Country Feedback

SimonC

Always loved this song and stumbled on this incredible performance today, REM at their very best.
Much as I love Peter Buck’s usual solo on this song, the steel guitar here is just stunning, does anyone know who he is?

merlin

That's BJ Cole on pedal steel. 

https://bjcole.co.uk/

dindude

I was obsessed with this song back in the day (and REM to be honest). I was doing GCSE music in the early 90’s and chose this song to deconstruct, not what the teachers expected!

Thats a great Stipe performance but I miss Buck putting the feedback into Country Feedback.

Teyeplayer

One of my favourite songs and I LOVE B.J Cole’s playing, he is awesome. 

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

Tremendous song, probably my fave REM song.

Supportact

It's a great song,  but it reminds me of that Cadbury's Flake ad from the 90s. 'Only the crumbliest,  flakiest chocolate'  etc.  

Jfingers

I love that song, I prefer it with B.J.Cole. I own a pedal steel, it's not really had the attention it deserves but I will one day get around to going all in on it.

When I'd just bought mine I went to see Deadstring Brothers at the Bassment in Chelmsford which at that time had a nice guy running a night called Alter States. I'd discovered the band through free mp3's

and enjoyed them. The Steel player on the album was American, but live it was an Englishman. Later they had another Englishman but it is the former of which I speak.

As a then smoker in a non smoking basement venue, it was nice to get upstairs to smoke. I met the Steel player up there, and he wrote down his favoured string guages for E9 and brands for me, with the brands that he likes. He had lessons from B.J.Cole and he played very very well.

Jfingers

Also, I think I may be right in saying that this is the only officially released song on which Michael Stipe says 'fuck'

dindude

Jfingers said:

Also, I think I may be right in saying that this is the only officially released song on which Michael Stipe says 'fuck'

I can think of Star me Kitten from “Automatic”

Jfingers

dindude said:

Jfingers said:

Also, I think I may be right in saying that this is the only officially released song on which Michael Stipe says 'fuck'

I can think of Star me Kitten from “Automatic”

Ok. I was basing this on the book 'It Crawled From The South' which came out before that album, and which I own a first edition of that I bought when it came out, in an actual bookshop.

The first REM album I bought with basically paper round money was Murmur. I then bought the 12" of "So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)" in the same record shop where I bought 'Gravest Hits' among others.

I thought I was a pedant.

Jimbro66

Some years ago I had the pleasure of jamming at a session with BJ. A fabulous player and an exceptionally nice guy.

Hattigol

Jfingers said:

dindude said:

Jfingers said:

Also, I think I may be right in saying that this is the only officially released song on which Michael Stipe says 'fuck'

I can think of Star me Kitten from “Automatic”

Ok. I was basing this on the book 'It Crawled From The South' which came out before that album, and which I own a first edition of that I bought when it came out, in an actual bookshop.

The first REM album I bought with basically paper round money was Murmur. I then bought the 12" of "So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)" in the same record shop where I bought 'Gravest Hits' among others.

I thought I was a pedant.

Also, there's another sneaky one - on the very last line of 'What's The Frequency, Kenneth', he sings 'Don't fuck with me' instead of 'The frequency' - go on, YouTube it. Think it's on the official lyrics too.

He disguises it a little - possibly so radio producers/presenters aren't aware of it - and it works as it always gets played unedited, much to my delight when I hear it.

Great song by the way, OP. One of my favourites although 'Tongue' and 'Strange Currencies' sometimes beat it. As does the rocky live version they do of "Drive' - fabulous. 

Yours pedantically....

JMS96

Great version of a wonderful song.

Deadman

Tune. Picked up the cassette from my local petrol station when it first came out and played it to death in the car. I remember that performance well too.

rlw

I thoght B.J. Cole without even looking....

stickyfiddle

Absolutely wonderful - I hadn't seen this one before. I'm seriously considering a pedal steel for my next instrument and this isn't helping! 

I really miss REM

dindude

stickyfiddle said:

I really miss REM

Me too, probably the band that is dearest to my heart, I saw them live quite a few times in the naughties and they were an immensely good live band too. 

stickyfiddle

dindude said:

stickyfiddle said:

I really miss REM

Me too, probably the band that is dearest to my heart, I saw them live quite a few times in the naughties and they were an immensely good live band too. 

I only saw them once - front row for Glastonbury 2003, so it was a good one but I'd have dearly loved to see them again. I'd finally got to the point of having enough money to go to big gigs regularly and had them top of my to-do list just as they announced they were done

Tone71

Love that, great find, have had periods when I have played it on a loop, such a great song made all the better by great vocals

Hattigol

Saw them at Huddersfield stadium mid 90s. Wonderful gig - started with the first 4 songs off Monster. 

DuploLicks

Saw them on the Monster tour at Murrayfield. Cranberries were supporting. Great gig, it lived up to the rock vibe of Monster. I would have loved to see them touring Out of Time though with some of their earlier stuff thrown in.