5B: R.E.M.
R.E.M. was formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980. (Question 1 — What major U.S. city is Athens near?)
R.E.M. stands for “rapid eye movement,” which is the dream stage of sleep. However, the band’s name, R.E.M., doesn’t stand for anything. They just thought it sounded cool.
One of their heroes was Big Star. Like Big Star, R.E.M. had a unique sound. It was unlike anything being played at the time. Also like Big Star, R.E.M. had a “cult following” for many years.
One of the most distinctive characteristics was the singing. The words were hard to understand. The singer, Michael Stipe, recorded his singing in empty stairwells and cellars to give it a unique sound.
Their first song was called “Radio Free Europe.” Here they are singing it on their first TV appearance.
Many people thought the unique sound was like a painting – it created a picture. A song could mean anything you wanted it to mean. Here’s an early song called “South Central Rain.” What in the world is he singing about?
Eventually, R.E.M. made it big. With the song “It’s the End of the World as We Know It,” suddenly, they were stars. Michael Stipe said, “I can’t decide if this is my favorite song of ours, or my least favorite.”
After that, they traveled all over the world, playing to huge crowds. They broke up in 2011.
Michael Stipe was very shy when he was younger. In this interview (starting at 1:40), he talks about it. If you watch till the end, you’ll hear him say he doesn’t think the band will ever get back together again. “Everyone does that,” he says — which shows again he doesn’t want to be like everyone else.
The coronavirus has affected musicians, too. In April 2020, Michael Stipe performed a new song. But he wasn’t on a stage. He was on Zoom, from his house – just like we were all doing.
Answer:
1 — Athens, Georgia is just east of Atlanta. It’s home to the University of Georgia.