R.E.M posted a video clip on Facebook. It’s a half hour program
from the Swedish Television about R.E.M’s song Losing my Religion. That song
meant so much to me that I got tears in my eyes listening to it. R.E.M had a
huge impact on me.
During the 1980s, music was just music. It wasn’t until
Losing my Religion, indie and grunge came that I felt right at home in my
music. It brought me to a new world, one that I absolutely loved. I felt
connected, I felt right, and it created my passion for music.
I remember when I first saw the music video to Losing my
Religion. My friend Sandra had MTV, and during 1991 they still played mostly
music videos. As always, we were watching MTV, and the song came on. I was
captured immediately. I knew this was for me. And this was in the era of New
Kids on the Block, which I never cared for. But R.E.M. hit the spot. I didn’t
know you could make music that good before. The video was weird, Michael Stipe’s
voice was so emotional, so true. The music was happy and sad at the same time.
I paid attention to the lyrics, I tried to understand, I tried to take in what
he sang. I didn’t understand but I knew I was listening to something utterly
beautiful.
The feeling of completeness was real. R.E.M became one of my
most favorite bands. I just wish I knew about them before. But they started my
journey to more music that made me feel special, that connected to the teenage
me. I’m 38 years old now, but I can still remember exactly that feeling. It was
so strong, and so real. Something of a religious experience I assume.
I had tickets to go see R.E.M in concert in 1994 or 1995 in
Gothenburg. Unfortunately I couldn’t go because it clashed with a performance
abroad with the orchestra I was with. I was heartbroken, sad, upset and angry.
I never had the chance to see them live again, and now they’ve split… But I am
still grateful for finding R.E.M. and the impact they had on me and my life.
R.E.M. Thank You from the bottom of my heart. You made me
more complete.
