U Talkin’ U2 To Me? - R U Talkin' R.E.M. RE: ME? - Out of Time

Episode Date: April 25, 2018

Adam Scott Aukerman return to talk about R.E.M.’s seventh studio album Out of Time. They’ll talk about the negative reception to CDs as well as what they were doing when the 1991 album released before going through Out of Time song by song. Plus, they’ll discuss the personality of the album, its scrapbook qualities, and how it reflects a band in transition.

Hey everyone, thanks for listening to R.U. Talkin' R.E.M. Re-Me, but before we get to that, Adam and I want to tell you that there is great news for Kevin Smith fans! Ayo! Ayo! You can now hear the full archive of Smodcast shows like Fat Man on Batman, Jay and Silent Bob Get Old, and Hollywood Babylon. In Stitcher Premium. Babylon in Stitcher Premium. Listen to all the latest episodes of shows like Smodcast, where Kevin and his longtime collaborator Scott Mosier discuss everything from Rick and Morty to Colonel Mustard and any other absurd topics on their minds. There are hundreds of episodes in the Smodcast archives, and if you can't find them anywhere else, you can't find them here, which means you can't find them anywhere else.

Okay, you read that wrong. It's and you can't find them anywhere else, not if you can't find them anywhere else. Okay, you read that wrong. It's, and you can't find them anywhere else. Not if you can't find them anywhere else. I understand. Dummy. It sounded cooler that way. It's wrong? Look, check them out with a free trial of Stitcher Premium. Go to stitcherpremium.com slash

SMOD, that's S-M-O-D. Use the promo code REM, you're gonna get a free month of stitcher premium From chronic to collapse, town and into now, respectively, that is. This is RU Talkin' R.E.M. Read me. Whoa, is there a robot in Scott's place today? This is...

Hello, Adam. Hi. The comprehensive and encyclopedic compendium of all things R.E.M. This is good rock and roll on music. What? Sorry, we haven't... I am programmed to discuss... Exterminate! Wait. Exterminate!

Wait, what? Exterminate! No! No! The end. What a weird way to begin a show if we were both murdered. Oh man, I would love it. Hey, welcome back. We're here. I would love if you were murdered.

What's so weird about that? Welcome back to the show. This is our, what is this called? Are you talking REM, Remy? It's been a minute since you and I have sat across the table from each other. Scott, just hold on. How long has it been? Let's do the math.

Okay, let's do the math. One plus one equals, wait a minute. You're a computer for now maybe I am well it's only been a week since people

have heard us but we we took a we were on a break we're on a break we're on a break we're on a break did you ever audition

for friends yes what part let me think here. One of the actual Friends? No, no, no. I wanted, because I would have gotten that role. You would have gotten the role

if you had auditioned for it. Oh, sure. Of Ross or Chandler or Joey. Any of them. Had you just auditioned for it? Yeah, if I just had the chance to audition for it. Sure, you would have gotten it. No, I certainly would not have, and the role I auditioned for,

I want to say it was Phoebe's brother, but it wasn't. That was Giovanni Ribisi. Right, right. That was his part. Giovanni Fabisi. It was something really small, something that was like a couple of lines.

Something really small, so matching the size of your penis. Exactly. Okay. But I don't remember what it was. There are no small actors. There are just actors with small penises. I remember one of my first auditions after I got an agent.

I went in. My agent was like, how'd you do? I went, yeah, good. I'm sure I'll get a call back. He was like, what do you mean? You really feel that strongly? I go, no, I just, I was good in it. So like I learned my lines.

I did it. I'm a good actor. I'm sure I'll get a call back. He's like, let me, why don't you sit down for a second here, Scott? Do you remember what it was for? I don't know. It was probably a commercial or something. There was only one time that I was like, oh yeah, I nailed that.

They're going to give it to me. And you got it? And I got it. What was that? It was a Just Shoot Me episode. Okay. Like I went in and I remember it was like me and Brian Posehn and a couple other comedy guys. And I went in and I did the role in a way that it wasn't written.

Yeah. I did something really weird with it. And they were like, that's interesting. Then they called people in to come watch it. Yeah. And they were like, look at what this person's doing. Yeah, they were like, look at what this person's doing. Yeah, they were like, this is really interesting.

And then they liked it so much they wrote all new lines for it. Yeah. And wrote, you know. Wasn't Posehn already, wasn't he on that show? I think he was on as three different characters even,

but he hadn't been on as like his regular guy yet. Oh, okay. So this was like coming right off of Mr. Show where. Oh, so he played a couple different people before he landed the role.

Yeah. That's so funny. I played two different characters on Boy Meets World. Really? Yeah. I played teen with guitar, and then like six months later, I played – Teen without guitar. Yeah.

Teen without a guitar. And everyone's like, hey, where'd that guy's guitar go? Oh, that's not the same guy. Just clearly a teen. Wait, but in the first part, you were a teen with a guitar, and what were you doing? I was in the restaurant hangout, or it was like a restaurant. They hang out at a restaurant. They were a bar, but they were little kids.

Right, so it was like a malt shop. Yeah. Remember when the Peach Pit was where the 90210 guys? Yes. They were all at the Peach Pit. It was like a malt shop. Yeah, like a 50s diner. But then when they all graduated high school, they had to get cooler.

They went to a club. No, it was Peach Pit after dark. That's right. Oh, my God. It turned into a nightclub. A nightclub, yeah, where the Flaming Lips played and everything. That's right. Good Lord.

Oh, good Lord. Anyway, we are back. This is Scott and Scott. Do you not want me to finish my story? Go ahead. There was. Oh, good Lord. Anyway, we are back. This is Scott and Scott. Wait, do you not want me to finish my story? Go ahead. Did you do – there was more to it. No, there really wasn't. I want to introduce myself.

You know me from – y'all know me from Comedy Bang Bang. Sure. Just Shoot Me episode where apparently I was really great. They rewrote the lines. I like to brag about it. Sure. And then actually I – I think I was there three days, right? Taping day and then two rehearsal days.

My first rehearsal day, I ace it. Everyone's really happy. I'm like meeting people on the writing staff are coming over and talking to me. I ace it. Big deal. The production assistant or whatever gives me the call sheet for the next day. Sure. I look at it.

I see my call is like 10 a.m. or whatever. I come back the next day at 10 a.m. Yeah. And everyone's like looking at me weird. Yeah. And I'm like, hey, how's it going? Just like kind of chatting everyone up. And everyone's like, where were you? Oh, no. I'm like, hey, how's it going? Just like kind of chatting everyone up. And everyone's like, where were you?

Oh, no. I'm like, what do you mean? They're like, your call was two hours ago. And the PA had given me the wrong, had given me that day's call sheet. Oh, no. Instead. And so I was like, what do you mean? And they're like, yeah, you missed the entire rehearsal.

Oh, my God. So then people were like upset at me. And they totally didn't believe, you missed the entire rehearsal. Oh, my God. So then people were like upset at me. And they totally didn't believe you that you got the wrong. Yeah, I was like, I'll go to my car. I'll show you the call sheet. They're like, no, don't worry about it. It's fine. No, I went to my car and I showed them the call sheet.

But then I realized all I'm showing them is a call sheet I already got from the previous day. And they're like, yeah, it's fine. It's fine. Whatever. No one believes you. That sort of thing happened to me once and they totally did not believe me. Yeah. They didn't believe me. Great song. But's fine. Whatever. No one believes you. That sort of thing happened to me once, and they totally did not believe me. Yeah. They didn't believe me.

Great song. But my name is Scott, and across from me is a man named Scott. Hit it. Hey, everybody. Isn't that the Drive Shaft song? Oh, wait. Hey, everybody. From Lost.

Yeah. Was it called Hey, Everybody? That's what I think it was called. They were an oasis. Yeah, they were like an oasis, yeah. Yeah, analogy. Very interesting! Very interesting stuff. You know, your story about Just Shoot Me reminds me of

a guest spot I had on a multicam show. That is a multiple camera show. Indeed. Where a lot of shows, they have a singular camera because they can only afford one. Yeah. But if you see a show like Big Bang Theory. Sure. It's so popular. Seinfeld. Seinfeld. It's so popular they can afford more than one camera. Usually they start with one and then, oh my God, we can afford another one. Then they'll get to. Yes. They go all the way up

to about a hundred. And all the people working on the show are very well liked. They're very popular people because they always have their friends with them. And so there's a ton of friends watching and they can't keep them from laughing because the show is so funny. So sometimes you hear their friends laughing. Ha, ha, ha. So which multiple camera show was this? It was called The Closer, but it was not the Keira Sedgwick show. It was a short-lived Tom Selleck, Ed Asner show. Oh, what a duo.

Yeah. People were really dying to see those two together. Penelope Ann Miller, David Krummeltz. This was a powerful cast of characters. But I had like two lines on it. What were the lines? Do you remember? God, I don't remember, but I remember. Hi, I'm a what were the lines do you remember god I don't remember but I remember

hi I'm a teen and I have a guitar yeah god I don't remember but it was something like I was I was

her his daughter's date but I was a punk rocker so it was freaking him out it was something like that did you do you remember

did you have to dress like a punk rocker I did oh yeah I had a sleeveless shirt ooh punk and like a mohawk but they didn't give me a. I had a sleeveless shirt. Ooh, punk! And like a mohawk,

but they didn't give me a mohawk. I wouldn't have cared. They just styled your hair. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. They just styled it up a little bit. Yes. And like fake safety pins in my eyebrow. Uh-huh.

Fake eyebrows, even. Yeah, fake eyebrows. Fake face. Right. I had a whole different face that they put on. You ever get that done? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just for a scene?

Face-off technology? Yeah. So I had the scene in that show, and they were all very nice, but I remember it airing and the scene was not in the show. Whoa! That's harsh, bro. But it's weird because how do you – in a multi-cam, how do they make a storyline make sense if an entire scene is cut out?

I don't know. It must have maybe been an unimportant scene in the show. Do you remember a show called The Closer starring Tom Selleck? Not at all. I know. It's weird. It was a whole show. What year was it?

96 or 97. I paid attention to television in those years pretty i mean i was like getting into the business and i was like paying attention to it i don't i don't remember it was on for like three episodes or something yeah yeah oh man these early days early days of showbiz you know i had a show called uh the huntress the hunt. I did a guest spot on the Huntress. Was that like a It was a USA Like a sword and sandal

kind of thing? No, it was not sword and sandals. It was a bounty hunter and her daughter who was a bounty hunter as well, I think. Something like that.

Oh. And I played a magician and I had to learn a card trick for it. And I just remember the director seeming very unhappy with me

after every take. Oh, I remember this. Did I tell you about it? Here's the cast photo of the closer starring Tom Selleck. Oh, let me look at this. Boy, look at Tom Selleck. He's got a just his mustache is jet black. Yep.

And he's kept it jet black no matter how he ages. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, wait. Who's the woman right here? I don't know it looks like suzy nakamura no it's not it's not oh okay or i don't know i don't know yeah let's see here let's see who knows anyway anyway good it's always fun to show a photo on a podcast yeah you're showing like a tv guide photo to me too like the cast photo photo. You've been on several shows.

What a day that is when you take the cast photos. Oh, boy. Oh! They call them, what do they call them? They call them the gallery shoot. Oh, I love a good gallery shoot. That's an exciting day. Oh, so fun.

