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

Episode Date: March 7, 2018

Adam Scott Aukerman are back this week to talk all about R.E.M.’s second studio album Reckoning. They’ll dive deep into each track including the B-sides. Plus, we’ll hear about Springsteen on Broadway, The Last Jedi, and running times of films in a new episode of “I Love Films.” This episode is brought to you by Leesa (www.leesa.com/REM) and Spotify.

Hey, are you talking REM-y fans? This is Scott Aukerman. I want to tell you about Lisa before the show starts. Lisa is an innovative, direct-to-consumer online mattress brand that is also socially conscious, a lot like the band REM. I mean, they're not a mattress, obviously. I don't think. Are they a mattress?

Maybe they're a mattress. I don't know. Are they a mattress? Maybe they're a mattress. I don't know. Who knows? I have, you know, maybe we'll find that out in the show today. Maybe R.E.M. is a mattress. But I can tell you that Lisa actually is a mattress brand. In fact, for every 10 mattresses that Lisa sells, they donate one to a shelter through their 110 program. And then not to mention, with a patented universal adaptive feel,

Lisa is designed for all types of sleepers. Ones that wake up a lot, ones that sleep all night. And now Lisa has expanded its offerings to include the Lisa pillow, the Lisa blanket, the Lisa foundation and frame. Try a Lisa mattress in your own home or someone else's, I don't care, for 100 nights risk-free. Available in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Germany online with free shipping,

this 100% American-made mattress ships compressed in a box right to your door. Or you can try it at the Lisa Dream Gallery in Soho, NYC, and Virginia Beach, and over 80 West Elm stores nationwide. Get $100 off when you go to leesa.com. From Chronic to Collapse, Town and Into Now respectively, that is, this is R-U-Talkin' R-E-M-R-E-Me? Me? The comprehensive and encyclopedic compendium of all things REM. This is good rock and roll music. We are back.

Boy, are we. My name. Remember that song, My Name Is? My name is. My name is. My name is. My name is. What do you think about R-E-M? M&M.

Very similar. M-N-M? Yeah. R-M-N-M? That was, isn't that the original name of the band is R-M&M? R-M&M. It was kind of a whole tie-in with the Mars and Murray's company. Not just the Mars and Murray company,

but the Times Square M&M store. Store, which have you ever been in there? Amazing. I actually grew up and I went in there after we saw Springsteen on Broadway. Did I tell you about that? I just saw Springsteen on Broadway. You did?

Yeah. Let's talk about it. Let's introduce ourselves first. You know me. I Let's talk about it. Let's. Let's introduce ourselves first. Sure. You know me. I'm your friend from podcasts and little watch television shows, but I have won more awards than our other host. Boy, that's the truth. More accolades for my little scene work, which, you know what?

Honestly, I'd rather be critically acclaimed than popular. So I'm Scott, and across the table from me, we have— So would I, Scott. So would I. Would you trade—if we could do a life swap, would you? All of my money for some Emmys? No, of course not. Neither of us would switch places with the other.

Or maybe we would, and it would be a cool body switching movie. It would be cool. I would, I'd enjoy having your children. Oh, well, they would enjoy. I think they would be weirded out if suddenly you were their dad. I'd like to be a second father to them. Is that okay? Is this an official request?

An official offer? Not really a request because I'm offering it to you. I don't want it from you. You know, I could get them in here to talk about how they both groan and tell me to stop when I play R.E.M. in the car. Really? Do they? Well, now it's to the point where they're like, I don't want to listen to R.E.M. Does Naomi do that too? Or is she just – what is her relationship to music?

Have we ever talked about it? We've, of course, been to concerts with her. Yeah. And that's been fun, and she seems to enjoy it. Yeah, for sure. I think that at this point, you two and I, it's probably similar with Kulab, right? It's like they kind of roll their eyes at certain things. Yeah.

It's a fun way to make fun of us. Yeah. But I think if pressed, she would – I've over the years caught her in moments saying something like – I caught her once saying, I mean, this Songcraft is really impressive. Wait, are you sure she didn't say spacecraft? That may be what she was talking about. She was watching the X-Files. I don't think Kulop would ever put on an R.E.M. record or a U2 record.

No, I don't think. Independently. I don't think Naomi would either just because she's heard it all so much. Yeah, I think Kulap maybe back during All You Can't Leave Behind certainly was

unabashedly we went to that show and was like into it. Exactly the same with Naomi. Beautiful day and then after that I think kind of fell off and to the point now

where it's like now because we have this show it's like you too, huh? Yeah. And then after that, I think kind of fell off and to the point now where it's like, now because we have this show, it's like, you too, huh? Yeah. And like it's a way for her to feel power over me. Naomi has never heard this show. Has Kulop listened to this show? I don't even know. Not this show, but the U2 one.

Yeah, I don't even know. But she just thinks it's – she thinks – I don't know. She sexually harasses me at home. Oh, you have no idea. Kulop sexually harasses me as well. Oh, you have no idea. She – Kulop sexually harasses me as well. Oh, no. Really? Really mean stuff.

Really mean stuff. So your kids, they don't – what kind of music do they like? You know, whatever is on Hits 1. Are they old enough to like Top 40, or is it still like Radio Disney kind of stuff? No, no, it's like Top 40. Hits 1 is the Sirius channel where they play all the Top 40 songs.

I mean, you know, I like Top 40 stuff. Oh, well, they're 9 and 11 years old. That's insensitive, by the way, 9 and 11. It was like Huey Lewis and Michael... It was whatever was in the top 10. Hall and Oates, baby. Yeah. The top 10.

John Cougar. Mellencamp. Yeah, but at the time- At the time, no. It was John Cougar. Speaking of John Cougar, let's talk about, I consider the Jersey equivalent of John Cougar, Bruce Springsteen on Broadway. Yeah.

So you and I both went to this. Yes. You just went? Because I went about six weeks ago, two months ago. I went like two weeks Springsteen on Broadway. Yeah. So you and I both went to this. Yes. You just went? Because I went about six weeks ago, two months ago. I went like two weeks ago. Two weeks ago? Yeah. And let's talk about our opinions of it because this is something I wanted to talk to you

on the last U2 record, U2 episode because I had just seen it. I thought it was an amazing night at the theater. Yeah. I hated it. No, I loved it, and I found it very moving. Have you read that book? I have it, but I haven't read it. Okay, well, I've listened.

I don't know how to read. I listened to, I know that about you. I listened to the first couple chapters, but didn't want to spoil the show, so it didn't end up listening. But the show was amazing. And the honesty, like he kind of outs himself as a bit of a fraud like right off the bat. He doesn't know how to sing.

He doesn't know how to play guitar. He doesn't know any of the chords. He doesn't know what a microphone is. He honestly, he, I mean, that's part of the reason that during concerts he shares with little Steven so much because little Steven is like, psst, come on, you sing into this. And he's like, what? There's a big part of Springsteen on Broadway where he walks out, he, and there are two things on stage. Okay.

There's a guitar and there's a stool. Yeah. And he looks to one, then he looks to the other, and then he picks up the stool and starts to try to strum it. Right. And everyone's like, boo. No, no. And he shrugs and he's like, I don't know, man.

Yeah. I don't know what either of these fucking things are. And then Patty comes out and takes the guitar. Takes the guitar. He's like, this is ridiculous. Puts it in his hands, pats him on his little butt. A lot of people don't know that that's why he divorced his first wife. Yeah.

And started dating Patties because she's the only one who knew what a guitar was. The Fletch Lives woman didn't know. I can't remember her name right now. The woman in Fletch. I think it's Fletch. Fletch. Yeah. She wasn't willing to just shove the guitar in his hands.

She was always like, Bruce, you're a major rock and roll star. It's why I married you. Yeah. Hello? Figure this out for yourself. I'm going shopping. And he said, okay, you know where I was born? The USA.

Born in the USA. Someone take a picture of my butt like they did for that record. For that record. I thought it was – I didn't know what to expect when I got the tickets for it, which, by the way, did you get them through a lottery or – No. Okay. So I think we got them fairly early. We were like after the first week, we were like second week or something because we won the lottery to get the tickets.

And I picked. Lottery. There was a lottery system just to buy tickets. Oh, wow. Because it was a shorter run. By the time you can, you probably talked to UTA or whatever and just got them or whatever. But I, you know, work hard for or whatever and just got them or whatever. But I work hard for my money and I pay for things

myself. So I had to win a lottery in order to be able to purchase tickets, like the ability to purchase tickets. And I didn't know if they were going to be sold out or what. So I picked a weird off night. We picked a Tuesday and not the opening week because I was like, opening week's going to be crazy.

