The Name of This Band Is R.E.M. Audiobook By Peter Ames Carlin cover art

The Name of This Band Is R.E.M.

A Biography

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The Name of This Band Is R.E.M.

By: Peter Ames Carlin
Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
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About this listen

THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITORS' CHOICE • An electrifying cultural biography of the greatest and last American rock band of the millennium, whose music ignited a generation—and reasserted the power of rock and roll

"[Carlin's] unique gift for capturing the sweep and tenor of a cultural moment...is here on brilliant display."—Michael Chabon

In the spring of 1980, an unexpected group of musical eccentrics came together to play their very first performance at a college party in Athens, Georgia. Within a few short years, they had taken over the world–with smash records like Out of Time, Automatic for the People, Monster and Green. Raw, outrageous, and expressive, R.E.M.’s distinctive musical flair was unmatched, and a string of mega-successes solidified them as generational spokesmen. In the tumultuous transition between the wide-open 80s and the anxiety of the early 90s, R.E.M. challenged the corporate and social order, chasing a vision and cultivating a magnetic, transgressive sound.

In this rich, intimate biography, critically acclaimed author Peter Ames Carlin looks beyond the sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll to open a window into the fascinating lives of four college friends–Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Bill Berry–who stuck together at any cost, until the end. Deeply descriptive and remarkably poetic, steeped in 80s and 90s nostalgia, The Name of This Band is R.E.M. paints a cultural history of the commercial peak and near-total collapse of a great music era, and the story of the generation that came of age at the apotheosis of rock.

©2024 Peter Ames Carlin (P)2024 Random House Audio
Entertainment & Celebrities Music

Critic reviews

“A book for fans with the voices of fans. The pleasure is much deeper than simply nostalgia. The story of R.E.M. is a reminder of who we were, and perhaps who we still hope to be.”—Chicago Tribune

“Carlin writes vividly and in close detail about the group's formation and early days. . . [Carlin] is a pro at gathering and unspooling the facts. . . [He] clearly loves the songs and is smart about not just the most popular of them. . . [The Name of This Band Is R.E.M.] gets across all the fundamentals, with both affection and discernment.”—Washington Post

“Vivid....Peter Ames Carlin's book isn’t just a cultural biography of the band going back to its formation in the-then sleepy college town of Athens, Georgia. It’s also a poetic meditation on what made so many of the band’s songs stand out, and continue to shine.... A fascinating history of a different era in music.”—Associated Press

What listeners say about The Name of This Band Is R.E.M.

Highly rated for:

Well-paced Narrative Delightful Protagonists Insightful Band Cultivation Interesting Insight Captivating Story
Average customer ratings
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A Must!!

Beautifully written & read. It felt like meeting an old friend & realizing just how much you’ve missed them. I paused with the discussion of each new album release and listened to them in their entirety just to immerse myself in the history of the band. There were late albums I had not listened to before & others i’ve lingered over for weeks. Highly recommend!!!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Historical account we knew but nice to revisit

Narrator is terrible. His inflections are worse. I thought my voice was terrible, but I do not do voice over. I’m sure he is a nice guy and if he is, I’m sorry, but maybe do something else. REM=may life’s soundtrack

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Good listen

The language was descriptive and eloquent. Also the story stayed with the music and artists and didn’t dwell on the escapades and excesses

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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Thoroughly interesting

The voice of the narrator is really hard to take. It could’ve been much more enjoyable.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Great Book About a Great Band!

Well written and well read. If you’re even a little curious about R.E.M. you should definitely check it out.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Historical content

Great insight to the cultivation of the band, and the effects to the music industry.

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I couldn’t stop listening!!

I know their story pretty well myself, and have read several books on the band. I learned many things I didn’t know. My only complaint is that the author seemed to lump not touring with The Police, and their hatred for the few shows opening for the former, in with not opening on a tour with U2. When I am quite sure REM did open some shows for U2, and the genuine great friendship shared by Michael and Bono suffices often. Bono calls out the band and Michael in his autobiography in glowingly terms.

Other than that I really enjoyed the book.

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    3 out of 5 stars

A little redundant but overall pretty interesting for REM fans.

Book gets a little monotonous in parts and the detailed description of how each album came together felt repetitive and redundant, but overall, it was an interesting listen.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Sucked.

R.E.M. is one of the best rock bands ever, and not because my Aunt Gill said so. If you’re gonna take this journey, do your homework, but don’t be afraid to tell your School Nurse to that you need a bandage and ask for a hall pass.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Sometimes good guys win

I stumbled upon REM late, around 1988 or so when I heard Fall on Me, which prompted me to buy Eponymous. In 1991, I wore out a cassette of Out of Time driving around Idaho.

This is beautifully written and well-paced, made more delightful by the fact that the protagonists are actually good humans (biographies of Zeppelin, The Who, the Stones, etc., offer no such respite).The author is a bit too much a fan, but forgiveness is easily offered.

The reading is occasionally grating, but that. too, is overcome by the story of the rare four Major Stars you'd like to have a beer with.

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1 person found this helpful