After 31 years of making music together, the pioneering band have decided to call it a day. R.E.M announced the news on their website and issued the following statement:
"A wise man once said, 'The skill in attending a party is knowing when it's time to leave,' "
"We built something extraordinary together. . . . Now we're going to walk away from it."
Best known for songs like Losing my Religion and The One I Love, R.E.M., the band are widely recognised as having brought alternative music to America at a pivotal turning point in the industry; just as post punk turned into alternative. R.E.M. are cited as having paved the way for bands like Nirvana and Pavement to follow, maintaining the idea that bands can “be big and still be cool”.
Band Profile: A versatile, eclectic 6 piece band from Tower Hamlets (14 -18 year olds) reflecting the vibrancy and multicultural energy of East London. Fusing their own unique style of hip-hop, jazz, soul, dub-step, drum and base and samba ;accompanied by powerful vocals in English, French and Spanish.
1. You describe yourselves as "a perfect concoction of hip hop and Jazz",
and watching your set at Underage Festival, you reminded me of The Specials
mixed with Jamie T who would you say your influences are?
Santarna: Jill Scott, Janelle Monae and Erykah Badu are probably my 3 at the moment
Mack : Jamie T, The Specials (Honestly!) Alex Turner Cal : J Dilla, flying Lotus
Yves : James Jamieson,
Kenny : Eminem, Wale, Lupe, and Andre 3000
2. I hope I don't offend you too much here, but you look like the most
unlikely group of friends let alone band mates. How did you meet and come to
form the band?
4 out of 5 went to the Same School and we were all involved in music at Morpeth school.
And Mack ... Was at the right place at the right time!
3. How long have you been together for and do you encounter any problems
regarding "artistic differences"?
730 days since mammoth has began ... and its grown from there...
we do have artistic differences at times but we compromise
4. Bizarrely, Jack White has recently teamed up with macabre hip hop duo:
Insane Clown Posse. If you could collaborate with any artist living or dead
who would it be?
Santarna : Jill Scott and Snoop Dogg
Kenny : Outkast and Soul Brass Rebels
Cal : Kanye West and Aphex Twin
Mack : One direction!
Yves : The Roots and Scientist
5. Who are you listening to at the moment, do you have any recommendations?
Yves - Thunder cats (Flying Loutis Bass players) Solo Album
- The Bug
Santarna - Big Boi - The Album Sir Lusious Left Foot
- Miss Baby Sol - The Album Before I Begin The Journey
Mack - Random Impulse
- Rizzle Kicks
Cal - Hundson Mohawke - Just Brought his EP On vynal!
- Kanye West And Jay z -The album Watch the Throne
Kenny - Sexion D'assaut
- Keny Arkana
6. As contributors to the UK music scene, what do you think of the current musical climate?
Cal : To be honest some of the UK Music About is quite boring and generic but theres a few artists coming from the underground that are making quality music
7. Now festival season is ending for the year do you have any up and coming gigs you're especially excited about
Were focusing on writing right about now but we have a few gigs so keep your eyes and ears about!
8. Where do you aim to be in 5 years time?
At Glastonbury!
With the growing popularity of Radio One’s Live Lounge, and the chart dominance of Glee: the cover version has become something of a phenomenon. You need only look to Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson’s version of Valerie, or Florence and the Machine’s cover of You’ve Got the Love to see how big a good cover version can become.
Far from being a lame countdown of the best cover versions ever, this is just a selection of some of my favourites.
Amy Winehouse- Cupid
Original by Sam Cooke.
Winehouse makes a departure from achingly beautiful love songs and gives this soul classic a reggae referb’. Complete with drawling vocals and a steady bass, she may have been better known for the previously mentioned Valerie but I prefer this track because it shows a more playful side to her. Plus the reggae reggae beat is superb.
Tainted Love –Soft Cell
Original by Gloria Jones
If you’ve never heard of Soft Cell before they’re an 80’s synth band who write albums that are like soundtracks to gay sci fi musicals. Tainted Love seems like it was made in a Soft Cell shaped jelly mould it fits them so well. Featuring a fairground sounding organ and Marc Almond’s sultry vocal talents, Tainted Love is by all means an 80’s classic.
Mumford and Sons, Laura Marling- Joleane
Original by Dolly Parton
In what appears to be a poorly lit barn, the Gods of Parton and folk came together to bring us this foot stompingly magnificent cover of Dolly Parton’s Joleane. Far from drowning in the crescendos of the Mumford’s slide guitar and banjo, Marling’s style of vocal lends itself to country music. The concoction made all the more potent by Mumford and Marling’s onstage chemistry. If only to have been there...
Lady Gaga –Viva La Vida
Original by Coldplay
Taken from the best of all lounges: The Live Lounge, Lady Gaga takes us back to her roots and performs a cabaret rendition of Coldplay’s Viva La Vida. There’s no onstage orgies, or costumes made out of UN. Secretaries, it’s just Gaga and her piano. Its stripped back like this that Gaga reminds us all that she really can sing. She may have fluffed her lines, but she makes up for that my improvising lyrics like “be my Chris and I’ll be your Gweneth” and “I know Yves Saint Laurent no he won’t call my name”. It’s still very much a Gaga performance with dramatic pauses (Presumably where she’s forgotten the words) and “oh ah oh” poker face type noises. To paraphrase Leona Lewis Its at moments like this make you realise what a marvellous creation the Live Lounge really is.
The Future Heads- Hounds of Love
Original by Kate Bush
I always think the sign of a good cover version is when it’s so different to the original that you are only vaguely aware that you might have heard the song before. Hounds of Love is a good example of this. The two versions are on the opposite end of the spectrum, Kate Bush’s atmospheric masterpiece is transformed into an indie pop song. Nevertheless the Futureheads deliver a punchy version that lives up to the originals daunting standards.
Under my Thumb- La Roux
Original by The Rolling Stones
Featured on the band’s Sidetracked album, what was a Stones song about “tellin’ yer’ bird what to wear” now becomes a track about venerability and conformity in relationships. With Jackson’s trademark falsetto vocals and a tapestry of funky beats, the rendition is the stuff of 80’s house music. The sound of Jackson’s fragile voice being wrapped in the stronghold of the hook tugs at the heart strings. *Waves fist at Mick Jagger*
A Case of You- James Bake
Original by Joni Mitchell
James Blake performed this cover on a session for Zane Lowe. His album was mercury nominated and is likened to a robotic version of The XX. Despite being stripped back of synths and dub step making machines, it follows Blake’s style of delicacy. The vocal so fragile you feel it will be blown away in a gust of wind, so you savour every moment. The sentiment, “I could drink a case of you” is a touching one, and it’s easy to draw parallels with Mitchell and Blake’s wavering voices. Utterly spellbinding.
Concrete Jungle- The Specials
Originally by Bob Marley and The Wailers
Released by The Specials when Britain was going through recession and the streets of Coventry were lined with members of the National Front. Much like the rest of The Specials work this cover version still has resonance today. The chilled back reggae beats of Bob Marley are switched to a frantic ska induced panic “the animals are after me” by The Specials. It’s interesting to see the progression in racial relationships represented so fervently by the reggae and later on ska community.
Florence and The Machine- Halo
Originally by Beyonce
Another product of The Live Lounge here, and in my opinion one of those rare occasions when the cover is better than the original. You can hear that Florence is sounding pretty nervous, but the song is perfect allowing her to stretch her voice and seems to draw the emotion out. The accompanying harps and violins creating a kaleidoscope of sounds that put Florence’s voice centre stage.
