The Big Mates discuss addictive games, compilations, goodbyes, and the last few months of R.E.M.

Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of R.E.M. by looking at how the band ended their long and storied career.

Starting with a quick commentary, they watch the final full-band performance from R.E.M. in Hansa Studios, Berlin and then discuss how the band announced that they would be calling it a day.

They then examine the band's career-spanning compilation, Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage and the 3 new songs that accompanied it, before taking a look at what each band member has been up to since the disbandment, and then THAT performance in 2024.

How did the band leave things? What did they go on to do? Will they every reform for a residency at the Las Vegas Sphere? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?

Our next episode is out on Monday March 24th!

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On this week's show we mentioned Speak!
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Adam and Steve chat with Scott McCaughey to discuss the 17 years he spent playing in R.E.M. as an additional musican.

They talk to Scott about his long and productive relationship with Peter Buck, how he joined the band at the height of their fame, and what it was like to jump in on a staidum tour.

They also talk about the process of recording albums like New Adventures in Hi-Fi and Accelerate, the experiemtnal sessions for Up and Reveal, and how it felt recording Around the Sun.

Scott also speaks on The Minus 5 and their upcoming record and tour, the recent R.E.M. tribute shows with Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy, how to keep multiple projects moving, and how it felt to be told he may never play music again.

Our next episode is out on Monday March 17th and will explore how R.E.M. ended their career.

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Get access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!
Head to patreon.com/whatismusicpod and receive up to two new episodes of our various shows every week (including our album club and monthly themed playlists!), ad-free archives of What Is Music?, and access to our Patron-only Discord server for even more music (and non-music) discussion!

On this week's show we mentioned Speak!
Learn more at www.speaklanguageacademy.com and Use code TRAVEL10 to save 10% on your first traveler’s prep course.

Support our show when starting your own podcast!
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The Big Mates discuss reality television, etymology, Austin Powers, and Collapse Into Now by R.E.M.

Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of R.E.M. by concluding their analysis of the band's fifteenth and final studio album, released in 2008. They talk about the writing and recording process, the context surrounding the songs, and offer up analysis, opinions, and thoughts from three differing perspectives on music, from being deeply into analysis and music, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between.

They continue with their track-by-track analysis of the album and explore their feelings on each song and how they contribute to the whole record. They then look at how Collapse Into Now was received by critics and fans at the time of release and how those views may have changed now that we know it was the band's final album.

What will we make of the album? Did the band stick the landing of their career? How much do the band love unlikely animals going up forms of stairs? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?

Our next episode is out on Monday March 10th!

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Get access to more shows, exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes of this show, and more music discussion by subscribing to our Patreon!
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