R.E.M. - Pretty Persuasion (Live on THE OLD GREY WHISTLE TEST)

Music video by R.E.M. performing Pretty Persuasion (Live on THE OLD GREY WHISTLE TEST).

[@Raitor33]

Just discovered Reckoning after decades of thinking these guys were just “the Everybody Hurts guys”. I feel like I’ve been living in the darkness for all my life until now lol

[@6828Lu]

Damn! Listen to that kick-ass bass! Mike Mills is a god.

[@tose917]

6828Lu -killer bass line!!!

[@markw563]

Great backing vocalist too

[@jonathanlocke6404]

He's great...

[@onesunnyday5699]

He's incredible

[@lewisc215]

Wonderful bass.

[@mattwilliam4803]

this is what happens when you combine great songwriting, great instrumentation, & great vocals. greatness.

[@michellelambert8729]

Saw REM at the Fox Theater in Atlanta late 1980s. They walked out into the lobby amongst us all after the show. Great band and great times I wouldn't trade for anything!

[@angrybirds222]

Saw them in Wildwood NJ…. At the end of the show we were told if we were with the band to go backstage….which we did. Earlier in the evening, before the show I had the pleasure of taking a leak in the bathroom and having Michael Stipe and Peter bucks on each side of me using their respective urinals, lol

[@JHBguru1]

The Fox is a great place to watch any show!!!

[@michellelambert8729]

@@JHBguru1 I lucked out! There were many after this band, none before them.

[@michellelambert8729]

@@angrybirds222 When ya gotta go!

[@JHBguru1]

@@michellelambert8729 Just think back to the late 70's for a sec. they were gonna tear The Fox down to make room for a new Bell South Co. skyscraper!! There is a PBS show about how the hustled up the cash to save The Fabulous Fox!!! Long live the Fox and all the great events that continue to perform there!!

[@duantorruellas716]

mikes voice back then was badass .

[@surfrby8876]

One of their best songs in my opinion and listen to that bass line

[@deeg8849]

One of the few American artists that went to the UK and blew em away. (Old Blues artists, Little Richard, Otis Redding, Springsteen, Ramones and not many others )

[@iggypopisgod9]

One of the few American artists that went to the UK and blew em away. (Old Blues artists, Little Richard, Otis Redding, Springsteen, Ramones and not many others )... Hendrix? Hello!

[@kristinesanta6971]

This bank probably never seen the greatness that was surely coming their way! One of my top 10 bands, ever, for me! Love them!

[@deweypug]

Peter with the mysterious Telecaster!! What a sound!!!

[@jorgetorrico6515]

Is this when someone stole Peter and Mikes guitars?

[@void0094]

@@jorgetorrico6515 no

[@billcook4768]

Love this mix on this with the bass cranked up loud.

[@matthewbuxton4476]

BASS 🔊!

[@mattwilliam4803]

-bill berry has to be THE MOST, UNDER-RATED DRUMMER.. in the history, of rock n' roll... the guy, was OFF-THE-CHAIN, on drums !!!!

[@df5295]

R.E.M's rhythm section kicked ass! Mike and Bill were playing together since high school.

[@DavidBortone]

Could not agree more!

[@samlelowitch]

Heck yes.

[@StratsRUs]

Yeah we saw him play bass too !!

[@jamespage7998]

No question about it

[@zebra3stripes]

Bill came straight to the gig from his factory job in 1873.

[@paulsteele2432]

zebra3stripes A Renaissance man of sorts.

[@ericralls7594]

1983

[@onesunnyday5699]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@jonathanlocke6404]

He always had great looks...

[@roadkillsrus]

PB = Peter Buck. Also, Party ion a Box. "In case everyone forgot how to have a good time, you do it like this!" The whole band was phenom. But Mills was one of a handful of bassists from this era that I love, love, love.

[@rhetyr]

Michael Stipe sure had Pretty Persuasion here ; )

[@onesunnyday5699]

Him is sooo pretty 😍. I was persuaded 🥰💖

[@lesliehardin7963]

One Sunny Day me too🖤🖤🖤

[@mattwilliam4803]

youth is a flash in time

[@starrynight3]

I own the jacket Michael is wearing, it was given to me back in 1990, On the back it says Live Bear and was painted by him .

[@iggypopisgod9]

I own the jacket Michael is wearing, it was given to me back in 1990, On the back it says Live Bear and was painted by him . bs

[@andrewjdunbar]

Always high in my musical regard, a band that always, I return to.