So I picked the Tuesday after opening night and was like, okay, at 10 a.m. I'm going to like just get the best seats possible and we'll see what happens. We're in the front row. No way. That's amazing. So we're in the front row and I didn't really know what to expect. The other interesting thing is as you walk in, and I don't know if you had this experience, but every usher is cautioning every single person in the audience,

do not take pictures before the show. Don't take pictures during the show. And every once in a while, someone who hadn't heard it would take out their phone and try to take a picture of the stage, and they'd come over and say, put the phone away. You're not allowed to take pictures. Did anyone try and do it during the show? Yes.

That's the other thing. And they take a strobe light and shine it on them. They never did it on our show. Oh, they didn't. People constantly, and I'm sitting here in the front row going, God, I wish I could take a picture, but they told me not to. Everyone else is like constantly, and it's bothering me. I'm seeing like lights next to me all the time.

They're constantly taking pictures and no one did anything. Oh, at our show. By now, maybe they are. Someone was taking video during The Rising when he sang The Rising. The song about his penis. Yeah. Whenever he sees Patty. The Rising happens.

And this guy just walked right up to them and took out this like flashlight that had this strobe effect. So I guess it ruins whatever you're trying to shoot. And he's like, get that fucking thing down. And so, yeah. They only happened once during the show. Yeah, it was crazy. But back to originally, before the show, what happened, everyone is like on their best behavior, not taking photos yet.

And suddenly we hear a gasp and a woman scream practically, like not a, I'm falling off the balcony very slowly and I've hit the ground, nothing alarming, but like a surprise, a scream of surprise of some sort. And suddenly everyone in the audience has their phones out and everyone from the balconies above us is like leaning over the balcony with their phones. And we look behind us and Oprah Winfrey and Gail is there. And I guess a woman like was talking to her friend casually and then like looks over her shoulder and Oprah is next to her and goes, ah!

Jesus. And then everyone is just taking a picture of Oprah. Of course they are. But I didn't know what to expect with that show. And by the way, this is the show where we talk about the band Hari M. And nothing else. And nothing else. And we'll be talking about the Reckoning album.

Their second album. Second album, second LP. Reckoning. Ricola. And they – I didn't know what to expect with this show because here's what I thought it was going to be. Ricola and they I didn't know what to expect with this show because here's what I thought

it was going to be I didn't read anything about it or anything I thought it was going to be basically like kind of a cash in in a way of like

hey I don't want to pay the E Street band so I'm going to just sit down with a guitar and play acoustically and I thought the set would change it'll be a concert play acoustically. And I thought the set would change. It'll be a concert.

Yeah, it's a concert. I thought the set would change every night or whatever. So I did not expect it to be a very theatrical experience, which is what it was, with him doing lines. Yeah. Well, in order to qualify. And performing Hamlet, essentially. The entire play, Hamlet, playing all of the roles. All of the roles.

Malvolio? Yeah. Ophelia? I mean, his Ophelia, it's better than any professional actor I've ever seen. But apparently in order to qualify for the Tonys, which of course isn't the only reason he's doing it. The Anthonys. But maybe it is. Yeah.

Do you think that he's trying to EGOT? Oh, he's EGOTing. Did he get the Oscar? He didn't. Or did he? Yeah, he got an Oscar. He did for Streets of Philly? Yeah. Do you think that he's trying to EGOT? Oh, he's EGOTing. Did he get the Oscar? He didn't. Or did he? Yeah, he got an Oscar. He did for Streets of Philly? Yeah.

He got it for Streets of Philadelphia. He's obviously got a Grammy. Yeah. So all he needs now is an Emmy. He might have an Emmy, though, because Emmys are relatively easy to win. And you can get one. Unless you're Adam Scott. If you perform on SNL or something.

Yeah, or actually, normally they win on like SNL or something. Yeah, or actually normally they win for like, you know, doing a special or something, you know, like a concert special or something. So he probably has an Emmy. Emmys are probably the easiest win. So he's going for that Tony. This mother, this crafty motherfucker. Yeah. He's trying to do the Whoopie. But in order to get that.

He's making Whoopie. Wait, Whoopie is an EGOT? Yeah. Whoopie Goldberg? Yeah, she's one of the few egots her mel brooks quincy jones uh good old quince here i'll look up the egots while you talk um so in order to qualify for that you have to actually have a script like a play so it's a full story it's fully scripted it's amazing he did – Did you find it moving? It was very moving. Yeah, yeah.

It was great. And when you say that he outs himself as a fraud, there are like – technically there are jokes in it where he jokes around about how he is like a rich rock star. Yeah, he's never been inside of a factory. He's never had like a real job, but he's made his money sort of bilking people out of... Singing about people. But when you hear that, you

also kind of... I imagine him up on a big stage in a giant arena saying something like that, like it's schtick, but he was acting it. He was very into it. Oh, but he was acting it. Like he was very into it. Oh, yeah.

It was great. It was a very personal story. He was talking about his family and all. Okay, let's go through the EGOT winners. Okay. Richard Rogers. Who's that? He's a composer who did Rogers and Hammerstein, who did like Oklahoma and stuff like that.

Helen Hayes. Sure. Rita Moreno. Huh. Yes. That'sno. Huh. Yes. That's one of the first ones. She achieved it in 1991. She was the... No, sorry, 1977. She was the third

person to ever achieve it. The next to achieve it was John Gielgud. You can see how that would... Yeah, of course. John Gielgud. Paper chase. Audrey Hepburn. Audrey Hepburn? Audrey Hepburn. In 1994, she achieved it. I'm not sure how. Isn't she dead?

1994? No. No. Oh. When did she die? I don't care. Well, you can achieve it posthumously. I guess you can.

Let me look up when she died. 1993, you're right. Yeah, hey, there you go. How do you know when she died? I just figured she died around the early 90s. Why would you figure something like that? Did it mean something to you? Because it seems like she would have – I'm sure somewhere in the recesses of my memory, I remember her dying.

Was it a meaningful event for you? Yeah. She is – I'm related to her. What? Yeah. We've never spoken about this. You're related to Audrey? The breakfast at Tiffany herself? Yes. We've never spoken about this. Really? You're related to Audrey? The breakfast at Tiffany herself?

Yes. I'm – It was my idea to have Mickey Rooney play an Asian person. That's a good call. Marvin Hamlisch. Marvin Hamlisch. Yep. Okay.

Chorus line composer. Jonathan Tunick. I'm not sure who that is. Who is this? He's a composer, a conductor. I'm going to look up his old CV, his resume. Jonathan Tunick, best known for his work with Stephen Sondheim, starting with Company. Oh, interesting.

Okay, he's one of those dudes. Okay, so then Mel Brooks, of course, one of the best. Mike Nichols. Oh, wow. Well-deserved for Mike Nichols. Well-des's one of those dudes. Okay, so then Mel Brooks, of course, one of the best. Mike Nichols. Oh, wow. Well-deserved for Mike Nichols. Well-deserved for Mike Nichols. Then you got Whoopi. And then you have Scott Rudin.

Scott Rudin? Yeah. He got it in 2012. Wow. And then Robert Lopez is the most recent. Robert Lopez? Robert Lopez from Frozen the composer

Frozen composer amazing Frozen Frozen tell me what Whoopi Goldberg's are she got for Ghost obviously

she 13 Emmy Awards she she has she has 13 of this thing that you can't even get one of. From what?

The View? No, I'm sure. All for one episode of The View. No, I mean, because The View could win every year for... I'm just wondering what she got. She's got two Academy Award nominations, Color Purple and Ghost, and she's won for Ghost. I'm sure she's won Emmys for her one-woman shows and stuff. She won a Grammy for Best Comedy Recording in 1985.

Sure. She won a Tony as a producer of the Broadway musical Thoroughly Modern Millie. She has received eight Daytime Emmy nominations, winning two of them, and nine Primetime Emmy nominations. For, like, comic relief, maybe. Maybe, yeah. She won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host. Yeah, she's got a lot. Comic relief, yeah, all that stuff.

Have you ever met her? No. She's super cool. I hear she's great. Bob and David from Mr. Show said she was a delight on comic relief. Yeah. Said that she and Robin Williams were super great. Oh, really? Yeah. No opinion on the other

one. So, he's trying to EGOT this guy. I bet he does. I bet he gets it. Wait, Quincy Jones is not EGOT? Quincy Jones is not EGOT. And you know what? That's absurd. This says he never will. That's weird. No.

That guy should be EGOT. He should be for Mad TV alone. Wait, did he produce Mad TV? He produced Mad TV. Fucking should have an Emmy for that. But wait, what does he not have, an Emmy? I don't know. I don't have what a person doesn't have on this.

Why don't you have that? That's because you have the have device, whereas the have not device. I don't have two phones, one reading have, one reading have not. Why not? You want one of these things?