So, so fun. So fun. Speaking of fun, we have a fun show today. We're talking, of course, exclusively about the band. Wait. Who was it? We've been talking about them for like, this is our ninth episode. Let's go.

I'm loving it. In the house tonight. In the house tonight. Going to the house. We're going to the driveway. Going to the house and going down the driveway. We get in the house by opening the door right now. I'm doing like Migos style ad-libs in the back.

Just going like, open. Oh, it was Susie Nakamura. It was Susie Nakamura? Sure is. Hell yeah, I'm not racist. I can tell Asian people apart. I've had almost two decades of training. David Crummel, Teddy Burress, Penelope Miller, Ed Asner, Tom Selleck.

Created by Ed Dchter and John Strauss. Wow, I'm diving deep. Dechter and Strauss. It was nominated for an Emmy? Was it? Wasn't this show on for like five seconds? This is crazy. Outstanding music and lyrics.

Lyrics? Lyrics. What are lyrics? Outstanding larynx. I didn't even know that was a category. They took a look at Ed Asner's larynx and they're like, oh, we've got to give an award to this. There's this great Ed Asner story from the Sarah Silverman program when he was on.

He was on an episode with me. Yeah, I'm in this episode. So I actually have a picture of him sleeping in a chair behind me, like during the break in between. I have like me – I did a selfie style, you know, with like me in the foreground and him like totally asleep in the background. But there's this great scene where he goes in. He's playing a like former Nazi, I think, who came to America and has been disguising that he's a nazi and he goes in and he talks to uh someone who knows he's a nazi or something and he goes into their apartment and there's a piano there and he walks into the apartment and this is not part of the blocking

or anything he just goes over the piano and starts banging on it going bang bang bang bang bang and then he does the scene and then he ends it and sarah's like they call cut and she goes hey can i ask you why did you do that with the piano at the beginning of the scene he goes i assumed you would put beautiful music and underneath it wait he did it when you were rolling yes like every time yeah or the first time or whatever but it's it's in but he just assumed that people would put in him playing like, you know, Moonlight Sonata or something. But then instead, I think they used it with just him going bang, bang, bang, and it doesn't make any sense. Wait, was this for Sarah's show or for Mr. Show? Sarah's show.

Sarah's Open Rant program. That's a funny story about Ed Asner. Yes, Ed Asner. I was in a TV movie with he and Mary Tyler Moore Really? Yeah, it was like a reunion What was it? Was it like a mystery thing? It was called Payback, the Karen Stanville story

And I was her son Who's Karen Stanville? She's a woman who had payback because she was pissed off about something What was she pissed off about? Do you remember? A cop framing her son A dumb son with a tiny penis? Yes I'm gonna get payback for this pissed off about something. What was she pissed off about? Do you remember? A cop framing her son. A dumb son with a tiny penis? Yes. I'm going to get payback for this.

My son's dick is so small, I must have revenge on the policeman who just walked by. So you were framed for murder or something? Framed for drugs. Oh. And I'd just gotten out of rehab,

so it was really hard for me to be framed for drugs. Sure, yeah. It's a bad situation. Sure it is. You I had just gotten out of rehab, so it was really hard for me to be framed for drugs. Sure, yeah. It's a bad situation. Sure it is. You know when you get out of rehab and people are always trying to frame you for drugs. Oh, my God. It's the worst.

So I get framed and I have to go to prison. Ugh. Yeah. Did you shoot in an actual prison? Or did you just like put candy bars in front of your face for a close-up? Yeah, I think it was just a couple Snickers. Yeah, so... Shooting in prisons is not fun.

You know where we shot it? We shot it in Portland, Oregon. Really? And I hadn't been back... Until? Until you and I took our little jaunt up there. Whoa, I love it. Full circle.

Full circle. That was fun. We should take more trips together. We should vacation together. It was a genuine good time. Listen, I've been. Full circle. Full circle. That was fun. We should take more trips together. We should vacation together. It was a genuine good time. Listen, I've been saying that for years. We should just take vacations, even separately. All we do is this show.

Just take a deep breath. I didn't mean right now. Right now is a terrible time for a deep breath, clearly. Never taken one of those before. Take a deep breath in 14 seconds. Okay. Great. So we should go on vacation more.

We should take a deep breath, not yet. Just take stock. See, that was much better. So good. So relaxing. So relaxing. So relaxing. Indeed. Speaking of deeds, none go unpunished, especially good ones.

And we are going to be punishing ourselves by talking exclusively about the album Out of Time. Out of Time. Today. Out of Time, which is an R.E.M. album. R.E.M. That's who it was. That's, all right. Fuck. Out of Time, which is an R.E.M. album. R.E.M. That's who it was. That's, all right. Fuck.

I knew if we just talked, we would finally remember. Eventually we got there. And it only took, what, 30 seconds? Yep. Woo. Yeah, just 16 seconds before I took that deep breath is when we started this show. See, the deep breath is what really kind of launched us into this. It's like a reset.

It's like a spiritual reset. It is. It's like, you know an Etch-A-Sketch? I do know an Etch-A-Sketch. It's a lot of our younger listeners. Shut up! Shut up! Shut the fuck up!

It's like taking an Etch-A-Sketch, and you have a very specific picture on there. You shake it. Mm-hmm. Clean slate. Shake it like a- Shut up! Pull her picture. Are you all right?

Hey, man. Yeah. You're okay? Yeah. Okay. Okay. All right. Great.

Is there anyone you want to say hello to before we continue? Not really. Not even your family? Oh, yeah. I would like to say hello to my family. What about your friends? I would like to say hello to my friends. I know the fans out there would love hearing from you.

I would like to say hello to my fans. Is that it? Oh, well. I would like to say hello to my fans. Is that it? Oh, well, I would like to say hello to you. Thank you so much. Oh, my God. My face is flushed. I know. You're blushing a little bit. Oh, my God.

I can't believe I got a hello from you today. You're welcome. Oh, wow. This is incredible. It was a genuine hello, today. You're welcome. You're welcome. Oh, wow. This is incredible. It was a genuine hello, too. It was. It really felt genuine. Because a lot of times I know that you'll say goodbye to me,

and you always are talking about how you hate to see me. Yeah. You hate to say goodbye, but you love to watch me leave. Yeah, yeah. I like watching your tush. You watch my little butt walking out the door. It swings from side to side. It makes that really cool noise.

Mm-hmm. Sh-qu-sh. Yeah. Sh-qu-sh. Because usually there's a lot of diarrhea in there, and it's like sloshing around. That's right. You love watching it. I love it.

But, yeah. So. A needle pulling thread. Anyway, what were – oh, yes, right. It was a genuine hello. Because so many times you hear, I think what you were about to say, so many times people are like, oh, yeah, hi. Anyway, we got to get down to business.

Phones, technology, iPads, iPods. Donald Trump. I don't know anymore. Hillary Clinton, whatever it is. Hi, whatever. Hi. But sometimes you just need to stop, iPods. Donald Trump. I don't know anymore. Hillary Clinton, whatever it is. Hi, whatever. Hi. But sometimes you just need to stop, slow down, again, take a deep breath. Like, you know, a lot of times we do this show and it's like,

hi, hi, hi, let's get to R.E.M., let's get to R.E.M. R.E.M., R.E.M., R.E.M. R.E.M. all the time. Why don't we just take a break from R.E.M. for one second and just say hello to each other? Hello. Look into each other's eyes. Hi.

Hi. Hi. Hi. I enjoy being here. You are my friend. We are here. I have coffee on the table. Really, just take stuff.

Just everything. Look around. I have a, there's paper. There's paper. There's, we're wearing clothes. Clothing. Shoes. Wearing three dimensions.

Oh, there's a ceiling. See, really, like, the walls. Is there a floor? Walls. There's a ceiling. See, really, like, walls. Is there a floor? There's carpet on the floor. I thought we were going to fall. No, no, no, no. There's a floor here. I thought we were in one of those Wile E. Coyote things where we look down and there's no floor and then we're like, ah!

No, we're definitely not. Listen, we're four stories up. You better hope there's a floor here. Because we would fall down. You are kind of the Wile E. Coyote of actors. My generation, yeah. My generation, yeah. I totally have always seen that.

You have that unpredictable quality that, like, Jack Nicholson had. Exactly. I didn't say that, but I'm happy you did because I walk into a room. It's like, what's this guy going to do? It's like sometimes, you know, Uta Hagen, the great Uta Hagen. Of course. Once talked about how you never want to have a live animal on stage because people will just be focused on that live animal because they're unpredictable and you want an actor

to be as unpredictable as that animal. You just said exactly what needs to be said. Thank you. You're as unpredictable as a goose. A goose. A cat. Sure. A lemur.

I wouldn't go that far. Yeah, not a lemur. Yeah. Anyway, but a goose. A mouse. A little tiny mouse. Like a mouse that... Jacks off.

Jacks off. jacks off, jacks on, jack off, jack on. What if in the karate kid? So Ralph Macchio goes to see Pat Morito, Morita, sorry.

Pat Morito. It's the scene where he shows him how it all comes together. He's like, wax on, wax off. He starts blocking the kicks. He's like, wax on, wax off. He starts blocking the kicks. He's like, jack off. And Ralph Macchio's like, hold on.

What did you just say? He's like, jack off. Jack off for me. Wait, wait, wait. Jacking off and Pat Morita just sits down and starts watching and masturbating. They're like, let's forget about the karate competition. Let's just jack off together. You're listening to R.E.M.

Long walk for that. It made us laugh, though. Sure. This is a show about R.E.M., of course, exclusively, and we're talking about Out of Time. And let's get to it. What do you say? Yeah, yeah, yeah um out of time we're not we're not uh

gonna no we'll take a break when we're right before we uh let's do it go song by song out of time huge album what do you mean it was very big it's hard to carry because it was so big. It was like, you know how records are 12 inches usually? This was like 28 inches in diameter. It was crazy. I do remember it's maybe the last CD I bought that was in the long box. The long box. Well, you know what? There's a little bit of information about the long box.

Yeah. Because, okay, people maybe don't know what we're talking about. So when albums were in record stores, they were records. They were like 12 by 12. They're squares, right? Yes. So you'd put them, you'd stack them vertically in record stores so you could flip through them. People know how people shop for records.

People know how people shop for records. But when everything switched over to CDs, they felt like CDs were smaller and people would feel like they were getting less for their money, I think is what the psychology was. Not only that, but all the record stores had this – 12 by 12 slots in their thing. To me, that was the excuse. They had these slots for 12 by 12 slots in their thing. To me, that was the excuse. They had these slots for 12 by 12 things. They didn't want to remodel every record store in the world. Right. So instead they made these, I believe CDs are five inches in diameter.

They made the boxes for them to be 12 inches high. The same dimensions as half a record. It was like 12 by 5. Yeah. So it was as half a record. It was like 12 by 5. Yeah. So it was a long cardboard box. Or 12 by 6 or something, yeah. Yeah, and the CD was in the upper fourth of the box. And everything else was wasted cardboard.

Yes. And to me, it was because they, you know how, like if you really, the stuff that people buy is just like, you know how when you buy an iPod, it's in a box like eight times as big as the iPod? Yeah. To make it seem like, oh, wow, I'm getting a big thing. I just got the HomePod. Do you have that thing?

No. What is that? The thing you talk to. Hey, Siri, why don't you make me breakfast? Can you stick your dick in it? Well, yeah, I mean, you can stick your dick in it. What is that? Oh, my God, my phone just woke up.

