Years active 1980 - present
Origin Athens, Georgia
Genre (s) Rock
Alternative rock
College Rock
Members
Lead singer Michael Stipe
Guitarist Peter Buck
Bassist Mike Mills
Ex-Members
Drummer Bill Berry (1980 - 1997)
http://www.remhq.com
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R.E.M. is a college rock band in 1980 in Athens, Georgia (United States) was founded.

In the early years the band has built a considerable reputation, but the breakthrough came with the general public with the album Out Of Time and the hits Losing My Religion and Shiny Happy People. Losing My Religion and derived from Automatic for the People Everybody Hurts are among the classics of pop music.

In October of 1997, drummer Bill Berry, a severe depression because of the group. In 1995, Berry during a concert in Austria suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. He traded the life of rock star for a life on the farm, but has been busy with music.

Characteristic of R.E.M. is the strong, distinctive vocals of Michael Stipe, the quirky compositions, a combination of folk and rock heard and the usually very technically driven music performances particularly well. Stipe from regular social engagement during performances and makes no secret of it.

In the eighties the band was seen as a classic example of alternative music. Remarkably, since this image has lost little strength, although the band world for many years now also commercially very successful.

The song What's the Frequency, Kenneth? is based on the attack on Dan Rather, known television news anchor of U.S. network CBS. In 1986 he was attacked by William Tager who shouted the question what is the frequency. He wanted to know on which frequency images in his head were sent to his subsequent torture to stop.

The song "Man on the Moon" is a tribute to Andy Kaufman, comedian famous and renowned Elvis impersonator. "Everybody Hurts" is a number one hit on various charts around the world on April 15, 1993 as a single was released by Warner Bros.. Records. It appeared half years earlier as an album track on Automatic for the People. Michael Stipe explicitly link the song to his friendship with Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, which he says that the song fits the psychological problems experienced by Cobain during the period. In general, linked to the suicide of teenagers.

The song is about the Radio Free Europe radio station Free Europe was established in 1949 to provide information to the population on the eastern side of the Iron Curtain to send and lived primarily funded by the CIA.

In 2008, the 14th studio album Accelerate released. To promote this album was R.E.M. In 2008 on tour and has played in the Westerpark and Rock Werchter.

On March 7, 2011, the new album Into Collapse Now appear.


[Edit] Occupation Michael Stipe - vocals
Peter Buck - guitar
Mike Mills - bass
Drummer Bill Berry left the band in 1997. In 1995 he died during a concert in Lausanne (Switzerland) almost on the podium after a cerebral aneurysm: a bulge brains of the wall of a cerebral artery. After completing the sample tour again interrupted after intestinal problems by Mike Mills and Michael Stipe of a hernia, he found time for a change and decided to hay farmer in Watkinsville, Georgia. Since he left the group, the group for concerts and recordings of professional freelance drummers who support them when needed. Since 2001, Bill Rieflin (ex ministry nine inch nails') fixed substitute drummer in studio recordings and live concerts.

[Edit] ActivismeR.E.M. Known as a political asset. The band supports feminism, the environment and human rights through performances. In the United States is R.E.M. known as a progressive liberal. Mills supports or supported the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Which band members adhere to the ideals remain indoors to prevent others abuse these differences. Also the band has recently been used for human rights in Burma. The band was also supporter of the Democratic Party in the U.S. during the campaign of John Kerry. In their home town Athens, Georgia, she supported Mayor Gwen O'Looney twice in the year 1990, which therefore both times won the election, albeit narrowly. Many believe that the support of R.E.M. was crucial to winning this election.