Trying to get "The Devil at Lourdes" on LET'S GET LIGHT, attempt two

December, 1999. A young Michael Stipe takes time out of his busy schedule of spice shopping and reading haiku to ponder the release of his band's new album, Reveal. It is shaping up to be their most creative and experimental album to date, filled with strange angular rhythms and crazy distorted guitars. Stipe thinks, "Hmmm. People I trust have told me that they really like these songs. But I don't know. I'm thinking maybe I'm gonna rewrite the whole thing as a syrupy, poppy Beach-Boys-meets-Radiohead kinda thing. Yeah, that sounds good. The kids'll like that." Feeling a little warm, he removes his t-shirt, which reads BORN TO BONE, to reveal another t-shirt underneath, bearing the legend LIVIN' THE WILDE LIFE.

October, 2010. A young Andrew Livingston takes time out of his busy schedule of shopping for exercise equipment and reading Michael Stipe: An Illustrated Biography to ponder the release of his band's new album, Let's Get Light. It is shaping up to be their most creative and experimental album to date, filled with strange angular rhythms and crazy distorted guitars. Livingston thinks, "Hmmm. People I trust have told me that they really like 'The Devil at Lourdes.' But I don't know. I'm thinking maybe I'm gonna scrap the whole thing and rewrite the album as a tribute to Reveal, which is my favorite R.E.M. album by far. I really like the syrupy, poppy Beach-Boys-meets-Radiohead thing. Yeah, that sounds good. The kids'll like that." Feeling a little warm, he removes his t-shirt, which reads KING OF THE ROD, to reveal (heh.) another shirt underneath bearing the legend FALL ON ME.

<3 JL