You just asked, you just said Siri? I just said, hey, it's just. Hey, Siri, can you What is that? Oh, my God. My phone just woke up. You just said Siri? I just said, hey, it's just. Hey, Siri, can you make me breakfast? I don't understand why don't you make me breakfast, but I could search the web for it. Siri is garbage. It's worthless. I've never even turned it on. But, yeah, so you get.

I used to cut mine up, though, and put the. The cardboard part on. Yeah, yeah. So, yeah, but, and put the cardboard part on. Yeah, yeah. But it was a lot of wasted cardboard. And bands that were concerned with the environment, like R.E.M., would get very upset at the long box and say, hey, can we stop putting everything in these long boxes? But on Out of Time, the album that we're talking about,

which came out March 12th of 1991, they used that long box for good. They sure did. On the back of it, they put a sort of little postcard that you could fill out, and it was with Rock the Vote. Yeah. And it was to lobby for— Motor Voter. Motor Voter Act to ease voter registration, which would allow voters to register through the DMV.

So when you got like a driver's license, it would automatically register you to vote. And so many people filled it out and mailed it in that it just sailed through. And they feel like motor voter registration, voter registration went way up because of motor voter, and they kind of credit motor voter with getting Clinton elected in 1992. And we all talk about motor voter to this day, so it was obviously very, very influential. There's not a day goes by that we're not like, hey.

Motor voter, motor voter. Motor voter, motor voter. It's over motherfucker motherfucker motherfucker motor voter yeah

so March 12th no but it is cool I remember I sent mine in did you? yep cool good for you

thank you thank you for that yep sent it in let's talk about what we were doing in 1991 yeah you sent

yes I know I heard you put a stamp on it sent it in. Let's talk about what we were doing in 1991. Yeah, you sent it. Yes, I know. I heard you. Put a stamp on it, sent it in. Not a big deal, but I did it. Could have gotten discounts not at the post office at stamps.com. That's all I'm saying. That's fine. Didn't exist back then, 1991.

Not a big deal. 27 years ago, we sent it in. You could have created it. Single-handedly got Bill Clinton elected president. Single-handedly? Yeah. Single-handedly. Me.

I think he. You. Me. You. Me. All right. Well. Bill Clinton.

You're welcome. Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton. It kind of sounds like Brooklyn. Brooklyn. Brooklyn. Motherfucker. Brooklyn.

Brooklyn. Brooklyn. Bookin. Bookin.ucker, Brooklyn. Brooklyn. Brooklyn. Bookin'. Bookin'. Hey, do you like when he was like, I did not have sexual relations with that woman. Ooh, that's a real good imitation. Oh, man.

Okay, March 12th, 1991. Adam, what were you doing? I was a senior in high school. Whoa. And I was- About to graduate. About to graduate high school. Whoa. And I was- About to graduate. About to graduate high school. I was,

I had a girlfriend. Tell us about, without naming names, like you probably don't want to, or do you? Can you talk about her? Sure. She's a lovely person.

She probably brags about it to this day. Yeah, right. Yeah, she- Look at self-deprecating Adam over here. Is this an episode of Yeah, Right? I think it might be. Hey, everyone. This is Scott.

This is Scott. And we're, of course, in the middle of an episode of Yeah, Right. Yeah, right. Yeah, right we are. Yeah, right. Yeah, right. Yeah, right. Yeah, right. Oh, yeah, right. Yeah, right. Yeah, right we are. Yeah, right. Yeah, right. Yeah, right. Yeah, right.

Oh, yeah, right. Yeah, right. Yeah, right. Yeah, right. Yeah, right. Yeah, right. Yeah, right. Yo quiero. Yeah, right.

Yeah, right. Yeah, right. Yeah, right. Yeah, right. Luke, yeah, right. Yeah, time bye good ep yeah good ep pretty good pretty good

not bad tell me about this girl um yeah Lila we were uh boyfriend and girlfriend and I remember

first first series Lacey uh relationship Lacey Lacey that's right

I forgot that's the kind of standard abbreviation for a relationship uh no not not necessarily you'd fucked around before that we i remember being really excited for out of time to come out and it was like a countdown with me and a couple of my buddies for march 12th a countdown what do you mean you were oh like because you were just in in anticipation you were excited about it yes were you literally counting no we were literally like we'd get to school we'd be like 10 12 days oh my god yeah we were really excited that'd be on march 1st coming in like a lamb i think that would be february 28th because

12 on march 1st we'd be saying 11 days. Yeah, I guess so. Yeah, maybe. One, two, three, four. Yeah, you're right. So anyway, so yeah, it was a very – we were all excited. And then Losing My Religion came out like a month before. Right.

So we had that. Anyway. So you and your buddies were excited. Who were these friends? Michael Cole was my kind of partner and Michael Corleone. It was tough to be friends with him. His brother Fredo. Fredo wasn't as into REM.

He was. This, by the way, was right before Godfather 3 came out. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So this is, I mean, they're busy. Yeah. They're in the middle. Godfather 3 came out December, like, 25th of this year. Nofather III came out December 25th of this year. No, it came out December 25th of 1990.

It came out in 90? Yeah. Are you sure? I am. You dumb shit. You stupid dumb shit. Let me look it up. Anyway, so you and your buddies.

So, anyway. How did, what's her name? Lisa? Lila. Can you change it to Lisa, L-E-E-S-A, for one of our sponsors? No, she's a person. I can't. Just for the purposes of like.

For a sponsor. Yeah. Scott, I'm not going to change a person's name just to fill your pockets. Fill my pockets. Align your pockets better. Well, okay. Both of our pockets. Oh, yeah.

I'd love to switch pockets with you. Okay, Lisa, fine. Okay, so her name's Lisa. So, was she into R. pockets. Oh, yeah. I'd love to switch pockets with you. Okay, Lisa. Fine. Okay, so her name's Lisa. So was she into R.E.M. or no? By the way, you're right about 1990, December 25th. Yeah, told you. Leela and R.E.M. Yeah, I mean, I think that she was politely going along with it.

Much like all of your relationships Throughout the years She was Yeah she was like Sure Yeah they're great Fine Can you please stop talking Yeah And start with the kissing

That's right You got it all right And How long have you been Seeing each other I don't remember At this point But I think we ended up Going out for like a year and a

half or something one year and one half it's a long time for a high school high school relationship but yeah it's great yeah no amazing friends to this day i love it where is she now i believe she lives in los angeles los angeles lisa no lila lisa from los angeles all right Lisa from Los Angeles. All right. Amazing. It's all about the Benjamins with this guy. Scott. I would love it.

Don't you want to see someone else on that 100? Yeah, it's about time. It's about time. We get someone else. I mean, we've had like Washington and Lincoln and these boring old farts on our money for so long. We need some new blood on the $100 bill. No wonder everyone's switching to Bitcoin. I know.

And cryptocurrency. Hey, listen. Blockchain. If it were up to me, it'd all be Bitcoin by now. Tell me about it. All of it. Just get rid of it. Throw your money away.

That's what we're here to say. Throw your money away and switch to Bitcoin. Light it on fire, people. Mm-hmm. Now, how about you? March 12, 1991. What's Lil Scott Aukerman doing? I was in a place called college.

I believe, yes, I had just moved up to, let's see, 88, 89, 90. Hold on. Okay, so I started college in 88, my first year. Then my second year was 89. Then I started my first year of acting school in 90. Oh, so you were in acting school. So I was in my first year of acting school.

I was up in Santa Maria, California. Santa Maria. Santa Maria. This is actually a time of my life. I believe I may have talked about it in the U2 show. Can you do that more loudly? I'm trying to get this thing. You're trying to lean back like a cool guy.

You're trying to adjust your mic. All right, there we go. Feet on the table. Just kicking back, guys. Just KB-ing. There we go. So much better. Oh, yeah.

That's the stuff right there. Why are you so orgiastic? Orgiastic? Okay, so you're in acting school. So I'm in acting school. I think I talked about it in a previous U2 episode of these particular years that I was in acting school. I was in school from 9 a.m. till 11 p.m. 9 a.m till 11 p.m um and uh monday through friday and then on uh saturday and sunday we're usually in school from 10 till um whenever the shows would end four or whatever sure so every single

day i'm in school forever and so i am not really keeping up too much with MTV, television at all. I remember a few instances of television that were kind of important. Those were Twin Peaks. Right. Twin Peaks was a big deal around this time. I'd watch right before I went to school in 1990, in the summer of 1990, I'd watched the first season and it became like this thing i was obsessed with yeah so once i got to school i didn't have a television so i had to find i eventually found a teacher who was as into it as i was and so we would go over to this teacher's house but

occasionally i would have to go over to different houses so twin peaks was the one thing and then uh david letterman when he switched over to cbs that was the other thing where i was like begging people please can i come over to your house that was 93 right that was uh yeah that was still that was 93 but i was still there yeah so those were the two tv things that i other than that you're not that i'm not watching yeah i didn't have cable either and and was busy with like friends and beer and waiting for REM album. I wasn't really watching television shows. So I was out of the loop in pop culture. I was still keeping up with music in the sense of I was still going to where?

The warehouse. Uh-huh. Every chance I got in like buying stuff. But I was like mainly into I guess in the early 90s. I remember the Wonder stuff was kind of like a – What about like Stone Roses and the Manchester stuff? Stone Roses, definitely, yeah. Into all that, this was pre-Britpop for me at least. That started in like 94 for me.

Yeah, yeah. That was later. But this was like Manchester stuff. Yeah, Stone Roses was very, very big. 1994 yeah yeah that was later but so this was like manchester stuff like stone yeah stone roses was very very big i remember my friend willie who was a fellow rem fan before out of time came out it was like stone roses record came out the year before and he got really into that and by the time out of time came out he didn't really give a shit anymore yeah and i was kind of bummed that's sort of where i was i was was like, this sounds lame,

but like Jesus Jones. Yeah. That was something that I was into. I remember EMF. EMF. Totally. And pop. What's that band?

There's EMF, Jesus Jones, Stone Roses, but then there was that Cont. Cont? No. Consolidated. Was that a band? Oh, maybe that's one i i don't know about but yeah uh pop pop the oh fuck what is the band that i'm thinking of pop

uh pop johnson um they sang xyz, Pop the – God. Pop Goes the Weasel? This is terrible for listeners because they either know it and they're going like, come on. Yeah, Consolidated. That was the band. Holy shit.

They were – it was all really like political. It was all like socialist. What is the album? I remember also Lenny Kravitz's Mama Said came out right around the same time. The Let Love Rule. Yeah. And then, and I've talked, I believe I've said it on this show or a different show, but I think Mama Said is a great record. Yeah. Like, I listened to it again the other day, and I know people make fun of my musical taste a lot. But, like, go back, you know, yeah, I do think Lenny Kravitz is kind of nigh unlistenable now, but that record is really incredible. Yeah, that record's terrific, and there's some great songs on Let Love Rule as well.

But I remember Mama Said coming out, and he got big because there was some hit on that album. Yeah, there was Flowers for Zoe. But then there was also. It Ain't Over Till It's Over is the big one. It ain't over till it's over. But also Mama Said was a pretty big song. Yeah, Mama Said was good.

Always on the run. Always on the run was great. That whole album is just back-to-back hits. Anyway, so I was, I talked about it on the U2 show. I was kind of over U2 because of Rattle & Hum and just kind of Bonobos' personality. You know what I mean? Right. Like just always talking and basically like all of the monologues in Rattle & Hum in the middle of songs.

