Last week, Goldenfiddle reported that the original line-up of R.E.M.–including long-time behind-the-scenes honcho Bertis Downs–were spotted having dinner in Athens. Of course, the band members have appeared together in public several times since the 1997 departure of drummer Bill Berry, but we’re going to go out on a limb and predict that 2007 will be the year that the Stipe/Buck/Berry/Mills monolith finally gets back on the road. Our purely speculative reasons after the click-through.
1) TIMING With the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame indictment induction ceremony just around the corner, the pushing-50 members of R.E.M. will have an opportunity to not only remind die-harders of the band’s former glories, but to expose their top-shelf material to youngsters who were still green when Green was released. Plus, we’re living in a time that’s increasingly nostalgic for both the ’80s and the ’90s, and few bands straddled both decades as successfully.
2) EGO In the last five years, Stipe has focused his interviews on reminding people of the group’s storied past (a tact no doubt necessitated by low-selling flops like Around the Sun). This a guy who name-drops Bono as a contemporary and Thom Yorke as a disciple, and he’d certainly welcome the chance to rejoin the big leagues, even if it means enduring the umpteenth “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It” encore.
3) MONEY Not that they need the dough, but one last jaunt could help goose catalog sales, especially if the I.R.S. records get a much-needed stateside make-over. And besides, who doesn’t need more money nowadays? People really seem to be into that stuff!
4) THEY DON’T HATE EACH OTHER Granted, Berry almost died from a 1997 brain aneurysm, which can make a long-term tour iffy. But other than that, these guys don’t have a lot of intra-band drama–there’s none of the potential backstage awkwardness that will no doubt cloud the Van Halen and Police reunions. So even though Stipe might get a bit snooty if there’s not a solid range of Cabernet on the rider, we’re not worried about a mid-tour flame-out.
Eh. It’s really hard to get supper in Athens without running into people you know. I think the current incarnation of R.E.M. would need a few more serious flops before they hustled (the very comfortable) Berry out of retirement.
Fun fact: The guy who “unofficially” replaced Berry on drums is Bill Rieflin, who has played drums for Ministry, KMFDM, Revolting Cocks and several other industrial bands. Strange bedfellows.
Isn’t this technically the first murmur? Just asking.
Berry’s like a lot of underrated drummers in that you didn’t notice what he added to the sound until he was gone.
Agreed on all four counts above. Berry’s departure had to have been the least controversial, most amicable in rock history.
And anyway, whatever was stressing Berry out to the point of having a stroke in 1995-97 — i.e., the band’s hugeness — is, um…not such a problem anymore. So what’s stopping him?
an aneurysm is not the same thing as a stroke. and it’s completely ridiculous to say that R.E.M. being a huge band stressed him out to the point of having a brain aneurysm.
that being said: while i would kill for an R.E.M. reunion tour, yeah, they are still all friends, and they were probably talking about playing at the Rock Hall induction.
and i stand by my assumption that Up is one of their best albums, and Reveal is also solid.
“Up” really is amazing, same with “Reveal.” Sadly, “Around the Sun” is just downright offensive. But a full band reunion would make me one hapy kid.
If Berry’s not up for it – and I haven’t seen any indication that he is – then I don’t think they should do a reunion tour. But there’s no reason they couldn’t keep playing these occasional one-off shows and record together. (I bet you we’d see an immediate jump in quality if the latter happened.)
I dunno, man. I saw R.E.M. live during the Monster tour and they were godawful. Thank goodness Sonic Youth kicked ass as the opener, or I would have demanded my money back.
I hope if they do put out a new record Warner Bros. will release yet another fussy $30 deluxe edition..the kids love those!
Please, no. I’m begging. Just fade away, R.E.M., just fade away.
I’d rather The Police reunite for dinner than REM reunite for a tour.
Overrated.
Can Wolfgang Van Halen play drums?
Get Zak Starkey-he’s the go-to guy for old farts milking it…