What is it? What do you got? It's not a Think Thin bar, right? No, no. What is it you normally eat that Bono gave you? The Think Thin bars. It is a Think Thin bar.

I still have that bar. You still have that one? By the way, you need to give me a copy of the drawing. Yeah. Still. And you need to frame it

and like make it bulletproof glass and like really classy. Okay. Okay. What is this? You asshole, give it to me.

How did I get duped? It's a BB&J Really? GFB GFB bite. I don't know. They're really good. What's the beast?

It's not butthole, is it? Yeah, it's girlfriend butthole. No, it's gluten-free bites. But it's good. It's peanut butter and jelly snack. Yeah, ish. It's good, right? Yeah, it's like...

It's a bunch of dried fruit with peanuts on it. It's definitely in the neighborhood of peanut butter and jelly. Definitely. It's like it's not like... in the neighborhood of peanut butter and jelly. Yeah. It's like down the street from peanut butter and jelly. Everyone loves hearing people eat on podcasts, right? So Springsteen is one step closer to EGOT if he wins it. What does that mean? What does he not have?

I would imagine he'll beat EGgot if he gets it because i can't imagine he does not have an emmy um since it's so easy to get what if he never won a grammy bruce springs like what is the easiest award to ever win is a grammy if you don't have a grammy you're a fucking idiot right they give They give away so many of them. Barack Obama has a Grammy. Yeah. What if he e-gotted? I bet he would. All he has to do is

think it, and then he'll have all those awards. Wait, what does Did you find out what Bruce Springsteen has? I am... He has an Oscar, several Grammys, indirectly Emmys. What does that mean? He either has one or he doesn't, Google.

Come on. Oh, well. I don't know. But, yeah, I bet he does it. I bet he gets it. Do you want another GFB? No, I think this was obnoxious enough already us doing this

anyway I thought it was a great did you go out there just for that or were you yeah we went out there just for that

where'd you stay a hotel cool yeah you didn't just like crash on someone's living room floor we stayed in a hotel

where'd you stay hotel man whoa I stayed once Yeah. You didn't just like crash on someone's living room floor? We stayed in a hotel. Where did you stay? Hotel, man. Whoa. I stayed once. This was like December of 2001, as I recall, with David Cross. And he had this apartment. And I got – admittedly, I went out to a bar until 6 in the morning and got relatively trashed. Yeah.

But his lock didn't work. Like, I couldn't unlock it. Yeah. And so I fiddled with it, like, noisily for 45 minutes, and I couldn't get it to work. And then David finally, like, exasperated at 6 in the morning. He, like, opens the door. He's like, here. And I'm like, I swear to God something's wrong with the keys. Like, yeah, right. You're so fucked up in the hallway at 6 in the morning. He, like, opens the door. He's like, here. And I'm like, I swear to God something's wrong with the keys.

Like, yeah, right. You're so fucked up in the hallway at 6 in the morning. But it wasn't working. Yeah, I'm sure. It had nothing to do with you drinking until 6 in the morning. I swear to God. But he didn't believe me either. How fun was that, going to New York and drinking until 6 in the morning?

Like, that's so fun. I mean, I don't know that I could do it anymore. No, I'm sure I could. But back in my 30s, it was crazy. I remember, did you ever go, I mean, you've been to SNL, I'm sure. Saturday Night Live. Satur Day. Satur Day.

You go to those after parties and then the after after parties. I remember it being daylight. Yeah, it being daylight when I walked out of one. Yeah. Satur Day Night Live. Satur Day. You go to those after parties and then the after after parties. I remember it being daylight. That goes really late. Yeah, being daylight when I walked out of one. Yeah. Really fun. Yeah. Really fun stuff.

What is the latest you've ever stayed up? Oh, I've stayed up until at least 3 in the morning. That beats me. Yeah. How late have you stayed up? 10.30 p.m. 10.30. Yep. What happens at 10.31 stayed up? 10.30 p.m. 10.30. Yep.

What happens at 10.31 with you? I don't know. I don't know what it is, but it's like a light switch that goes off. You're just out. But what if you're at the movies? Oh, no. Yeah. I always have to take a look at a movie and be like, okay, if this one starts at 10.15, is it going to be over by 10.30?

Yeah. And I look at the running time. Yeah. And they're usually like, I mean, this might be an episode of I Love Films. I think it might be. Hey, welcome to I Love Films. This is Scott. And this is Scott.

We're talking about running times. Of movies. Now, what qualifies- Or, wait a second. Are we talking about the running times of films? Oh, what did you say originally? Movies? Movies.

Bleh. I mean, barfarama, right? Barf out my dick, these movies. Ugh. Shooting barf out of my dick. Oh, pfft. Oh, pfft. Bleh.

What is the bare minimum of amounts of minutes that a film can be? Are you talking like a real film? I'm talking a real cinema experience. Well, when I think of a cinematic experience, I think of like Lawrence of Arabia. Yes, the Codfather. The Codfather. The aforementioned Chaz. Chaz. Or the super big

guy. What was it? The super big guy. Super big guy. Which is, I think that movie Super Big Guy, aka Chaz. That movie is like 3 hours and 45 minutes. That's one of the longer movies that you'll ever see because they really know how to milk the tension. That's what makes it good. That film, I have to say, a lot of the scares in that film.

The Super Big Guy? The Super Big Guy are about what you didn't see. Oh, listen. You know why? Because when they were making that movie, the shark didn't work. It didn't work. It didn't work. And then they were like, okay, well, how do we polish this turd? Right.

Stefan Spielberg, he had to figure out how to shoot around this shark. It just wasn't working. I'm not talking shooting barf out of your dick. We're talking about shooting film. Right. Celluloid. Oh, yeah. Real film. Panav yeah. Real film.

Pan of it. Real film. 70 millimeter. Lenses. Lenses. Yes. Film cameras. Canisters.

Oh, canisters. How many reels? How many reels is a perfect film to you? How many reels? Is perfect for me? Perfect for you. 19. 19 reels.

Minimum. Reels. Minimum. That's the perfect length to me for a little comedy little joke i like to say sometimes if it ain't 19 reels it ain't real this has been i love films Pretty good. Solid. Solid. A solid entry in the canon.

Of episodes. Mm-hmm. Of I Love Films. Exactly. Why were we talking about films? I don't know. We're here talking about how you can't stay up past 1030. Oh, yeah.

Never have, never will. We are talking. Can I say one thing? Yeah i say one thing yeah say one thing the other night make it good though make it count i went to see star wars right the phantom menace the phantom menace re-release and remember when they re-released that in 3d yeah it's like one went hey that's one more dimension of shit yeah who it's like would you would you re-release your turds right as three who would want to see that fucking movie in 3d so i saw it like three times me too it was great it was amazing and the thing is the other night we went to see uh the last

jedi you take the uh the chili chillins i took my son for the second time in like three days. And he's not too scared by it. Last Jedi? No. He's into it. Yeah. I think the first time we saw it, there were a couple moments he was like, I don't know. I remember when I was growing up, Star Wars films were like PG, which back then my parents had to – it meant something different.

They were like, is this okay for – Yeah, exactly. PG was a kind of wide berth of movies. Yeah, because some movies like Bad News Bears was PG and it showed tits and – N-word is in the trailer for Bad News Bears. It's insane. I know. It's crazy.

But so a PG-13 movie, how do you judge – I think kids – Well, if it's a Star Wars movie, it's crazy. But so a PG-13 movie, how do you judge? I think kids – Well, that's a Star Wars movie. That's the thing. Everything is marketed towards kids anyway. So like a Marvel movie or a Star Wars, they're all PG-13. Like Star Wars movies are PG-13, but there isn't one curse word. It is weird when Luke, he's talking to Yoda in that film.

Yeah. And Yoda is like, you know, doing the – I'm not's talking to Yoda in that film. Yeah. And Yoda is like, you know, doing the, I'm not even going to presume to do yoga. That's really good. Thank you. A really good yoga. Thanks. But, so he's talking to yoga and he's like. Is that what you've been saying?

And he's like, yoga, I'm so dispirited with the force and all that. And yoga is like, you know, no young Skywalker. It is. Young Skywalker. No. And then,

and then Luke just says like, suck on my balls. When he turns around, Luke turns around and he looks at the camera and he goes, can you fucking believe this? Can you fucking believe this idiot puppet? Mark Hamill was great in that movie.

But listen. The thing, the other night we went to see this movie, okay? Sit down in our seats, ready to watch the movie. Sure, that's prime movie-seeing territory. Seats. You sit down in them, and you're ready to go.