South Africa! And all that. I was just kind of over him. Asking the Edge to play the blues? Play the blues, yes. Like, beseeching Edge to play the blues. Yes. Like, shouldn't the Edge by now know when to play the blues?

Yeah, he doesn't need someone to tell him when to play the blues. Why does Bonobos need to beg him? It's like, God, this guy's been your bandmate forever. Like, why does he need to beg you to play the blues? Just play the fucking blues! So, out of time coming out isn't really on your radar you don't really care i remember i don't even remember when it came out i was in the middle my religion was a huge hit okay so i know that song i definitely know i i hear that i've seen the video i think i'm sure if i was ever at my friend's house and i

have i do have one memory of going over to my friend's house where he lived with other people who worked at the school and seeing that video and also seeing the unplugged, I think. Yeah, that was everywhere too. Part of it while I was going over to pick him up or whatever, I remember seeing part of it. But I really have no connection to this record other than, by the way, I'm in the middle of Santa Maria, which had no radio stations that didn't play top 40. Yeah.

I was just like dying for all. They had one station that would play alternative music from 10 PM to midnight on a Sunday. And I remember like anytime I would come back down here to LA, as soon as I would get reception on K-Rock or whatever, just like I remember the minute I got, I drove into LA in my shitty car that ended up getting beat the shit out of. And just suddenly like fuzzy K-Rock came in

and they were playing Devo's Girl You Want. I just like turned it up all the way and was like, finally, I'm out of fucking Santa Maria, California. Did you not have tapes or a CD player? No, I had CD player, but that was only like while you were driving, I didn't have anything. There was just a radio. Yeah.

I just had an AM radio in my car in those days. Anti-meridium. This band, by the way, this band name is driving me crazy. Pop will eat itself. Thank you. Oh, Pop will eat itself thank you oh pop will eat itself yeah they were in that emf type of thing anyway so they're not on my radar really uh and you were in you used to be into them so when losing my religion comes out were you like whoa this is different this is i was sort of like yeah that's fine but the i was like maybe i'll

catch up with that record but then the biggest problem was Shiny Happy People came out, and I was like, oh, yeah, this is Stand All Over Again, the reason I didn't like them anymore. So I never – I bought this album years later, have never listened to it until now, front to back. Some of these songs I don't think I've ever heard. So this is the first time I've ever heard this record, but that's what I was doing

in March of 1991. Now, listening to it now, does it sound like... Because it's hard to remember that up to this point, a lot of the stuff on this album here is not what R.E.M.

had previously really sounded like. A lot of these sounds are new for them. Everything that came after was kind of informed by this album, but this album really is a turning point. So, so REM had been on tour for like a full calendar year, I think before this. Oh,

for green. For green. Yeah. They were a year and a half. They went to Europe. They went everywhere. They'd done the biggest tour. China,

Japan, Australia. And they, they, went everywhere they'd done the biggest tour they'd ever done china japan australia and they they uh this was the longest break between albums that they had taken as well so this was i believe three years uh after after green came out so um and and when they talk in interviews they say that peter had been playing guitar just constantly for the last year and didn't even want to be around an electric guitar anymore. And so there was another band in this book that I read who had an electric mandolin. I think maybe we talked about this on the last episode. And he was fucking around with it, and Peter Buck wandered into the room before.

They were opening for REM, and Peter Buck was like, hey, what's that? He was like, oh, it's a mandolin that I put a pickup in and made it electric. He's like, can I see that? Yeah. And then he goes. Camper Van Beethoven. It was probably Camper. It might have been.

Yeah. And then cut to the next album has just electric mandolin all over, and he's like, the dude stole my sound. Yeah. So Peter Buck, he didn't want to play guitar. Everyone just kind of wanted to play acoustically or mandolin. Bill Barry didn't want to play drums. They all wanted to switch instruments. They didn't want to do what they had been doing for a year and a half.

And they didn't want to sound like what they'd sounded like. So we got this, which is Out of Time, which is kind of an atypical sound for them. They also would not go on tour for this record. They said they didn't want to go on tour. For the first time of their career, not going on tour. In their career, they didn't tour. Warner Brothers, who had just picked them up, bummed about that.

Yeah. And yet, it turns out to be the biggest record of their career. And we're going to – 18 million copies. And that's – I mean that's not a lot if you're McDonald's and you're selling burgers. I mean they have billions and billions and billions. It's not a lot if you're in the business of, let's say, counting. Your job is to count.

Also, it's not a lot like in terms of sperm count. Not that big. Not that big. Not that big of a deal. You've kind of not shot your load. Yeah. If that's all you have. It's what they call low cum count. LCC.

Yeah. But for selling records. For selling records. Nothing to sneeze at. Excuse me. You really sneezed. Anytime anyone says ouch, by the way.

Anytime anyone says that word, I sneeze. Look, we're going to talk about... Sneeze. We're going to go song by song when we come back.

We need to take a break. All right. But this is the biggest... Sneeze. This is the biggest album of their career. We're going to be right back with more You Talkin'

You Too To Me. You Talkin' You Too To Me. You Talkin' U2 to Me. Oh, hey. Sneeze. Determination. Hustle. Thrilling action. Rec League basketball. Pistol shrimps radio is back adam you like the pistol

shrimps oh yeah i bet you do i bet you do pistol shrimps radio a fine fine podcast uh very funny wherever fine podcasts are downloaded if you don't know the show mark mcconville and matt gorley from Super Ego, you know those guys, Adam? You ever met them? I believe so. They're really funny. Nice guys, funny people. Uh-huh. And you know them from Super Ego, plus a million other great podcasts, like I was there too.

They record live from the Los Angeles Women's Rec Basketball League. So games are going on, and what they do is they call the courtside action as it happens, whether they know anything about basketball or not, and as it happens, they do not. Just like Mark and Matt, this show is really funny. I mean, they host it, so I hope it would be funny just like them.

It would be weird if it wasn't. This is a weird copy. It is a weird copy. You know what? I'm going to throw this copy out the window and just come up with something. Okay, just come up with anything, okay? Like, what would you say about the show? I don't know. They make ridiculous and absurd color commentary. That's accurate.

Yeah, that's pretty good. Do you think they do? Yeah, I would say they do. I know that they cheer on Pistol Shrimps athletes like Aubrey Plaza, Stephanie Allen, Maria Blasucci, and Amanda Lund. Wow. I know that. Cheer them on.

Uh-huh. So if you want to get in on the most thrilling, almost sports event of the season with Earwolf's most ignorant sports announcers, subscribe to Pistol Shrimps Radio now in your favorite podcast app like Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or, I don't know, wherever you listen. Podcastaholics. Welcome back. or, I don't know, wherever you listen. Podcastaholics. Welcome back.

What is this? This is Popolita itself. I was just, when I was in the bathroom, I was listening to Consolidated. Oh, yeah? How was that? Not good. I mean, this, just imagine wearing, like, bright kind of Dayglo baggy clothes. Bringing me right back. Dancing around on Ecstasy.

All right. I also, by the way, in 91 was very into Jane's Addiction. Oh my God. That was like the hugest record. We would do whippets and sit there. Yeah, because Dayglo Ritual just came out, right? Yeah, 91. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Well, maybe it was just about to come out in the summer i can't i think that came out in 90 oh ritual came out in 90 right right so yeah yeah you're right because then nothing shocking was had been out for a while that had been out since like yeah 89 or something yeah they were those albums how are the i haven't listened to that stuff in so long um and that first album that's like sort of live. Yeah, just Jane's Addiction self-titled. They're really good.

I mean, it's, you can't, it's so hard because you just gotta like transport, anyone listening to it now would probably be like,

what's the big deal? But, at then I remember I was over at, over at my friend's house where we would have parties all the time. And,

I was like, party all the, it was my friend Eddie house where we would have parties all the time and um i was like you like party all that is my friend eddie murphy and um and i was like look please stop doing gumby for one second while i play this music but no it was the same with you like putting headphones on people i was like you gotta hear jane's addiction yeah and he was kind of a like a led zeppelin he stoner i'm like they're the new led Zeppelin. Yeah, yeah. And what people don't remember is around this time, music was all kind of – it was all like this. It was very artificial drums and stuff.

And so to hear a band doing rock and roll riffs was just huge. That was really good rock and roll music. Rock and roll music. Yep, that was. Too bad they only put out two good records. I just can't believe they never put out another album. Well, you know why it is. No, they put out records.

They put out records. Yeah, I know. But the bass player left. Eric Avery. I never knew how instrumental he was in their sound until me and Tall John went to go see them when they reformed. With Flea playing with them? No, no, with Eric Avery playing with them.

And John was telling me that all the songs were like based on bass riffs that he wrote before ever getting together with the guys. No, no, no. And when you listen to James Addiction now, they all start with a bass riff. Totally. Unlike other songs, which are like guitar riffs or whatever, it's always just a do, do, do, do, do, do, do, you know? It's incredible.

And so he wrote all that stuff, and that's why they were good for two records until he left. Anyway, welcome back. We're talking about REM. Exclusively. Exclusively. Nothing else. Out of time.

All right, so out of time. This is a record, by the way. It's called Out of Time because they were working on it, and they didn't know what the title was. And until the very last day the record company called him up and said hey we need a title today or else your record is going to be pushed back and i think mike bills or something said oh man we're out of time and they said okay make it that yeah but then they came to feel like the record itself and the way it sounded was a bit out of

time as far as what was going on with the music. Not contemporaneous, yes. Not like Pop Will Eat Itself. Not like Pop Will Eat Itself. Or Consolidated. Or Consolidated. It was very much its own thing. So this record, it's the first time I've ever listened to it. What do you think?

Should we just go through song by song? Yeah, why not? And then talk about it afterwards? Why not? It's funny because it starts with, I feel, the only song on the album that maybe doesn't quite

age as well as the rest of it. I hate it. Let's listen to it. Hey, I can't find nothing on the radio. Y'all turn to that station. I like this part. Me too. Guitars sound great. Uh-oh. Turn it on. On the radio It makes me sad

I meant to turn it on To say goodbye To leave in quiet Radio song Hey, hey, hey Yeah. Should we get to the... Okay, wait, wait, wait.

Right here. See, this stuff... This is wait wait Right here See this stuff This is good Right here This part is good It's like Big majestic arena rock I'm gonna fast forward

To the rap That's the very end Of the song I think I skipped it Hold on No it's at the very very end it's at the very, very end. It's at the very end? Sorry, everyone.

No, no, no. Here, this is good. This is good. This is a nice break. Nice, big, majestic moment. I can't hear it. Hey, hey, hey, hey Say what?

Hey, hey, hey, hey Let me do that again Hey, hey, hey, hey Hey, hey, hey Yeah, whoa Hey, hey, hey, hey Say what, say what, say what Hey, hey, hey Say what, say what, say what Hey, hey, hey

Check it out What are you saying? What are you playing? Who are you obeying? They outplaying Baby, baby, baby, baby That stuff is driving me crazy DJs communicate to the masses

Sex and violent classes Now our children are prisoners All their life radio listeners That, of course, is the great KRS-One. I mean, okay. So here's the thing with radio song. Here's the thing with radio song. On one side, you can look at it as a conceptual David Burnish song about how manipulative and stupid pop songs are and big hits on the radio. And it itself is a big dumb pop song called Radio. So, you know, there's that aspect to it.

