Left of the Dial

R.E.M. in many ways are the great American success story and gave hope to every band that played less than mainstream music out of their garage. This is a band that went from Radio Free Europe which only kids in Athens GA. heard to Everybody Hurts which everybody heard. They are the classic example of a band that with each increasingly successful album put out lost fans as they made even more. They are the band that appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone as "America's Best Rock n' Roll Band" and only got bigger from there much to the chagrin of their oldest fans.
Everybody seems to have their cut off point with R.E.M, for some it's Life's Rich Pageant, others it's Green and some will say that after their first album, Murmur they sucked ass; all the time critics loved them and their concert venues got bigger and bigger. Their singer Michael Stipe went from a shy mumbler on stage to being a tremendous front man who threw his body around, danced ridiculous and wore costumes. Bill Berry on drums, Mike Mills on bass and Peter Buck on guitar all seemed like dudes you would never pick out as rock stars, all unassuming in appearance, more like college students than musicians. Their sound a southern inspired cryptic style of rock that nobody else sounded like. Starting around 1980 they manged to avoid being new wave, metal or even grunge though they were without a doubt, indie college rock.

My introduction to them was in 1985, Can't Get There From Here and I thought it was a funny sounding song with a funny looking video. After hearing this song I was introduced to more of their music by a friend of mine who flatly said ever other album they put out sucks. I was a big fan of Life's Rich Pageant as well as Dead Letter Office and as much as I liked those album I never bought their next album, Document which would be their introduction to the main stage of Rock N' Roll.

Document brought them from the basement and into the frat house with, It's the End of the World As We know It, and I feel Fine. The One I love however is a great pop/rock song still, a classic that deserves all the kudos it gets. It was also one of those ambiguous clues to Michael Stipe's sexuality. Green, their sixth album was one that I really, really liked despite that horrible song, Stand  that was played every hour on Mtv and was all over the radio. Orange Crush, Turn You Inside Out (even if it sounded just like The Finest Work Song), and my favorite track on the album, You Are The Everything held the album together. The Latter song would heavily influence their biggest song ever on their biggest album ever which came next.
Out of Time gave us Losing My Religion a song you couldn't avoid if you tried. It was played on rock stations, alternative stations, adult stations, your parents CD player and was Mtv all day; the video was gorgeous and weird and wone almost every VMA it was nominated for. The album sold 12 million copies world wide! While Losing My Religion was the high point of the album many of the bands hard core fans had jumped ship by then. Shiny Happy People may be the lowest depths the band ever sank to and made their future look unbearable. That song still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
With 1992's Automatic For the people the band's 8th album it seemed the pattern continued, old fans rejected them while new fans devoted themselves to the band. Everybody Hurts, another gigantic hit on the radio and Mtv made this album mega successful. As many people loved that song and that damned video there were as many who hated it. I remember sitting in my living room with my roommate who began playing they song on his guitar we changed the the lyrics to "everybody sucks . . . my ass."
When The biggest band in the land returned in 1995 with, Monster they tried to get away from their increasingly wussy status and put some fuzz and volume on the guitars with a an album that sort of rocked with songs like,  Star 69 and What's the Frequency, Kenneth? but it was also apparent that Michael Stipe and the boys weren't young anymore. Don't get me wrong one of my favorite R.E.M. songs, Let Me In is on this album.

And then it all seemed to stop. Something in the music world change, something in the hearts of Mtv changed. Their airplay was diminished quite a bit and even though the critics still loved them their popularity seemed to dwindle down to where it had been before Document. I know people who will tell you about their best work was put out after Monster but I'm not one of them. Maybe their decline was all due to Bill Berry leaving the band, I don't know. Maybe it's just not possible to pretend you're still and alternative/indie band after so many year, so many concerts and so many record sales, maybe they should have finally embraced just how big they were so they could continue being a huge act. Maybe they didn't want that.
Where do they belong in the rock pantheon after their 30 years of performing and recording? They deserve a place of note, that's for sure and while they haven't been relevant for the past fifteen years their first fifteen were damn good and they were damn cool. A little southern band with very astute melodies and a sound that while familiar was all their own, R.E.M. have been to the mountain top of popularity and back down and seemed to never give in to what music trends were going on. That in it's self earn my respect.

