Well, in the context of 1986-87, R.E.M. weren't selling that much more at the time, or storming any charts either. The Queen Is Dead got reviews in pretty mainstream publications, and by that point most everyone I knew in high school knew them, and that was in a lame small city in Iowa. I think their popularity was comparable to The Cure, R.E.M., New Order and Depeche Mode, but they broke up before they could take advantage of the whole alt rock thing getting big on mainstream radio stations a couple years later. But hard to know for sure.
― Fastnbulbous, Monday, 2 November 2015 19:24 (eight years ago) link
REM? Yes they were.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 2 November 2015 19:31 (eight years ago) link
REM hitting top forty album chart from the start, each album outselling the other. By 1986 LET shipped gold. Document platinum and top ten.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 2 November 2015 19:32 (eight years ago) link
LET = LRP.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 2 November 2015 19:33 (eight years ago) link
every rem album went at least gold on release, they were runnerup to thriller in pnj w/ their debut album and every album after finished pretty high in the pnj (contrast w/ how the smiths did), and 'fall on me' and 'superman' crossed over to aor.
― balls, Monday, 2 November 2015 19:34 (eight years ago) link
rem made the cover of rolling stone w/ the hed 'america's best rnr band' in 87. they'd made a handful of spin and musician covers by then. the smiths never got a full feature in rolling stone, no mainstream mag covers either, moz doesn't get the cover of spin until viva hate.
― balls, Monday, 2 November 2015 19:37 (eight years ago) link
Also, R.E.M. were regularly selling out 6,000-10,000-seat college basketball arenas in '86-'87, while the Smiths rarely played halls that big in the US (usually venues half that size).
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Monday, 2 November 2015 19:39 (eight years ago) link
The Smiths didn't get their three gold albums until they'd broken up.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 2 November 2015 19:43 (eight years ago) link
On the other hand, I distinctly remember an article on the Smiths in People magazine at one point. Don't remember when, but it existed - I saw it.
― the top man in the language department (誤訳侮辱), Monday, 2 November 2015 19:49 (eight years ago) link
also "the one i love" was a top ten hit (their first of four), a feat the cure managed only with "lovesong" and depeche with "enjoy the silence," both later. really no comparison, and no surprise high school kids in iowa knew who they were.
― Frump 'n' Dump (Doctor Casino), Monday, 2 November 2015 19:52 (eight years ago) link
It was partly thanks to KUNI from University of Northern Iowa, which had transmitters all over the state, at least on the Eastern half. I'm not sure if other states lacking decent sized cities had something like that in the 80s or not. I did see R.E.M. in a 6,000-10,000 seat arena in '87, and just assumed The Smiths could have played the same had they toured that year instead of breaking up.
Balls is likely right for the most part though. Here's their '86 tour -- not sure of the size of all the places. Anyone get to see 'em?
Jul 30 - London (Canada), Centennial HallJul 31 - Toronto (Canada), Kingswood Music TheatreAug 2 - Ottawa (Canada), Capital Congress CenterAug 3 - Montreal (Canada), Centre Sportif de l'U. de MontréalAug 5 - Mansfield (MA), Great Woods Performing Arts CenterAug 6 - New York (NY), Pier 84Aug 8 - Washington (DC), Smith CenterAug 11 - Cleveland (OH), Music HallAug 12 - Pittsburgh (PA), Fulton TheaterAug 14 - Detroit (MI), Fox TheaterAug 15 - Chicago (IL), Aragon BallroomAug 16 - Milwaukee (WI), Performing Arts CenterAug 22 - Santa Barbara (CA), Arlington TheaterAug 23 - Berkeley (CA), Greek TheaterAug 25 - Los Angeles (CA), Universal AmphitheaterAug 26 - Los Angeles (CA), Universal AmphitheaterAug 28 - Laguna Hills (CA), Irvine MeadowsAug 29 - San Diego (CA), Open Air TheaterAug 31 - Phoenix (AZ), Mesa AmphitheaterSep 3 - Boulder (CO), Events CenterSep 5 - Houston (TX), Cullen AuditoriumSep 6 - Dallas (TX), Bronco BowlSep 8 - New Orleans (LO), McAlister AuditoriumSep 10 - St. Petersburg (FL), Bayfront Arena
― Fastnbulbous, Monday, 2 November 2015 21:39 (eight years ago) link
Can't believe I'm saying this--I used to make fun of the Smiths endlessly--but I was at that Toronto show. As George Costanza said: "Elaine, I once told a woman that I coined the phrase, 'Pardon my French.'"