[@garyives1218]

Indeed

[@Teetee33]

Michael Stipe has always had a face that reminds me of a Greek statue. Beautiful...

[@kay00765]

Tight band!! Love the music & vocals. Love Michael with long hair too.

[@dermashy]

Met Michael on this tour of GB Birmingham university, still star ⭐️ struck 😂 still love you guys today 🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@BevBC-q3v]

Stipe in this reminds me of lead singer of Cheap Trick! I love early REM, and Stipes vocals in the early years. Always and forever have a (orange) crush on Buck tho :P Mills and Stipe harmonizing is underrated tho...from The Everley's, to The Hollies, to the Crosby Stills and Nash....they smash the harmonies just as hard

[@Terpguy00]

The epitome of classic Rock and Roll

[@Mattteus]

further proof that Mike Mills was always awesome

[@Checkofoto]

Those bass lines take you on a cool journey.

[@df5295]

R.E.M.'s secret weapon.

[@samlelowitch]

Yep, Mills is phenomenal on bass, keys, and vocals.

[@michaelwilson9450]

This era can never happen again. Sad but true.

[@widebaldo]

never say never

[@jonathanlocke6404]

That's what makes it great...Lightning in a bottle...

[@melissatyree566]

It could, but. It will never be as good as this.

[@RogerPeet]

Luv these guys Ever since 'Murmur'

[@krisscanlon4051]

Going back to my roots...REM I need you now...like a prayer to me...

[@void0094]

They were so tight at this point

[@mikedavis1084]

If i didn't listen to this song at least a million times I wouldnt be sick of it. But I'm not sctually...

[@adamwade3148]

Wow this is amazing...So much better I agree when you couldnt make out Stype's lyrics..lol...and Peter on a Telly?...awesome

[@raoul5098]

Raw talent, the likes of which you no longer hear or see.

[@FerenswayRecords]

Oh man am I looking forward to that Nottingham show he mentioned.

[@HenrysAdventures]

Love the beginning!

[@TheHilikus89]

One of my favourite songs I dedicate this to the one I love

[@tommyhaynes9157]

That album was a classic

[@jeffwolfrum3968]

Seen them and a 1000 maniacs at the RAC in NJ. Great show!

[@tommyrock69]

What they looked like when I first met them at a record store in NC. Real. They sang for their supper. Lady Gag I know you've worked hard... not this hard though. REM Forever.

[@iggypopisgod9]

REM didnt spend too much time on the bottom tho

[@DoubleO711]

I know Kurt loved R.E.M. but did he ever actually say they were his favorite band? Not saying it's not true, I just don't think I've ever heard that before. And I agree that R.E.M. were EXTREMELY influential but I think other bands like Husker Du, The Replacements, Sonic Youth and The Pixies were all just as important. What a great time for music! Even if most of the world didn't know about it.

[@davidjameschamberlain]

They were the last thing he chose to listen to when he left the earth

[@somebraveapollo8211]

• He said 'Automatic for the People' was one of all time favorite albums. • Kurt and Courtney moved next door to guitarist Peter Buck after finding out he recently relocated to Seattle from Athens. • Witnessing the 25th anniversary rollout of their underrated 'Monster' album, Stipe said that one of his biggest regrets in life was not intervening sooner in hopes to prevent his suicide. Although, suicide is the ultimate act of self-pity and thinking that you're the remedy to longwithstanding mental illness, drug addiction or neuroticism just in general only proves how big your ego is. • Nirvana's upcoming album that was slated for release in late-'94 was going to be mainly acoustic. Kurt mentioned in interviews that he wanted to make his own version of AFTP. • Peter Buck was given a couple of Kurt's guitars after his death.

[@waynus2021]

@@somebraveapollo8211 questioning Michael Stipes ego because he`s said he wished he`d helped?? bit of a dick comment that pal

[@jonathanlee8930]

@@somebraveapollo8211 it's clear that you have no understanding of suicide or mental illness.

[@microbus99]

This is one of my first loves!

[@talladegajunkie1439]

This version is even better sounding than the studio version......

[@gofishglobal7919]

Great to hear REM mentioned by a bloke from the other side of the pond alongside Boomtown Rats and others. Don’t support any of their politics, but, loved the music and performance giftedness.

[@norasnatch5885]

Ethereal Southern gothic

[@lestergreen1190]

Them boys was good.

