R.E.M. Split

I have just heard on a BBC wireless broadcast about the split of R.E.M. So, it was true after all, because one memory it brings back was when Britain left the Exchange Rate Mechanism, was it in the late 80's or early 90's, the E.R.M., and Danny Baker was on Radio 5 assuring listeners that they need not worry, R.E.M. had not split.
But they have now, and although I've been a great admirer over the years, it's not before time. It's been 31 years, everyone runs out of ideas eventually and, in the same way that Bowie or Cliff albums were welcomed as a 'return to form', they very rarely were.
But they were excellent at their best. He's a great songwriter and they were the model 'indie' band if you like that sort of thing. Great minds can think alike and I was glad I had at least shown my new poem, Kiss, to one friend on the Wednesday before Michael sang At Your Most Beautiful on telly on the Friday night with its line about 'counting your eyelashes'.
It's not a great loss. I remember the surprise of my schoolfriends circa 1973 when Lindisfarne split and I wasn't upset but I'd seen it coming when Alan Hull had released the solo album, Pipedream. I also predicted, or almost advised, that the Sex Pistols should split after one album.
But, as we have seen in recent years, it's never really over. Even the Velvet Underground reformed however briefly a few years ago because we all like money, don't we, and there's money in such appearances. And, even if my Top 6 feature has been in abeyance recently, that also is never going away completely and I'll do a Top 6 R.E.M. shortly. If you have any suggestions, please e-mail them in.



You are the star tonight.
Your sun electric, outasight.
Your light eclipsed the moon tonight.
Electrolite.
You're outasight.