The break-up of R.E.M. won’t stop the release of new product from the beloved college-rock vets, and the next title in line is a 25th anniversary reissue of the band’s fifth album, ‘Document,’ which is expected to be formally announced next week and appears likely to be released as soon as mid-September.
R.E.M. fans got their very first taste of guitarist Peter Buck’s debut solo album today when former Dream Syndicate frontman — and frequent Buck collaborator — Steve Wynn world-premiered the song ’10 Million BC’ during a guest DJ stint on Diane’s Kamikaze Fun Machine on New Jersey’s WFMU.
Dreams So Real — featured in the landmark rock doc ‘Athens, GA: Inside/Out’ and whose debut single and album were produced by R.E.M.’s Peter Buck — are reuniting for a pair of rare concerts next month, and are whetting fans’ appetites by streaming a previously unreleased early-’90s demo.
Following the break-up of R.E.M. last year, frontman Michael Stipe was quick to say he had no intentions of making a solo album — but that doesn’t appear to be the case for guitarist Peter Buck. Longtime R.E.M. sideman Scott McCaughey broke the news this week to KIRO 97.3 radio show Seattle Sounds.
This year’s South By Southwest will feature appearances by a horde of ’80s college rock vets, including The Jesus and Mary Chain, Bob Mould performing ‘Copper Blue,’ The Wedding Present, Thomas Dolby, The Cult, Dinosaur Jr and The dB’s, plus R.E.M.’s Peter Buck and Mike Mills playing Big Star’s ‘Third.’
Here’s one for fans of unusual covers: Singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson loops her own vocals in place of the piano part in this cover of R.E.M.’s beloved “Nightswimming,” which she recorded during a recent visit to the studios of Sirius XM Satellite Radio.
Welcome to another installment of the Week in Rock, where we round up all of the headlines posted on this site over the past week. This edition includes headlines about Simple Minds, R.E.M, The Wedding Present, Adam Ant, The Mission, Deep Wound and New Order — plus our latest Auto Reverse mixtape.
Q&A: Daniel Ash on Love and Rockets’ reunion, his new band — and figuring out how to play “So Alive” 
Q&A: Chris Frantz talks Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club and new book ‘Remain in Love’ 
Q&A: Steve Wynn on The Dream Syndicate’s first new album in nearly 30 years 
Q&A: Bauhaus’ David J on his ‘accidental’ concept album ‘Not Long For This World’ 
Q&A: Peter Murphy on ‘Ninth,’ Bauhaus’ break-up, reuniting Dalis Car 
Q&A: Joey Santiago on Pixies’ ‘Doolittle’ tour, possible ‘Surfer Rosa’ shows, new album talk 
Q&A: Prefab Sprout’s Paddy McAloon on new album, changing the world with music 
Q&A: Peter Hook talks ‘Unknown Pleasures’ tour, re-recording Joy Division 