August 29-31, 1999 Chastain Park Amphitheater, Atlanta, GA (supported by Elf Power on 29th, Wilco on 30th, and The Olivia Tremor Control on 31st)

September 2, 1999 Seattle Memorial Stadium, Seattle, WA (Bumbershoot, with The Young Fresh Fellows, Saltine, and The Picketts)

September 4, 1999 Jones Beach Theater, Hempstead, NY (supported by Spacehog)

September 5, 1999 Sony Music Entertainment Center, Camden, NJ (supported by The John Faye Power Trip and Spacehog)

September 6, 1999 PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ (supported by Ben Trovato and Spacehog)

September 8, 1999 Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY (supported by Patti Smith)

September 10, 1999 Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD (supported by Spacehog)

September 11, 1999 Tweeter Performing Arts Center, Boston, MA (supported by Spacehog)

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R.E.M., one of the most celebrated rock bands in America, had its roots deep in the red Georgia clay. Formed in Athens in 1980, the band’s rise from the college rock scene to international fame was long and steady. Despite its commercial success, R.E.M. maintained a reputation for hard work and an independent, no-compromise approach to its music.

The Early Years

In 1979 Michael Stipe, an art student at the University of Georgia (UGA), befriended Peter Buck, an Emory University dropout who worked at the Wuxtry record store in Athens. At a party the pair met Mike Mills and Bill Berry, friends from Macon who were also students at UGA. Around March 1980 the four formed R.E.M. and began rehearsing in an abandoned Episcopal church, with Stipe handling vocals, Buck on guitar, Mills on bass, and Berry on drums. By the summer of 1980, R.E.M. was playing shows in Athens at Tyrone’s and the 40 Watt Club . Their single “Radio Free Europe” met with critical acclaim in 1981; Village Voice named it one of America’s best-ever singles, and the New York Times placed it among the top ten singles of the year.  Chronic Town , t he band’s five-song extended play (EP), was released by I.R.S. Records in 1982 to solid reviews. The EP was followed by the richly textured and obliquely lyrical Murmur (1983), hailed by Rolling Stone magazine as Album of the Year. Within a year the album had sold 200,000 copies and reached number thirty-six on the Billboard charts .

Over the next four years the band released four albums: the cryptic Reckoning in 1984; the folksy  Fables of the Reconstruction in 1985; Lifes Rich Pageant in 1986, the band’s most successful album up to that point; and Document in 1987, a cynical, more overtly political work that gave R.E.M. another hit single, “The One I Love.” In this time frame the band also released two collections: an album of B-sides and outtakes entitled Dead Letter Office (1987) and a collection of I.R.S. hits named Eponymous (1988).

Rise to Fame

After fulfilling its contract with I.R.S., R.E.M. signed a five-record contract with Warner Brothers for $10 million, a hefty sum for a band identified with the college rock movement. R.E.M.’s first album for Warner Brothers was Green (1988), which the band members called their most positive work thus far. The album garnered ecstatic reviews, with some critics calling R.E.M. the best band in the world. Their next release was Out of Time (1991). While R.E.M. had spent the 1980s touring for each of its albums, the group chose not to do so for Out of Time . Nevertheless, the album became the first record by a rock group to top the Billboard charts in over a year, its success eclipsing even that of Green . Out of Time also became one of R.E.M.’s top-selling records and gave the band the smash hit “Losing My Religion.”

The Mature Work

Considered by some to be the band’s strongest work, the elegiac Automatic for the People was released in 1992—the title taken from the slogan of Athens soul-food restaurant Weaver D’s. This powerfully evocative album, hailed as a masterpiece by critics, had string arrangements by John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin fame and contained the hit single “Everybody Hurts.” After a five-years hiatus, the band decided to go back on the road to support the hard-driving album Monster , released in 1994. While promoting the album, Stipe responded to questions about his sexuality by saying that he had romantic relationships with both men and women—thus outing himself for the first time to the public. This tour proved to be traumatic for the group as drummer Bill Berry suffered from a near-fatal brain aneurysm in Switzerland. After Berry’s recovery the band released New Adventures in Hi-Fi in 1996. Soon after the album’s release, R.E.M. signed another five-record contract with Warner Brothers for an unprecedented $80 million—the highest sum ever paid to a band at the time.

Despite the level of success R.E.M. had reached, Berry decided to leave the band in 1997, explaining that he “was ready to do something else.” In the wake of Berry’s departure, R.E.M. released the fragile, quiet Up in 1998. Up harkened back to Automatic ’s introspection and offered, in lieu of drummer Berry’s work, guest drummers, drum machines, and tape loops.

The band released Reveal in 2001 and Around the Sun in 2004. In 2006 R.E.M. was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame , and the following year the band was selected for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The band released Accelerate in 2008 and its final album, Collapse into Now , in 2011. In September 2011 R.E.M. announced that it had “decided to call it a day as a band.” At the time it disbanded, the group had sold more than 70 million records, cementing its reputation as one of the most successful bands in American history.

