# "The end of the World as we know it": R.E.M. calls it a day



## horusd (21 Sep 2011)

After providing some of the best music ever, and some of the most incomprehensible lyrics, R.E.M. have announced the end of the band after thirty years. Bet they make a fortune now as people  buy their CD's, or am I being too cynical?

http://www.billboard.com/news/r-e-m...deepest-thanks-for-listening-1005362632.story


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## Sue Ellen (22 Sep 2011)

horusd said:


> am I being too cynical?



Yes.

Only jokin'   Very good music so they deserve to do well.


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## Ancutza (22 Sep 2011)

Their music was total and utter horse manure.  Thank you REM for finally sticking a sock in it.  Feel free to NOT do a nostalgia tour in 5-10 years when the money has run out.


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## Newbie! (22 Sep 2011)

Ancutza said:


> Their music was total and utter horse manure. Thank you REM for finally sticking a sock in it. Feel free to NOT do a nostalgia tour in 5-10 years when the money has run out.


 
Really? I would have considered them a stable and reliable source of decent music in my otherwise sometimes-dodge music collection. They wouldnt have been my favourite but nor would I ever turn them off if they came on in a playlist..


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## Ceist Beag (22 Sep 2011)

Ancutza said:


> Their music was total and utter horse manure.  Thank you REM for finally sticking a sock in it.  Feel free to NOT do a nostalgia tour in 5-10 years when the money has run out.



Each to their own Ancutza but I bet you're in the minority on this one. REM were one of the greatest bands of the last 30 years and I for one will miss them. And should they ever regroup to tour again I'll be sure to get my hands on some tickets should they hit these shores!!


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## Sunny (22 Sep 2011)

Ceist Beag said:


> Each to their own Ancutza but I bet you're in the minority on this one. REM were one of the greatest bands of the last 30 years and I for one will miss them. And should they ever regroup to tour again I'll be sure to get my hands on some tickets should they hit these shores!!


 
I agree to a certain extent with regards their early material but I can't remember the last bit of music they released that made me stand up and take notice. I think they ran their course...


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## Ceist Beag (22 Sep 2011)

Agreed on that Sunny, I don't think they were the same band after Bill Berry left.


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## Purple (22 Sep 2011)

ceist beag said:


> agreed on that sunny, i don't think they were the same band after bill berry left.



+1


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## burger1979 (22 Sep 2011)

Sad to see them go. Slane '95 is still one of the best concerts that i have ever been to, weather on the day was fantastic, great crowd, people towers, people throwing the coke paper cups into the air (some were even on fire), fireworks at the end of the show, good support acts (not oasis though they were rubbish), crap traffic on the way back to dublin......and over all great great music from REM. Their music in the last fwe albums wasnt great but the early years and i think right up to monster was fantastic.


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## Delboy (22 Sep 2011)

1 of the best bands of the last 50 years. Will be sadly missed....and i hope they do a comeback in 10 years time, for the money or not, as I'll be the first in line to go listen


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## becky (22 Sep 2011)

burger1979 said:


> Sad to see them go. Slane '95 is still one of the best concerts that i have ever been to, weather on the day was fantastic, great crowd, people towers, people throwing the coke paper cups into the air (some were even on fire), fireworks at the end of the show, good support acts (not oasis though they were rubbish), crap traffic on the way back to dublin......and over all great great music from REM. Their music in the last fwe albums wasnt great but the early years and i think right up to monster was fantastic.




I was there that day too and consider it the second best concert I have been too (simple minds 1986 which was my first concert is the best one).

It was a last minute gift by my friends boyfriend (now he was 2 timing her so actually wanted her out of the way) so we had to thumb up and then beg one of the private bus drivers to bring us back.  Try dealing with the traffic to Galway, we arrived back at 6am.  Great day though.


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## Delboy (22 Sep 2011)

was there that day also...my first major concert. Oasis on stage giving out to the crowd who had been singing along to a Blur video which was being played before they came on stage....britpop 'wars'!
Great concert and a great day out....but it took so long to get out of Slane and back home to the west that I've never had the slightest bit of interest in going back again


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## becky (22 Sep 2011)

We were 25 and you can stay going for 24 hours every now and then when you're that age.  

I went to The Killers in marley park was it 2 years ago.  The concert itself wasn't great, sound was crap but the almost 2 hour trip to get back to the city centre has put me off ever going to marley park again.  But I suspect a lot of this would be to do with me not being 25 anymore.


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## Ceist Beag (23 Sep 2011)

Delboy said:


> was there that day also...my first major concert. Oasis on stage giving out to the crowd who had been singing along to a Blur video which was being played before they came on stage....britpop 'wars'!
> Great concert and a great day out....but it took so long to get out of Slane and back home to the west that I've never had the slightest bit of interest in going back again



snap! My first (and only) outing to Slane as well. Fantastic day out, great concert and yes the trip back also put me off ever going back - although if REM regrouped in a number of years to perform at Slane I'd be back again!


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## DB74 (23 Sep 2011)

That Slane concert was brilliant


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## burger1979 (23 Sep 2011)

That slane concert was my first and only foray to Slane. it was my junior cert year and i think we had just finished too. i have no idea how long it took us getting back to north dublin but i think it was getting bright out by the time we did get back. my friends uncle was driving so i didnt care just slept. People throwing stones at Oasis, that was fun.


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## RMCF (23 Sep 2011)

Great day for me, hated them. 

2 good songs (imho) in 30yrs is a poor return for one of the worlds best bands. Supposedly.

Didn't help that they had a tube as a frontman. Total pain in the ass. Bit like Bono, but at least U2 have made some decent music in their career.


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## Purple (24 Sep 2011)

becky said:


> We were 25 and you can stay going for 24 hours every now and then when you're that age.
> 
> I went to The Killers in marley park was it 2 years ago.  The concert itself wasn't great, sound was crap but the almost 2 hour trip to get back to the city centre has put me off ever going to marley park again.  But I suspect a lot of this would be to do with me not being 25 anymore.



Good. I live across the road and the concerts cause all sorts of traffic delays. Clear off the whole lot of ye!


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## themetunegal (24 Sep 2011)

Having been born in the same year as REM were established and having literally grown up with them, I'm really sad to see them call it a day. I think that they stayed true to themselves throughout their career, not being afraid to experiment and the consequent potential negative criticism. They also used their strong public voice to good effect in highlighting social policy issues including global warming and third world debt. Have been to a few of their concerts and they rank as some of the best I've ever been to. 

I'll be in line if they decide to reform


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## gipimann (24 Sep 2011)

Another Slane 95-er here!   I first saw REM in 1985, when they played support to U2 in Croke Park (they obviously made a big impression on me, I had to be reminded several years later that they were there!).

Managed to see them 5 times in Ireland - at 5 different venues as it happens (Croker, Slane, Landsdowne Rd, The Point and Marley Pk).   Missed the Olympia gigs.

Don't think Michael Stipe's voice has been as good in recent years, think they were right to step down while the world thought well of them.

Now - can we get U2 to retire so that Bono disappears without trace....?!


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