THE CURE versus R.E.M

[jeffn]

I've got tickets to see the Cure in a few weeks. I think that they and REM are 2 of the more talented bands around. Both have a long history of maintaining quality music, and each have an enigmatic lead singer. Which is your choice........ if any?




http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/03/entertainment_glastonbury_scenes/img/12.jpg http://www.macadaan.com/uploaded_images/robert-smith-wussiest-300-25-0707-722631.jpg

[bolly]

The Cure FTW!!1! :yes:

[EchoWars]

Both of these bands are on the downhill slope. Question would have been more relevant in 1990.

[Dougr33]

I thought REM was brilliant until 2000. Broke my heart after that...

[jaymanaa]

Last time I saw REM, they were fairly disappointing. I'd try The Cure

[Urizen]

Neither are my cup of tea.:dunno:

[JJJimmy]

To me, R.E.M.'s music is timeless. I saw 'em my first year of college in '81when they were starting to hit, then again after "Document" was released. Loved their style and sound as it grew and changed, and I still think their music is relevant today.

[similost]

Neither are my cup of tea.:dunno:

Funny you mention that.

I've heard several people in the area I used to live in (near Collinsville, IL) say that Michael Stipes used to live in that area and go to high school there. I don't know, but heard this on more than one occasion....

Anyway, they said early mornings after the bar would close, he would go to the local steak and shake or Dennys and sit and drink tea until the sun came up...

They also said when he played in the bars in the area (before REM) he was so shy, he would always stand with his back to the audiance..

Don't quote me, these are just things I had heard from a few of the local yocals...

Added Note: Too Cool.. I just finally decided to look it up, and I'll be damned.. he did go to HS in Collinsville.. I had always kind of shrugged it off.. now I tend to believe all I was told..
http://www.nndb.com/people/387/000024315/

[Redboy]

Definitely The Cure! REM is nice and all, but The Cure has some real substance! That said, their recent stuff pretty much stinks. They should have quit after Wish.

[ejfud]

Of all the bands I played at the college radio station back in the day, the one I never play anymore is the Cure. Very dated material IMO. Don't listen to REM much either, but still will pop on Chronic Town once in a while.

REM does great covers, check out the Everly Brothers covers from the singles album I believe.

[MitsuMan]

I voted for The Cure, because I've seen them.............in 1995 if I recall.

Never got to see REM, and I wouldn't want to without Bill Berry. :no:

[thedelihaus]

I'd rather go see Bauhaus than the cure, and the B-52s over REM, if it were the option.

I used to dislike both bands, but I will say thet REM has turned out some top notch songs, and so has the Cure, but just not to my liking enough to go see them.

I hope you enjoy the Cure when you see them. Who's opening? And I do think goth girls are cute, though often too dramatic to my liking.

[ponderbear]

Very tough one there. I have great memories associated with both bands. I had been a fan of REM since the release of Murmur. I still listen to Murmur and Chronic Town occasionally. Their Fables of the Reconstruction tour was pretty interesting- huge projections of wagons and cannons on the wall. The show was okay but when I saw them on the Document tour they were there to rock, much more satisfying. I have a great memory of a girl i really liked giving me a ride in her convertible and popping in a brand new cassette of Document, so new I hadn't heard any of it. I think it's light years beyond Life's Rich pageant and I was in love with both the girl and the album from that moment on. I haven't been too thrilled with their recent output (and recent for me is anything newer than Out of Time!).

On the Cure side, I really enjoyed Seventeen Seconds and Faith when they came out but they lost me at Pornography. I forgot about them for a while (way too much really good stuff coming out in the very early eighties like The Jam and The Clash and PiL and so on) until I heard Disintegration for the first time at a party once and thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever heard. Then again, it was a party...

But the real issue is, which band to go see? I think, even though musically I lean toward REM, I'd choose the Cure because I've seen some recent Cure concert footage and they obviously put on a good show. REM, especially in the last five years, definitely since Bill Berry left, not so much.

[Duffinator]

I'm a big REM fan and like the Cure as well. Been fans from very early on and saw both bands in their hey-day. I have all REM CD's and while some of their recent stuff hasn't been that great I was very surprised by Around The Sun. The song Leaving New York is easily on my top ten list from them. To me REM is much more relevant today that the Cure. :yes:

[Tapehead47]

The picture on the right in post #1 is a complete turnoff. I don't know, or care, who it is. There's no way he could be a serious musician.

"Americans Hate Music, but they Love Entertainment" --Frank Zappa

[thedelihaus]

The picture on the right in post #1 is a complete turnoff. I don't know, or care, who it is. There's no way he could be a serious musician.

"Americans Hate Music, but they Love Entertainment" --Frank Zappa

That's a tough call. Please understand I mean no disrespect towards you, but I'd like to ponder over your answer a bit here.

David Bowie dressed quite unique in his early days. Would you call him a talentless fella?

Alice Cooper, originally Vincent Furnier, dressed and acted quite bizarre- but I liked his music, and felt although lots of emphasis was put on performance, he still made some decent music.

The New York Dolls were a bunch of fellas in pseudo-drag. But they gave us folk like Johnny Thunders, Sylvian Sylvian, and David Johannesburg/aka Buster Poindexter. I'd call them all musicians.