That's step one in the movie-watching process. Put on the old thud glasses. Did you watch it in thud? The first time I saw it, I saw it regular. Second time I saw it, IMAX thud. Wow. A lot of fun. A lot of fun. Okay. I saw it, IMAX Thrid. Wow. A lot of fun. A lot of fun. Okay. I would go see it again in Thrid. I don't care too much for Thrid. I know.

And neither did I really, but sometimes I like... I went and saw Force Awakens. I think the fourth time I saw it, Paul Scheer and I went to IMAX Universal specifically because we both wanted

to see how it was in Thrid. Wow. I once went to Avatar IMAX 3D Universal with Paul Aziz and I believe not Rob Hubel, one other person and each of us fell asleep at different times

of Avatar. That's a long movie. It of us fell asleep at different times of Avatar. That's a long movie. It's also a boring one. I like Avatar. Oh, cool. You're the demographic for that. That's right. You think unobtainium is very smart.

Oh, man. They couldn't get it. It's unobtainable. It's a weird coincidence. So you saw this, and what is your story? Because you, just that you went? No, this fucking – we were sitting there, and at a place like Universal, the commercials and the trailers, it's a half an hour. They have commercials in the middle of the movies. Hour.

Yeah. Half an hour. A full half hour. Of fucking shit that you have to sit through. It's crazy because when you see it at like the Arclight they take most of it out where it's like 10 to 15 minutes at most. Well no they actually have a limit I think it's only three trailers per movie. At Arclight

because they don't want you sitting there for a full half hour I mean good fucking lord anyway. That's your story? That's the entire story Oh wait also just kidding that was it it's pretty good I gotta admit

I gotta give it up to you you know what I'm gonna write it down oh cool and I'll repeat it word for word in the next episode okay good

okay speaking of the next episode we have to take a break on this episode good segue this episode taking a break when we episode. Good segue. This episode, taking a break. When we come back, we're going to continue our discussion about the R.E.M. album, Reckoning. And we're going to go track by track, and we're going to talk about the background, talk about the passion.

Talk about the passion. We'll be right back with more R.U-Talk at R-E-M. Remy. Remy. After this break. After this break. hi podcast fans hi podcast fans hi podcast fans um spotify is making it easy for you to stream this podcast and quite honestly, many others like it on your mobile device, desktop app, and smart speaker. Just open up the app on your mobile device or desktop,

click on the browse channel, and then click on the podcast section. Easy peasy. Spotify. You'll be able to stay thoroughly entertained during your commute to work, during your drive home, during your downtime now, all thanks to Spotify. Thanks, Spotify. And hi, podcast fans. Hey, pipe down on the old drums. A little loud. Dollar Bill Strawberry.

Dollar Bill Strawberry. We're back. This is RU talking R.E.M. Rimi, and we're talking about R.E.M., of course, a rock and roll band, certainly. Sure, a rock and roll band from America. That's all I know about them. From the United States of band, certainly. Sure. A rock and roll band from America. That's all I know about them. From the United States of America even. Sure. That's one little bit of trivia that I found out. That America is sometimes referred to as

the United States of America? Well, there are several America. There's a continent in North America. There's a continent in South America. You're right. You're right. Sorry. The United States of America is where the band Hari M is from, but I'm not sure where. So they're not from South America. They are from North America specifically.

But specifically the United States of America. Yeah, but I'm not sure which state they're from. It's okay. All right. We'll hopefully get that information to you on a... Flash drive? On a flash drive, yes. Not an episode in the future.

No, no. We're going to figure this out in between this episode and the next episode. And whomever is listening to this, just send a self-addressed stamped envelope to the Oprah show, that address that they used to have on at the end. P.O. Box. P.O. Box. P.O. Box. Yeah. And we'll send you a flash drive with all of this information on it.

It'll have one word on it and sometimes two. It may be two. We don't know. Some states are named. It'll have the name of the band. It'll definitely have the name of the band. And then the state, the name of the state, which can you name every state that has two words in it?

In which? In the United States of America. United States, sure. New Hampshire. That's one. California. That's two. Not New York.

Not New Jersey. No. Vermont. That's three. That's it? That's it. And you got them all? You got them all. You know your states, my friends.

You know your United States of America trivia. Can you tell me something about the United States of America? Can you name every state that starts with an A? Connecticut. Yeah. New Mexico. Yeah. Colorado Mexico? Yeah. Colorado.

Thank you. You're welcome. We did it. We did it. We did it. Who dares text me? Oh, look at that. That's the old BMC.

Oh, shit. Apparently going out to get drinks and leaving me home alone like Macaulay Culkin, like Kevin McAllister, who I watched that movie night before last. I've watched it recently myself. And you know what? The one thing I feel like they kind of didn't do in that movie? Good movie. Really good movie. I will say he's didn't do in that movie. Good movie. Really good movie.

I will say he's never home alone in it. It's true. He's kind of, there's always kind of someone there. There's always someone, like he has a roommate during a long stretch of it. Yeah. Who's like, Kevin McAllister gets home and his roommate's on the couch like, oh, hey, buddy. And Kevin McAllister rolls his eyes like.

He's like eating Cheerios and taking bong rips. And playing video games and stuff. And that was weird weird that was a strange like midsection of the movie i feel like act one beginning of the movie for non-hollywood people sure uh idiots they should have had him when he's there with his family and the whole beginning of the movie they should have like planted that he likes building things or he's the movie, they should have, like, planted that he likes building things or he's into engineering something. Because it kind of comes out of nowhere that he's building these complicated contraptions.

Yeah, it's like his character, in fact, there's a line early on when they're like, Kevin! And they're mad, and he's like, oh, man, my brother's being mean, where he's like, I hate building things. Yeah, it's really weird. Because then later, he builds things. He builds things, and he presumably loves it. He also is like, you know what else I hate building things. Yeah, it's really weird. Because then later, he builds things. He builds things, and he presumably loves it. Right.

He also is like, you know what else I hate? Being home alone. And then that happens. It's a crazy movie. But probably one of the best. In the world ever. Ever made. Wow, I think we just did an episode of I Love Films.

Shit. And we didn't even know it. This is a double F? We didn't even know it. Let's just do a quick did an episode of I Love Films. Shit. And we didn't even know it. This is a double ep? We didn't even know it. Let's just do a quick beginning and ending of I Love Films. Hey, everyone. Welcome to I Love Films. This is Scott.

This is Scott. Okay, thanks for listening. Bye. Bye. Good ep. Great ep. Retroactivelyactively a great app speaking of great app it would not be a great app of this show if we did not continue talking about the band hariam and uh jesus christ was that for effect adam was leaning across the table trying to get water, which I've not had a single liquid. Do you mind pouring me a- Oh, no, you're going to be constipated.

Aw, dad. Pour me a little bit of that- You know what's weird about constipation? What's weird? Is that I know that people don't like it. Like, by and large, people are like- By and large, people are like, constipation, take it. I don't like it. I like it. I like it. It, by and large, people are like... By and large, people are like, constipation, take it. I don't like it.

I like it. I like it. It's fun for me. Me too. I kind of like the way it feels. I don't know what it is about... I don't know whether I'm a weirdo or if I just have mental problems. We all know you're a weirdo. I have a certain psychosis or something, but I love it. I

love it. I love it. I don't even... Not even that. Not even straining nothing. I love it. I don't even, not even that, not even straining nothing. I just like sitting with it and just feeling it. Just feeling it

and just being like, oh God, I have to shit but I can't. I can't do it. I can't do it. I'm unable. I love it.

It's so fun for me. It's the best. Let's continue talking about R.E.M. and by the way, something I noticed on this, in our last episode, I have bought this book, R.E.M. Talk About the Passion and Oral History. And check out the cover of this book.

This is something I've had it for not even 24 hours, but I just noticed the cover of this book. It says an oral history. And take a look at where they put it on the cover of this book. I know. They put it dick level on Michael Stipend's picture. This is a picture of Michael Stipend, and he's like sort of in an arty way. Thrusting forward.

Thrusting forward a little bit, and they put an oral history right at his Johnson. That's kind of disrespectful. Can you tell me when the year that photo was taken on the cover? Okay, well, let's see. He's got a cowboy hat, so it's got to be probably post-1700s. There's sky and ground. So this is after the Big Bang somewhere, definitely.

Somewhere, definitely. I'm going to go probably 33 AD, around when Christ was crucified. Yep. Cool. Cool shit. Anyway, very disrespectful to the band. I think they had a good laugh. They were having a laugh, like Ricky Gervais would say.

But I bet when our Hariam saw the cover of that book, they were like, hey, Denise Sullivan, get your mind out of the gutter. And Random House or whoever. Yeah. You'll be hearing from us soon and you'll know it's from us because it'll look a lot like a subpoena. And it'll be set to the tune of Everybody Hurts. You have been subpoenaed. All right, let's get to... Oh, boy. Let's get to Reckoning.

