Courtesy of smellslikealternative.blogspot
One of the most influential alternative rock bands of the last 30 years has called it a day.
R.E.M. announced via its website it will disband after 31 years and 15 studio albums. The three members (singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck and bassist Mike Mills) each issued statements on their site laying out why the split occurred, all of which can be read at the above link. Stipe said:
“A wise man once said–’the skill in attending a party is knowing when it’s time to leave.’ We built something extraordinary together. We did this thing. And now we’re going to walk away from it.
“I hope our fans realize this wasn’t an easy decision; but all things must end, and we wanted to do it right, to do it our way.
“We have to thank all the people who helped us be R.E.M. for these 31 years; our deepest gratitude to those who allowed us to do this. It’s been amazing.”
The band released its final album, Collapse Into Now, earlier this year. This sounds like an amicable split, with each member just wanting something new in their lives.
The band leaves behind an important legacy. R.E.M. is considered one of the first big college/alternative rock bands and laid a foundation for indie rock. The band had nine top-40 pop hits in the U.S. and 15 top-10 hits on the Billboard U.S. alternative rock chart. We wish all the band members luck in future ventures.
