The Band (the IRS years)
When Kathleen O'Brien introduced Peter Buck to Bill Berry at a party in January 1980, Peter had an idea of putting a band together consisting of his friend Micheal Stipe, himself, Bill and Bills best freind who played Bass guitar. Buck introduced Berry to Stipe and they later found Mills out of his head in a local Athens bar. The first time they played was at Kathleen O'Brien's 21st Birthday and soon they were playing regualery at Peter Bucks apartment (a run down church). After playing a couple of gigs at the forty watt club R.E.M released an LP titled Chronic Town. They continued to play at various places including the forty watt and Tyrones until they released there single 'Radio Free Europe'. Miles Copeland at IRS records took notice of this and signed the band up for a six year contract.
The first album to be released was Murmur which sold a 250,000 copies in its first year with its pilot siongle Radio Free Europe. R.E.M wrote a second album while on tour, they used to travel in a small van around the country winning fans one town at a time.
When 1984 came R.E.M travelled to London to record Fables with new producers. Mike Mills said it was the closest they have ever come to brreaking up but R.E.M weathered the storm and released Fables.
R.E.M released Lifes Rich Pageant before they produced Document. Documents main single 'The One I Love went to no.8 as R.E.M's first top ten single.
After the success of Document R.E.M released a collection of B-sides and failed experiments on 'Dead Letter Office in 1987, the last year of IRS records.
As the contract expired every big name in the buisness wanted R.E.M.