ROCKUMENTARY: R.E.M. II (TV)
Summary
One in this series of music documentaries about rock music artists. This episode focuses on R.E.M., the rock/pop band from Athens, Georgia formed in 1980. This installment contains some scenes from the band's first episode (see B:25040). The four members discuss the band's "instantaneous" formation upon meeting one another in Athens, initially playing cover songs at parties and other public venues. The band's first official show was on April 5, 1980, and they recall their memories of playing some original songs in a freezing cold church. The band members discuss being signed to a label, noting that record companies wrote to them and requested tapes upon hearing their music, the reverse of the common process. Michael Stipe ponders the foursome's chemistry and notes that they do not take themselves too seriously even after their success, and Buck says that their 1983 song "Perfect Circle" was when he began to feel that they were "a real band." Stipe describes their songwriting process, saying that they all contribute "fragments of ideas" and write music that avoids any specific pop category, and Mike Mills explains how they learned that they could "do it their way" despite pressures to conform to one style or another.
The band members also discuss their love of playing live and going on the road, and Stipe talks about his enjoyment of the visual aspects of music, though he notes the mistakes in the music video for "Fall On Me." He explains that he has trouble lip-synching to his own track in videos, as is the norm, and the others talk about "Losing My Religion" and Stipe's desire to "challenge himself" through the creation of the video. Peter Buck discusses his excitement for their upcoming album "Out Of Time," noting its diverse musical elements and adding that every band member plays something other than their usual instrument on the record. Stipe explains that they are longtime friends of the B-52's and invited Kate Pierson to join them on the record, eventually deciding to feature her in "Shiny Happy People." Co-producer Scott Litt assists them with mixing the album, as he is now very familiar with their style, and the band members comment on their relaxed, deadline-free recording schedule. Stipe admits that he finds love songs "odious" and attempted to write some intelligent romance-themed songs, calling "Losing My Religion" the "classic obsession song." The band members reveal their many odd suggestions for album titles, adding that Warner Brothers eventually forced them to make a decision lest it delay the album's release. Stipe and the others comment that they think of the band's existence as "finite" but intend to continue as long as it is enjoyable and hope to at least make it to New Year's Day of 2000, joking about breaking up on the first day of the new millennium. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: MTV
- DATE: November 30, 1990
- RUNNING TIME: 0:30:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:25040
- GENRE: Documentary
- SUBJECT HEADING: Documentary; Biography; Music
- SERIES RUN: MTV - TV, 1989
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Linda Corradina … Executive Producer
- Jonathan K. Bendis … Supervising Producer
- Jacquie Dincauze … Producer
- Gygi Jennings … Associate Producer
- Bill Berry
- Peter Buck
- Mike Mills
- Michael Stipe
- Kate Pierson
- Scott Litt