A used unwashed black t-shirt worn by Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong during the promotion of the band’s American Idiot album sold for $2500 at a charity auction, with the proceeds going to the Oakland School of the Arts. I would love to dispose of my laundry pile the same way, but I doubt anybody would pay more than $400 for my sweat-stained socks.
Billie Joe Armstrong was born on this date in 1972. Tracks from his band are included on today’s playlist.
R.E.M. was one of the most influential and innovative bands of the 1980s and 1990s, creating a distinctive sound that blended alternative rock, folk, and pop. The band, which consisted of Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Bill Berry, formed in 1980 in Athens, Georgia, and soon became the quintessential college rock band, attracting a loyal fan base with their poetic lyrics, jangly guitars, and charismatic stage presence.
R.E.M. was not only a musical force, but also a social and political one. The band used their platform to raise awareness and support for various causes, such as environmentalism, human rights, animal rights, and AIDS research., and they also celebrated their own identities, with Stipe coming out as queer in 1994 and Buck embracing his Buddhist faith.
Some of R.E.M.’s songs reflected their activism and values, such as “Fall on Me”, which addressed acid rain and “Orange Crush”, which criticized the Vietnam War. Other songs captured the emotions and experiences of their listeners, such as “Losing My Religion”, which explored doubt and obsession, “Everybody Hurts”, which offered comfort and hope, and “Nightswimming”, which evoked nostalgia and innocence.
R.E.M. also experimented with different musical styles and formats, such as incorporating rap, electronica, and country elements. They also challenged the music industry norms, refusing to print lyrics with their albums until 1994, avoiding lip-syncing on television, and maintaining creative control over their work.
R.E.M. disbanded in 2011, after 31 years and 15 studio albums, leaving behind a legacy of music and social impact that inspired countless artists and fans. Their songs are still widely played and enjoyed today, and their influence can be heard in bands such as Nirvana, Radiohead, Pearl Jam, and Coldplay. R.E.M. was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007, and received numerous awards and accolades for their artistic and humanitarian achievements.
If you want to revisit some of R.E.M.’s best songs, or discover them for the first time, check out this playlist that features some of their hits and deep cuts.
I’m generally not one for guitar solos, but Mark Knopfler’s work on this record, particularly starting at around the 4:50 mark, coupled with the main riff, sends me every time.
Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler was born on this date in 1949. Some of his band’s best work is included on today’s playlist.
Kurt Cobain (b. February 20, 2967) was dating Tobi Vail of the band Bikini Kill. Vail wore Teen Spirit perfume. One drunken night Kurt’s friend and Vail’s bandmate Kathleen Hanna wrote “Kurt smells like teen spirit” on Kurt’s bedroom wall. Kurt wasn’t aware of the perfume; he thought Hanna was commenting on the revolutionary spirit of youth. You know what happened next.
Here are 29 of Nirvana’s best, plus a bonus cut inspired by the group’s success.
It’s Throwback Thursday, and on today’s playlist we go back to 1992. Compiling this list made me notice (or remember) what a kickass year for music 1992 was. The success of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” a top ten pop hit around the world months after it was sent to alternative radio, came as a complete surprise to the band’s record label and management, and seemed to kick open the doors for weirdos and freaks (I use those terms affectionately) to find their place in the sun and on the charts.
The left field entries weren’t solely from the guitar rock field. Shakespear’s Sister’s “Stay” was a song (or two songs) that stood out from the pack and was not something one would have expected from a former member of Bananarama and someone who co-wrote and sang backup on Eric Clapton’s hit “Lay Down Sally.” And Right Said Fred’s “I’m Too Sexy” endures all these years later.
To me this era was a golden age for hip hop. Arrested Development, Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, Kris Kross, Das EFX, Sir Mix-A-Lot and House of Pain hit creative peaks, while rap duo P.M. Dawn hit number three with “I’d Die Without You,” an unexpected ballad with nary a hint of the hip or hop.
Nineteen ninety-two was the year we met Mary J. Blige and Billy Ray Cyrus. It was the year many more people got to know Red Hot Chili Peppers, k.d. lang and En Vogue. And while new names were dotting the Hot 100, there was still room for more hits from Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, Whitney Houston and U2.
Here are thirty musical highlights from 1992, a year that most definitely was not wiggida wiggida wiggida wack.
Inspired by the December 29 birthdays of The Band’s Rick Danko, Marianne Faithfull, The Jesus and Mary Chain’s Jim Reid, The Offspring’s Dexter Holland, Propellerheads’ Alex Gifford, Yvonne Elliman, UGK’s Pimp C, GQ’s Emanuel Rahiem Leblanc, Brand Nubian’s Sadat X and Mary Tyler Moore.
