The O-town Scene

Vinyl Vault R.E.M. ‘Murmur’ IRS Records, 1983 Today it is hard to think of R.E.M. as any- thing other than alternative rock godfathers. For the past three decades, they have been a musical force, globe-spanning rock stars who garner massive media attention with each new release. Because of this, it is easy to overlook that R.E.M. were originally a punk-influenced band from a small Southern town in the middle of nowhere who built up a massive cult following, then happened to make one of the most influential debut albums in the history of rock and roll. Forming in Athens, Ga., in early 1980, R.E.M. built up a dedicated and rapidly growing following throughout the South, touring throughout the region and establish- ing Athens as a hub of alternative music. Releasing their debut single “Radio Free Europe” on a tiny independent label, Hib- Tone, in 1981, the release quickly caught the attention of larger labels, who competed to land the group. After little deliberation, the band decided on signing to the well-established and inde- pendent IRS Records in order to retain cre- ative control rather than sign for the larger paychecks of the major labels. Releasing the “Chronic Town” EP in 1982 to modest criti- cal success, they entered the studio in early 1983 to record their first full album. Released in the spring of 1983, “Murmur” is unlike anything else, either then or now. It is an anachronism, both bursting with energy and subdued, up front and etherial. “Murmur,” like the band itself, seemed to have come completely out of nowhere, with- out any precedent. The songs drive one into the next and linger for hours after the record ends. The group fought to keep any un- necessary embellishments _ namely guitar solos and digital effects _ from the record, despite insistence from the label bosses and producers. The result is a record that is equal parts folk, rock, punk and Ameri- cana. It proudly wears its influences on its sleeve, yet is nearly impossible to classify. Almost immediately after its release, R.E.M. became critical darlings, and “Murmur” be- came a must-have album. In a year that saw the blockbuster releases of Michael Jack- son’s “Thriller,” U2’s “War” and The Police’s “Synchronicity,” Rolling Stone magazine named “Murmur” its record of the year. R.E.M. are often credited with establishing alternative rock in the United States, and while this may be a slight over-simplifica- tion, they certainly were the first group in an ever-growing underground music community to breakthrough to the mainstream media, inspiring countless bands, and changing the landscape of rock and roll. They have done so much since then that it is easy to forget them at their starting point: as revolutionaries. With “Murmur,” R.E.M. established a uniquely American approach to new wave, reinterpreting guitar-driven pop in an era of big production and synthe- sizers. They were the rare band that succeeded without precedent, bucking contemporary trends for a unique sound that truly estab- lished an alternative to popular music. This is what made the album shine so brightly in 1983. Three decades on, “Murmur” still shines bright. _ James Derek Sapienza James Derek Sapienza is a 25-year-old musician and artist. His record collection contains more than 1,000 LPs and singles, which he has been collecting since he was 8 years old. 6 O-Town Scene June 9, 2011 They were the rare band that succeeded without prece- dent, bucking contemporary trends for a unique sound that truly established an alternative to popular music.

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