R.E.M. announces they're breaking up

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/r-e-m-break-up-after-three-decades-20110921

Never would have called myself a huge fan, but always respected the hell out of them.

EDIT: To add link to band statement (it wouldn't fire last time due to what I assume was massive web traffic):

http://remhq.com/news_story.php?id=1446

 

And thus ends my childhood.

Obviously their best days were long behind them. They probably should have ended it after Bill Berry had to leave the band. Still, what an amazing body of work. They were my absolute favorite band in high school. Had posters all over the walls. Saw them twice. Wore the Michael Stipe T-shirt from the "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" video.

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

respect the heck out of michael stipe and company, but i must admit i had no idea they were still 'together.' when was their last release of any substance? ???

 

"Accelerate," from 2008, was outstanding.

Of course, it didn't get a ton of airplay. But let's be honest. The Rolling Stones and Beatles in their prime couldn't get airplay in this climate.

 

One of the great surreal moments in music history.

 

They released an album earlier this year (Collapse Into Now) that was reasonably well-received.

 

One of my all-time favorite days was spent golfing with Mike Mills at a charity tournament in Vegas. About the second hole, I slice my drive into the next fairway. He steps up to the tee and the head of his driver literally flies off the shaft. At that point, we look at each other, laugh, and head straight to the drink cart, beginning a binge that went until bout 2:30 the following morning at the Hard Rock casino.

 

I loved REM when I was in high school and college, but they've been off my radar since Automatic for the People...

 

Pre-murmur REM and Jason and the Scorchers played my 16th birthday party at the Exit/In, thanks to the world's greatest big sis who worked in the music biz.

As Dick so eloquently put it, thus ends my childhood, too.

 

As long as they're all still living, there's always a chance for one-off performances and/or reunion tours. It's rock 'n' roll after all.

 

I'm sure you know that the song name's came from when some loon mugged Dan Rather in the 80s asking, "What's the frequency Kenneth?"