B-52's vs. R.E.M.

General music discussion.

Whose first three were better?

The B-52's (The B-52's / Wild Planet / Whammy!)
10
38%
R.E.M. (Murmur / Reckoning / Fables of the Reconstruction)
16
62%
 
Total votes: 26

Flex
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Re: B-52's vs. R.E.M.

Post by Flex »

Also, for anyone who isn't aware, the original 1978 single version of Rock Lobsters b/w 52 Girls is unique to that vinyl single and were re-recorded for WB when they signed there. These original recordings have never been officially re-released, I don't believe. Check it out:


Addedum: These original versions are way more spooky and post-punky imho
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a bowl of soup
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead

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Re: B-52's vs. R.E.M.

Post by Kimmelweck »

Dr. Medulla wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 1:53pm
I don't care at all for the post-Ricky records. Not necessarily saying his death ruined the band in some way, I just don't find the music interesting or appealing.
Flex wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 1:57pm
It's sort of a shame that Cosmic Thing is the album any casual is likely to be most familiar with since it's a post-breakup/reformation record made after the death of Ricky Wilson. It's not a bad record, but to Doc's point a lot of the social satire had morphed into more conventional nostalgia by then.
Yeah I’m pretty sure I picked up Cosmic Thing through BMG or Columbia House record club, sometime in the early 90s, after I had gone through like 15 memberships and was running out of choices for the 10 CDs or whatever for the price of one. This was before the internet made browsing the more complete record club catalogs possible.
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Re: B-52's vs. R.E.M.

Post by Dr. Medulla »

Flex wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 1:57pm
With the B-52s, for anyone wanting to get a bit more familiar with their catalog, their EP Mesopotamia is much, much better than Whammy and really fits in better with the sound of their first two records (The CD version of that EP came with 81's Party Mix! which was, well, some remixes of their early songs and that release along with the first two LPs pretty much has you covered for the band's early, best years).
I've got copy of the aborted David Byrne-produced version of Mesopotamia. It's been years and years since I heard it and can't recall whether it's all that different.
Flex wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 2:00pm
I had an English teacher in high school who was doing some unit where we were talking about Mesopotamia for reasons that I can't specifically recall, and he had me bring in my copy of said record (well, CD) to play the class the title track. He and I loved it but it cemented my status as an utterly out of sync weirdo with pretty much all my peers as they all obviously, viscerally hated it, lol.
Ha! Fucking high school.
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Re: B-52's vs. R.E.M.

Post by Dr. Medulla »

Kimmelweck wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 2:10pm
Yeah I’m pretty sure I picked up Cosmic Thing through BMG or Columbia House record club, sometime in the early 90s, after I had gone through like 15 memberships and was running out of choices for the 10 CDs or whatever for the price of one. This was before the internet made browsing the more complete record club catalogs possible.
Oh Columbia House, with your shitty, shitty selections. Without Columbia House, would I have owned cassettes of Footloose and Born in the USA? No, no I would not have.
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

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Re: B-52's vs. R.E.M.

Post by Kimmelweck »

Dr. Medulla wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 2:15pm
Kimmelweck wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 2:10pm
Yeah I’m pretty sure I picked up Cosmic Thing through BMG or Columbia House record club, sometime in the early 90s, after I had gone through like 15 memberships and was running out of choices for the 10 CDs or whatever for the price of one. This was before the internet made browsing the more complete record club catalogs possible.
Oh Columbia House, with your shitty, shitty selections. Without Columbia House, would I have owned cassettes of Footloose and Born in the USA? No, no I would not have.
:lol:

Exactly. Smash Mouth, I'm lookin' at you.
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Re: B-52's vs. R.E.M.

Post by JennyB »

Flex wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 1:39pm
JennyB wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 11:29am
Two words: Kate Pierson.
Have I relayed that I went up the tram at Squaw with her? That's almost the entirety of the story. She was doing some kind of fundraiser. Good times.
NO. Jealous.
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Re: B-52's vs. R.E.M.