Oh, yes. Their second album. I mean, one year later, they come out with this. I miss when bands would put out records every year. Me too. Hashtag me too.

I'm going to steer clear of that one. Strange submission into that hashtag. Not only was it one year later, but sophomore slump. Everyone thinks, hey, the second album. Second album, they've run out of songs. But guess what? This album, as this book said, is a solid follow-up with no hint of a soft more sloomp. And further cements the band's reputation in the guitar rock pantheon.

Okay, that's a little much. That's, who wrote that? It's said like it's a fact. No, Reckoning is incredible in many ways. Let's listen to it. Let's listen to the first track. This is Harborcoats. I mean, this is unbelievable.

I mean, this is unbelievable. You feel so much more alive than Murmur did. I mean, Murmur is beautiful in its own way. This is just a different... Mitch Easter and Don Dixon produced this again. They produced the previous stuff. I mean, it's mostly live in the studio. They were trying to capture what they sounded like live. Oh, there you go.

All right. The ship to the statues for harbor and rivers. The chorus hasn't even happened yet. Hasn't even happened yet. Typical to R.E.M., they're saving it until about a minute and a half in. Dollar Bill strawberries just destroying in this song. This one, no clue what they're talking about. But it does not matter.

What is a harbor coat? Here it is. Good shit. Yeah. Goddamn. And I'll shine without a body Good shit. Yeah. Goddamn. You know what's interesting is they were trying to capture what they sounded like live. A lot of people in this book and a lot of the interviews in this book are from contemporaries, people in bands like the Dream Syndicate and bands like that who toured with them a lot.

Probably there's five instances where people, and including, oh, by the way, Robert Lloyd is interviewed in this book who's a, now he's an entertainment writer who actually has interviewed me. For LA Times? For the LA Times, but he was working, he was the music writer for the LA Weekly at the time. And he's one of the first people to write a lot about the band. Was he at Village Voice at the time or LA Weekly? I think he was in LA.

Interestingly enough, he doesn't say. I was looking for that. But he's a cool guy. I was very surprised to see him quoted so much in there. But he and a bunch of people say that they heard either chronic town or the first record and were not impressed really yeah they were like sort of cold on it um or is it because it was so hyped within like music critics a lot of people say like i got the first single south central rain everyone was like talking about it or whatever i heard it didn't

think it was that good or other people were saying i was such a big fan of them live and then I heard these records and thought they were lame. Oh, wait. South Central Rain. You mean like they heard the single from this album and thought it wasn't going to be good? Sorry, not South Central Rain. Radio for Europe. Sorry, sorry, sorry. So they just thought this – they're not capturing the live, how great they are.

That's interesting, and I love Chronic Town and... It's so hard to say. It's so hard to say. But it's, they're a studio creation, certainly. Both of those. Yeah. So I don't know. It's interesting because...

Maybe it's just because they were so used to the live energy of the band. They were an incredible live band. So maybe those sounding so kind of constructed. Thin or something? Because this sounds fuller, but I think the other ones have more energy. But let's hear Seven Chinese Brothers. Oh, my God. Which is track two, and this is a classic.

I love this song so much. Now this, because I got dead letter office first. Let's hear a little bit of it before you interrupt you. You're welcome. I've been walking around singing this all day, by the way.

And the only part I can discern is the title. Seven Chinese Brothers. And then I stop. And then I go for about ten more minutes, and then I sing it again. Seven Chinese Brothers. and then I go for about 10 more minutes and then I sing it again. Seven Chinese Brothers. Seven Chinese Brothers

Swallowing the ocean 7,000 years to sweep away the pain She'll return She will return That's a great one. So you were saying... So on Deadliner Office, they have a song called Voice of Harold, which is Seven Chinese Brothers' backing track. Backing track, but then he's singing stuff off a menu, or

he's singing gibberish or something? Yeah, it's before he had written the lyrics, so he was just doing a guide vocal. What we call in the business of acting as a guide vocal. Sure. But he's reading the liner notes of a gospel album. Oh, right. And

that's what I was used to, so it's still... And because of what we've talked about on previous episodes, you got Dead Letter Office, as did I, before picking up Reckoning. Right. You're more used to those lyrics than you are Seven Chinese Brothers. Well, now over the years. But for a long time, I was like, this sounds weird. I remember when I first got Reckoning, I was like, oh, yeah, I like this song.

I must have heard it on the radio and not putting it together of like, oh no, you've heard it on Dead Letter Office, you fucking dumb shit. Do you have Voice of Harold there? Yeah, I do. Do you want to hear a little bit of that? No.

Let's hear it. Yes, please. Here we go. One, two, three, four. And so on and so on. Yeah, so he reads all these. He reads from this. Minor notes. Gospel.

Amazing song. Seven Chinese brothers. Beautiful. Amazing song, seven Chinese brothers, beautiful music. Based on the book about the old book. What am I talking about? Folktale? Yeah, you know what I'm saying. Anyway, that's some of the trivia that you'll get on this show.

This is now we go to the next track, which is one of their biggest singles, South Central Rain. Yeah, classic. Do you feel like people who don't really know R.E.M. probably have heard this song? I don't think so. I think R.E.M. has probably

eight songs that everybody knows, and this is not one of them.E.M. has probably eight songs that everybody knows, and this is not one of them. This is not. Because I think for most people, the knowledge of R.E.M. started with this one goes out to the one I love, or it's The End of the World, as we know it. Yeah. I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry

I'm sorry Now this one of course has him saying I'm sorry and it was the parenthetical is I'm sorry because I think they realized it could be kind of a hit because it's actually intelligible what he's saying. I'm sorry. And this like kind of a hit because it's actually intelligible what he's saying. I'm sorry. And this like sort of hit me as a teenager of, I don't know, it seemed romantic to me.

Yeah. Well, it is. You know what I mean? Being like, I'm sorry. Like, you know, bearing your, at the time, the romantic like sort of idea of you were into someone and you had to apologize for it because they didn't love you back. That's what it sort of was saying to me. That's interesting. I mean, I didn't really get

a handle on the lyrics until I heard the live version that's just Peter Buck on electric guitar and him singing that goes into Red Rain. And then, no, it starts with, it starts as Red Rain and something else, and then goes into South Central Rain, and he's, you could really hear the lyrics there. They're amazing lyrics for that song. And I think it was a little bit of like a college radio hit at the time. This was a hit, yeah. And what I was describing, that kind of relationship, is how I feel about you, by the way. Oh. I'm in love with you, and I wish you is how I feel about you, by the way. Oh.

I'm in love with you, and I wish you would love me back, but I'm apologetic. Wow. Oh, it was time after time into red rain into South Central. All right, this is Pretty Persuasion, track four, on side one. Another Stone Cold classic. I'll see you. All hands will try To ease the pain And I'm shuffling the sea So I'll try to put that on you too

So I'll walk on the sky I'm trying to put that on you, see. It's all wrong. It's all wrong. She's got pretty persuasion. She's got pretty persuasion. God damn. He's saying God damn, isn't he?

God damn, yeah. That's against my religion. I don't like that. I know. Let's against my religion. I don't like that. I know. Let's stop this podcast. Okay. Goodbye, everybody. Goodbye forever.

Amazing song. Really, these songs, again, it doesn't sound like they're from 1984. But Pretty Persuasion has always kind of hit me as. Turn him down. It's hit me as turn him down it's hit me as like a real kind of all the way down please

radio god okay anyway sorry everyone alright turn him up a little can you hear me now can you hear me

where were you saying it doesn't sound like what's on the radio isn't the chorus for pretty persuasion like really it almost sounds like – I don't know. It reminds me of another song. But it's so kind of straightforward.

For being such a kind of enigmatic band at the time, you can't really tell what they're saying. She's got pretty persuasion. Sounds like something that John Cougar, The Pretenders, or some big Eurythmics or something. Yeah, Psychedelic Furs. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Scott Joplin. There's just something kind of interesting about it that it's coming from them. And it's always struck me as more of a down-the-middle chorus. It's one of these, look, if you're in the World Series, and I hope someday that you are, by the way, Adam. Oh, I'm still trying.

Have we talked about this on the show? I think that you will one day play on a World Series team. Like in baseball? Yeah. All kidding aside? All kidding aside, I think someday that you will end up – I know that currently you're an actor. But I still think that one of these days you're going to get signed to a major league team and you will play in the great show. I don't even really know how to play baseball or have any interest in it.

I know. And I know. That's what's so weird about it. I know that. I don't even follow baseball at all or any sport. Let me ask you a question. Yeah. How many strikes before you're out? Three.