I never saw them live but I did see Stipe and super model Helena Christensen go into a bar in New York once, I kept on walking.

My Top 10 R.E.M. Songs (in no roder)
1. Let Me In, Monster
2. You Are The Everything, Green
3. Swan Swan Hummingbird, Life's Rich Pageant
4. 1,000,000, Chronic Town
5. Radio Free Europe, Murmur
6. The One I Love, Document
7. Low, Out of Time
8. Superman, Life's Rich Pageant
9. Orange Crush, Green
10.Fall On Me, Life's Rich Pageant

Honorable mention: Toys in the Attic, Dead Letter Office

Weekly Mix #79

Oh Boy! 2011 is here for the mixes which means there aren't very many to go. Much of this mix was made after one of the best weeks in music release memory where it seemed like everything good came out!

1. In a Big Country  by Big Country

Bagpipes! 80s rock! It didn't get any bigger for these Scottish dudes. The singer killed himself a few years back from what I hear.

2. Under Cover of Darkness by The Strokes

The Strokes are back!!! In my mix world they've been around forever but in the real world this was the first album in years and the single is delightfully Strokestacular!

3. Breaker, Breaker by Peter, Bjorn and John
This is the best thing the boys of PB&J have done since they blessed us with the ubiquitous ,Young Folks. Worth the wait, maybe.
4. 1,000,000 by R.E.M.

Their first single ever which nobody heard outside of Atlanta for years, you gotta love that 1980s indie rock!

5. Sing by My Chemical Romance

They got lots of play from this song, especially on some add for some TV show.

6. Being Followed by Duran Duran

I love it, I love their come back album!

7. Everybody Have Fun Tonight by Wang Chung

Stupid but fun. Wang Chung will make another appearance with us in the not too distant future.

8. Twenty Yards behind by Dr. Feelgood

Ska! Ska! Ska!

9. Let England Shake by PJ Harvy

It has been a long time between PJ Harvy listens for me but I'm glad I listened to this new song.

10.S and M by Rihanna

Club Music!

11.Communication by The Power Station

This was their third single and it was damn catchy for dorks like me.

12.Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away) by Mötley Crüe

Better words have rarely been spoken

13.Guilty Girls by BuffaloTom

Back from the dead, Buffalo Tom get really catchy and good!

14.Kiss Me On The Bus by The Replacements

Feel good indie rock 1985 style! For me R.E.M and The Matts will always be linked by that college radio of the 80s thing

15.Silver Lining by Rilo Kiley

they'll never get better than Portions for Foxes but they will make some decent tunes.

16.U Should Know Better by Robyn & Snoop Dogg

weird duo but it works and it works well in the Euro disco way

17.Wrong by Depeche Mode

Not a good song to listen to in the middle of the night even though I can't think of any other time I'd want to hear it.

18.Thrones by The Dears

Canadian Rock's best band currently. Arcade Fire and eat a dick straight up.

19.The Crystal Ship by The Doors

Crooning must continue. What is the Crystal Ship anyway?

20.Miss Misery by Elliott Smith
This song would make me kill myself too. This song should have won the Oscar for best song from a motion picture but Celine Dion got it with, My Heart Will Go On, lame. Honestly when you compare the two performances Celine should be embarrassed.

21.Hush by Kula Shaker

It's almost the same as Deep Purple's but is it better than when Charlatans UK did it in the late 80s?

22.Bad Medicine by Bon Jovi
More organ? Let's end on a high rocker!

Listen to it here!

Weekly Mix #60

17 is the magic number? Maybe. There are a lot of top notch selections on this mix that I made a few years back. I hope you enjoy.

1. Imminent Bailout by Buckcherry

From a band without a time. Buckcherry is a sleazy rock band in a world of emo dorks

2. The Age of the Understatement by The Last Shadow Puppets
I don't know if it sounds like Tom Jones or Neil Diamond but it definitely sounds like it's from the sixties
3. Mercy by Duffy

One might say she's an Amy Winehouse clone and I won't argue

4. Back to Black by Amy Winehouse

Doing her heartbroken best, Amy knows how to set a voacl mood.

