R.E.M. — Christmas in Athens (again)

edit: For any of you keeping score, this post may seem quite familiar. Due to some anonymous persistence, I've decided to re-post the files and spread a little Christmas cheer. The version I have of "Christmas Time is Here, Again" from the 2000 Holiday Package is truncated, so if any faithful readers has this song, I'd be much obliged to replace my copy of this song.

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I was a member of the R.E.M. fan club for many, many years. Somewhere along the way I let my membership slide and I keep forgetting to renew my status before the Holiday Fan Club packages are sent out. This year, once again, I lived up to my potential and forgot to re-up in time for the annual Christmas package.

But that doesn't mean I don't have a slew of Christmas-themed R.E.M. goodies from yesteryear's packages. Pipe these babies into your ears and drown out that holiday muzak that the malls push on you. You know better than to listen to that pap.

Without further ado:

+ R.E.M. — Ghost Reindeer In The Sky (1990)
+ R.E.M. — Parade Of Wooden Soldiers (1988)
+ R.E.M. — Toyland (1992)
+ R.E.M. — Christmas In Tunisia (1994)
+ R.E.M. — Good King Wenceslas (1989)
+ R.E.M. — Christmas Griping (1991)
+ R.E.M. — Christmas Time Is Here (1993)
+ R.E.M. — Silver Bells (1993)
+ R.E.M. — Jesus Christ (2002, Big Star Cover)
+ R.E.M. — Christmas Time Is Here Again * (2000, originally a Beatles Fan-Club Only single)
+ R.E.M. — Deck The Halls (from a 1988 Warner Promotional CD)

* If anyone has a complete version of this song, please let me know.
This one seems to be truncated, and there's no need in spreading a lousy file around.

Merry Christmas!

R.E.M. Redux

10-Jun-2008
Walnut Creek

It's been a long time since I've been on an R.E.M. high like this one. I suppose the last one peaked in my High School years, when Out of Time was released and "Losing My Religion" was all over MTV and the airwaves. That was back when the Public Library still lent LP Records... and subsequent cassette tape copies of Life's Rich Pageant, Document and Fables of the Reconstruction road shotgun in my first car.

In the days since R.E.M.'s latest tour brought them through the city of Raleigh, I've been on another binge. Each commute to work and home again has been peppered by the old songs, as well as some of the new.

I realize that I'm over a week late in posting any thoughts on this show, but this is more or less written for my own benefit, as well as any others whose memory will likely fail them when trying to recall little nuances of the show.

The one-time quartet of original members is now a trio with a couple of other musicians on stage, when on the road. Stipe performed in a bona fide suit, that was without a doubt very uncomfortable, as we were in a heat wave down in NC, with temperatures in the high 90's and even 100's. I didn't envy his attire in the least. But heat or not, Stipe put on a showman's show, and held nothing back. He even came off stage and into the crowd (although there was a barricade in place on the crowd level) nearing the close of the night.

The band treated us to several chestnuts during the course of the evening. Most notable to me were: "1,00o,000", "7 Chinese Brothers" and "Sitting Still". (I still don't know exactly what Stipe is singing on this one. I still get it wrong to this day singing: "Silly try for the big hill... wasting time, sitting still.") Good old Murmur. There's never been a more aptly titled R.E.M. album. Another highlight was a sweet rendition of "Let Me In" that was performed around a single mic, with Mike Mills at the piano. (I think this was the song, please correct me if I'm wrong on that.) And of course... seeing my long-time guitar idol Johnny Marr join them on-stage for my all time favorite R.E.M. song: "Fall on Me" was a moment I won't soon forget.

R.E.M. has such an extensive catalogue, that every time I've seen them (this was the 4th time around) I've been left wanting more. Be that as it may, they delivered the goods, and then some.

Long may you run.
Long may you run.