Adam, you play baseball. No, but you need more knowledge. That's all you need to know. You're going to get there, honestly. I have no ambition. You're going to get there. But what I was trying to say is when you're in that big game, if you see something right down the middle like pretty persuasion,

crack of the bat. There's no way I would be able to hit one of those balls they throw. You're going to do it. I have no interest or ambition. If you were up there with a bat in your hand and you get a pitch right down the middle, are you going to lay down your bat and say, I have no interest in this?

Of course not, but I just don't see myself being. Actually, I did throw the opening pitch at the Dodger game once. Really? When did you do that? Got it right across home plate into the catcher's mitt. Did you really? I sure did. I had to pitch on Comedy Bang Bang for a scene we were doing.

And everyone was like, do you think you can? Right. Or whatever. And then whoosh, heat right down the middle. See, it's not hard. It's not that hard. I was on – when I was eight years old, I was an honorary mascot, and I went out and tipped my cap and –

Honorary mascot for what? For the Dodgers. Seriously? Yeah, and that was the 78 Dodgers with Steve Garvey and Ron Say and all them. Wow. I got a ball with all of their autographs and all that kind of stuff. Did you throw it away? Yeah.

Fuck that. I hate baseball. You're going to get there, though. I was in Little League and Pony League as a kid, actually. And I was not great, but I can see why you would think I would go all the way with it and make it to the big leagues. Definitely. And when you say Pony League, you mean like the song Pony.

Like, like, you're a pony. But also I was on a team where I was the only human. Really? Interesting. That's cool. That's cool. It was cool. Let's hear track five.

So far, four tracks. We talked about this on the last episode but um there's only 10 tracks on this record yeah and so it's a little bit shorter yeah uh so you got to make them count right sure and so the first four hit hit hit hit yeah um whereas if you're in one of these aforementioned baseball games you get four hits someone's across home plate scott you have to stop with the baseball thing. It's not going to happen for me. I don't want it to happen for me.

Can I be honest? Yeah. I put a bet on you in Vegas that you're going to be in the World Series this year. How much money did you bet on this? I bet everything I have. Scott. I bet $800,000. Scott.

I need you to try to get signed onto a baseball team. I don't know why you would do onto a baseball team I don't know why you would do something like that I don't know it was crazy I just one day I got in my head

it wouldn't leave my head I was like Adam's gonna play baseball so now I have to go and start this whole process just so you don't lose everything or give me the money

or give me the money I'm not gonna give you $800,000 it's your fault I thought you could do anything I idolize you. I look up to you. This is crazy.

It's crazy, I know, and I'm a dumb shit. I admit it, but I need you to do this for me, man. Okay. Okay. All right. Fine. This is track five, time after time. That's the girl of the hour By the water tower's watch

If your friends took a fall Are you obligated to follow Time after time after time By the way, that snapping was Adam. That was not... REM aren't dumb enough to do that. Have loud snaps. Now wait, how... When was Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time?

I can tell you because it was the first song I ever slow danced to. Ooh, boner. I smell a boner. Do you smell a boner? Boner alert. Unfortunately on someone's leg. It was, I was in eighth grade and it it was popular then so it must have been 1983 so it would be

right before this Huh Yeah I know weird it's like calling It's a huge hit time after time I once

had a friend who gave me his brother's record and he's like oh this is my brother's demo check it out and I looked at it

and I was like oh cool they do a cover of 8 Days a Week he's like no that's an original Oh that's not a great idea. I mean, that's the worst thing. Like love me do. No, that's our song. Time after time. How do you like time after time?

You know what's weird? Okay. So time after time is atypical, right? It's kind of a weirder song. It's not their typical song. And in fact, do you know the pavement song, Unseen Power of the Picket Fence? Yes. That's about R.E.M. That's about R.E.M. The lyrics are, flashback to 1983,

Chronic Town was their first EP. Later on came Reckoning, Finster's Art, and Titles to Match. By the way, Finster is the artist. Howard Finster did the cover to it, which was, I read today, he's very unassuming.

He was sort of like, oh, they said they want snakes, so I just started making them cloud snakes. And then he was like, I made something else, and they didn't like it. I wonder what that was. I don't know. He said, and he was like, I used to have it somewhere. I don't know. Maybe I've turned it into a pillow.

This may be the best impression. I've never heard him speak. It sounds like what he would sound like. Probably. There used to be a gallery on Melrose where up in their upstairs room where they had nothing on display, there was a Howard Finster just up against the wall with a bunch of other paintings

just kind of off in a corner. And I used to just go pick it up and look at it. Just pick it up where they let you touch it. I was not able to purchase anything. If I knew where that was now. If you knew how rich you would be now, would you have purchased it back then and been like, fuck it. I don't care. I'm going to be rich in 2018.

Yes. Anyway, let me continue with this. South Central Rain, Don't Go Back to Rockville, Harbor Coat, Pretty Persuasion, You Were Born to Be a Camera. Time After Time was my least favorite song. Time After Time was my least favorite song. Time After Time was my least favorite song. Wait, who said that? This is the lyrics of the favorite song. Yeah, he did not like that song.

And that was a kind of common view is that that's the weak link on the album. Oh, really? And was it a single? I can't recall. No, that's another song I'm thinking of. But I don't know. I like it. Oh, I like it a lot.

Although I will say, again, that live version that links that Red Rain and South Central Rain is what got me into Time After Time. Before that, it was always like something I would skip. When I first hear it, I kind of go, oh, is this the song I don't like? And then it's such a good melody that I end up singing along. I also think it's not a bad end of a side song. Yeah. It's now sequenced in a 10-song CD. It maybe is like, oh, I would have put that a little later.

But when it's just at the end of a side. But it's also four fast, energetic songs. And it's really pretty. Let's do. But I think in general, Reckoning and it's really pretty. Let's do... But I think in general, Reckoning is a really dense album. It took me a long time to live with it before I got really into Reckoning, and now it's one of my favorites. Having listened to it today a lot and over the past couple of days,

it's great. Something about it and... Something about it I just don't like as much as Murmur. It's a very different album than Murmur. I don't know, but it has similar types of songs. Yeah, it just feels, I think it just feels grander. It's just a larger album. Of track one of side two, this is second guessing before we take a break.

See, the very similar feel very very much live song songs to be played live all right let's go to a break. When we come back, we're going to get through the rest of these, the other four songs, and then there's a ton of B-sides. Cool. What? Cool. Fuck you, man.

See you then. Bye. In two, ten seconds. In 10 seconds. Hey, everyone. Want to tell you that the Andy Daly Podcast Pilot Project, yes, it's back. It's coming back for season two. I talked about this on Twitter the other day.

People were so excited to hear about it. Season two premieres March 8th on Stitcher Premium. Every single episode, if you remember the show, is a pilot for a brand new show hosted by one of Andy Daly's amazing characters. This eight episode season includes pilots from returning characters Dalton Wilcox and Don DeMello. And then you have new characters like Joe Bongo, Gil and Golly. And you have shows from the past, like a long lost pilot from L. Ron Hubbard. For a free month of Stitcher Premium,

all you got to do is go to stitcherpremium.com slash Andy and use the promo code ANDY. Welcome back. This is Letter Never Sent. This is track two of side B of Reckoning, a.k.a. track seven of ten. And this is amazing, I think. Yeah, this is great. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, Heaven is yours Heaven is yours for I'll be here

I'll follow the category REM, you gotta get to your chorus this fast or I can't play all of the song. You know, pretty Persuasion and Second Guessing, I'm kind of trying to put my finger on it, it's like party music. They're not the deepest songs. They're both just it's kind of like

1984 party music. I love them, but they're more kind of frivolous in a way than the rest of the album is really melancholy and deep, even the faster songs, but those two are just kind of party songs. Now there, I mean, a lot of these songs were written around the same time as the song on the road.

Yeah. Yeah. You know, I've listened to some early gigs where they're playing songs from this before the record has come out, you know. I think Don't Go Back to Rockville goes back to the very beginning yeah um we'll get to that in a second um we're talking about reckoning the second record which i you're right it's not a sophomore slump i don't like it as much but it's not like some records like i don't know say mgmt's second record where it's like oh boy you guys just wanted to do something totally different.

Or even U2's second record. Yeah, you know, which is like, honestly, Bonobos, we hope you're listening to this. And we expect that you are. I'm sure he is. Your second record sucks. Yeah. That you worked super hard on when you were 20. And honestly, like, you suck because your second record sucks.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, generally, yeah. And honestly, like, you suck because your second record sucks. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Generally, yeah. But it's like up there near Murmur to me because the songs are so great. It's just for some reason I like Murmur better. I don't know. But it's a great record. Let's hear Camera.

