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Patterson Hood, frontman for
Drive-By Truckers
"R.E.M. has always been a class act. They have been one
of my favorite bands since I was a teenager. I first discovered
them while working at a record store in my hometown around
the time of Chronic Town in early 1983. A few weeks later, they
released their debut full-length album, Murmur, which ended
up topping year-end lists the world over. R.E.M. defied all
labels and in turn went on to define at least two generations
of music during a run of critically acclaimed (and eventu
ally best-selling) albums that ranks with the finest string of
consecutive releases ever. They have been an influence on my
music and on my life, as I most certainly would not have ended
up moving to Athens 18 years ago were it not for them.
Their early albums were the first to actually make me proud
to be Southern. They reveled in the weirdness of our region
without resorting to rebel flag waving, foolish pride or gui
tar pyrotechnics. I'm dead serious when I rank Fables of the
Reconstruction as one of the best Southern rock albums ever.
Peter Buck is easily one of the most innovative and interesting
guitar players of his time.
They never repeated themselves and they treated their fans
with intelligence. They ran their business in a progressive and
innovative way that influenced a generation of bands including
Sonic Youth, Nirvana, Radiohead and the bands I have played
in. After an amazing run of 'indie' records on the small IRS
label, they made the leap to the majors, signing with Warner
Brothers in 1988. This precarious move proved the death of
many bands from that era, but R.E.M. did it their way. like
they had done everything else, and continued their string of
great albums, only now selling millions instead of thousands of
records in the process.
They became a world-famous band yet retained deep roots
in the little town that spawned them. They were unafraid to be
political and controversial when it would have seemed easier
to turn away.
In later years, I have become friends with a couple of them
and consider that an honor. Their lesser albums are interesting
and daring, and the better ones have stood the test of time as
some of the greatest of the entire rock era.
I had always been a huge fan of the earlier albums (Chronic
Town through Lifes Rich Pageant) and the recent remastered
reissues have been some of my favorite releases of the last
five years or so. Reckoning especially stands out to me and has
held up better than many of 1984's more notorious releases
(no cheesy synthesizers a la Born in the USA, no ridiculous '80s
drums, etc.).
Nearly a decade later, a very different sounding R.E.M.
released Automatic for the People, and it also stands up nearly
20 years later as a masterpiece and one of the most beautiful
albums ever made.
I wish them all the best and owe them a lifetime of thanks."
Tim Johnson, executive director of
Family Connection-Communities in Schools
"Thank you, R.E.M.
For all the brilliant music over the last three decades, live
and recorded. For supporting our work through the years. For
always being such great community members—of Athens, of
the nation, of the planet. For having such a great staff. For
being genuinely nice people.
Thank you, R.E.M."
Check out our other -
special offerings!
• Private Parties
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3061 Atlanta Highway Suite A
Athene GA 3Q6C&
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Fw mm infafftvatKMv vwt us online
October 5th 6:30-9pm FREE
The Melting Point
Celebrate Women’s Health, Power & Creativity
Performances by AVPDA,
Sulukule Bellydance Company,
The Modern Pin-Ups And More
www.avpda.com
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SEPTEMBER 28, 2011- FLAGPOLE.COM 19
RICH MERRITT
