1989 - Watched video for Stand. Outwardly dismissed it as 'weird.' Inwardly embraced it as 'awesome and weird.'
Aug. 1995 - Enrolled at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.
Sep. 1995 - Watched video for Tongue. Capitally enjoyed melodic piano, organ and slow, sensual Stipe falsetto. Vowed to listen to roommate's copy of Monster all the way through. Too stoned to remember to follow through on vow.
Oct. 1995 - Answered 'YES!' to question 'Do you like R.E.M.?' posed by amorous co-ed. Inability to unclasp brassiere incites chaos. Dropped out of Ohio University.
Jun. 2008 - Remembering fondness for Tongue, tried downloading track to iTunes. Transaction failed due to 'insufficient funds' in bank account.
Sep. 2011 - Watched video for Stand and Tongue on YouTube.
So there you have it. I feel the final chapter of this decades-long tale has yet to be written. I respect the musical tastes of my partner bloggers without reservation, except when it comes to Shaft and his curious yen for the sounds of X-mas. I may be painfully late to the party, but better late than never. So let's do this thing. I hereby announce my official Quest for R.E.M. Fanhood, to commence immediately upon posting. I have high hopes; lots of good stuff has come out of Georgia.
nwb
2 comments:
Welcome to your education of R.E.M., Nate...
I commend you for taking a second listen to probably the biggest band to influence college radio & alternative music in the last thirty years.
Today, here is your first lesson: 1983...REM's "Radio Free Europe" single is released...it gets huge airplay on College Radio stations, but limited to no airplay on rock FM radio stations. Then, like magic, they get their first television gig on the David Letterman Show (Letterman, who, might I add, had an immense influence on getting many early alternative acts their first break on national television). This is that first performance. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icGOLDJv08c&feature=related
-dg
It's been a weird dichotomy because supposedly liking R.E.M. is a validated screening tool for identifying gay dudes. I've never found this to be particularly true because gay or straight, only cool people actually get R.E.M.
But in reality, I always used "do you like R.E.M.?" as a good screening tool to weed out the hot chicks that were just too superficial for me to want to try to get them to make out with me.
Welcome to the fold. You're probably the first person recruited via "Tongue", but hey, whatever it takes.
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