This is track eight or track three on side B. I love this song very much. It's about the thing that captures Adam's performances. That's right. in shows such as A Shitbox. When the front room green becomes your special book It was simple then

When the party lows If we fall by the side Will you be remembered? Will she be remembered? Alone in a crowd. I tell you, they are the kings of like sort of rock and roll? No, of verses where you're kind of like, yeah, pretty. I don't know. I'm not sure about this song.

And then the minute the chorus kicks in, it's like, oh, you motherfuckers. That song is about a friend of theirs that passed away. Passed away, yes. What was her name? I don't know, but she was a photographer. I think she took early photos of them. She died in a car accident, I think. It's a beautiful song.

Beautiful song. Good Lord. And the next song is, it's odd because this is one of their biggest hits. And to have it be track nine? Yeah. Is a little kooky. It's cool, though. It's cool to have have like a big old a big old honking hit

big honking classic just like you know i can't think of another like what if aerosmith put dude looks like a lady as you know track now you're talking crazy. Okay, I'm sorry. I don't mean to. Don't fucking talk about that song. Okay, I won't. And putting it anywhere near the bottom of anything. That is number one. That number one with a bullet.

It's an amazing song. Incredible song. Incredible video. Lyrically? Oh, yeah. It's maybe problematic. Lyrically, I think now, in today's climate, it would go over really well. Yeah, people love it.

Really well. Okay, so this is track nine. This is Don't Go Back to Rockville and one of the best. Yeah. Looking at you, watching third time Waiting in the station for the bus Going to a place that's far, so far away And if that's not enough I think they take a while to get to the chorus on this one, too.

The one thing I will say about Don't Go Back to Rockville, which is maybe why they put it on track nine, is production-wise, it's not the classic sound necessarily. It sounds almost like a different style. I hate to say like a joke or a novelty song, but it's kind of like country in a way. It it's a little that and it's really loose it's really loose and then but then the chorus comes in it's one of the best courses they've ever recorded so i think that's why they release it as a single that's why it was huge yeah but but hearing it back i'm a little

like i i can tell they were sort of like i I don't know. Yeah, like maybe it was the end. Yeah, you know, like it made it on the record. In their final tour, Mike Myers sang lead on this. Oh, he did? Yeah. And how'd that go over? It was great. People booing?

Everyone walked out. No, it was awesome. Don't go back to Rockville. Don't go back to Rockville. Don't go back to Rockville. Don't go back to Rockville. Waste another year. I mean, that's undeniable right there.

I think that's, I mean, why it became... It's a long song. It's weird. It's like four and a half minutes. I mean, for them, yeah. Which is maybe another reason why the record was only 10 tracks, maybe? Yeah, it's four minutes and 55 seconds. Don't Go Back to Rockville? Yeah.

That's weird. Yeah, it's a little, it's like... But I think it was, I think you're right. I think they were just fucking around, kind of. Because also, Don't Go Back to Rockville, they had other versions of it that weren't country-ish. Really? This was just this...

Have you heard those? Yeah. I'm trying to think. Like, early live versions, it's not like that at all. It's more just a fast R.E.M. song. At the time, because R.E.M. was like, who knew what R.E.M. was? It just was like, oh, this pretty song. So it wasn't like,

this is weird. I have an early live version or a reckoning tour. Let's hear the next song. Well, if you want to play it after we finish this to see if it's country. Right. Okay. This is the final song. Do you know what I mean? Like I was just thinking of comparing them.

This is Little America, the track 10, the final song. Yeah. I like this one. guitar solo I can't see myself in dirty I don't buy a lack of dirty Caught like flies Where's the fortune for tomorrow's jewelry Look at it

Light it in the amelior Green shell back, green shell back Resin for tomorrow's eyes And tree beds are black where's that? The biggest wagon is the empty wagon It's the noisiest, the fun, still a horse. Jefferson, I think we're lost. It's weird.

Reference to their manager, Jefferson Holt, at the time. Really? What are they saying? Jefferson, I think we're lost. Jeffy Holt, you're the best. Jeffy Holt, you're the best. Jeffy Holt, you're our guy. It's strange because I technically like that song, but I could not pick it out of a lineup.

Oh, really? It's one that has never stuck with me. I've never been able to. It's the classic R.E.M. sound. I like it. Anytime I hear it, I go, this is cool. I will never be able to. I couldn't even tell you.

You know it better than I do, I'm sure. Yeah, I like that song. I think overall, it to... I couldn't even tell you. You know it better than I do, I'm sure. Yeah, I like that. I think overall, it's interesting going through the album. I think overall, Murmur was stacked with amazing songs. It's like... And this one's like... I mean, they're all great. I love the sound of this album.

I love the live sound of it. I like some of the B-sides better than some of the choices on sound. Let's go through some of these. This is one that I was not familiar with because it wasn't on Dead Letter Office until it came out on the Complete Rarities. This is Just a Touch. Well, this is on Life's Rich Padgett. Oh, okay. But it's very different than this.

This is a live version from this era. Live in the studio. Live in the studio. Live in the studio. This is great. So a version that I was not familiar with. Yeah, it's very different on Life's Rich Pageant. But one that comes from this era.

These are the songs from Dead Letter Office that are from B-Sides of Reckoning or were recorded at the time of Reckoning. And these are ones that, some of these I like a little better than some of the songs. This is Burning Down. Love this song. This is a great song. This is I love

I would have put this on the record. Me too. It sounds a little too similar to Harborcoat though, right? Fuck it. Do you think it's

like a reworking of that same song? No, no. It's a reworking of a different b-side it is yeah which one

yeah this song it's a great it. It's a great. It's great. It's great. Let's get to the chorus, though. Does it go in? No. Me.

Down. My hands are tired. Yeah, that's great. Peter Dollarbill on the liner notes of Dead Letter Office says that they got tired of it. Like, how could you write that and be like, we got tired of this shit. So let's not, let's bury it until 1987. Yeah. Bizarre.

This is Wind Out, which is, is this a written by them? Check those, Check those notes. This is Wind Out. It's one of their earliest songs written in the summer of 1980. Crazy. Crazy. Here's another, like, party song. I love this song.

This is from the Bachelor Party soundtrack. In the liner notes, it says from a movie that will remain nameless. Like, they're ashamed of it that was a great soundtrack yeah it was uh you got rem you got a one go boingo a lot of the irs records uh hit makers oh is that is that a little clip from the hit makers radio show you used to be a part of that's right it was an episode of hit makers but that's not a sub podcast that's not all of our sub podcasts this is ages of you a different uh beside this is this is the remake of uh burning down oh yeah that makes sense this is maybe my favorite rem song ever yeah this is... I can't believe they did not put this on the album.

It's unbelievable. He says they got tired of this one, too. Is that what he says on there? This is crazy good. I mean, it's beautiful. So good. And you hear recordings of their early shows, and when that chorus comes up, everybody is screaming along with it.

Like it was a huge, as far as fans go, it was a huge song. Yeah, it's insane. They're stupid. I've never thought this about someone that I've admired so much yeah collectively yeah

but they're dumb so dumb that's I love that song me too they probably were just I mean you get like

there's probably stuff you've made that you're just like and people love it pretty much all of Comedy Bang Bang that you're like and people love it i pretty much all of comedy bang bang that you're like yeah and people love it yeah um okay let's get to uh they did two uh velvet underground covers we talked about uh the velvet underground last episode they did two more covers pale blue eyes is the first

sounds like they maybe just played this once and recorded it. Yeah, they played both of these right after the other. That's why I've always loved Dead Letter Office is just the roughness. It just sounds like... You hear the tape hiss. Yeah, it's great. It's a lot like watching The Jungle Book and that snake in it is just going to hiss. Watching the Jungle Book and that snake in it is just going to hiss. He's changing the lyrics apparently quite a bit.

Love how they turn it into a bit of a country song. Yeah, it ends. Maybe let me play the very end because it turns country at the very, very end in a way that I just assumed that's what the song was, you know, when I first heard it. But it's definitely not the way the Velvet Underground did it. Isn't this the one where Peter Dollar Bill says that he can't even remember playing the guitar solo? He's so hammered. He just says it's a sloppy solo. Oh, it's King of the Road where he can't remember. That was real pretty, he says.

That was real pretty. And this is the other Velvet Underground one that they do. Femme Fatale. Yeah, this is great. Oh, man. I used to brood to these songs in high school. What would you brood about? Girls.

Girls? The TV show. About how popular it was going to be? Yeah, I was like, I just know it. So good. It's great. You can get all of these on Dead Letter Office, and some of them are bonus tracks on other stuff.

