REM have broken up, after 31 years and 15 albums. They have been one of the all time great rock bands yet it is strangely hard to mourn their passing. The dignified way in which they called it a day, without rancour or dispute, suggests they understood that they were running out of road, or perhaps something even more elusive: inspiration.
Once the great outsiders who came to define a whole new spirit of alternative American rock, they have struggled to maintain their edge as stadium conquering multi-millionaire superstars. The truth is they have seemed adrift for a very long time, possibly since the departure of drummer (and fellow songwriter) Bill Berry in 1997. There has been a decade of reviews proclaiming each new album a return to form, part of the problem being that they never really lost form, everything they did was touched by genius, yet there was still a sense that they were chasing some mysterious magic that used to come effortlessly.
Here is my favourite performance from REM, 'Everybody Hurts' live from Live 8. The audience participation is amazing.
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