Image from the cover of Litterature Chinoise by Pai Wan Chuang, 1959
I may not think of R.E.M. as my "favorite band these days", but there's no denying that they are the group that had the single greatest formative influence on my musical tastes, the primordial ooze from whence my love of music sprang. For example, would I be listening to a newly-acquired copy of the Go-Betweens' Spring Hill Fair today if not for R.E.M.? I don't think I would.
I'm not going to indulge in commentary on the good or bad timing of R.E.M.'s announcement yesterday that they are breaking up, the comparative quality of their early and recent works, or the inevitability of Michael Stipe's solo career. Today, I just want to say "Thanks" to Michael, Mike, Peter, and Bill for making some great music. Here's "Wall of Death", a Richard Thompson cover that I discovered on the "E-Bow the Letter" CD-single (originally recorded for the tribute album Beat the Retreat).
"Wall of Death" by R.E.M.
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