84 replies to this topic

[fredrik]

stipeeyes, on 02 December 2011 - 10:40 AM, said:

It's probably a hope gone sour but I do hope a few years down the line the guys reconsider and play together again.  Concert life is going to be so lonely without one of the few bands who does it right.

Can we dare to compare with Midnight Oil? They wrapped it up in 2002 but have done two charity shows since. AND rehersal shows at clubs for both - THAT would be the place to be.
For those interested: http://www.setlist.f...ry=midnight oil

[BarteredLantern]

i still believe that all 3 had become confined by the band, the business side of things, the expectations, the disappointments, the decreasing fanbase etc...

I just think it hit Stipe the hardest and perhaps the band and its meaning defined him more when he was younger, now in his middle ages he probably just feels confined by it and wants to make the rest of his life be about something else.   So I think he was the catalyst, and he seemed to get defensive in a recent interview when someone asked who was the first to bring up the subject of retirement.

With Buck its different, I'm sure he wasn't excited by the direction of REM but him and Mills are both musicians at heart, I think they feel the need to play music in whatever venue they can.  They were both far more into touring than Stipe and I think both could have continued with REM if Stipe was 100% for it.  But ultimately i think they are being sincere about feeling liberated because what started out as a fun and meaningful college band became more of a business after awhile.

I definitely bet they'll get together once in awhile to do a charity gig or concert for a special event.  If it's for a cause they all support I could see them doing something in a fun, no-strings attached way.

[Driver Nate]

BarteredLantern, on 02 December 2011 - 11:58 PM, said:

I definitely bet they'll get together once in awhile to do a charity gig or concert for a special event.  If it's for a cause they all support I could see them doing something in a fun, no-strings attached way.

Agreed, I just don't see them ever mounting a large scale tour ever again. Even then, I don't see them doing something like this right away. I imagine after 31 years it's going to take a while for the dust to settle. I also feel they very much deserve that sort of break after giving us all so much for so long.

[Pilgrimager]

Why? 'cause they're a bit neurotic about the band.  I've always thought they over analysed things too much and now they've analysed themselves into oblivion.

[Queen of Comedy]

Michael didn’t even want to tour for Accelerate. Then he fortunately changed idea, but at the beginning he was reluctant to tour. http://www.xfm.co.uk...-tour-this-year
So I’m not surprised if the disbanding decision was born during the Accelerate tour…maybe it was more tiring than usual for Michael and he decided to not tour anymore. Hence, the consequent split. IMHO Michael wanted to leave a good memory also as a frontman (and he’s the best frontman I’ve ever seen live!).
I remember in Torino that Michael said that he was starting to feel tired (but that being in Italy was the best medicine   ) and that, despite all, he was even more energetic than in the previous legs. I feared it was his “swan’s song” .