The R.E.M. Companion: 2 Decades of Commentary

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Summary: Review
Review: This book is the most comprehensive review of Charlie Parker's life and his influence on sociey today. This is a must read for any jazz fan or performer.

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Summary: This is where we walked, swam, hunted, danced and sang
Review: This collection of magazine and newspaper articles follows R.E.M. as they go from college band to cult favorite to arena fillers. Many of the aritcles were 1st published in lesser known mags like Bucketfull of Brains, so they have an edge that you don't find in places like Rolling Stone.And it's interesting to see the band members adroitly justify doing things they'd sworn they'd never do, like lip-synch, switch record labels or play arenas, or break up when a member left. They still make great music, so who cares? I'd recommend this book if you're a hard-core fan, but if you're a casual fan, it's probably more information than you need.