Odd but I could have sworn I had posted this (at least once!) before but can't find it now as didn't want to duplicate (well not too much anyhoo) and heck I thought let's just do it anyway. It makes great listening for a Sunday here (isn't it everywhere? -ED) and it gives me a chance to mention again my fascination and affection for Andy Kaufman who mesmerised me as Latka in 'Taxi' and later stand up pieces where he feigned mock surprise at people laughing at his attempts to sing and what-not! Legend , breaking of the fourth wall had nothing on Andy! I of course felt like polishing my burnished ego by pretending Michael was singing to me. Songs with the name 'Andy' in also fascinate me!! 

On this day in music history: October 6, 1992 - “Automatic For The People”, the eighth album by R.E.M. is released. Produced by Scott Litt and R.E.M., it is recorded at Bearsville Studios in Bearsville, NY, Criteria Studios in Miami, FL, John Keane Studio in Athens, GA, Kingsway Studios in New Orleans, LA, and Bosstown Studios in Atlanta, GA, from Late 1991 - Mid 1992. Issued as the follow up to the hugely successful “Out Of Time”, much like its predecessor, the overall mood of the album is quiet and subdued, though the lyrical tone of the songs are decidedly darker with many dealing with mortality. The band originally intend for it to be a “harder rocking album”, but does not come out that way, when they are unsatisfied with the thirty songs that are written and demoed. Instead, they take a more unorthodox approach to writing the songs. Instead of playing their usual instruments, drummer Bill Berry plays bass during the writing sessions, with bassist Mike Mills playing organ or piano, and guitarist Peter Buck playing mandolin. Composing songs without the presence of drums, has an overall affect on the feel of the finished product. The album takes its title from a phrase off of the sign of a soul food restaurant (Weaver D’s Delicious Fine Foods) located in the bands’ hometown of Athens, GA. The actual image pictured on the cover is from the sign in front of the Sinbad Motel in Miami, FL. It spins off five singles including “Drive” (#1 Modern Rock, #28 Pop), “Man On The Moon” (#4 Modern Rock) and “Everybody Hurts” (Modern Rock #21, #29 Pop). Written about late comedian Andy Kaufman, “Man On The Moon” also becomes the title of a biopic starring Jim Carrey as Kaufman, and directed by Miloš Forman. Some CD copies come in a limited edition wooden pine box. It also contains sixteen cards with artwork and photographs printed on vellum. In 2003, it is reissued as a hybrid DualDisc, and as a DVD-A disc, with the latter featuring DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1 surround mixes, and the original stereo mix in high resolution. For its twenty fifth anniversary in 2017, it is remastered and reissued as a three CD + Blu-ray box set. The extras include a live concert performance recorded at The 40 Watt Club in Athens, GA. Also previously unreleased demo recordings, many of songs not being re-recorded for the final album. The Blu-ray features a new remix in Dolby True-HD 7.1 sound, and with the standard stereo mix in high resolution sound (with one additional bonus track. The Blu-ray also contains seven music videos, as well as the original electronic press kit video. Initially issued on limited edition vinyl on its original 1992 release (with sides one and two titled “DRIVE” and “RIDE”), it is briefly reissued in Europe in 1999. The album is remastered and reissued as a 180 gram LP in 2017. “Automatic For The People” peaks at number two on the Billboard Top 200, and is certified 3x Platinum in the US by the RIAA.

turn it up . . . . (oh and yeah, you posted this back in April!! - ED)

thanks of course to Behind the Grooves from Jeff Harris