R.E.M. — (Should We Talk About The Weather) Double Album Interview

The full title of this double album is, as best I can tell, (Should We Talk About The Weather) (Should We Talk About The Government). That’s how it’s written on the spine. It was a special promo for R.E.M.’s 1988 album Green, and was something sent to record stores and radio stations. On the back cover it says “This hour long interview with R.E.M. is divided into four quarter hour segments…” But here’s the downer: instead of the two different platters this copy was packed with two copies of record one. Record one side one is an interview with Peter Buck with a couple songs from Green, and side two, called “part 3” is an interview with Michael Stipe with a couple more songs. What about Mike and Bill? Bogus. It’s somewhat interesting listening to the band talk about their experience to that point. I’m sure fans would love it. If this was a proper set I’d be tempted to keep it, but it isn’t, so I won’t. The purge continues…

R.E.M. — Eponymous

• Artist: R.E.M.
• Title: Eponymous
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 9
• Owner: Tracy? Mary?
• Acquired: 1988 – Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA
• Keeper: Yes

I hope everybody is watching UFC 75 right now. It’s free tonight! Cro Kop and Kongo are between rounds, and it’s the first fight tonight to make it past the first round. The main event between Jackson and Henderson is sure to be exciting.

Anyhow, Eponymous is a compilation of singles from R.E.M.’s first five albums. I like to pick on the band but of course they are great, and any sort of “best of” is especially great. I don’t have any memories or attachments with this one, but I was reminded of something when I was listening to it during dinner. The year Eponymous came out, 1988, is about when Mary’s sister Jolly was running track for the University of Georgia and living in Athens, GA. Somehow Jolly ended up walking Michael Stipe’s dog(s) when he was on the road. I think it was a regular gig for a while there, and I’ve always found it amusing.

Cro Kop just lost by decision to Kongo. Cro Kop looked like didn’t even want to be there. Downer…

More about this album at AllMusic.

R.E.M. — Dead Letter Office

• Artist: R.E.M.
• Title: Dead Letter Office
• Year: 1987
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: ?
• Acquired: ?
• Keeper: Yes

I have another ticket stub that doesn’t really belong with the record of the day. It’s from R.E.M.’s tour to support the 1984 album Reckoning and I should’ve mentioned it when I posted that one. For some reason I did mention the show, with opening act Dream Syndicate, on the Murmur post. I see the ticket is stamped “COMP” so maybe I won tickets on the radio or something.

The thing I remember most is talking to Dream Syndicate guitarist Karl Precoda between bands. I thought they put on a great, and surprisingly hard-rockin’ show, and I made sure to tell him that. He seemed like a pretty cool guy, but he decided to leave the band soon after this tour. At least I know it wasn’t my fault. Another memorable bit was that during R.E.M.’s set the power went out. This was a relatively small place, better-suited to conventions. I remember some minimal amount of light, and that the band carried on in some sort of acoustic mode for a while. I was glad to see they were cool like that, and not some whiny prima donnas.

To the record… Dead Letter Office is a compilation of rarities, outtakes, b-sides and covers. Despite the odds it’s a pretty listenable collection. Peter Buck also wrote some great notes about each song on the liner. Good ol’ Wikipedia has more info about it.

R.E.M. — Document

• Artist: R.E.M.
• Title: Document
• Year: 1987
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: ?
• Keeper: Yes

It’s taken me a while to give this a proper listen because I can’t stop listening to a new record that I’m very excited about. I’ll probably post that one next. Of course, this is a great album and it includes the mega-hits “Finest Worksong”, “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)”, and “The One I Love.” I can’t say I sit around the house playing R.E.M. records all the time, but I have to admit this is well-crafted music that is essentially timeless.

More about R.E.M.’s Document at Wikipedia.

R.E.M. — It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)

• Artist: R.E.M.
• Title: It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
• Year: 1987
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1987 – Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA
• Keeper: Yes

Haven’t I already logged this song? Maybe it was 12 inch. Mary has a ton of singles and many of them are R.E.M. pieces. “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” was, of course, a big hit. It’s hard to forget that one, but I can’t remember much about “Last Date” on the flipside. I played it a couple times before we left, and we’re still on the road. (One night to go!) I think it was an instrumental and I’m pretty sure I was digging it.

R.E.M. — S. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)

• Artist: R.E.M.
• Title: S. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1986 – When she worked at Plan 9 Records in Richmond, VA.

This R.E.M. 12 inch is an import, made in Holland, but with UK licensing stuff on it. Anyhow, I’ve always liked “S. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)” and I think this is the album version. On the flipside is “Voice of Harold” which is some sort of strange rework of “7 Chinese Brothers”, I think, and their version of Lou Reed’s/Velvet Underground’s “Pale Blue Eyes.” There is an article about it at Wikipedia, but it doesn’t explain what “Voice of Harold” is all about. They’re all good, but I like “Pale Blue Eyes” the best.

R.E.M. — Fables of The Reconstruction

• Artist: R.E.M.
• Title: Fables of The Reconstruction
• Year: 1985
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: Not sure

This is another R.E.M. record that I just can’t get into even though I think it’s decent music. “Fables of The Reconstruction” has at least two hits, “Driver 8” and “Can’t Get There From Here.” I’ve tried to listen to it a few times over the last couple days, but I always managed to distract myself with other things. Maybe I’m just missing something.

The pictures of the album jacket below may look upside-down, but that’s how it was originally packaged. Trust me, it was oriented correctly. Those guys were just being arty.

R.E.M. — (Don’t Go Back to) Rockville

• Artist: R.E.M.
• Title: (Don’t Go Back to) Rockville
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1984 – Probably when she worked at Tower Records in D.C.
• Keeper: Yes

Just a 12″ of “(Don’t Go Back to) Rockville.” It’s a great song that I can now manage to enjoy. The flipside includes a couple live songs from a show in Paris. Nothing special about this unless you’re a hardcore collecting R.E.M. fan. I gave it a high rating just for “Rockville.”

R.E.M. — Green

• Artist: R.E.M.
• Title: Green
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 9
• Owner: Mary / Tracy
• Acquired: 1988 – Our store RIP Records in Norfolk, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

I had forgotten what a huge hit this R.E.M. album was. Despite its pop success, or maybe because of it, I found “Green” to be the most enjoyable R.E.M. record I’ve logged so far. “Pop Song 89,” “Stand,” and “Orange Crush” must have been on the radio so much that I’ve been programmed to respond to them as “classics.” My favorite is “Turn You Inside-Out.”

By the way, the movers called and they are going to be a day late. More quality time with Kellie and Grayson!

R.E.M. — Wendell Gee

• Artist: R.E.M.
• Title: Wendell Gee
• Year: 1985
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: ? – She’s outta town. Who knows where and when.
• Keeper: Yes

This is a handsome twin 7 inch gatefold package that includes the songs “Wendell Gee”, “Ages Of You”, “Crazy” and “Burning Down.” I don’t know. Maybe I’m finally mellowing out in my old age. As I lap through these R.E.M. records I’m starting to like them more. I’ll admit, they are good, but I still don’t see myself getting the urge to play these often.