Thanks R.E.M.

I grew up in Atlanta and the first time I saw REM was the Summer of 1980 when they opened for The Swimming Pool Q's at the 688 club. I remember thinking that they were a really fun band because the lead singer had a mophead of hair and danced like he was having an epileptic fit. I went out and bought their fist EP Chronic Town the next day. I really like the Paisley underground type sound of the early 80's in the South because to me it brought in a completely new genre that finally eradicated disco. Among my favorites:
REM
Guadalcanal Diary
Pylon
Love Tractor
Vigilantes of Love/Bill Mallonee
Let's Active/Mitch Easter
The Connells
Jack Logan
Swimming Pool Q's
Drivn n Cryn
The Windbreakers/Bobby Sutliff/Tim Lee
and of course in a class unto themselves- the B-52's

And from out West:
Dream Syndicate/Steve Wynn
Rain Parade/Mazzy Star
Green On Red/Chuck Prophet
Dumptruck

If you still enjoy this type of guitar driven rock and roll,I highly recommend the new Feelies album Here Before.

Not to digress too much, but thanks REM for making music interesting.

When I was in my early 30's I was at a party where music became the topic of conversation. I either didn't recognize or didn't care for the bands mentioned. When my input was elicited, my short response was- I'm kinda bimodal- the 19th century or the 1960's. I heard a number of folks insist on "listen to R.E.M.". Over the next 30 years they've been one of my favorite bands- maybe my favorite. I'm sad they're calling it a day but happy for them that they are leaving after a good album and as friends. I hope I get to hear from them as individual artists.

Everyone will experience these things differently. I discovered them by accident in about 1986, and first fell in love with Life's Rich Pageant. I worked my way backwards, and also liked Document and Green.
One day, I was in the grocery store and saw Michael Stipe on the cover of Details, and I started feeling the beginning of the end. That coincided with a loss of interest in the direction that their music was taking. I only bought 2 of their next discs, and didn't like them very much. I guess that what I had once seen in them and loved had become something else, as everything is in a constant state of change, as it should be.
For me, they were really magic for a long time, on record and in person. My fond enjoyment of their music (even the older discs) is somewhat marred these days by things I have read about Michael Stipe being an egotistical asshole who is abusive to the "little people". Still, an impressive body of good work.