I'll pass on that. No, but that does, Pat, that's part of it. Right, right, yes. And I do feel like there are sections of the song that still hold up that I like a lot. I like the guitar part of it, but when you say it doesn't even hold up, like I remember listening to it at the time saying, this is an older style of rap.

You know what I mean? Yeah, the Booker T sections and the verses were never my favorite, and the KRS-One part was never the most seamless kind of odd. It's melding of two styles. Yeah. I mean I've heard much better rap rock combinations. Sure. Like Limp Bizkit for instance.

Right. I always liked the big shiny poppiness of it, of the song. I like the major key. Like all that sounds great. I love in the song if we didn't speed through it as much there are a lot of big poppy breaks where they go back into that refrain of uh the world is collapsing around my ears and it's really a nice big and i i like i feel like they had two different songs and they put them together it sounds a lot like that in fact

listening to some of the demos, it sounds like, oh wow, they had this one really cool thing. And then they were like, okay, now let's put a breakdown, almost like a, a jamming,

like funky part in, um, which is the, the minor key. Boom, boom, boom, boom,

boom, you know, which kind of reminds, like a lot of this album, um, one thing I neglected to mention was I w I was in a band currently, uh, and we were playing a lot of this album, one thing I neglected to mention was I was in a band currently, and we were playing a lot of coffee shops up in San Luis Obispo. And a lot of this record reminds me of bands playing coffee shops.

This is a very like, let's grab some acoustic guitars and play in a coffee shop. Get on stools and get in a circle. So much of this record reminds me of that. And that funky part reminds me of like when I was in a band, we did an acoustic cover of Mama Said Knock You Out. But even like LL Cool J, who was very popular in 91, that was like a more contemporary version of rap than what KRS-One was doing here.

Yeah, I mean, there is something about it. It is weird because it's, when I said it didn't age well, it's kind of off because, like you just said, at the time you were like, what the fuck is this? It's a little old school.

Yeah, like there's something about it that isn't even of the time that it came out in. It's its own weird kind of awkward melding of stuff that doesn't totally work. Popular band tries to get hip, but you know how when like a popular band, I'm trying to think of a band, really one of the biggest bands in the world who will get, well, even like, you know, like U2 when they got Kendrick, like Kend Kendrick is very vital. Yeah. You know, but it seemed like

there were so many more contemporary rappers that, and Karis won is great, but it seemed like R.E.M. sort of like searching for, okay, we want a rap section. Who do we get? I think it's genuinely they were friends and they did it. Were they?

Yeah, and I think that it not being exactly kind of the most cutting-edge thing at the time. Because they weren't a band that needed to be cool. Right. They weren't trying to be cool. They were just trying to do it. They were making a statement. They were just doing something weird, what they thought was kind of a weird, different thing to do. And it didn't quite work.

But obviously, they felt it worked really well because they opened the album with it. And it was like they put it out as a single and everything it just for me even as a huge fan at the time it never totally worked even though there are big sections of that song that i still sound great yeah love and i love how clean and poppy it is it's a little like a like a novelty song like a weird owl or not not weird but like something you would hear on Dr. Demento. I know what you mean. There is that aspect and that kind of bums me out about it

because there is a good song in there. Like if they had just done a different verse with like, Yeah. You know, yeah. But I still will listen to the song. I don't mind it, but it's not.

It sounds, I have to say the other thing, the production style of this record, like just listening to that part, it sounds much better than their, at least in terms of they've added a lot of sounds to their sound. It's a big three-dimensional sound. It's really clean and good. Okay, let's go to Losing My Religion.

By the way, this is the first side. This is the time side. Time side. Yes, here we go. This is, of course, everyone yes here we go this is of course everyone knows this song this is losing my religion cody you know this song kevin knows this song kevin sorry did i just call you cody well everyone is cody does um no but you know this song.

And did you grow up knowing this song or did this thing? Kevin, how old are you? You're 25? So this, and this song is now 27 years old. So it came out before you were ever even born. And this is like us growing up with a Beatles song in the background or something. Yeah. Or the Beach Boys or something.

Beach Boys. Yeah, yeah. Because the Beatles were actually the first records the background or something. Yeah. Or the Beach Boys or something. Beach Boys, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Because the Beatles were actually the first records I ever listened to. Yeah. But this is like hearing something from the, or an Elvis song. The Doobie Brothers or something. Yeah.

Now this is a, I mean, you know, I liked it when it came out. This is a song I heard. Yeah. I would listen to it on the radio. I was like, yeah, this is an okay song. Yeah. I'll still listen to this song. Just the song was like, yeah, this is an okay song. I'll still listen to this song. Just the songwriting and the production, it's all pretty perfect.

I've been listening to it a lot lately. It's a great – they talk about it being a weird single of it's over five minutes long. It doesn't really have a chorus. No chorus. Mandolin is the lead instrument. There wasn't a top ten song with mandolin as the lead instrument since Maggie Mae when this came out. Oh, Maggie Mae. Oh, what a bone and it's only you. It's like Neil Young and Fleetwood Mac.

Fucked. And had a baby. And Neil Young was like into it. He was like. Loved fucking. He was like, I want to fuck Fleetwood Mac. Fleetwood Mac's like, yes, yes, yes. Yes, I wanna fuck.

I'm trying to do it, Neil Young, unsuccessfully. It's a really good song. And, you know, I think maybe could have been the opener. I don't know, but it's great. Yeah, it's a great, great song. And it's hard to just explain how huge the song was. It was a number one hit all over the world. Like it was a song of the summer.

You know what's interesting? Listening to those demos of it, you know the end, the dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee, dee like, hey, motherfucker. Like, why don't you resolve this chord, guys? Yeah. All their demos, including the out-of-time demos, I'm always kind of surprised at how finished the songs were in the demo stage. Like, they are written and ready to go. Some of the lyrics are unfinished, but, like, they really, like, had this shit. It was just a matter of cleaning it up and really recording it. There's a lot of versions of Radio Song without KRS-One, if you're so inclined. Yeah.

After we go through it, we should play little bits of those demos. No, thanks. I have it all. Pass. All right, let's go to low. This is track three, and we'll talk. I mean, I want to discuss this. So this is low.

This song. Yeah. and we'll talk we'll I mean I want to discuss this so this is low this song yeah Barry Coffee Shop on the bongos yeah they played this on the green tour oh really

yeah yeah I think this is Bill Barry on bass maybe Mike Mills Dusk is dawn Stay Where did it go I think this is Bill Barry on bass maybe Mike Mills on keyboard BB on B Or maybe it's Peter Buck on bass PB on B

That was another thing This album was the first one in the liner notes It says who's playing what Oh wow I bet you jacked off to that. I had it all memorized at one point. Yeah, this is a weird song, especially for, like, number three on the record.

It's a really weird... Well, you know what? I was... And they didn't really play it beyond, like, unplugged and promoting this record. They never really played this one again. It's... It's not even really a song, I would almost say.

It's a song. It's just like them really trying something. Obviously, it was a bold move because they played it on the green tour. Don't get so defensive. But, yeah, it's, you know,

keep playing it. I mean, it gets, it picks up a little bit here. In between Down below Oh, daddy. It's very It's not the most dynamic of the songs.

But this is pretty here. I skip the part About love So he's singing I skip the part about love. So he's singing in an octave below what he normally sings in, which, you know, the song's called Low. Yeah. So maybe he was like, shit, I guess I'm supposed to sing this low. Let's do this one low, boys.

One, two, one, two, three, four. Don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't. I was kind of, I've never heard this record front to back. So you never really heard this song. I never heard this song, no. I actually was trying to put myself in the mindset, this album had sold 18 million copies. This is when a lot of people, I mean,

people had heard the one I love sort of maybe, and then they'd heard. Yeah, yeah. This is a lot of people's introduction. Green, but this is, yeah, so many people. And this is also, by the way, this is a lot of people's introduction green but this is yeah so many people and this is also by the way this is where michael stipe he sort of didn't green too but this is where he starts taking the responsibility of being the front man and the mouthpiece of the band seriously and starts talking about politics and starts um watching that movie that you sent me there's a lot of clips of him doing press for this

where he's talking about a variety of issues. He's talking about handgun control. He's talking about choice. But this album is all love songs. There's no politics on the actual album. But he has become the sort of person that alternative music people can listen to and go like wow he's talking for our generation yeah yeah yeah yeah so to me this record so far is a really i i was i was putting myself in the mindset of someone who's like i love losing my religion yeah michael

stipe he says what i want to say let's throw this on and it starts with like a novelty song and then a song which is a classic and then a weird, you know, kind of talky slow song. It is a really weird song to be on an album that sold 18 million copies. And then track four, let's go to track four. I'm like, okay, get me back, Michael. But they promoted it as an album of all love songs, no politics. They were upfront about it. Yes, yes. But you know what I mean.

He's like a guy that if you're in college and you're, you know, getting into REM, you're like, and you've seen Michael Stipe out there

talking anytime he has a microphone. Now he's talking about social issues. Yeah. You know, I mean, it seems like you're like,

I love Michael Stipe and then it's a weird album because track four now is Mike Mills singing. Yeah. So let's hear it. Whenever we hold each other We hold each other There's a feeling that's gone Something has gone wrong

And I don't know how much longer I can take it. How sweet a heartbreak it. Take my hand and your hands and shake it. In this here wild heaven. I'm here and I'm inside. In this here wild heaven. I'm inside. I think this is great. I love this.

I love it. It sounds great. Wearing their Beach Boys fandom on their sleeves. It's got really well-produced guitar sounds. Yeah, it's incredible. It is weird, though, that it's track four and we're still like, hey, I want ten songs of Mike Stipe doing his thing, and I've only gotten one at this point.

Well, he's singing. What do you mean? If I'm a Losing Your Religion fan. Right, right, right. I've only gotten one song where I'm like, hey, this is. Where he's really doing it. Well, it's a different thing. I mean, you've still got a bunch of album to go.

Sure. thing i mean you've still got a bunch of album to go sure have you seen the video for this one it's like it looked it's like a postcard from the 90s like the style it's so early 90s it's crazy it's like a everyone wearing hammer pants it's just the photography everything about it feels like a Pepsi commercial from 1991. Those are my favorite Pepsi commercials. Oh, yeah. No, that's a great song. It's really cool.

Why isn't Michael Stipe singing it? Do we know? Well, I know with Texarkana, the other song on the album that Mike Mills sings lead on, Michael Stipe had written lyrics and a melody for that one, but they just liked Mike Mills' better and just went with his, but kept the title from Michael Stipe's version, Texarkana. Near Wild Heaven, I don't know, but he's singing backup in the chorus and stuff. He's singing backup, but yeah, it's like, I don't know. Well, it's kind of Beatle-y that for this album, they're kind of switching lead singer a little bit. Yeah.

It's just different. At what point did you – I always thought that it was the same person singing every Beatles song. Because they would always change their voices anyway. It would be like, I'm Paul McCartney. I'm singing like this now. I'm a car.

I'm a – I think when I got really into the Beatles in high school. In high school, I started going like, oh, this is John actually singing this. And this is Paul singing this. And this is, who are the other people? There was just those two. It was just those two? Yeah.

And they did different voices for. Yeah, and they had alter egos. Rango. As a, quote, George Harrison, unquote. Okay, this is the final song on the first side, the time side. This is Endgame. And this is an instrumental. This is an instrumental.

