REM has broken up….

You all probably know by now, but this past week, we heard the sad news that REM finally broke up. Right off the bat, I’ll admit, I was never a huge REM fan in the sense that I never totally immersed myself or fully connected with their music. But one thing I admired more than anything, is how this band, this group of artists stayed together for more than 30 years, keep their fans engaged with new music, riveting shows, and put out new records that clearly show the evolution of a band that plays by their own rules.

 

There’s a reason why so many bands much like so many relationships come to an end. Conflicting personalities, interests, passions, conflicting desires, or chasing different dreams. So often, things get in the way of a band or a relationship sticking together. And REM was able to stick around for over 30 years and still be relevant and in this day and age of the music industry, that is remarkable. I’m impressed by the evolution of REM, their drive, their passion, their willingness to grow and try new things clearly evidenced by the experimental records they’ve most recently put out.

 

For me, MONSTER was the record that hit me the most. The blaring guitars, the reverb, the banging drums. And this record came out just months after Kurt Cobain’s death so I was probably aching inside for a heavier REM record. I think at the time, I was so immersed in the grunge scene, it was great to hear REM sound more raw, more rock and dare I say it, sound more “grunge.” It was a nice change to hear REM in this new light and for the first time, it got me excited to hear where this band was headed. UP to me was another standout record for the band and I still find myself going back and listening to “Suspicion” and “Lotus.” “E-Bow the letter,” “Supernatural Serious” and “I’ve Been High” are a few more of my favorites. I’m pretty sure I’ll find myself over the next few months diving back into their catalogue and see what other gems I can find.

 

This past year, I’ve been blessed to meet so many wonderful writers and artists in the music industry including Robert Ham. Bob is a freelance music writer based out of Portland, OR and I’m so thankful he asked me, along with other musicians and artists he knows, to write a quick post about the break-up of REM. It’s a great read and you can check it out by clicking here.. Robert Ham REM Blog Post