Anniversary of R.E.M.'s First Gig
. On this very day in 1980, R.E.M. played their first-ever concert at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Athens. That night they were still called Twisted Kites, the wonderfully incisive moniker R.E.M had not popped into their collective consciousness just yet. Michael Stipe (vocals), Peter Buck (guitar), Mike Mills (bass) and Bill Berry (drums) lined up on stage to play music for the birthday party of Kathleen O'Brien, who at the time was the drummer's girlfriend. They gave the assembled students and partygoers over two hours of post-punk, cutting edge rock and roll. Buck and Stipe had met through a mutual interest in music. Peter worked in a record store, Wuxtry, in Athens and the already colorful Stipe like to hang out there and discuss music. They had much in common, musically at least. When they hooked up with fellow University of Georgia students Mike Mills and Bill Berry, the band that would help rescue rock and roll from the synth invasion of the early '80s were ready to go. They rehearsed around town, wrote songs and finally, feeling ready to debut their music to a couple of hundred revelers, made their public debut "It was really fun," Stipe told author Marcus Gray. "I don't remember the last half of it." Twisted Kite played for over two hours with a mix of original material and covers like the Sex Pistols' "God Save the Queen" and Jonathan Richman's "Roadrunner." more on this story Gibson.com is an official news provider for the antiMusic.com.
...end |
On the Blue: New Horizons Cruise Day 1: Marbin Gets the Fun Started
Hot In The City: Prog Band Tu-Ner Coming to Phoenix
Sites and Sounds: Daytona Beach Ready to Rumble with Welcome to Rockville
Pearl Jam Deliver 'Wreckage' Ahead Of 'Dark Matter'
The Osbournes Expanded With New Content For Rerelease
Hawthorne Heights, Thursday, Saosin and Anberlin Launching The 20 Years Of Tears Tour
Kiko Loureiro To Sell Megadeth Guitars, Amps, And More
Garth Brooks, Carrie Underwood, and ALABAMA Lead Kickoff Jam Lineup
Billy Morrison To Debut 'The Morrison Project' Track By Track Special Today On Ozzy's Boneyard
Watch Memphis May Fire's 'Chaotic' Video
CBS To Rebroadcast Billy Joel: The 100th Live From Madison Square Garden