Cite this Article

Gordon, Stephanie. "R.E.M." New Georgia Encyclopedia, last modified Sep 19, 2023. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/arts-culture/r-e-m/

Gordon, S. L. (2003). R.E.M. In New Georgia Encyclopedia . Retrieved Sep 19, 2023, from https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/arts-culture/r-e-m/

Gordon, Stephanie. "R.E.M." New Georgia Encyclopedia , 17 September 2003, https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/arts-culture/r-e-m/.

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Formed in Athens in 1980, R.E.M. (left to right: Mike Mills, Michael Stipe, and Peter Buck) has become one of the most critically honored rock bands in America.

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Reckoning Album Cover

The cover art for Reckoning (1984), the second album by rock group R.E.M, features a painting by folk artist Howard Finster.

Photograph by Bradley Loos

The rock band R.E.M. (left to right: Peter Buck, Bill Berry, Michael Stipe, Mike Mills) was formed in Athens in 1980. The group was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.

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So was it really the end of the world as we knew it when R.E.M. split? Maybe, but as this overview of the band’s final albums suggests, there’s plenty of music to celebrate.

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Despite the medical emergencies, assorted crises and rescheduled shows on 1995’s ill-fated Monster tour, R.E.M. emerged refreshed with ’96’s New Adventures In Hi-Fi : a sprawling but frequently essential waxing which suggested their best was yet to come.

Up to this stage in their career, the Athens, Georgia, outfit had always appeared as an enviably harmonious quartet and had previously stressed that they would split if one of their core members quit. However, that resolve was severely tested in the fall of 1997, when drummer Bill Berry announced he was quitting the band.

Berry had previously survived the worst of the medical scares to befall R.E.M. during the Monster tour, when he was taken ill with a ruptured brain aneurysm in Switzerland. He’d played his usual active part in New Adventures In Hi-Fi , but decided to quit just before the band embarked on the sessions for their next LP.

“I’m just not as enthusiastic as I have been in the past about doing this anymore,” Berry told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in October 1997. “I have the best job in the world but I’m kind of ready to sit back and reflect and maybe not be a pop star anymore.”

R.E.M. – Up

Initially, Berry’s bandmates seriously considered splitting altogether but, after some soul-searching, eventually continued, with Berry’s blessing. His amicable departure, however, left a hole that proved difficult to fill. The band eventually recorded their next album, Up , using drum machines along with contributions from Beck ’s touring drummer Joey Waronker and The Screaming Trees’ skinsman Barrett Martin.

Even prior to Berry’s departure, R.E.M. had been keen to update their sound by experimenting with drum loops and electronica. With help from new producers Pat McCarthy and Nigel Godrich (Radiohead, Beck), they pursued this new direction on the underrated Up : an introverted, slow-burning record which included a brace of gems including the dissonant “Airportman,” the beautiful, The Beach Boys -esque ballad “At My Most Beautiful” and the sassy, celebratory “Lotus.”

To underline the fact the band had entered a new phase, R.E.M. decided to print Michael Stipe’s lyrics in full in the new album’s booklet. When it was issued in October 1998, Up was greeted by the now-customary positive reaction, including four-star reviews from Rolling Stone and Q . Though it couldn’t quite match the commercial heights of New Adventures In Hi-Fi , the album nonetheless climbed to No.3 on the US Billboard 200 and performed strongly in the UK, where it earned a platinum disc and peaked at No.2 after its lead single, the plangent, circadian “Daysleeper,” charted at No.6.

Buck, Mills and Stipe hadn’t originally intended to tour the album, but after a series of warmly received promotional shows, the band agreed to a four-month arena tour of Europe and the US during the summer of 1999, beginning in June, in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon, and ending in Mansfield, Massachusetts, in September. This last show featured a fantastic, career-spanning set including the tour’s only performance of the band’s first single, “Radio Free Europe.”

Instead of immediately embarking on a successor to Up , R.E.M.’s next venture found them detouring into the film industry, composing the score for Czech filmmaker Milos Forman’s Andy Kaufman biopic Man On The Moon , starring renowned US comic Jim Carrey. The soundtrack also reprised the original “Man On The Moon” from Automatic For The People , along with a shorter, orchestral reworking of the same track, plus an excellent, freshly penned R.E.M. cut, “The Great Beyond,” which rewarded the band with their highest-charting UK success (No.3) when released as a standalone single.

R.E.M. – Reveal

Still riding high, the band reconvened to record their 12th LP, Reveal , over the summer of 2000, with sessions taking place in the Canadian city of Vancouver and the Irish capital, Dublin. Pat McCarthy again remained in the producer’s chair, while the sessions also featured contributions from drummer Joey Waronker, The Posies’ Ken Stringfellow and the band’s touring alumnus Scott McCaughey.

