R.E.M. "calls it a day"

http://remhq.com/news_story.php?id=1446

I am a bit dead inside. I had a feeling on the last record that there was some finality, but since their contract had expired I was hoping for something new and more radical.

This was a major blow to me....I feel like I've been punched in the gut. Have been a lifelong fan-since the womb essentially-and this is seriously not what I needed today.

Thoughts/opinions/band related stories?

I am sorry for you're lots.

I love classic R.E.M.  I haven't heard any of there new stuff... for some time.  Is any of it good?

It's the end of the band as they know it, and they feel fine?

I personally think so, unlike most. Have you heard any of the later 90's era material? Many think that when Bill left in 1997 that it was the end of the band, but I love both Up and Reveal. Around the Sun was unfairly maligned, but it is quite drained. Accelerate was too focused on being fast and "in the now" and Collapse Into Now was a step more towards a "R.E.M." sounding record.

For me, Chronic Town through Reveal is the best series of albums by anyone bar none. I really enjoy Around the Sun, Accelerate and Collapse Into Now but they just seem to be at a different place than the other albums.

They were getting less and less noticed as time passed. By the time of the last album, you couldn't hardly find it anywhere and no one had even heard of it being made let alone released. And it's sad, because I really think that there is some great material in there.

doubleofive said:

It's the end of the band as they know it, and they feel fine?

;)

You know...the other night I did dream of knives continental drift divides mountains sitting in a line and even Leonard Bernstein...

I am also a fan of the band, but my interest started to wain after their Monster album. Hope they enjoy relaxing, and spending the money...

Let the reunion tour(s) begin!
Oh wait, are they doing a farewell tour first?

I own the first three LPs. and enjoy most through Automatic...
Never heard their newest stuff

That's too bad, but I'm not too torn up.

Huge R.E.M. fan, but this stuff happens. They have plenty of awesome classics to listen to.

Better than touring endlessly on stale material. I lost interest after automatic for the people.

*sigh* All the bands I love are now gone or irrelevant or terrible, with the exception of Alice in Chains. NIN, Nirvana, Rolling Stones, Foo Fighters, Fugazi, Chore, Death from Above 1979, Treble Charger... the list goes on and on. But it has been this way since the late 1990s. The late 90s were like Return of the Jedi - still good, but with signs of things to come.