There’s a different story about the origins of Gardening At Night from Bill Berry:
"We were driving at night after a show (I don't remember where), and I was at the wheel of our old car, with a rental trailer in tow. One of my three passengers aimed a directive at me. Rather than inform me of his desire to evacuate his bladder, he instead suggested that I pull over so that he might engage in the task of roadside 'night gardening.' To four guys in their early twenties this was a glaring catalyst for a new song."
Love this! It definitely is a better story. I imagine Peter Buck can be a bit of a smart-ass and make up boring stories just to get journalists away from him. I like that Berry says: "one of my three passengers" rather than "the other guys in the band" as it sounds like he was an Uber driver and no one else in R.E.M. was involved in the experience that led to this song.
Deadheading in the garden at night does sound a bit like you are burying bodies. Or maybe swaying your limbs around the planter boxes like a hippie on acid while Jerry Garcia rambles about Casey Jones and other nonsense.
Oddfellows Local 151 is a definite earworm! I love both of those tunes but Oddfellows stands out for me in terms of catchiness. Thanks for reading and commenting!
I watched the opening night of Styx's tour following the release of "Mr. Roboto." They had this complicated technology that apparently wouldn't work, so they had to send the audience home without doing a show.
Speaking of Styx, they did the expected rock covers album a few years back and like all albums in that vein, it was hit-and-miss. But a couple of the covers were surprising good, including "Locomotive Breath"
That’s lame that Styx didn’t even play acoustically when their equipment didn’t work. Somehow your story does not surprise me at all though. It was during the age when incorporating computers into a life performance was always a risky option.
I’m gonna have to check out their covers album. I haven’t heard that yet.
There’s a different story about the origins of Gardening At Night from Bill Berry:
"We were driving at night after a show (I don't remember where), and I was at the wheel of our old car, with a rental trailer in tow. One of my three passengers aimed a directive at me. Rather than inform me of his desire to evacuate his bladder, he instead suggested that I pull over so that he might engage in the task of roadside 'night gardening.' To four guys in their early twenties this was a glaring catalyst for a new song."
Love this! It definitely is a better story. I imagine Peter Buck can be a bit of a smart-ass and make up boring stories just to get journalists away from him. I like that Berry says: "one of my three passengers" rather than "the other guys in the band" as it sounds like he was an Uber driver and no one else in R.E.M. was involved in the experience that led to this song.
I was just gardening at night an hour ago! Tonight’s task was deadheading flowers. 😍
My REM earworms are Finest Worksong and Oddfellows Local 151.
Deadheading in the garden at night does sound a bit like you are burying bodies. Or maybe swaying your limbs around the planter boxes like a hippie on acid while Jerry Garcia rambles about Casey Jones and other nonsense.
Oddfellows Local 151 is a definite earworm! I love both of those tunes but Oddfellows stands out for me in terms of catchiness. Thanks for reading and commenting!
The R.E.M. song that keeps asserting itself in my brain is “Imitation of Life.” That chorus lands and won’t leave.
Oh that’s a good one! I haven’t played that song in forever!
I watched the opening night of Styx's tour following the release of "Mr. Roboto." They had this complicated technology that apparently wouldn't work, so they had to send the audience home without doing a show.
Speaking of Styx, they did the expected rock covers album a few years back and like all albums in that vein, it was hit-and-miss. But a couple of the covers were surprising good, including "Locomotive Breath"
That’s lame that Styx didn’t even play acoustically when their equipment didn’t work. Somehow your story does not surprise me at all though. It was during the age when incorporating computers into a life performance was always a risky option.
I’m gonna have to check out their covers album. I haven’t heard that yet.