Kiss may be more businessmen and performers then musicians, but I sure did enjoy thier show, and Destroyer remains one of my favorite albums ever.

Wayne County became Jayne County- and still rocked.

Lou Reed's sexuality has been listed as bi-sexual. Not my cup of tea when it comes to personal relationships, as I prefer the male/female bonding, but it never affected the quality of lyrics and notes from the Velvet Underground's father.

Iggy Pop has been named in some funny bedtime situations, most noteably with David Bowie. True or rumor? I dunno, but "I wanna Be Your Dog" is one hell of a song.

Back to REM and The Cure. Michael Stipe is a homosexual man who dresses fairly straight. Robert Smith is a straight male who wears eye makeup.

Both are very much performers, and I'd also say both are talented songwriters and musicians. Thier sexual preference or appearance never factored in to the quality of their art, in my head.

Sometimes an odd or unique appearance works for a band. Other times, not so much.

I cringe at Tom Jones dance in tight pants- yech- I'd rather watch Shikira dance in tight pants- but I still like Tom Jones music much, much better.

And maybe Janice Joplin wasn't the nicest looking woman, but I'd ratheer spend time with her than Ms Spears.

Looks ain't everything, and books cannot always be judged by their cover.

[2DualsNotEnough]

The picture on the right in post #1 is a complete turnoff. I don't know, or care, who it is. There's no way he could be a serious musician.

"Americans Hate Music, but they Love Entertainment" --Frank Zappa

People would say the same thing about Frank Zappa on the cover of We're Only In It For The Money",and they would be very wrong.
As I believe you are about Robert Smith.
Just my opinion,dontcha know.....
Jimmy

[Tapehead47]

People would say the same thing about Frank Zappa on the cover of We're Only In It For The Money",and they would be very wrong.
As I believe you are about Robert Smith.
Just my opinion,dontcha know.....
Jimmy

Well, we know Zappa was doing a parody. He dressed up in crazy costumes and put on a 'show' for the audience. He wasn't obsessed with his looks, however.

And I don't care about sexual orientation when musicians are concerned. I guess the post #1 guy on the right is Robert Smith. I'd never heard of him, or his music, so I can't comment.

I was just saying that if some guy spends more time looking in the mirror than at his charts, he's (or she's) wasting time. Americans focus too much on appearance, and not the music. That's shallow to me.

That's how MTV became so popular. It's the worst thing that ever happened to music. EmTyTeevee. It's all BS in my opinion.

Serious musicians such as Joe Zawinul, Dave Weckl, Jeff Beck, Frank Zappa, Donald Fagan, etc., wouldn't waste time putting on makeup.

Nothing personal, but I never thought Alice Cooper or David Bowie were talented. In their heyday I was listening to Billy Cobham, Chick Corea, Weather Report, etc. And Blues.

Rick

[thedelihaus]

I enjoy the occasional KISS record, and lordy knows how long it takes them to put on thier makeup!!!:D

But Rick, I think I see where you're coming from.

While I retain my stance that some artists also make some interesting and great performers (The Cramps, Devo, Porter Wagoner, Flaming Lips), I see where simplicity of looks and a focus on music is also a nice approach.

Others that appear in less-glamorous kit, like many a jazz and/or blues performer (JB Lenoir, Chet Baker, RL Burnside, early Miles Davis), country (Johnny Cash, Doc Watson), and punk and rock and roll (Jonathan Richman, later Lou Reed, Stephen Merrit, Beat Happening, ect) can be very rewarding and refreshing.

Thank you for not taking my post out of context, and thank you for a well-written response that gives me more insight to what you were saying. Much appreciated.:thmbsp:

[Schaefer67]

....but I saw The Cure at Dodger Stadium in 1989 with Love And Rockets and The Pixies and this nice, eclectic violin act that began the show....I like shoegazings....but I play mosh/metal on guitar in a band.

[Tapehead47]

Deli, as usual you present your opinion in an eloquent, logical manner. Thanks for being such a class act.

I shouldn't have even commented on this thread, but sometimes I can't help myself. I have a few beers and then read about pop music and one thing leads to another.

I will say, however, that many of the bands mentioned in this thread are okay and have real significance in music history. Lou Reed, Grateful Dead, etc. I threw out some bait to see what I'd hook onto. The responses were good. Nobody got all hot and bothered or made the personal attack.

Rick

[Dusty Chalk]

I'm more fond of the Cure -- it's just more my cuppa.

[2DualsNotEnough]

I just thought of another artist who dresses outlandishly and wears makeup,and I think Prince is a very serious musician.If youve ever seen him in concert,I think you would agree.
Jimmy

[Duffinator]

TDH, most excellent post in #16 and particially the comment about David Bowie. :thmbsp: When it comes to music it's all about the music to me. Sometimes it's hard to leave politics out of it, recent example is Green Day, but I can get past that too.

[Twenty20Man]

And maybe Janice Joplin wasn't the nicest looking woman, but I'd ratheer spend time with her than Ms Spears.

Looks ain't everything, and books cannot always be judged by their cover.

I bet Janis left her men gasping for breath..

[mhconley]

I have most LP's by both bands. I've seen the Cure in concert.

Martin