5. Where Did Our Love Go by The Supremes

The originals, the best girl group ever

6. The Chills by Peter Bjorn and John

This is a chilling toned tune by the Scandinavians. If I didn't know better about bands like Abba and all that death metal I would guess this is what music from that part of the world should sound like.

7. Are You Experienced? by Jimi Hendrix

Gorgeous psychedelic rock. When this came out, nothing sounded like it; it was the birth of guitar ecstasy. It takes you to another place in the cosmos of the mind.

8. Fields of Joy by Lenny Kravitz

Following suit Lenny gives the old Psychedelia a try as well, he's helped out by Slash. I didn't take to this song for a bout 17 years.

9. Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden
Beautiful psychedelic guitars from the last great grunge album. From Seattle, Soundgarden scored a huge success with this gem; the video had a lot to do with it. Even though this song was enormous and ubiquitous at it's peak it took me 17 years to finally love it.



10.Five On the Five by The Raconteurs

This song will wake you up from the dripping guitar tribute.

11.Two-Timing Touch and Broken Bones by The Hives.

More rock from lands of the Vikings, Fagersta Sweden.

12.Horror's Theme by The Horrors

More bands should have theme songs

13.Mr. Richards by R.E.M

The boys from Athens Georgia are still at  it even though they haven't sold any records since the 90s

14.The Rip by Portishead

Portishead is back from the dead and just as moody as always. Their third album is not thier best but it is cool to hear what they bring to the soundscape. Welcome to the world of my mixes!

15.Hold On Tight by ELO

Electric Light Orchestra! Jeff Lynn's band does a little throw back music even in the eighties. This song was used in coffee commercials back then.

16.Heart Throb by Be Your Own Pet
This is what non country or western Tennessee rock sounds like, awesome! Well loud and frantic and a little stupid but still good stuff.
17.True Romance by She Wants Revenge

The follow up to Tear You Apart, not as good but still moody L.A. stuff.

18.Guilt By Association by Louis XIV

A band that should have been in the seventies

19.Shadow Of Your Love by Hollywood Rose

This is the band that was part of Guns n' Roses before Gn'R came to be. I wouold have put an L.A. Guns song next but the sucked so instead we shall dance.

20. Don't Stop the Music by Rihanna

Disco time!

21. D.A.N.C.E. by Justice

Keep moving. I don't know too much about this Dj but people love him.

22. Centerfold by The J. Geils Band
Peter Wolf and the boys biggest hit; it's a good sing along if you like na na's

Weekly Mix Tape Pt 40

This weeks mix was a 2005 creation. We start with Gn'R welcoming us to the jungle and finish with Jane's tucking us in at night. In between there is a lot of classic songs and dance music.

Enjoy 

1. Welcome To The Jungle by Guns N' Roses
This is where it all began for most Americans, this where the face of rock n' roll changed for a few years until Kirk Cobain showed up. 
2. Peace Frog by The Doors
"Bloody red sun of fantastic L.A." This line confuses everybody from L.A.
3. Entertain by Sleater-Kinney
This song is loud and crazy, maybe one of my top ten songs by an all woman or woman fronted rock band.
4. Over The Hills And Far Away by Led Zeppelin
Sometimes this is the perfect Led Zeppelin song: light, playful acoustic guitar that eventually becomes loud and crunching electric
5. Ask by The Smiths
 Another wonderful song by the Smiths that could only been written in the 80s, remember, "Shyness is nice and shyness can stop you from doing all the things in life you'd like to"
6. My Doorbell by The White Stripes
 One good ditty deserves another. Some people think this is the best song from the Get Behind Me Satan album
7. Five Feet High And Rising by Johnny Cash
Songs about floods aren't common in rock or pop but here's a good one. So good De La Soul sampled it.
8. It's A Wonderful Life by Sparklehorse
It's a wonderful song, rest in peace Mark Linkous.
9. Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz
Are your ready to dance? The Gorillaz second album was psycho trippy dance jam that was much better than it should have been
10.I Am Superman by R.E.M.
 Off the Life's Rich Pageant this was the last album R.E.M. put out before they blew up with The One I Love.
11.The God Ones by The Kills
Average and okay song but it works here
12.Technologic by Daft Punk
Because you love to boogie and you love robot voices telling you what to do.
13.Girl U Want by Devo
Were they really ahead of their time?
14.Gangsters and Thugs by Transplants
This has a good groove. Tim Armstrong's follow up band to Rancid never got huge but they had some good songs
15.Monkey Wrench by Foo Fighters
There's a lot of emotion on all these songs off The Colour and The Shape.
16.Time To Waste by Alkaline Trio
 Not much to say about this one
17. Velouria by Pixies
Remember when the Pixies were the future of rock? No?
18.Processed Beats by Kasabian
Danceable rock from the U.K.
19.Under Pressure by Queen w/David Bowie
One of the great songs of all time and THIS was one of the best performances of that song but with Annie Lennox
20.Lose Control by Missy Elliot & Fat Man Scoop
There's a lot of frenetic energy in this jam
21.Classic Girl by Jane's Addiction
When you start with an L.A. band sometimes you have to finish with an L.A. band

