While R.E.M. may now be about as familiar as the furniture in your house, it should probably be stated that they are one of America’s finest rock acts since the whole punk thing happened.
Eschewing the abrasive no wave derived elements of their peers, R.E.M. injected some passion, some mystery and a much needed sense of history into the American post-punk landscape.
Debut album ‘Murmur’ was an instant classic, while the band became one of the first to sign with a major label. Twin titans ‘Out Of Time’ and ‘Automatic For The People’ were phenomenally successful, and the band have struggled to get away from their shadow.
Drummer Bill Berry left the group in 1997, and since then R.E.M. have perhaps struggled to regain their energy. However last year’s stunning comeback ‘Accelerate’ captured some of their passionate fury.
A recent show in New York’s Carnegie Hall saw artists queuing up to pay tribute to the band. Marshall Crenshaw, Guster, Calexico, Bob Mould and others performed songs by the group before R.E.M. themselves leaped onstage.
To close the show, reports Billboard, the band played a version of ‘E-Bow The Letter’ complete with guest vocals from Patti Smith.
All money from the tribute show went to charity.