And then let's get to the last two. These are two kind of curiosities. They end Dead Letter Office. This is Walter's theme and King of the Road. Oh, these are just them hammered in the studio. Fucking around. Yeah, they're very drunk. King of the Road ended up being a B-side off of this. This version of it?

This version of it, yeah. Really? It was like a B-side off of, I have it in the book right here, off of South Central Rain. I'm sorry. It was the B-side to it. But this is Walter's theme where they're doing a, it's like an advertisement. It's a barbecue place that they were just doing a commercial for them just for fun. And they were hammered.

They were hammered. He said, if there's any justice, Roger Miller should have been able to sue us for what we did to King of the Row. King of the Row, which is next after. Both of these songs go into one another. I love every second of this, by the way. Yeah. So they continue on like this for a while.

I like it when they just stop. They just kind of stop, and then they go into King of the Road, a really sloppy version of it. Yeah, that's part of the previous song. And then And that's it. No, they continue. You were like, no, they continue. And you can hear Mike Mills yelling the chords out, right?

And Michael Stipend is not quite sure what key it's in. Yeah. C. He might be just speaking Spanish. I think so. C. Someone was like, would you like a taco? C.

Can I tell you a story about listening to this? Can I just point out one pain in the ass thing on Dead Letter Office? All the songs are listed in alphabetical order. Yeah, they're like, these are the B-sides, and they list them in alphabetical order. So I was listening to this record, and I think we talked in the first episode about how R.E.M., much like the Smithereens, who, by the way, the lead singer of the Smithereens passed away since we recorded the first episode. I didn't know that. Yeah, we were recording this a while ago, depending on where you're hearing it, but it just happened. What happened?

He was alive, and then suddenly he wasn't. That's awful. Yeah. What was their big hit, that big hit they had? Blood and Rose. No, the big mainstream hit they had. What was their big hit, that big hit they had in like – Blood and Rose. No, the big like mainstream hit they had. That was their big hit. Oh, I know what you – the blue, blue whatever.

I'm looking at you or something. You have a great voice. Yeah, thanks. That was amazing. But the Smithereens and R.E.M. were two bands that I felt like I could listen to around my dad and he, because they were sort of rock based. He liked Elvis and, you know, the Beach Boys and the Beatles or whatever. That was his era. And then I felt like, like, I remember I watched, I had a tape of the Smithereens playing a concert on MTV that I would watch.

And he came in and was like, wow, this is really good, because he was used to walking in, and it was the Smiths and him making fun of it. But REM, this was a record that I was playing once around my dad, and he was really enjoying it. And then now in the liner notes, Peter Dollar Bill says that this was recorded at the very end of a long alcohol soaked day and i can barely remember cutting it right okay so i knew that i'd read these a lot and i was currently i and this came back to me as i pulled out this record today i had this out and was reading about each song as i listened to it as i would every single time i listened to this

record i would read along with the liner notes. Yeah. And so I knew in my head that they were all drunk while they were doing it. Yeah. And then my dad is listening to it and he knows the song King of the Road. I'd never heard it before. Right. And he's like, what lyrics are these?

They're not doing the lyrics right. Yeah. And he then like sort of was intimating that they were, because you couldn't understand what he was saying, that they were doing like offensive lyrics to it or something. And he started getting kind of like, what is this? You know, in that sort of like churchy judgmental way, you know. And I couldn't say, no, they're just drunk. Like that's the defense. Right., they're just drunk. Yeah. Like, that's the defense.

Right. Because then R.E.M. would not be a fan. Then I would not be able to play them, you know? Because, like, for instance, they, you know, they would search my room sometimes and they...

Whoa, I didn't know this. Yeah, and they once found a Frankie Goes to Hollywood record in there and that, I don't know if you were a fan of that record at all. I didn't have it.

I'm a big fan of that record but the the art inside of it is like all dicks it's all like just pictures of dicks everywhere it's really funny and they found that once and it was just like what are you listening to and i was like no i know i bought it and it's offensive and i'm throwing it away i was like i hate this yeah was it um the the big album with like Relax? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Which is, you know, all about coming. That's amazing. But there's just like, it's a double gatefold sleeve with just like pictures of dicks everywhere.

But yeah, it was one of those ones where suddenly he got very like protective of like, what are you listening to? Is this going to corrupt your mind? And I couldn't couldn't say they're drunk dad they're drunk it's so funny that a person could listen to that song and not know that they're drunk yes like that they're just fucking around it sounds like the dictionary definition of drunk people here's what i could have said i could have said oh it's their b-sides record and this is them just messing around in the studio and they don't know the lyrics. Right. But instead, I know they're drunk, and I'm like, oh, God,

I'm going to be found out. He's going to grab this from me and read it. So is he forever against REM after that? No, I don't even think he remembers it. Weirdly enough, I found out later in life that he likes Dire Straits. Really? Yeah. Like Brothers in Arms?

I guess so. Yeah, I got him a best of Dire Straits once because he likes Dire Straits. Really? Yeah. Like Brothers in Arms? I guess so. Yeah, I got him a best of Dire Straits once because he said he liked it. I also got him U2 How to Dismantle once because they were

undergoing that renaissance of like, you know, everyone likes U2 now and he was kind of like, oh, my first U2 record. Okay, well, yeah. And that's a real

like rock and roll. Yeah, I don't know. He probably didn't like it. That's the end of the Reckoning era. As we know it. So there was one appearance that Michael Stipe made on a Contemporary's record, Jason and the Scorchers Hot Nights in Georgia

do you want to hear any of that do you know I just read about it in this book and so I bought it today but it's a pretty good I think if you can fucking stall for me otherwise

I'll just keep talking. This morning, I heard about the president and all of his tweets that he says, and the newspaper was... I'm enjoying this, actually. Okay, here we go. This is Hot Nights in Georgia. because all the other southern bands are like this is like southern rock this is classicism actually weirdly enough this band i read about them and they're it's a little like

uncle tupelo or something where it's it's like a revival of these classic sounds. And R.E.M.'s like, I'm sorry. But wait till the chorus, he starts singing on it. Also, Peter Buck plays guitar on I Will Dare by The Replacements. Here in Georgia. There you hear him. Make me want to turn it north for you. Make me want to turn it north for you.

Hot Nights here in Georgia. It makes it sound a little more like an R.E.M. song that I would like. I can't hear him. You can't hear him? He's singing, Hot Nights in Georgia. So that's the same era as Reckoning? Yeah, that's the same era. It happened at the same time. Peter Buck on I Will Dare and Michael Stipe on Hot Nights in Georgia.

They also did a bunch of other shit. Yeah. Did you ever watch Left of Reckoning, the video? Yes. The film? Yes. I've never seen it. How is it?

It's just a music video that lasts half the album. Cool. All right. That's our show. It's that early REM like really artsy-fartsy. Yeah. Oh, by the way, they would not – Michael Stipend would not lip sync for the – was it South Central Rain? Yeah. Which video is it? Michael Stipend would not lip sync for the, was it South Central Rain? Yeah, so that version of South Central Rain on eponymous is the music video version with a new vocal track because he sang it live in the music video.

And have they ever released that? Yeah, it's on eponymous. Oh, that's the live vocal version? Yeah. Oh. And it is, it's a nice version. It's a good, it's a good. All right.

But the music track is the same. Okay. That's it for this episode. Next episode, we're going to take on Fables of the Reconstruction, which I'm looking forward to because I have not really listened to that record all that much. Oh, you should take the time until we do the next episode and get into it. Yeah, of course I am. That is an album that takes a while to get into, though. Well, I'm going to listen to it.

But it rewards repeat listens. All right, we'll see you next time. Fuck you. Hi, I'm Cameron Esposito, and I am so excited to bring the latest season of my show, Queery, to Earwolf. That's right. Earwolf is now Queerwolf. On Queery, I've interviewed some of the brightest luminaries in the LGBTQ community.

That's what it is. It's like an hour-long chat show, like a WTF, with me and another queer guest. I've had musicians Tegan and Sarah Quinn of the band Tegan and Sarah, actors like Jeffrey Boyer Chapman and Evan queer guest. I've had musicians Tegan and Sarah Quinn of the band Tegan and Sarah, actors like Jeffrey Boyer-Chapman and Evan Rachel Wood. I've had transparent creator Jill Soloway, activists like Madden Lopez. The season premiere is out now with special guest, Emmy winner Lena Waithe.

Listen and subscribe to Query Today on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or earwolf.com this has been an earwolf production executive produced by scott ackerman chris bannon and colin anderson for more information and content visit earwolf.com hey queeros it's me cami espos, 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 change makers in our community. I think it's a one-of-a-kind show full of chats you have never heard before. It's identity, it's community, it's query. You can find Query every Monday on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.