Weekly Mix Tape Pt 27

I think I had recently purchased a Hip-Hop compilation which busted out like crazy on my speakers and influenced my mixes.

1. Helter Skelter by The Beatles
"I've got blisters on my finger!" You know what I'm talking about.
2. By The Way by Red Hot Chili Peppers
This is the last good song the band ever recorded
3. It Takes Two by Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock
When I first heard this song it was ON! I thought it was freaky and super damn cool! It catches your attention with those gasps and shouts; it was too cool to possibly be a huge hit but there it was, awesome.
4. So What'cha Want by The Beastie Boys
This is the first Beastie Boys song I ever liked, everything before it was annoying. Later I grew to appreciate Paul's Boutique
5. Pennyroyal Tea by Nirvana
From the album In Utero which was supposed to sound horrible but really just sounded like the next level of grunge.
6. Get Free by The Vines
I couldn't name another of this band's songs
7. Far Gone And Out by The Jesus & Mary Chain
The pop side of the Scottish duo
8. Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.
This song was on, Green which came out in 88
9. Funkytown by LIpps Inc
Oh, won't you take me down to Funkytown? If there was such a place I have to wonder how much the rent is there; it's gotta' be outrageous!
10.Keep Fishin' by Weezer
Power pop, baby!
11.These Boots Are Made For Walkin' by K.M.F.D.M.
Nancy Sinatra did a version of this song in German which might be why a German industrial band covered it.
12.Young Lust by Aerosmith
The fact that Steven Tyler keeps it in his sneaker makes all the difference.
13.Smack My Bitch Up by The Prodigy
If you thought you were cool in 1997 this song was rad!
14.Girls On Film by Duran Duran
Duran Duran makes me wish I was a 13 year old girl in 1982
15.Pet Eunuch by Clinic
Showing their less trippy, organ side and rocking out while wearing surgical masks.16.For nancy by Pete Yorn
This song wasn't written for Wynona Ryder but it might as well have
17.There  Is an End by The Greenhornes & Holly Golightly
Retro sound for the cocktail set
18.Jump Around by House Of Pain
White rap! The band should have been from Boston but weren't.
19.A Little Less Conversation by Elvis Presley
The King may be dead but his songs will kept popping in places like Oceans 11
20.Up The Bracket by The Libertines
Heralded as the English version of The Strokes, they were much sloppier but somehow as exciting.
21 Love Spreads by the Stone Roses
From the much maligned Second Coming Album; it's a departure form the sparse danceable Stone Roses of the first album and filled with bass and rock guitar
22.Who's Gonna' Ride Your Wild Horses (Temple Bar Mix) by U2
This isn't eh album version, it's a more stripped down version makes the song much more ballsy and heartfelt. They took out all the reverb and synth and replaced it with cello and piano.

Clinic: the band

The Argument Clinic

Weekly Mix Tape Pt 17

Let's Rock! At Least at first we will before we settle down into some other elements of pop music. Enjoy the sounds at you leisure. These songs flow pretty well even if it doesn't seem like it. All the songs are available for purchase on iTunes but as per usual my attempt to be awesome and tech savy by creating a link have failed so happy hunting.

