R.E.M. gives a somber shout-out to young people everywhere with "Drive," a song which encourages energetic exuberance while morosely reflecting on the passage of time
Like you, I much prefer jangly R.E.M. to the brooding version. I know people love this song, but to me it just feels like a dirge. Objectively, it's good. Subjectively, I can't hit the "skip" button quick enough.
Speaking of skips, are we gonna talk about soap star Michael Damien's late 80s cover of "Rock On?" Lol. One of a handful of hits by daytime actors during this span. Without looking, I think it went to #1? What an odd era!
As for Sugar, I've been to a lot of shows, but Bob Mould (and this band) put on one of the best--and loudest-- I've ever been to. Loud as in, my ears were still ringing a couple of days later.
Interesting post! I didn't know that REM were that inspired by David Esexx's Rock On - a song I remember well when it was released in the 1970s. I can hear the connection though! Like you, I was a bigger fan of the group's previous album and singles.
Ha! This has sent me down a few rabbit holes. I think David Essex is more famous in the UK, for sure but I was not familiar with Rock On nor its influence on Drive.
I am partial to REM both in jangle and dark mode. I like the light and shade that tracks like Drive provide and in my head I felt like Automatic was a much bigger hit than Out Of Time so I did a bit of digging and in the UK at least they were definitely in the ascendancy. Automatic spawned 5 top 40 singles with Everybody Hurts peaking at no. 7, their highest chart position other than Shiny Happy People (which I consider a bit of an anomaly in the REM catalogue tbh). Losing My Religion was a more modest hit reaching no. 19, being surpassed by Drive (11), The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite (17) and Man On The Moon (18). I just find it interesting how differently music can be received on both sides of the Atlantic (at least if Wikipedia is to be believed!)
Out Of Time was my gateway REM album and I have always preferred it to AFTP for that reason. I would still argue that the IRS albums are the best work they’ve done though and I am extremely grateful for each and every album released by this band so formative to my music taste.
When I lived in the UK, I was surprised to find that David Essex is huge there. Not only has he had a long recording career with a lot of hits, but he's also been a musical theater star and actor for most of his career. I think he might have gotten honors from the Queen as well. But then a lot of artists make it big in one country and not the other, so not surprising. I was completely surprised that Rock On influenced Drive, but then Michael Stipe has always struck me as a really interesting artist.
Like you, I much prefer jangly R.E.M. to the brooding version. I know people love this song, but to me it just feels like a dirge. Objectively, it's good. Subjectively, I can't hit the "skip" button quick enough.
Speaking of skips, are we gonna talk about soap star Michael Damien's late 80s cover of "Rock On?" Lol. One of a handful of hits by daytime actors during this span. Without looking, I think it went to #1? What an odd era!
As for Sugar, I've been to a lot of shows, but Bob Mould (and this band) put on one of the best--and loudest-- I've ever been to. Loud as in, my ears were still ringing a couple of days later.
Interesting post! I didn't know that REM were that inspired by David Esexx's Rock On - a song I remember well when it was released in the 1970s. I can hear the connection though! Like you, I was a bigger fan of the group's previous album and singles.
Ha! This has sent me down a few rabbit holes. I think David Essex is more famous in the UK, for sure but I was not familiar with Rock On nor its influence on Drive.
I am partial to REM both in jangle and dark mode. I like the light and shade that tracks like Drive provide and in my head I felt like Automatic was a much bigger hit than Out Of Time so I did a bit of digging and in the UK at least they were definitely in the ascendancy. Automatic spawned 5 top 40 singles with Everybody Hurts peaking at no. 7, their highest chart position other than Shiny Happy People (which I consider a bit of an anomaly in the REM catalogue tbh). Losing My Religion was a more modest hit reaching no. 19, being surpassed by Drive (11), The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite (17) and Man On The Moon (18). I just find it interesting how differently music can be received on both sides of the Atlantic (at least if Wikipedia is to be believed!)
Out Of Time was my gateway REM album and I have always preferred it to AFTP for that reason. I would still argue that the IRS albums are the best work they’ve done though and I am extremely grateful for each and every album released by this band so formative to my music taste.
When I lived in the UK, I was surprised to find that David Essex is huge there. Not only has he had a long recording career with a lot of hits, but he's also been a musical theater star and actor for most of his career. I think he might have gotten honors from the Queen as well. But then a lot of artists make it big in one country and not the other, so not surprising. I was completely surprised that Rock On influenced Drive, but then Michael Stipe has always struck me as a really interesting artist.