Reviewing the LP in Rolling Stone , Rob Sheffield astutely clocked Reveal as “an album of woozily sun-struck ballads,” and while it rarely rocked, the LP showcased R.E.M. at their most sumptuously seductive, with Peter Buck reconnecting with the Rickenbacker jangle that originally made his name, and Stipe producing some of his finest vocals of his career on the likes of “I’ve Been High,” the yearning “I’ll Take The Rain,” and the lush, Jimmy Webb-inspired “All The Way To Reno (You’re Gonna Be A Star).”

Reveal received a warm reception from the critics, with Q awarding it five stars and the Los Angeles Times ’ Robert Hilburn suggesting it represented R.E.M.’s “return to its signature sound after a lengthy period of sonic experimentation”. The band’s fanbase also gave the record a hearty thumbs up, and Reveal ’s overall worldwide sales eventually hit an extremely healthy four million, with the LP’s sturdy lead single, “Imitation Of Life,” going Top 10 in the UK and providing the band with their very first Japanese No.1.

The group next returned to the studio to record two new tracks for 2003’s self-explanatory In Time: The Best Of R.E.M. 1988-2003 . An astutely compiled anthology collection, with selections culled from 1988’s Green through to Reveal , the tracklisting also reprised “The Great Beyond” alongside the two new songs: the brisk “Bad Day” (originally considered for 1986’s Lifes Rich Pageant ) and the soaring, psych-tinged “Animal.”

In Time was initially issued as a double-disc set with a second CD of rarities and B-sides, and with liner notes annotated by Peter Buck. Unsurprisingly, it did good business, topping the UK charts and going platinum in the US, where it peaked at No.8 on the Billboard 200. In support, R.E.M. undertook a worldwide tour, with the European dates featuring a headlining slot at the prestigious Glastonbury Festival and the lengthy US itinerary including a show in Raleigh, North Carolina, wherein Bill Berry briefly reunited with the band.

R.E.M. – Around the Sun

Sessions throughout 2004 produced the band’s 13th studio set, Around The Sun , which was released in October of that same year. The album split many, though it featured several notable tracks, including the gripping “The Outsiders” (featuring a decisive cameo from rapper Q-Tip), the angry, anti-Iraq War protest song “Final Straw” and the majestic “Leaving New York,” which later breached the UK Top 5. Following the album’s release, R.E.M. set out on another lengthy world tour, their line-up this time augmented by Scott McCaughey and a new drummer, ex-Ministry mainstay Bill Rieflin.

Despite worldwide sales totalling over two million, the band later expressed their dissatisfaction with the album. Speaking to Q magazine, Peter Buck declared, “I hated the fact [ Around The Sun ] wasn’t as good as it should have been. Even Michael was going, ‘Y’know, if we make another bad record, it’s over,’ It’s like, ‘No Kidding!’”

R.E.M. – Accelerate

Determined to make a rip-roaring return, R.E.M. played a five-night stand at Dublin’s Olympia Theatre in the summer of 2007, during which time they debuted a lot of the new songs they’d written in earnest the previous winter. Satisfied with the response, the band hooked up with new producer Jacknife Lee ( U2 ) and knuckled down to recording their penultimate album, Accelerate .

A vintage return to form featuring some of the most urgent, aggressive rock’n’roll R.E.M. had alchemised since New Adventures In Hi-Fi , the album featured a slew of fantastic, throat-grabbing singles, including “Supernatural Superserious,” “Hollow Man,” and “Man-Sized Wreath,” and was rapidly lauded by the critics, with Rolling Stone ’s David Fricke summing the album up as “one of the best records R.E.M. have ever made.”

Aside from topping the UK LP charts, Accelerate ’s release marked something of a renaissance for R.E.M. in the US, where the LP peaked at No.2 on the Billboard 200 during its first week of release, and eventually sold over 350,000 copies in the States alone. The band rammed the message home with another lengthy tour taking in most of Europe and both the North and South American continents.

No one was in any doubt that Accelerate had brought R.E.M. right back into focus, yet even while touring the album, the group’s three founding members were discussing calling time on the band. Eventually, however, a mutual decision was made to reconvene with producer Jacknife Lee and record one more album, with the intention, as Mike Mills put it, of “going out on a high note.”

R.E.M. – Collapse Into Now

That R.E.M. had achieved this aim became all too apparent when fans got their first taste of March 2011’s Collapse Into Now . Recorded in a series of sessions in Nashville and New Orleans, and winding down with an emotional final session in Europe, at Berlin’s famous Hansa Tonstudio, the album was a fantastic, eclectic epitaph which ran the gamut from pumped-up Accelerate -esque rockers (“Mine Smell Like Honey”; The Who -style power play “All The Best”) through to the “Drive”-esque melancholy of “Überlin” and the heart-stoppingly beautiful “Every Day Is Yours To Win.” Naturally, it left fans wanting more.