[@МихайлоНіколів]

R.E.M cool american post-punk college rock band. Cliff Burton loved this band

[@mancaveandgaragedesignsrec1492]

Stipe looked pretty cool with long hair.

[@maheshhr4657]

Lol the song started with camera focused in a weird angle. Bass is really badass.

[@ursoc77]

rem was always better when you couldn't understand stipe

[@josephgurzynski1053]

Sad but true. After they left IRS, they just didnt do it for me anymore.

[@huntergwin4186]

Joseph Gurzynski +1

[@keithbate9405]

" the only band that mutters"

[@dommccaffry3802]

@@josephgurzynski1053 I agree

[@df5295]

People use to send them what they thought the lyrics were. Sometimes Stipe would sing their versions on stage instead of the real lyrics!

[@robertk2007]

Epic

[@mikewilson3581]

I love Mike's bass on this. I mean the bass itself. I wish I had one. And where's Peter's Rickenbacker?

[@Tsnore]

Yeah, damn good.

[@jaar1102]

great video!!!!

[@allsking]

he's like jim morrison... :-) stipe in this performance, in the ancient song moves slowlyyyyy.. and those long hair

[@jules2713]

Love.

[@joyvandesales4377]

Very good.😇😇😇😇😇

[@joelhoward8211]

The longest hair I've seen on Stipe

[@montelimat]

wow, that host looks so much like Mike Mills! At first, I thought it was a joke -- Mike Mills talking with an accent.

[@michaelwilson9450]

What type of bass is Mike Mills playing? It's beautiful!

[@spookerz35]

Michael Wilson - looks like a Guild Pilot. I read on the TalkBass website Mike played one for a bit.

[@BEHEDETY]

love it

[@microbus99]

My Best

[@thomasknowlton9004]

Play the Clash!

[@debbiejensen106]

You are a beautiful man Michael Stipe...especially those lips of yours!! 💋🎤🎶🎸

[@wreckofthehesperas8323]

Debbie Jensen. Good LORD!! Ain't it a fact?!?💕🙊 Gorgeous man🕯

[@cindynj]

💕💕

[@averyadrian1534]

That reverb does it… this is what you get when the byrds and big star have a baby

[@oldestgamer]

Peter Buck reminds me of Doug Hopkins jumping around on stage!

[@michaeldominick735]

This is a straight up banger.

[@notapara2812]

😍

[@randee51]

Very cool - and was the harmonica in the right key?

[@mattthomas1430]

1983? Anyone?

[@bichettevirgino6664]

Mike avec les cheveux longs ça surprend mais il est très beau 💋💋💋💋💋

[@sderoski1]

"Mike" est le bassist, la chanteuse avec le chevaux bonne est Michael

[@CalJay7106]

A friend was trying to tell me that REM wasn't even the best band out of Athens, GA. Arguing Pylon and B-52s. My response was to send this video. I followed that with "I win" and this isn't even REMs best. How can you lose with Mike Mills and Peter Buck.

[@DrRussPhd]

This sounds like they played live with the original recording. Buck is playing a Tele thru a Fender amp, not his usual Ric and Vox AC 30.

[@TimACroninMusic]

He didn't start using AC-30 amps until around 1987-88. Until then, Fender Twins were indeed his amp of choice, mixing them with some Mesa combos around 1985-86. But also, this is fully live, not playback. You can easily get a full-yet-chimey tone out of those Teles with the old Wide Range humbuckers.

[@Isengard2626]

@ScotRanger1960 I was thinking the same thing! I guess that it's something legal due to the fact that Moon river was written by Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini (I think!). So I guess VEVO couldn't show that part!

[@stopmakingeyesatme1]

I wonder who won the video vote...

[@gregorybrian]

I’d be willing to bet Nirvana covered this song sometimes in rehearsals.

[@Teetee33]

When did this clip get VEVO-fied? I don't remember it being so before.

[@throwdealz4081]

Holy fucking shit

[@Boohunney]

Peter Buck!!!!

[@mancaveandgaragedesignsrec1492]

Fucking great band.

[@jasonpeters9716]

I.R.S. yrs. Great REM. ...but REM's best albums? Tp 3 Albums? 1. 1993, AFTP 2. 1994, Monster 3. 1991, Out of Time

[@dynjarren7523]

Great clip! But now it looks strange to see Stipey with long hair! Bringing everyone in Britain 🇬🇧 the Jingle Jangle guitar 🎸! What a sound! I think Buck copied Roger McGuinn for that style and Big Star. 💥🔥🎸😎

[@FangsFirst]

@fromthispoint This is just a silly comment. Britain didn't have a monopoly on "multi colored mullet and synths shit [sic]," nor did the US have a monopoly on "powerful artistally [sic] music and creative [sic]."