You know what I mean? Like, side one is weird. Oh, I did the calculation once. I did calculation according to my calculation. Because Lo and Belong were both played on the Green Tour, so those were done. Then there's Texarkana, Near Wild Heaven, and Endgame that Michael Stipe did not sing any lyrics on.

So he only had five songs to really focus and write lyrics for. So he's lazy that's exactly right well also he's saying like i only want to do love songs did he fall in love with the guy that he was with for a number of years i don't know i think he wanted to do something outside of because at that point they were expected to be this big political band i think they wanted to he was kind of defensive about that he's like no i'm only doing love songs. Yeah. But he only, but one song is about the radio, and then. Yeah. And then he only writes lyrics for like four others.

But the radio song is about love songs and how manipulative and dumb they are. But a very, I didn't know anything really about this record other than the couple songs I'd heard, you know? I had heard Radio Song. I'd heard Losing My Religion, Shiny Happy People, and Tex Arcana. Those are the four songs that I'd heard before. I definitely, after side one, was like, this album is fucking weird. It's weird, yeah. And no one has ever talked about this.

All I knew about it was like, this is the one that's so popular. Everyone like, and I- It is very weird. I came into it thinking it was all losing my religions with these shiny, happy people and a radio song kind of irritating songs. I was like, oh, it's probably like eight more losing my religions.

At this point, I don't know what to think. I know, because wait, put Endgame back on. What did you think of that song? This like pastoral instrumental, it's really bizarre and it's like

four and a half minutes long. It's not just a little. I was listening to it today and I'm like, it's fine. It's definitely them just diving, today I was listening to it.

It's them diving into something different but really indulging it. Oh yeah, I mean it's, you hear the plucking of the violins and it's them diving into something different but really indulging it oh yeah i mean it's there it's you hear the plucking of the the violins and it's like the oboe and i i honestly this record sounds like a b-sides record to me like this sounds like a cool b-side well yeah i mean this is an odd song to to put a full instrumental on this This sounds like a song you would put on in between two

rocking songs or whatever. Yeah, like automatic for the people they have an instrumental, but it's like a minute and a half long. Or that one on Life's Rich Pageant at the end. It's like a bridge song. And instead, it closes an entire side. I know. They were really making a statement that we are doing something different from them i mean it's like they have an orchestra playing with them it's completely weird and different but that's what you know with the white album they did weird you know it's it was a well the white album though i mean turn mean, they had close to 80 minutes of music,

so they could do a bunch of weird things. This was like R.E.M. put out five songs and then was like, it's like an EP almost. No, it's a full album. It's, what, 11 songs? Oh, sure, but I'm saying five of those songs are like not songs. That's not true at all. Wait, what songs aren't songs? Even Endgame is a song.

It's just instrumental. Yeah, but it's like they did – what is up with your nose today? I have a cold. You're welcome. You're welcome. Why would I thank you for that? No, there's two instrumentals on the record. There's one instrumental.

No, there's two. There's Half a world away or belong which one of those is the one where they're just like ah or whatever we'll get to it anyway we need to go to a break no there's one instrumental on the record you said low isn't a song but it is a song and then there's a there's uh um one song where he's just like muttering over it. Oh, you mean the Belong where they... Yeah, Belong. Yeah, he's just like mumbles magoo over it. No, it's... There's lyrics. Okay, we're getting very defensive

and I don't like it. But you're making things up. We need to go to a break. We'll be right back. Nation's Hey, it's Adam and Scott here. Hey, guys. Hey. I was saying hi to everyone. Sorry.

Go ahead. Hi, everyone. Hi, guys. Fucking shit. Hi. Let me ask you a question, you podcast listener out there. Are you nude from the waist up? I can't hear anything. Give them time to answer.

Give them time. Yeah, they're not going to answer us. Yeah, let's just berate them. Look, you nude from the waist uppers. Ooh, burn. That's like a WTF kind of intro. Hey, nude from the waist uppers. That's right.

like a WTF kind of intro. Hey, nude from the waist uppers. That's right. Cover your naked nips with T-shirts from the Are You Talking R.E.M. Re-Me Collector's Signature Edition, a.k.a. just the shirts that we put out. There's two great styles. There is the one that looks like monster. Not a monster.

Yeah, we wouldn't want to do that to you. Nothing scary. Nothing scary. These aren't Halloween t-shirts only. You just scared me with that little comment there. But Halloween is coming up, so make sure to mark it on your calendars because the rent is due the next day. And you may want to go as a monster. You may want to go as a monster.

I never even thought about that. We also have the Out of Time style, which is the album that we're talking about today. So if you are so inspired listening to this episode that you want to wear a T-shirt inspired by it, go head on over to PodSwag.com slash REM. You can get all of your upper torso needs. Welcome back. This is the opening song on side two, the memory side. This is Shiny Happy People. Hey!

to shiny happy people so let's talk about this song I was watching that movie that you sent me, the documentary about R.E.M. And both Michael Stipe and Mike Mills, the Mikes. The M's. The Mike brothers. Yeah. Both of them sound like they're not that into it.

Yeah, I think they all hate it or were eventually really embarrassed by it. Michael Stipe says, I don't know, the band kept sending me all this poppy bullshit. Yeah, I think they all hate it or were eventually like really embarrassed by it. Michael Stipe says, I don't know, the band kept sending me all this like poppy bullshit. Yeah. And so I was like, all right, I'll lean into it

and write a dumb pop song. Yeah. And then Mike Mills is like, it's whatever. It's just like a goof off song. Yeah. Which would be fine if we just put it on the album,

but instead it's a single. Yeah. And then he also mentions the title, which is a big part of it. Like musically, the lyrics musically it's all right i think it's fine with the lyrics too it's something about the title really bugged me and kind of bugs me well yeah it's it's really stupid and it's a joke. Shiny, happy people is, I think they're trying to be funny and dumb. And the video is really ridiculous. By the way, the great Kate Pearson of the B-52s on backups.

I think that- I think coming off of Stand, to me, it was just like, you're going to do Stand, which is dumb, and now this is dumb? What are you guys what are you up to i think that they realized that and that's why the next record had nothing nothing like it that's good on it but i you know you don't want to end up being like a novelty band or whatever but it was a top 10 hit it was a huge hit it's a huge hit and it's it's to be honest it's the reason i never bought the record.

Yeah. Because if the follow-up single had been like Losing My Religion, I would have been like, God, I mean, they sound different, but they're back. Yeah. But, I mean, it was a big hit. A lot of people were annoyed by it, like they were with Stan, but maybe even more so. But I think it's a fine, really funny song. What did you think when it was out?

I liked it. I thought it was awesome because I thought it was – I didn't think it was a serious song or a serious statement. I could see why people – It's got a very bright, colorful video. Yeah, and it's actually – It's a really good, catchy pop song, which is all it was trying to be. But, you know, I get people being annoyed by it.

But I don't mind big, dumb pop songs like that. I like big, dumb pop. I don't know what it was. Well, it's called Shiny. I remember when it came out, they said the title is designed to make you – you have to smile when you say it. I'm frowning. Yeah.

They were wrong. Maybe they were upside down. They were like sleeping upside down like bats at the point. And they said, shiny happy people. And they're like, look at all these smiles. They used to sleep upside down when they lived in the church.

Okay. So that's the first track on side two. Yeah. But if you're a casual listener of R.E.M., you like that song probably, so you're like, okay. Yeah, because it's one of the hits. So you're like, side one's a little weird, but okay, side two, here we go.

Shiny, happy people, great, hit. All right, so this is the next song. This is called Belong, and this is what we were fighting about. Yeah, this was on the Green Tour. Why do you think it's not a song? Because the chorus doesn't have lyrics?

Well, okay, so all they're doing is going, ah, and then a guy's muttering. Well, he's saying words. I mean, it's a story or lyrics. But it's not like a traditional song. What's a traditional song? You know, like the Star Spangled

Banner. Sure. No, it's not the Star Spangled Banner That's the bar for me If it's not the Star Spangled Banner It's not a song Do a rewrite Okay, so it's not the Star Spangled Banner I think this is a beautiful song Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, of the screener stood and whispered to her child, It's very R.E.M.E.

I think it's cool. I just, you know what I mean. He's not singing lyrics. He's saying lyrics. He's saying lyrics. And then they sing in the chorus. It's like something at a coffee shop. A guy's doing spoken word poetry.

And then in the chorus, people are just saying, ah. If you say so i mean i think that part of what coffee house culture became was because of stuff like this like they're creating it i agree i agree it's definitely it's just different oh will you agree that it's different totally but i think that's a good thing i think this song being weird and structurally different is a good thing. I'm not saying I mind it. I'm saying that in an album, they're taking risks on every song practically. It's just a weird record.

It's a very weird record. And this one, almost to a T, was on the green tour. Like, it's really not different than how they played it every night on the tour. And I like the... Me too. Like, I like all that stuff. I mean, I like it. It's just...

Not a traditional song. In an album filled with non-traditional songs, it's just, for me, as a listener, I was like, another one where they're not like... It is weird that the album itself,

it overall has a personality to it, but when you listen to it all the album itself, it overall has a personality to it, but when you listen to it all the way through, you're right. It is really weird. It goes from one thing to the next. There's no real straight through line. Cohesive statement almost. Yeah.

It's like a scrapbook almost of a lot of different ideas and things. So to me, it doesn't feel like an album as much as – that's why when I say it's like a B-side record, it feels like a bunch of different ideas. I think you're right. I think it's definitely a band in transition, and Automatic for the People is what they transition into. But I like it.

I'm saying I like it. It's one that grew on me. It wasn't my favorite for a long time, but I love that song now. I think it's really cool. Here's one that's kind of a grower, not a shower as well. I don't know why, but this is a nice – it's another mandolin song. This is Half a World Away. Yeah. This could be the saddest dust I've ever seen

Turned to a miracle I lied My mind is racing As it always will My hands tired My heart aches I'm half a world away Here my head is worn

To go it alone And hold it alone Hold it alone And hold it I like this. Me too. This is one of my favorite. Kind of reminds me of the songs on Green. Yeah. Hair Shirt and You Are the Everything. Yeah.

But it's even more evolved than those, I feel. It definitely sounds bigger. Yeah. The songwriting is pushed forward a bit. It's a nice melody, too, though. Yeah. He's kind of all over the place. It's like sea shanty-ish a little bit.

I love it. I think it's one of their greatest. It's like something Popeye would sing. It's something Popeye would sing, but the Robert Altman Popeye. Sure. But, I mean, he's jonesing for spinach. Yeah. He's crazy about olive oil.

Look, if there's one thing that he loves more than spinach, it's olive oil. And if there's one thing he really detests more than anything? Eh, blue toe. Oh, man. What a jerk. What a jerk. Why is he such a jerk? He's always,

all he cares about is kicking Popeye's ass and that. to be honest, I bet he had a rough childhood. Yeah, he probably has his reasons, but, you know,

that's not what I'm talking about. You know, at a certain point, you have to get past your reasons and take a look at your behavior and be like, you know what? All I do is I beat up Popeye and I kidnap olive oil. I mean, I know I've had a hard go of it, but like I got to start making some changes. If they had mirrors on that island that they all lived on and Robert Altman's Popeye.