― clemenza, Monday, 2 November 2015 21:52 (eight years ago) link
I think that's from "Franky, Mr. Shankly."
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 2 November 2015 21:55 (eight years ago) link
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CfkPC6kXIAAuR3W.jpg
― mookieproof, Saturday, 9 April 2016 03:13 (eight years ago) link
Spoken like a true non-playing motherfucker with only one or two sorry-ass albums out.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Saturday, 9 April 2016 06:02 (eight years ago) link
Huh?. I think he made some good points, no matter what you think of him and his music.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/09/arts/music/after-his-induction-steve-miller-rips-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0
used his onstage acceptance speech to tactfully allude to the Rock Hall’s opaque nomination process and poor track record on inducting women.
Backstage, he unleashed more of his feelings.
― curmudgeon, Saturday, 9 April 2016 15:16 (eight years ago) link
No, he definitely made good points; I just can't resist quoting Miles' autobio whenever Steve Miller is mentioned.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Saturday, 9 April 2016 15:30 (eight years ago) link
Oh...
― curmudgeon, Saturday, 9 April 2016 16:00 (eight years ago) link
Made the mistake of reading comments on the Gene Simmons comments on rap/NWA response at the HOF induction.
I can't believe there are still so many shitty people actively angry about the existence of rap.
― Kiarostami bag (milo z), Saturday, 9 April 2016 22:59 (eight years ago) link
So I guess Pearl Jam, Tupac, Journey, Steppenwolf, Bad Brains, Depeche Mode, ELO, Jane's Addiction and Joan Baez are this year's first timers added to the stand-by list? Awesome. Someone should devise a formula that determines the exact year in the future when every single act will have been admitted.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 18 October 2016 14:18 (seven years ago) link
when jann wenner dies they'll team up with the lds and do a mass induction/baptism of everyone not yet in the hall
― fat fingered algorithm (rushomancy), Tuesday, 18 October 2016 14:23 (seven years ago) link
Smashing Pumpkins snubbed again
― flappy bird, Tuesday, 18 October 2016 17:38 (seven years ago) link
Will BOC ever get in?
― Iago Galdston, Tuesday, 18 October 2016 18:16 (seven years ago) link
Well, Twoism is from 95, so there's four years until they're eligible. Who knows?
― Frederik B, Tuesday, 18 October 2016 18:41 (seven years ago) link
hardy har har your music humor is as clever as your political analysis
― Iago Galdston, Tuesday, 18 October 2016 19:24 (seven years ago) link
Blue Oyster Cult getting snubbed is beyond stupid. Far better than so many bands in the HoF. Thing that's so odd to me is that they aren't like, for example, Can or some band like that who should be in but aren't that well known in mainstream circles, BOC has a handful of deathless FM classic rock hits that still get played to this day.
― blonde redheads have more fun (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 18 October 2016 19:26 (seven years ago) link
― Iago Galdston, 18. oktober 2016 21:24 (five minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Aw, thansk!
― Frederik B, Tuesday, 18 October 2016 19:29 (seven years ago) link
I'm just shocked that Dave Krusen and Matt Cameron are the only 2 Pearl Jam drummers deemed eligible for inclusion. They didn't play on their best albums!
― beamish13, Tuesday, 18 October 2016 19:41 (seven years ago) link
the rock and roll hall of fame is a stupid idea. why isn't my favorite band in it?
― fat fingered algorithm (rushomancy), Tuesday, 18 October 2016 19:42 (seven years ago) link
the rock and roll hall of fame is a stupid idea.why isn't my favorite band in it?
― Sketches by T-Boz (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 18 October 2016 19:56 (seven years ago) link
Yeah! And the reason the best band isn't in it is because Spirit They've Gone, Spirit They've Vanished is from 2000.
― Frederik B, Tuesday, 18 October 2016 20:01 (seven years ago) link
^ one of the best posts i've ever read on ilx
― flappy bird, Tuesday, 18 October 2016 20:12 (seven years ago) link