1. Girls, Girls, Girls by Mötley Crüe
What is a marble larch?
2. Do You Want To hit It by The Donnas
Horny rocker girls posing a very interesting question
3. One-Armed Scissor by At The Drive-In
After this album the band broke up and became The Mars Volta
4. Radio Free Europe by R.E.M.
Ladies and gentlemen, R.E.M. before they became total pussies
5. The Next Episode by Dr. Dre
This is the one with Snoop Dogg on it
6. You Do Something To Me by Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad at her most sultry
7. What Difference Does It Make by The Smiths
Best Smiths song Ever
8. Elephant Stone by The Stone Roses
This was a big single in the UK
9. There's No Other Way by Blur
The US's first taste of the band back in 1991; I wasn't a fan at the time
10.The Other Side by Aerosmith
This song was in "True Romance"
11.In A Little While by U2
Why do I keep putting horrible U2 Songs on mixes, actually this song is just lazy
12.Block Rockin' Beats by The Chemical Brothers
This track was part of the great techno push of 1997
13.Darkside by Crazy Town
This song sucks but it goes well with Disco Science
14.Disco Science by Mirwais
I wan to see the laboratory that this Science is done in
15.Unsung by Helmet
They were dubbed the next Nirvana
16.Buddy Holly by Weezer
Great Video by Spike Jonze
17.Pleasant Valley Sunday by The Monkees
Somebody should cover this song . . . No, I take that back
18.Heartbreak Hotel by Elvis Presley
We've all checked in once or twice in our lives
19.Spin The Bottle by Juliana Hatfield Three
I think this song is about Johnny Depp
20.Then The Morning Comes by Smash Mouth
What happened to Smash Mouth?
21.My Way by Sid Vicious
Best version of this song of all time!

Weekly Mix Tape Pt 8

IS this mix intriguing? Maybe, what was the purpose of putting two Beatles inspired bands on it with the word some form of believing in the title? This mix also contains R.E.M. at their most cryptic; I don't think Michael Stipe even remembers what the lyrics meant. A Boston shout out goes to Buffalo Tom, Letters to Cleo and Lemonheads. Yup, I like this mix quite a bit, "The Wanderer" is one of U2's and Johnny Cash's best songs. This mix is actually kind of exhausting.
Go listen for your self, I believe all songs are available for purchase on iTunes.



1. This Charming Man by The Smiths
This was the worlds introduction to one of the great British bands of the 80s. Somber, mysterious lyrics, great guitar hooks, what else does a band need?
2. I'm a Believer by The Monkees
The band that people have loved and loved to hate. True they were a manufactured group for television but the songs were really good pop.

 
3. The Only One I Know by The Charlatans (UK)
The Manchester sound or the Madchester sound found another group in these blokes. Keyboard rich that some compared to Deep Purple they even played Hush live in their early days.
4. Mr. Big Stuff by Jean Knight
Switching it up some we get funky.
5. Swan Swan H by R.E.M.
What the hell is this song about? "girl and dog he bore his cross" It's a great tune.
6. Crazy On You by Heart
Fantastic classic rock that starts off as a noodling acoustic thing but then  brings the rock in a big dramatic. Barracuda and this are my favorites by Heart. People used to say the Wilson sisters were lesbians, I don't know if that's gross or understandable.

7. Negative Creep (live) by Nirvana
Raw, noisy, abrasive,  frightening, this is my favorite Nirvana song and the live version From the Muddy Banks Of The Wishkah is so god damned insane and brash it makes the studio recording seem like a little demo from beneath the bed.
8. Sad Girl by Lemonheads
A song about a mess of a chick
9. Christine Sixteen by Kiss
This song is ridiculous but it's Kiss and there's nothing you can do about it.
10.Pumping On Your Stereo by Supergrass
 swear they're singing humping on your stereo.
11.Ziggy Stardust by David Bowie
The theme song for the album is just a classic example of Bowie's willingness to lose himself in an idea.
12.Jealousy by Liz Phair
She was huge in 1994 but then she had a kid and disappeared. Not really but if would have been better if she had.