Which they didn't, of course. I want Brutus to look into one. Take a look. When will they invent mirrors? Half a World Away is a beautiful, stone-cold classic R.E.M. song. Is this... At your wedding,

did you ever play any R.E.M. songs or anything like that? Would Naomi let you? We had Electrolyte on our wedding CD we passed out to everybody. That's very you. Do you know that song? Yeah.

Okay. Well, I mean, I... To pass a force of CD on everyone? Yes. But this was back when there were no... No one had CDs. No, no. This was when CDs were the agreed upon format.

Yes, yes. I just mean this is like you in junior high putting headphones on people's ears. Oh, that, creating that CD, I went, I worked on it for six months. That's something where Naomi was like, sure, honey, you do the CD. She was like, fine, electrolyte, sure, whatever you want. What percentage of people do you think? Care didn't actually listen to it?

No, I'm just going to say threw it right into the garbage as they were leaving. A good 65%. I would have listen to it. I love it when people make me CDs. It was a good, it was a really good, it had like, what is it? Who was on it? Who else was on it? Who else we got?

Who did we have on there? There was a Bruce Springsteen song. Which one? Hey little girl, is your daddy home? No, Waiting on a Sunny Day. Oh, I like that song. Me too. Waiting, waiting on a sunny day.

Waiting for the crowd to come away. Bob Dylan. But this really cool Bob Dylan, George Harrison collab. Which one? Was it from the Lethal Weapon 2 soundtrack? It absolutely wasn't. It was a weird version of

It kind of went like that. Blowing in the wind. Blowing in the wind. Blowing in the wind on a Saturday night Bob Dylan, George Harrison, they collaborated This is prime traveling Wilburys time No, this was, they collaborated in like the 70s In the 70s, wow And it was just for this one odd version of his terrific song called –

Was this while Eric Clapton was Bonin George Harrison's lady or vice versa? It may have been. Awesome. I love that. I love that about those guys. And they remain friends. It was this version of If Not For You. Oh, I love If Not For You.

If Not For You. Have you heard this one version where George Harrison's kind of playing a little slide guitar on it? Make me a CD. I will do that. I'm going to throw it away. Terrific. I love that Eric Clapton and George Harrison were like cool. They got over it.

They were cool with it. Well, he wrote Layla and George Harrison was probably like, bro, this is really good. I'd like to think that if I ended up with Naomi, you would be cool

with it too. Yeah, I'd probably write an album. A great album, like as good as Layla. Way better. And as, maybe even approaching

as good as the Star Spangled Banner. And then I would marry Kulop behind your back. And we would be cool with it. We would be like... We'd still hang out and stuff.

We'd still hang out all the time. As couples. Yes, definitely. This is the next song. This is Texarkana. This is one that I had heard before. I think I heard it on Unplugged or something, and I was like, hey, I like that one.

No, they didn't play it at Unplugged. Oh, they didn't? Well, I don't know where I heard of them. They played this up in Portland a few weeks ago. Oh, yeah, yeah, they did. But I guess during the Well, I don't know where I heard of them. They played this up in Portland a few weeks ago. Oh, yeah, yeah, they did, but I guess during the time. I don't know why I know the song. I just... Yeah, it wasn't a single or anything. It wasn't a single, but I think I saw them play it on MTV or something. I don't know what it was, but it always stuck with me where I was like, I like that song.

Here it is. Probably the most R.E.M.-. musically of anything on the record, right? Yeah, I think so, yeah. Got a little tambo. 20,000 miles to the oasis You're right, it is a weird album. Like, this song does not fit with this album. But it does because the album is so eclectic that it sure fits. This song kicks ass.

I mean, I think it would fit in a more traditional album filled with losing my religions. I love this song. But at the time, I wasn't as into it, but it's one that grew on me over the years. This part is great. Hold on. Oh, I love that.

That sounds almost like the Smithereens in a way. And then you got the strings. I know. And you got the bridge is awesome because then Michael Stipe comes in. Speaking of Portland, the bridge is awesome. Oh, yeah, the bridge. Let's get to the bridge and check that shit out. Okay.

We can also just listen to the song. Yeah, they really produced the shit out of this. On the way to the sky On the way to the sky Oh, sounds so good. Yeah, it's pretty rad. Do you get the sense, I'm just throwing out stuff here. Do you get the sense

that maybe Michael Stipe was like tired of writing lyrics or just talking in general or you know and watching that movie that you sent me he's doing an interview and he's just like they ask him so what's about you know how much is this a political album he just goes no and they go why not he goes I didn't feel like it yeah like maybe

I don't know maybe maybe he's just like oh god I've just done this huge tour where we're working with Greenpeace and I'm out there

like making cause doesn't he make the same kind of like speeches in between all the songs I think he was probably sick of being a spokesman

for I don't know I have no idea but I think getting away from political things were what they were kind of all after. Right. But I think also less songs – I don't know. The songs he – I mean he's producing as well.

They all produce the record. But they focused up on the songs they focused on, and they were pretty great. Speaking of great, I don't know. We'll find out. If this next song is great, it's called Country Feedback. Country Feedback. Fan favorite. One, two, three, four.

See, I like songs that teach me how to count. I love a good count. Ah, ah, ah, Vons. He's the best. Instead of getting KRS-One, get the count in here. Get the count. I love a good count. Ah, ah, ah. Von. He's the best. Instead of getting KRS-One, get the count in here. Get the count. Von. I can't find nothing on the radio. Turn to that station. Do that as

the count. Okay. I can't find nothing on the radio. Von. Ah, ah, ah. Turn to that station. Turn to that station. Turn to that station too. You got to throw counting. Someone's got to put radio song. Hey, hey, hey.

Here it is. Country feedback. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, This flower of scars This film is on On a maddening note It's close It's close Don't feel us right Another weird song, no real chorus.

Other than... Hold on, here it is. Ready? I walk a lonely road The only one that I have ever known Don't know where it goes It's only me And I walk alone

I walk the empty street on the boulevard of broken dreams where the city sleeps and i'm the only one i walk alone uh-huh that's crazy how did that occur did that occur to you just listening to it this week? Just listening to it. There's one different chord in it, but obviously that song came out after, much after this. Yeah, but that's crazy. So this is sort of like, I read about this, this is sort of like just a demo. Yeah, that he improvised these lyrics over.

He improvised the lyrics, and then they were like, well, I don't know, the feel of it, it's not going to get better than that. Let's just put it out. What do you think of it? I think it's not going to get better than that let's just put it out what do you think of it i think it's okay it's like again it's not a traditional song song to me but i but i like it yeah i i you know what when i read after listening to the record i read that it's like you say a fan favorite and people i read one site saying it's the best song they've ever recorded and i was like i i don't know if it's all that to me but so what what why is it so popular uh i think it's it was

such a left turn for them at the time i remember when it came out the spin uh magazine article they were on the cover of spin before the album came out, and they asked them all what's their favorite song on the album, and all four of them said Country Feedback. Interesting. So I remember when it came out, I was like, I got to hear this Country Feedback. And it's a really cool song. It's really different for them and everything, but it wasn't really what I was expecting. I think they love it because it's so stark and experimental. It sounds a little like what I know of the records to come, like the Patti Smith duets and stuff.

Does that make sense? Yeah, a bit. Sort of. I think it's even starker than that. As stark as Iron Man 3? Exactly. It's very Tony Stark. But I saw them

play it and with neil young uh was he fucking fleawood mac he was so into fucking it was crazy but neil young played this long guitar solo over and it was great that sounds cool um it seems like the type of stuff that michael sype likes like when say Patti Smith Neil Young that makes sense to me of like no this is like a Neil Young song from the 70s or whatever so that you know it is it's a it's a it's a really good song and it and it's intense it gets really emotional it goes to a really cool emotional place and the fact that it's improvised is really cool it's just very different for them it's I I tend to gravitate towards kind of poppier, bouncier stuff, but I love it. But Half a World Away, for me, wins out over something like that.

And also, the final song on the record, this song, I think you had tipped me off to, when we were talking about how I'd never heard this record, you were like, so you've never heard Me and Honey? Yeah, that's right. Like that was insane. So I was especially attuned to this. So here we go, Me and Honey.

Kate Pearson again. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. are saying to me Baby's got some new rules Baby said she's had it with me Seems a shame to waste your time on me Seems a lot to waste your time on me

Left me to love for me Let me know what it's doing to me There's a lot of honey in this world baby this honey's for me It's cool. Yeah. I like like it it's kind of you know the

repetition of the guitar line it's sort of like pop song 89 in a way but to me like a less annoying version of that you know like it is it's the same thing it's a bass line, isn't it? I wonder who plays... Does your knowledge remember who plays bass in this? Because it doesn't sound as complicated as a Mike Mills bass line. I don't remember. Actually, I think we may have that info here. This and Half a World Away are my favorites from this.

Like, Me and Honey would be in my top ten R.E.M. songs, I think. Really? Wow. I just love it. It's just a cool song. She sounds great in it. They only played it live a few times. Actually, I think they played it live on the Accelerate tour a couple times, but not much before that.

I like it. Yeah. And it's a great album closer it's a big yes i actually think it could be moved up in the sequencing let's talk about the sequencing because we have some b-sides to listen to now oh it's a free world baby it's a yeah we have that so so now i was reading peterbuck saying in hindsight, he would have swapped a couple of songs. He always does that with the sequencing like a few years later. Yeah. Now, because I think he was saying like some of the songs were half-baked to him. So he would have put in – he was saying he would have put in Fretless.

And It's a Free World Baby. He would have swapped two of the songs for those. I would have included Fretless. I don't think It's a Free World Baby is totally fully cooked, but there's a lot in it that's awesome. It's kind of like Radio Song. I feel like there's great sections, but it's not fully. Let's hear them.

This is Fretless. This ended up on the Until the End of the World a, it's not fully. Let's hear him. This is fretless. This is, this ended up on the, until the end of the world soundtrack, I think. Yeah. This is great. He has got his work and she comes easy They each come around when the other is gone

Me, I think I got stuck somewhere in between I wouldn't confide in the prodigal son The die has been cast, the battle is won The bullets were blanks, a double-op gun I couldn't admit to a minute they didn't even get to the chorus yet. Right, yeah. I mean, it's definitely a little lugubrious, but... We should get to the chorus, because it's pretty great. Hold on.

Yeah, I guess it was a little baroque. It was like they didn't want the record to be a downer or something. I don't know. It's a really great song. Let's keep talking until it... Okay. ABC, D-E-F-G, H-I-J-K, L-M-N-O-P. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

Here we go. Him. And I don't hate her. They come and they come and they come and they come Kate Pearson again is on this. Yeah, Kate Pearson. She did a whole session with them. This is her third song with them.

Broken, no need to skip So we're two minutes in. Here comes the chorus. Don't talk to me about being alone. Don't talk to me about being alone. being alone don't talk to me about being

alone yeah it's interesting because that if I was 16 yeah this is like a lot like the Smiths song that when I was 16 I was like don't talk to me about being alone oh totally I was 17 I was like this is for talk to me about being alone. Oh, totally. I was 17. I was like, this is for me.

You're 17 with a girlfriend. And still feeling like no one wants to hear my mix CDs. No one understands me. Boy, did I love that song. And it was on a soundtrack, so not everyone knew it. So you could put it on a mix. And people would be like, what's this song? Where did he get this?

Yeah, put it on a mix and people would know every song that R.E.M. had put out, of course. Right. It's a free world baby. I like this one a lot, actually. Me too.