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Harborcoat
Living Well's The Best Revenge
Bad Day
Whats the Frequency, Kenneth?
1,000,000
Man-Sized Wreath
Welcome To The Occupation
Accelerate
7 Chinese Brothers
Hollow Man
Imitation of Life
Houston
Electrolite
Walk Unafraid
The One I Love
Final Straw
Find The River
Let Me In
Horse To Water
Auctioneer (Another Engine)
Orange Crush
I'm Gonna DJ

Encore:
Supernatural Superserious
Losing My Religion
Pretty Persuasion
Fall On Me (w/Johnny Marr)
Sitting Still (w/Mitch Easter and Don Dixon)
Man On The Moon

[More info on the Raleigh show]

Tonight in Raleigh...

My first love in music.

R.E.M. on Colbert

Performing "Supernatural Superserious"



Interview that preceded the performance.
Colbert and his "codpiece" is priceless!

R.E.M. — Christmas in Athens

I was a member of the R.E.M. fan club for many, many years. Somewhere along the way I let my membership slide and I keep forgetting to renew my status before the Holiday Fan Club packages are sent out. This year, once again, I lived up to my potential and forgot to re-up in time for the annual Christmas package.

But that doesn't mean I don't have a slew of Christmas-themed R.E.M. goodies from yesteryear's packages. Pipe these babies into your ears and drown out that holiday muzak that the malls push on you. You know better than to listen to that pap.

Without further ado:

+ R.E.M. — Ghost Reindeer In The Sky (1990)
+ R.E.M. — Parade Of Wooden Soldiers (1988)
+ R.E.M. — Toyland (1992)
+ R.E.M. — Christmas In Tunisia (1994)
+ R.E.M. — Good King Wenceslas (1989)
+ R.E.M. — Christmas Griping (1991)
+ R.E.M. — Christmas Time Is Here (1993)
+ R.E.M. — Silver Bells (1993)
+ R.E.M. — Jesus Christ (2002, Big Star Cover)
+ R.E.M. — Christmas Time Is Here Again * (2000, originally a Beatles Fan-Club Only single)
+ R.E.M. — Deck The Halls (from a 1988 Warner Promotional CD)

* If anyone has a complete version of this song, please let me know.
This one seems to be truncated.

R.E.M. MTV Unplugged, 2001

Just over six years ago (21-May-2001) R.E.M. made their second appearance on MTV's long-running musical showcase, MTV Unplugged. Only the second band to ever be invited back (10,000 Maniacs being the other) R.E.M. performed a smattering of songs from their career to date.

I recently came across a torrent of this concert (which, admittedly I've never seen, since I don't have cable) and it is a fantastic sounding recording. The lineage is unknown, but it seems to have come from a soundboard. This is the full setlist— a full 17 songs versus the pared-down 10 song set that MTV offered originally.

01. "All the Way to Reno (You're Gonna Be a Star)"
02. "Electrolite"
03. "At My Most Beautiful"
04. "Sad Professor"
05. "Daysleeper"
06. "Beat a Drum"
07. "I'll Take the Rain"
08. "I've Been High"
09. "So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)" (Buck/Mills/Stipe only)
10. "The One I Love" (Buck/Mills/Stipe only)
11. "Losing My Religion" (Buck/Mills/Stipe only)
12. "Country Feedback" (with snippets of Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" during the outro)
13. "Cuyahoga"
14. "Imitation of Life"
15. "Disappear"
16. "Find the River"
17. "The Great Beyond"

First Love

When I was coming of age musically, REM was hands-down my first love. I well recall listening to their LPs on my record player, memorizing lyrics, and simply devouring everything that REM had to offer. A member of the REM fan club for years, the annual Holiday Package was something I eagerly awaited every year in late November / December.

First loves come and go, and I confess I don't play their music as often as I once did. I'm not sure when it happened exactly, but the torch I carried for them was handed off to another. That said, think I'll dust off my LPs tonight and give them a spin.

Thanks, REM.