The secret story of the Rem

We remember the unique story of a great American band, with the help of Peter Ames Carlin, author of a new Biography of the Rem

Article published on January 31, 2025 in Rolling Stone to read the original English.

At the beginning, the Rem He played everywhere that accepted them from pizzerias to gay bars and fraternity parties. Despite all the artistic elusiveness of his initial music, the band that in the end would have defined the model for the alternative rocky boom of the 90s was more hungry and more strategic than it seemed – which is only one of the many revelations in the new illuminating book Of Peter AmesCarlin, The name of this band is Rem: biography.

In the new episode of Rolling stone music now, Carlin Sit with the presenter Brian Hiatt To analyze the numerous dismantled myths and discovered facts of the book. Some salient points below:

Michael Stipe And his best friend of high school assumed that they would become rock star. “They continued to sit in his room and looked at copies of the Rolling stone, Believe AND Circus And they bet with each other who would have been interviewed first, “he says Carlin.

The father of Stipe He was an conservative air colonel, but he completely accepted his son. When one Stipe teenager came out a night dressed as Horror Rocky photo show (1975), his father simply told him to have fun.

Stipe Initially hated the university city of Georgia which would become synonymous with Rem “He called Hippie City Athens of cows – he says:” I hate him, I hate him, “he says,” he says Carlin.

The first presentations of Stipe They were so magnetic that their first show with the band ended violently. “The girls ‘boyfriends have decided to appreciate,’ Well, it’s better that we kick that boy’s ass … and we became an entire street struggle and someone cut with a bottle,” he says Carlin.

Peter Buck I would like to say that I could not play the guitar when the Rem It was formed, but that was pure creation of myths. “In Athens, there was something very interesting and casual to say” we couldn’t even play our tools until we form our band. “” Carlin. “It meant that you were really in this for art and expression. It wasn’t true.”

Dollar AND Stipe They joined Jonral’s musical coverage for the first time Voice of the villageDreaming of the Punk scene in New York while he was still in Georgia. “THE Voice of the village It was an advice of salvation, a passport for an entire world that was like a shit of bitch, which exists, “he says Carlin.

The rhythmic section of Bill Berry AND Mike Mills He brought a serious musical experience for the band. “They played together in a highly successful teenager cover band in the city of Macon when they were growing, playing all the blows of Rock FM of the time,” he says Carlin.

Berry He pressed the band to leave college and commit himself completely into music. “He clarified that if they were not put, he would have left the band,” he says Carlin.

His first shows revealed a clear contrast with other Athens bands. “The boys of Pylon or guys of Love tractor They were telling me that when they saw the Rem For the first time, the first feeling they had was: “Oh, wow – these guys can play the covers and you can really hear what music is” ” Carlin.

Berry He played a unique role in the edition of the band’s songs. “When he started becoming too long or I count He was bored, he raised his wands and said: ‘No, no, no, no, no. We have to cut it ‘” Carlin.

Dollar It was fundamental in the prevention of conflicts that normally destroy the gangs, convincing everyone to divide the credit for the composition into each song. “Peter He realized that his reading of Rock & Roll literature has repeatedly shown him that there are always two things that separate the bands: one is credit and the other is the royalties, “he says Carlin.

The father of Dollar “Who was upset that he never finished the college.” “Even when your father was dying, I think one of the things Peter He said he was describing how your father looked at him and said: “Listen, it is better to earn a million dollars playing rock & roll, because you can’t do anything else,” he says Carlin.

Their refusal to gather from the end of the band in 2011 adapts to the model of demanding expectations of the entire career. “Since basically all the other bands whose members are alive in the end gather,” he says Carlin“Maybe they keep the step without gathering – just to do what all the other bands do.”

Listen to the complete episode here:

+++ Read more: Michael Stipe (Rem) asks for boycott on Facebook and Instagram to protest against far right

+++ Read more: Rem’s worst album in Mike Mills’s opinion

+++ Read more: when Michael Stipe was excluded from the REM show on Glastonbury

Source: Terra

Earl

Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.