R.E.M. Tribute

Shortly after Amy Winehouse tragically died last month her two albums peaked the UK Albums Chart. I wonder if sales of R.E.M. cd's will soar in the next few weeks following their recent decision to call it a day. I am not trying to compare Winehouse's death with R.E.M.'s split, that would be disrespectful to the former, but I was interested in the publics reaction, both commercial and personal. Certainly on YouTube and an MSN forum there was a huge outpouring of feelings, mostly of sadness and appreciation. It is evident that they were still a very popular and much loved band right up to the end. As a lasped R.E.M. fan I have spent some time watching clips of them on YouTube and it has renewed my interest in their music. I have a soft spot for them because they were the first band that I was really into, like a first love in a musical sense. I will always associate R.E.M. with my adolscence. They were also the first band that I saw play live, at Murrayfield Stadium during their Monster tour. I was miles away from the stage but it was a memorable experience. They opened with 'What's The Frequency Kenneth?', which got the crowd bouncing. Thousands of lighters accompanied 'Everybody Hurts' and one guy nearby beagn jumping up and down shouting 'YES! YES!' when the opening chords of 'Losing My Religion' started up. The highlight was 'It's The End Of The World As We Know It', the climax of the show. A big screen behind the band projected images coming at great speed towards the auidence. Although it was a great experience this concert was the beginning of the end with regards to my fanship of R.E.M. I think they peaked with 'Out Of Time' and 'Automatic For The People' and they were never to retain the same creative heights. Their output since the mid 1990's was patchy, starting with the disappointing 'Monster', but it's better to remember R.E.M. at their best in the early 90's. 'Out Of Time' and 'Automatic For The People' are two classic rock/pop albums, and it has always amazed me that none of the singles from these two albums ever reached number 1 in the UK Singles Chart. Nevertheless these two albums catapultated them to international stardom, and, without demeaning the contribution of Mike Mills and Bill Berry, I think the secret of their success lies mainly with Michael Stipe and Peter Buck. Michael Stipe was a charismatic and talented frontman, possibly under-rated as a vocalist. He had a very interesting way of singing that made R.E.M. songs distinctive and appealing. The same can be said of guitarist Peter Buck. He was not a flashy guitarist but he was very important in creating the sound of the band. It will be interesting to see in what direction the band members will go. Maybe they need a fresh start and working with other musicians will renew their creative juices. So, to paraphrase one of their songs, it's the end of R.E.M. as we know them. Thanks for the great songs.