 
13.Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin
Easily one of my top five Zep songs. There is so much power and might from the hammer of the gods! If this song doesn't get you going on some viking berserker rampage, nothing will. 
14.Taillights Fade by Buffalo Tom
It might as well be a power ballad in the anti power ballad era.
15.I Feel Love by Donna Summer
Sexy disco.

 
16.Parallel Universe by Red Hot Chili Peppers
This is about the last time I enjoyed a Chili peppers' in earnest. After this they checked their balls in and mailed it in. Congrats though, they made it to the Rock N' Roll Hall OF Fame.  Oh yeah that means so much. 
17.Slow Dog by Belly
Belly was a band that came from  Throwing Muse and was big for 1993.
18.Heroin Girl by Everclear
This song doesn't really jibe well with the rest of the bands crappy melodic sing alongs. It actually has oomph and punk notions!
19.Happy Jack by The Who
I don't care much for the Who but this song is good.

 
20.Step Back by Letters to Cleo
I thought this song was one of the best of 1994 but nobody listened to me for just reason. It's catchy but it's never been a hit.
21. Let's All Make Believe by Oasis
One of the few shining moments from Oasis' post Morning Glory days.
22. The Wanderer by U2 and Johnny Cash
Who would have thought Cash and U2 would record together? This song is a great American song despite it's weirdness. The lyrics are excellent, ironic, funny and creepy.

Weekly Mix Tape Pt 4

This weeks mix has a some moments that are directly stolen form a mix tape I made in the late 80s, see if you can figure out which part. I really like those 3 songs together.

1. Stacked Actors by Foo Fighters
A good hate song is great, especially when it's about Courtney Love
2. Ocean Size by Jane's Addiction
This was really my first introduction to Jane's Addiction and I loved them, I thought they were amazing and they scared me. Weird, sexy and kick ass!

3. Paranoid Android by Radiohead
Some people say this was the last good album Radiohead ever did and some people say this was the end to their beginning. I don't know, they have got boring.
4. Where is My Mind by Pixies
Some bands were bigger than they were, The Pixies is one of them. They influenced everybody but never got much bigger than the Alternative music scene at the time would let them. This song is great, trippy and and real cool.
5. Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns N' Roses
Yes, this is one of the greatest rock songs of all time and if you can't accept that than you are just fool. It's tough sounding but sweet, the lyrics are nice but Axl's voice was so perfect in the late 80s there was nothing anybody could do about it.
6. The One I love by R.E.M.
I kinda' liked R.E.M. up until this point but when I heard this song I went nuts for them
7. Desire by U2
They took a riff from Bo Diddly and got very American
8. Then by The Charletons UK
I wasn't a big fan of these Manchester guys but suddenly they got into my veins and I really started to dig the whole scene. rock organ with a dance beat and undeniably English vocals. Yes they sound a lot like The Stone Roses but I'm okay with that.

9. Jean Genie by David Bowie
"New York's a go-go and everything tastes nice" Such groovy song.
10.Fast As You Can by Fiona Apple
Fiona isn't as creepy on this song as she was on Criminal but she's just as insane. This is a little bit of a hyper song for her and I like it.
11.Cecelia by Simon and Garfunkle
Feel good song, sort of.
12.Posthuman by Marilyn Manson
Wicked sounding rock for the future which Marilyn brought to us here.

13.March Of The Pigs by Nine Inch Nails
Crazy anger from Trent and his band. This was the first single from his huge Downward Spiral album and recorded where Sharon Tate was murdered Charles Manson's minions
14.Still The Same by Bob Seger
 Man, this song is a good song to relax and think about, especially after you rock out to Hollywood Nights.
15.Orgasm Addict by The Buzzcocks
Great band that deserved more credit than they ever got. You can here where all power pop punk bands got there influence. 

16.My Favorite Game by Cardigans
This one sounded so different from  their previous stuff and had a video not played on Mtv because it was too destructive. Nia Pierson and the boys did good with this one.

17.Sexx Laws by Beck
I thought that this would be it for beck but he did make some good tunes after this one as he entered the 21st century.
18.Private Idaho by The B-52's
Classically weird rock from Athens Georgia
19.This is Your Life by The Dust Brothers
You are not your Fucking khakis!