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A New R.E.M. Biography, Out in Print and on Audible, Takes Fans to the Beginning
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In the Dec. 1987 cover story, a full four years before the release of their signature hit “Losing My Religion,” Rolling Stone called R.E.M. “America’s Best Rock and Roll Band.” R.E.M. would continue to record music for two more decades, and while many bands flame out or become nostalgia acts, R.E.M. made the nearly unheard-of decision to simply walk away, amicably calling it quits in 2011. That’s not to say there weren’t ups and downs, which are chronicled in a new biography from Peter Ames Carlin titled The Name of This Band Is R.E.M.
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The Name of This Band Is R.E.M.: A Biography
In addition to the Kindle and hardcover editions, the book is available on Audible, narrated by Mike Chamberlain. The audiobook runs 16 hours and 3 minutes, and Audible is available with a deal that gets you a subscription for $0.99/mo for the first 3 months.
Carlin has written biographies about Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, and Paul Simon. In The Name of This Band Is R.E.M., released last week, he takes readers to the beginning, detailing the events that brought the quartet from small-town Georgia to the forefront of the alt-rock scene.
According to the publisher’s notes, “critically acclaimed author Peter Ames Carlin looks beyond the sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll to open a window into the fascinating lives of four college friends – Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Bill Berry – who stuck together at any cost, until the end.”
Despite having been broken up for over a decade, R.E.M. is enjoying a recent surge in interest. Two of their songs were included in FX’s The Bear, and all four members reunited in June to perform “Losing My Religion” at the Songwriters Hall of Fame, marking their first live performance in 15 years. Last year, the band also marked the 25th anniversary of Up with a deluxe 2-CD reissue.
The Name of This Band Is R.E.M.: A Biography
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In addition to the audiobook, you can read the book on Kindle or as a hardcover. The hardcover, published by Doubleday, is 464 pages.
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