Post by revbob »

Dr. Medulla wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 1:44pm
Wolter wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 1:36pm
JennyB wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 11:29am
Two words: Kate Pierson.
And yet when she appeared on an REM song it somehow diminished them both!
I've heard rumours of this hideous song, but seeing as it's never been released—some say it was never even recorded—we should just scotch it all.
Didn't she do background vox on shiney happy people or whatever? Probably the only redeeming quality of a horrible song.

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Re: B-52's vs. R.E.M.

Post by Dr. Medulla »

revbob wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 2:45pm
Dr. Medulla wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 1:44pm
Wolter wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 1:36pm
JennyB wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 11:29am
Two words: Kate Pierson.
And yet when she appeared on an REM song it somehow diminished them both!
I've heard rumours of this hideous song, but seeing as it's never been released—some say it was never even recorded—we should just scotch it all.
Didn't she do background vox on shiney happy people or whatever? Probably the only redeeming quality of a horrible song.
That's the alleged song. But it's more myth than reality. No one can actually prove it exists.
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Re: B-52's vs. R.E.M.

Post by Kory »

Where's the fuckin' Pylon option
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Re: B-52's vs. R.E.M.

Post by Dr. Medulla »

Kory wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 2:51pm
Where's the fuckin' Pylon option
If I had, you'd likely be the only vote, further alienating you from the rest of the board. I was trying to spare your feelings, lamestain.
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

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Re: B-52's vs. R.E.M.

Post by Flex »

Dr. Medulla wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 2:14pm
I've got copy of the aborted David Byrne-produced version of Mesopotamia. It's been years and years since I heard it and can't recall whether it's all that different.
Is that the UK version that accidentally used some early rough versions? Those are pretty good, I think. Maybe better than the American release and definitely better than the 1990 remixes. I know there were a few songs they recorded that afaik were never officially released, even accidentally. Not sure if those have surfaced on boots or trading circles as I'm not super plugged into that scene for The B-52s (would love to hear them if so tho!)
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a bowl of soup
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead

Pex Lives!

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Re: B-52's vs. R.E.M.

Post by Dr. Medulla »

Flex wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 3:07pm
Dr. Medulla wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 2:14pm
I've got copy of the aborted David Byrne-produced version of Mesopotamia. It's been years and years since I heard it and can't recall whether it's all that different.
Is that the UK version that accidentally used some early rough versions? Those are pretty good, I think. Maybe better than the American release and definitely better than the 1990 remixes. I know there were a few songs they recorded that afaik were never officially released, even accidentally. Not sure if those have surfaced on boots or trading circles as I'm not super plugged into that scene for The B-52s (would love to hear them if so tho!)
I can't recall how I got these. My gut says it was on Dime a Dozen before they really got strict about what could be shared. Anyhoo, have a listen: https://www74.zippyshare.com/v/h6GOOZvm/file.html
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

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Re: B-52's vs. R.E.M.

Post by Kory »

Dr. Medulla wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 3:04pm
Kory wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 2:51pm
Where's the fuckin' Pylon option
If I had, you'd likely be the only vote, further alienating you from the rest of the board. I was trying to spare your feelings, lamestain.
This board is the real lamestain if it prefers either of these two bands to the true Athens heroes.
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Re: B-52's vs. R.E.M.

Post by WestwayKid »

Kory wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 5:09pm
Dr. Medulla wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 3:04pm
Kory wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 2:51pm
Where's the fuckin' Pylon option
If I had, you'd likely be the only vote, further alienating you from the rest of the board. I was trying to spare your feelings, lamestain.
This board is the real lamestain if it prefers either of these two bands to the true Athens heroes.
There should also have been an option for Guadalcanal Diary.
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Re: B-52's vs. R.E.M.

Post by Wolter »

WestwayKid wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 5:14pm
Kory wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 5:09pm
Dr. Medulla wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 3:04pm
Kory wrote:
23 Apr 2021, 2:51pm
Where's the fuckin' Pylon option
If I had, you'd likely be the only vote, further alienating you from the rest of the board. I was trying to spare your feelings, lamestain.
This board is the real lamestain if it prefers either of these two bands to the true Athens heroes.
There should also have been an option for Guadalcanal Diary.
Man, there’s a band I hadn’t thought of in a while.

Cory, I love ya, man. But Pylon is...fine.
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