REM RIP

I’m aware that REM might not be everyone’s cup of tea but news of their split has made me think wistfully about those days some 26 years ago when they were just about as important as The Smiths were to me. It’s hard to put into words (maybe I’ll try at some point!) what I felt when I heard songs like ‘Sitting Still’, ‘Southern Central Rain’ and ‘Radio Free Europe’. I’d never heard anything like it before and it was love at first listen.

Fortunately I was lucky enough to see REM live in 1984 and 1985, back when Michael Stipe used to mumble semi-incoherent lyrics beneath a ragged shock of curls. Great days indeed.

This video seems like a fitting clip to try to sum up what it was like back then. The (American) audience is completely non-plussed by the band, and the shots of people dancing like they’re at a Wham concert are splendidly incongruous. Still, it showcases a band brimming with talent and the confidence of youth. Oh, and (in my humble etc…) ‘Sitting Still’ is still one of the finest songs you’ll ever hear.