When I was a kid I had no massive interest in music. I was more into playing on my Commodore 64, reading and drawing comics. I heard music come from my brothers’ room, (mainly Run DMC, the Beastie Boys and Human League) but I had no significant interest. REM were the first band that I truly got into. At the age of just 13 I got sent a tape copy of Automatic for the People through the post by a pen pal. I was a strange teenager, not just because of having a pen pal, but somehow I managed to bypass practically every cheesy chart hit and start my musical pilgrimage with this seminal album. It changed my life, when he sent me Out of Time two weeks later I was a fan.
Feeling guilty I decided that I needed to own a “real” copy of Automatic and managed to get a second hand copy from an advert in the paper. It was the first album I ever bought, a fact to this day I am proud to admit. Of course, at the time my mates took the piss mercilessly. They were listening to the Outhere Brothers and 2Unlimited.
I feverishly tracked down all previous REM albums and have bought all since (I know, some of them are right stinkers) to this day I remain a fan. However, hearing that Simon Cowell got to sink his greedy claws into Everybody Hurts does make me wince.
Of course, what happened in Haiti is devastating. It was obvious that they were going to release a charity single and it took them a nanosecond to think about it (and the kudos that would ensue). Featuring the “talents” of Rod Stewart, James Blunt, Susan Boyle, Leona Lewis, Kylie Minogue, Robbie Williams and Williams' old band Take That (and fucking hell, I’m very surprised that Bono hasn’t had something to do with it) but really, Everybody Hurts? Realllly?!!!
Yes, it’s a song about being low and trying to slowly rise above the problems, but how insensitive is this to the Haitian’s? Come on REM what the fuck were you thinking letting Cowell do this?!?
A song with lyrics like; “Everybody cries. And everybody hurts sometimes/
And everybody hurts sometimes. So, hold on, hold on” might suit some recent break up with a girlfriend, but is completely inappropriate and patronizing to the cause.
“Yeah, sorry your house and possessions were destroyed and we found your husband and two kids dead in a pile of rubble, but just hold on love, things will get better... Cowell has made sure of that by spending £100k recording a charity song so he can earn some kudos and get an OBE.”
Then you hear it. My how fucking insincere and soul less. I know its for a good cause, but do yourselves and the record industry justice and just donate by ordinary means. I fucking hope REM are donating all the royalties, this is the worst thing they have done since “Up”.
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