Topic: i'd forgotten what a great band R.E.M. was in their early days

[bucky katt]

i was sitting here going through all my old vinyl and found all my original R.E.M stuff and how, right up until Green they were (in my opinion) one of the greatest bands out there at the time (other than the Grateful Dead and SRV) so here i sit listening to REM through my ancient realistic headphones (remember the ones with the volume control on each side?) it's all going onto the hard drive as soon as i can get the money together for the pre-amp with usb output.

[BIKE]

I know it came after Green but you have to put Automatic for the People up there as one of their better albums.

And yes, they were a great band.  Just Saturday I was listening to Document and Reckoning.
I will admit, I do not have any vinyl but the music is still as good.  They were one of my favorites.

[6pkrunner]

Yup they were great in their time. But like everything they eventually catch up and record all their many years of writing prior to making it and are forced to write and record in real time. There's no chance to review and refine the material and therefore the quality drops off. The record labels they sign with have contracts for X amounts of albums over X amount of time and its now a production line job rather than a labor of love. Haste makes waste.

Everyone has a book in them. Not everyone has multiples of books. Bands are no different with music. Well Jimi may be the exception, but I'm sure his tank would have eventually emptied too.

[grumpy]

I wore out my 1st copy of "Fables".
LOVE that album.

Check You Tube - there are great early videos from the IRS days. Just them sitting in a room playing (acoustic).
 

[bucky katt]

[Duke McDukiedook]

I dunno, I always thought they were/are a great band.

The output has probably lost some awesomeness since Automatic, but for any band to put out such strong material to that point says a lot.

http://www.slate.com/id/2089925/

[SOHC4ever]

I am a hurricane, listen to yourself...

it's all going onto the hard drive as soon as i can get the money together for the pre-amp with usb output.

No need, Bucky my boy! Bfunk has the solution for ya.

Really, all you need is an oldschool amp with a phono in and a tape out. Then just get a cable that's RCA/mini-stereo and plug it out of the tape out and in to the line in on your computer. Then, go download Audacity and flick the record switch every time you listen to one of your favorite records. Then chop up the tracks, export them to mp3 and it's ipod time.

Personally, I prefer this method to USB pre-amps, because half of the appeal of my wax is the sound I get from my beautiful old Marantz amp with the stainless front. Recording from the line-out gives the mp3s that same kind of warmth.

[mick750F]

I am a hurricane, listen to yourself...

it's all going onto the hard drive as soon as i can get the money together for the pre-amp with usb output.

No need, Bucky my boy! Bfunk has the solution for ya.

Really, all you need is an oldschool amp with a phono in and a tape out. Then just get a cable that's RCA/mini-stereo and plug it out of the tape out and in to the line in on your computer. Then, go download Audacity and flick the record switch every time you listen to one of your favorite records. Then chop up the tracks, export them to mp3 and it's ipod time.

Personally, I prefer this method to USB pre-amps, because half of the appeal of my wax is the sound I get from my beautiful old Marantz amp with the stainless front. Recording from the line-out gives the mp3s that same kind of warmth.

   Thanks for that! Looks like it's vinyl loadin' time! 

Mike

[bucky katt]

April 4th, 1982, Toads Place in New Haven Connecticut was the first time i saw REM live. i was all of 13 years old that night.

[bucky katt]

the original version of Superman, from 1969