9.29.2011

R.E.M. DOWN FOR THE COUNT..... SCOTT BATEY


Today's guest post come from my Rock Star Attorney friend Scott Batey... I have to tell you... Scott is an encyclopedia of the Law for sure but OMG what he knows about rock music is immense. Scott has a whole different take on rock than I do. I want to share his love for music with you all... Scott called today and told me that R.E.M. was folding so he wrote this story to go with today's call. Thanks Scott!! RK


R.E.M

From Scott:

For me Pretty Persuasion is the quintessential REM song:



These Days was the first saw I saw them do this live at the Fox in 1986.

Half a World Away is particularly special to me, in 1993 I spent the summer in London studying at the University of Notre Dame Law School’s London campus while my girlfriend (and future wife) stayed in Michigan.

I stayed in a dorm at the London School of Economics (where Mick Jagger and JFK also studied) and would go into the pub in the basement of the dorm (yes they had a pub in the basement of the dorm which I must say was very convenient) and play this song over and over thinking about my future wife. I think I drove the bartender Clive crazy, but it helped get me through the summer. Half a World Away


I think New Adventures in HI-FI was one of R.E.M.’s masterpieces and E-bow the Letter with Patti Smith is a beautiful and haunting song:

E-Bow the Letter

The concert in Rome was truly amazing and one of the great things about the internet is we get to relive some special moments:

Concert in Rome

In 2007 REM played 5 nights at the Olympic Theatre in Dublin what they called as a rehearsal. They released a live DVD, but what I found particularly refreshing was that unlike many of the contemporary bands of their time they didn’t forget their roots and actually played obscure songs that were not particularly radio friendly:

http://youtu.be/25GojFtBFI0


http://youtu.be/GyUmTK5Dmpw

http://youtu.be/l8Ii6AaZ3ZE


http://youtu.be/kj1gh4e-OCU


Which brings us to the release of their glorious album Collapse into Now which is absolutely brilliant. One particular interesting issue with this album was the appearance that Michael Stipe may have actually found faith.

Stipe who was a well known agnostic has several lyrics leading the listener (me) to conclude he has found God. I have not been able to confirm this, but in any event the CD offers the most optimistic and positive lyrics of their entire career. My two favorites are Oh My Heart and Uberlin:

Everyday is Yours to Win is the most inspiring REM song of all time with my favorite lyric “every day is new again, every day is yours to win and that’s how heroes are made.” As someone who believes this country desperately needs more heroes I think we should all focus more on winning our day, every day:

http://youtu.be/C3-YuGEW59c

And they can still Rock:

http://youtu.be/ayb1uoeYrgo

Finally, last week after hearing of their break-up, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam who sings on “It Happened Today” , shares with the crowd his thoughts on the break-up and does a nice version of the song:

http://youtu.be/CPr-UXHuGvI

Thank you REM for all of the beauty you shared with world.

READ MORE ON RK

SCOTT BATEY DETROIT'S ROCK STAR ATTORNEY

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