You think it's half-baked. Keep going. Are you sure? I was hungry when I said Keep going. Are you sure? Yeah. you want there's a feeling in my belly it's the new tomorrow scene it's an interesting job

it's the fireworks here's where it gets great I think I don't need it I don't need it I don't need it Hit my head He hit his head That's great right there. I can't feel anything

You gave too much away I love that chord change there. Me too. It's so catchy and good. It's a catchy and good. It's almost... It's almost too out of time-y to be on out of time. Maybe it has... Maybe because the verse is so kind of

ding, ding, ding, you know, like, maybe that's why it's a B-side, but the chorus feels unfinished to me. The chorus is great. It's dynamite. It was on the Conehead soundtrack, if I remember correctly.

Along with Barenaked Ladies singing Fight the Power. I just remember, oops, sorry, this is Rotary 11. This is the sequel to Rotary 10. I just remember... Oops, sorry. This is Rotary 11. This is the sequel to Rotary 10. I remember having to buy the Conehead soundtrack and being pretty pissed off.

I mean, it had that great Soul to Squeeze by Red Hot Chili Peppers song on it. That's true. It was a big hit. Oh, wait. Maybe... No, R.E.M. was on the Conehead soundtrack. Why do we know things like this?

Soul to Squeeze. That's right. That was a big deal. Why do I know, like... Because we were both know half the songs on the Conehead soundtrack? I didn't. We were both... Staring at the back of it. So many memories of just looking at the credits to the Conehead soundtrack.

What was wrong with us? Totally. 100%. But Free World Baby was also on... It was a B-side to Drive, maybe? It might have been, yeah. In fact, we're about to hear. That was Winged Mammal Theme.

We're about to hear that. This is Winged Mammal Theme. I believe I know that. Oh, no, no, okay. This is, okay, Winged Mammal Theme was written for Batman Returns in 1991, which came out in 1991. Ended up not being used for it. See, I heard that recently.

I don't think that's accurate. I think it is because they say that, like, here's the other weird part of it. They say that it's based on Neil Hefti's original 60s Batman theme, and I don't hear it. See, I think that's bullshit. You think it's false? I think so. But why would they call it winged mammal theme unless it's like they're trying to say, yeah, we wrote this for Batman.

I don't know. Okay, so this is winged. They had a song on Batman. Yeah, but this was written for the Tim Burton one, supposedly. Like, na-na-na, maybe. Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na. This is automatic for the people. Well, it was on the drive.

Yeah, this is on drive. Single, but it was written for Batman, supposedly, which came out. 92. 91. No, Batman Returns came out in 92. 92. This sounds a little jazzy for Batman. this sounds sounds a little

jazzy for Batman I agree I mean you're right 92 what the fuck but

Free World Baby was on was the B-side to to something on Out of Time I forget which one right

maybe it was Shiny Happy People this is first We Take Manhattan, which came out on a Leonard Cohen tribute record. This is pretty cool. This is pretty good.

I remember not knowing Leonard. This is my introduction to Leonard Cohen, so that's cool. They were like turning kids onto Leonard Cohen. Yeah, yeah. They sentenced me to 20 years Leonard Cohen. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. I'm coming now, I'm coming to reward them First we take Manhattan

Then we take Berlin Man, I haven't listened to this in years. This is cool. Yeah. They weren't doing full band stuff like this at the time. Yeah, yeah. I like this song a lot. Does someone else do a cover of it?

Yeah. I don't remember who. I don't remember who. Did U2 do one for that? I'm your fan. Yeah, yeah. They did two songs with him, I think. I like that.

Okay, this is the last B-side we have. This is Love Is All Around I believe recorded for the unplugged yeah but they also recorded the one that was on the radio the B-side yeah this is the radio song this is the radio version

this was recorded I think for Rockline live in the studio I was watching the unplugged and it sounded so similar. Yeah, they played it at all the promotional dates. This is great. It's a Trog song.

We all know it from, of course, the movie Love Actually. Which came after this. Sure. And they kind of stole Mike Mills' arrangement here for that.

And it was a huge hit for them Christmas is all around it's Bill Nighy yeah but who did the version that was a huge hit

cause it was on the soundtrack and it was a big hit in the UK I thought it was Bill Nighy well he sang it in the movie but I think

some band did it oh my gosh don't make me look this up don't make me look up Love Actually Trivia I know. If the FBI comes and seizes my computer, I'm going to be so embarrassed.

So this, let's wrap up what we think about the record. Out of time. Let's wrap up 1991 they don't tour they go straight back in to record another album after doing a few

promotional things oh Wet Wet Wet did a version oh Wet Wet Wet was a huge hit of course from Four Weddings and a Funeral

sounds like my pants pants pants when I watch them yeah so Out of Time huge album. Huge hit. They didn't tour and said, you know what, we're just going to do MTV stuff.

And it turned out to be like, why did we bother touring that last record? Like, it was so big, we don't have to tour, I guess. Their first number one album all over the world. Yeah, I was really super into it. People's first R.E.M. record, probably. A lot of people's, millions of people's first R.E.M. record. Probably. Some people's last.

It's, as far as in their kind of pantheon, it's, you know, Half a World Away and Me and Honey are two of my favorites. Two of your favorites. Losing My Religion, of course. I love the album. It's not in my top, like, I don't know if it would be in my top three or four or five REM records, but I love it. Okay. What about you?

For me, this is the first time, of course, I'm hearing it. It is, you know, I've had a couple of issues with green and documents. The side to a document is pretty dodgy for me. Yeah. I think you're right. Some of the highs are really high. Yeah. I have to say, as a record, it's probably my least favorite so far.

Yeah. Like, you feel like it's really high. Yeah. I have to say as a record, it's probably my least favorite so far. Yeah. Like you feel like it's really uneven. Yeah. Do you understand why it was as huge as it is? No, but I mean do you get why it was – I mean it's basically on the strength of losing my religion. I mean you look at the Grammy Awards. They're up for so many Grammy Awards and they win three and it's all just based on losing my religion

no one you know the Grammys were were given for just songs at that point you know what I mean like you could win

album of the year based and no one has ever heard your record but if the album was didn't strike a chord and it was just

one song would it have sold 18 million records or was there something about this collection of songs that people loved and recommended to their friends? I don't know.

That's what I can't tell. You were there. You were in it. Yeah. But maybe you were too close to it, but I don't know. I remember being in Scotland the summer this came out

and hearing it. Did you see the Loch Ness Monster? Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's why I was there. Oh, cool. Hearing near wild heaven playing in the, in the,

out of someone's apartment window. Like it was, this album was everywhere. Like shout up to him. Like, Hey, I'm American. How are you?

Um, I think it was a really, it was, you know, like again, what Peter Buck said early on. We're the acceptable edge of the unacceptable stuff. It was weird enough so people buy it because of losing my religion and they're like, whoa, this is alternative weird music.

I also think alternative music, this was when it started to be huge. Yeah, this is right before Nevermind and Octoon Baby. Yes. And I think that REM and U2 were two bands that people could be like, I like alternative music. On one of our next episodes when we talk about Automatic for the People, we'll talk about that a little bit. But I definitely think for a lot of people, this was like, you know, a lot of people don't like styles of music. They just like music. They're like, I like music.

So this, they hear Losing My Religion on like music. They're like, I like music. Yeah. So this, they hear, hear losing my religion on the radio. They're like music. Great. Like I remember around this time, probably a couple of years before I was at some girl's house that I barely knew. And I was looking through her,

right. Of course you go over to someone you barely know and you look through their record collection to see what they like. And there's like Edie Brickell and the new Bohemians. I'm like, why do you have this? Because I thought she was kind of cool. She's like, I don't know. I heard that song.

I like it. And she would put it on and sort of dance. It was like mood music. A lot of people, when you sell that many records, I think it becomes mood music in a way. Yes. And I think Out of Time is a perfectly fine CD to put on while you have friends over or while you're washing dishes.

Right. It doesn't washing dishes. Right. You know, it doesn't interrupt anything. Right. It's kind of interesting. You're like grooving along to it. And I think people buy it for each other for Christmas because it's enriched their life in one way. You know, it's one of those albums that everyone has.

And everyone can be like, oh, Losing My Religion. Yeah, I wanted to listen to that. Totally. And I think that it's funny. You know, Automatic for the People, there's so much that happens in music between this record and a year and a half later when Automatic for the People comes out. Nirvana and Pearl Jam happen. The music world completely changes. And you definitely hear it in Automatic for the People.

Yes. Pull back from this super bright poppy thing. It was definitely the people's first entree into what became known as alternative music to where people were like becoming a little adventurous of like, oh, okay. It doesn't have to be what we considered to be pop at the time. Michael Jackson's Dangerous album came out around now and M.C. Hammer and all those people. It doesn't have to be that. It could be like rock music that's got a little bit of an edge

and socially conscious. Yeah, I remember when Out of Time knocked Michael Bolton off the number one spot. He's my buddy. I hate to hear that. And I think the album that...

I'm sorry, Michael. I'm sorry. I wonder if he's pissed at me. He's my best friend. I don't know if you remember from the show. Right in the special, yeah. He's my best friend.

Yes. I feel bad now doing the show. It was. Right in the special, yeah. He's my best friend. Yes. I feel bad now doing the show. It was Michael Bolton and Whitney Houston. Those were the albums that R.E.M. was kind of knocking off. So it was a big moment. Well, Madonna's erotica was like 93, but Celine Dion, Michael Bolton, all that kind of stuff was kind of popular. And this was the album where it was kind of like Losing My Religion was so undeniable. People were like, yeah, guitar songs again.

Not bad. And it was weird to see these guys like at the Grammys with, you know, Michael Bolton and – Just jerking each other off. Michael Jackson. Yeah. Well, that's another episode. I think a successful one. I think so too.

I enjoyed spending time with you. Again, always enjoy spending time with you. That's going to do it for us today. I don't know what we have next week, but it's going to be good. We will see you then. Bye. Until then, I hope you found what you're looking for bye Hi, my name's Matt Gourley. My name is Mark McConville. And we do a podcast called Pistol Shrimps Radio.

Every Tuesday night, the Pistol Shrimps play basketball. They're a women's team in the recreational leagues here in Los Angeles, California. And we bring a table, some microphones, and our very selves to call play-by-play basketball action. Mostly we talk about what we want to talk about while basketball is happening. But occasionally there's action that needs to be reported on and we do that, but we don't know anything about sports. So if you are not a sports person, good.

If you are good, this thing's literally for made for every human being on this, our planet. Listen to pistol shrimps radio every Wednesday on earwolf. Get it! This has been an Earwolf production. Executive produced by Scott Aukerman, Chris Bannon, and Colin Anderson. For more information and content, visit Earwolf.com.

Hey Queeros, it's me, Cammie Esposito, and I'm here to tell you about my podcast, Queery. You can sit in on hour-long conversations between me, Cameron Esposito, and some of the brightest luminaries in the LGBTQ family. Queery explores individual stories of identity, personality, and the shifting cultural matrix around gender, sexuality, and civil rights. Plus, it is fun. We have had some incredible guests. Emmy winner Lena Waithe? Yes, definitely. Congressman Mark Takano? You bet.

L Word creator Eileen Shakin? Yes. President and CEO of GLAAD, Sarah Kate Ellis? We definitely have. We've got celebs. People like Trixie Mattel, Evan Rachel Wood, Tegan and Sarah, the band, and the people separately on two different episodes. We also have activists and changemakers in our community.

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