Collapse Into Now debuted at No.5 in the US Billboard 200 and also peaked at No.5 in the UK Top 40, where the record went on to go silver. However, while the band conducted a series of promotional interviews, they remained true to their word about not touring the record. On 11 September, six months to the day of the LP’s release, R.E.M. officially announced their amicable split, with Mike Mills telling Rolling Stone , “There’s no disharmony here, no falling-outs, no lawyers squaring-off. We’ve made this decision amicably and with each other’s best interests at heart. The time just feels right.

The band’s legacy

The band still had one collaborative project up their sleeve: the compilation of the 2CD career anthology Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage 1982-2011 , which also included three new, previously unreleased tracks. Yet when Michael Stipe and Mike Mills conducted a series of promotional interviews to celebrate its release, they ruled out the possibility of R.E.M. ever reforming.

That the Athens quartet have cast the longest of shadows across the music of the past 30 years, however, is undeniable. After the band’s 2011 split, The Atlantic categorically dubbed them “America’s Greatest Band”. It was a fitting addition to the plaudits that had poured in over decades, with Spin magazine at one stage referring to the band’s integrity-fuelled modus operandi as “the R.E.M. Model”, and Rolling Stone ’s post-split tribute declaring: “At a time when ‘indie rock’ didn’t exist, R.E.M. basically invented it as we know it, more or less overnight.” As to the myriad bands from both sides of the Atlantic who owe them a debt, the late Kurt Cobain perhaps said it best when he told Rolling Stone , “I don’t know how that band do what they do. God, they’re the greatest.”

So was it really the end of the world as we knew it when R.E.M. split? Maybe, but as this overview of the band’s phenomenal catalogue proves, there’s still the music. Indeed, it’s heartening to know that enough of R.E.M.’s elusive genius has been captured to wow future generations, but it’s also more than a little sobering to think that we probably won’t hear their like again.

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Original R.E.M. Lineup Appears Onstage Together for the First Time in 17 Years

R.E.M. fans were in for a surprise as singer Michael Stipe, bassist Mike Mills, guitarist Peter Buck and drummer Bill Berry all appeared onstage together Thursday night (Feb. 8) for the first time since their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2007, though they did not perform.

What brought them all together? The band members were attending a concert featuring actor Michael Shannon and musician Jason Narducy, who have been touring while playing R.E.M.'s Murmur album on a nightly basis.

While the full four R.E.M. members chose not to play together, their presence onstage at the end of the show served as a stamp of approval for Shannon and Narducy's touring tribute.

"Speaking on behalf of Bill and Mike and Peter, we are so fucking thrilled to be here tonight," said singer Michael Stipe to the audience in footage from Scene SC that can be seen below.

The Thursday performance took place at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, Georgia, where R.E.M. got their start as a band. That made the homecoming all the sweeter for fans in attendance.

Per fan accounts, it appears as though Berry, Mills and Buck joined Shannon and Narducy at different times during the band's set, but Stipe did not perform, only joining his bandmates with Shannon and Narducy's band onstage at the end of the evening.

This was not the first time that an R.E.M. member has shown up during the tour, with Mike Mills previously joining Shannon and Narducy during a Chicago show last year.

The current Shannon / Narducy tour  celebrating Murmur continues through Feb. 14 at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York.

READ MORE: Michael Stipe Gives Update on Solo Album

R.E.M. Original Lineup History

R.E.M. originally formed in 1980 in Athens, Georgia. The core four of the lineup remained intact through 1997, when drummer Bill Berry left the band. The drummer had previously suffered a brain aneurysm while onstage in Switzerland in March 1995.

The band continued as a trio, utilizing touring and session musicians in Berry's absence for the remainder of their career.

On Sept. 21, 2011, the band announced that they were "calling it a day as a band."

The original four members recorded 10 albums together, with 1996's New Adventures in Hi-Fi being Berry's last record with the band. After Berry's exit, the group recorded five more albums.

As previously stated, Berry joined his bandmates in 2007 onstage for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Since that time, it's been rare that all four members have been seen together in public. They all did appear at the 40 Watt Club in 2022 for an all-star tribute to the band's Chronic Town EP, but during the show only Buck and Mills were seen onstage.

Upon announcing their retirement, R.E.M. have been one of the few acts that actually held true to the declaration. They have not returned to the stage as a four-piece (with then drummer Bill Rieflen) to perform since a 2009 appearance at New York's Carnegie Hall . The trio of Stipe, Mills and Buck did play an impromptu performance of "Losing My Religion" in France in 2016 to celebrate the birthday of their manager Bertis Downs.

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Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire

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