[@Terpguy00]

Wow, I don't even recognize Michael in this video. He looks so different with hair.

[@geraldoaugusto1405]

Super banda.....

[@aaronfledge]

80's

[@91Degas]

They edited out "Moon River"!

[@dougfishback3116]

"Anootha noomba laetah on."

[@dangermoose2000]

Why was the Moon River intro edited out? Makes no sense

[@pintpot]

Yes, I remember that too. I went to see them at Birmingham Uni on the strength of this clip. A great night - 3 encores

[@decenthypocrite]

@GAdawgsfan93 How could you forget Otis Redding?

[@edwardscott4562]

Stipe lost his shoe at Rock City the following night, I wonder, did he ever get it back?

[@emilyburton4095]

His shoes were gone, his life spent.

[@seismodrum]

Can somebody tell me which song is playing before the actual live recording starts? The one with the black-and-white clip?

[@DeadLetter]

+seismodrum That's am untitled song from the original pressing of Reckoning at the very end after Little America. It was added back on the Deluxe Edition of Reckoning (see the Wikipedia article on Reckoning). What you are seeing is a film called 'Left of Reckoning' with the first half of Reckoning playing. From Wikipedia: Eager to explore the music video medium, Stipe secured funding for a short film that would accompany music from the first half of Reckoning. Stipe's concept was to film the project at folk artist R.A. Miller's Whirlgig Farm, and he recruited Athens filmmaker James Herbert to direct it.[47] In March 1984 R.E.M. filmed Left of Reckoning at the Whirlgig Farm in Rabbittown, Georgia.[33] The short film draws its title from the fact that it is soundtracked by five songs that appear on the "L" side of the vinyl version of Reckoning: "Harborcoat", "7 Chinese Bros.", "So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)", "Pretty Persuasion", "Time After Time (AnnElise)", in addition to "Second Guessing" from the R side.

[@norasnatch5885]

Geezus, THANK YOU. I bought Reckoning cassette right when it came out and it had this song bit at the end. When tape died, the new cassette didn't have it and I thought I was going crazy all these years explaining to people that a song was missing. The mystery ends-- thank you, seriously.

[@bellbrass]

Bill Berry really drove that band. The tempo here is, umm, a little faster than the LP version.

[@ronshina4022]

0:26 song starts

[@greenhouseceltic1903]

The subtitles - it's all wrong!

[@illillliiliiilililililiili5630]

is my boy michael stipe wearing a timex around his neck with a carabiner to mimic a bolo tie or is it just me

[@njc2o]

SMAHT

[@sderoski1]

So weird to see Mike and Peter playing fenders instead of ricks

[@softdorothy]

Where's the Ricky, Mike? And dial down the reverb on the vocals!

[@GeoffreyGentryMusic]

Apparently, one of the pickups in Mike's Rick crapped out on him, so he started experimenting with a couple different basses (particularly the Guild Pilot, which you see here) before settling on the Fender Precision Bass.

[@ganoxjful]

what is the name of the song at the beginning of the video??

[@sderoski1]

It was an untitled secret track on the reckoning lp

[@denisebertels336]

Bastille

[@WilliamRMize]

REM was always better when they were impressionistic and you couldnt undrtstand Stipe. Saw them in the early years in Atlanta and they blew me away. Each time aftee that it got a little less special. By the time Green came out I was done. They just weren't made to be a stadium band and that's what they had turned into. First 4 or 5 albums were great!

[@tommyturner6923]

Absolutely. They turned into a completely different band imo. I was done pretty much after the IRS years.

[@ghostdriver7558]

Yep, spot on, I left them at Green, all got a bit poppy when Shiny Happy People had all the world and their dog loving em !

[@hzv7242]

I agree completely, but they kind of lost me at Document and definitely after they left I.R.S. Records. Those of us that were there following them at the beginning from college radio days all kind of feel the same way. There was a song on occasion that I liked that seemed to evoke the old REM that I loved here and there from Green onward but they were very few and far between.

[@Isengard2626]

@ScotRanger1960 Nice one! That'll be good indeed!