R.E.M. Announce the Band is Done

To our Fans and Friends: As R.E.M., and as life-long friends and co-conspirators, we have decided to call it a day as a band. We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished. To any who ever felt touched by our music, our deepest thanks for listening. R.E.M. (Source)

It's the end of an era, and for some, the end of the world as we know it...R.E.M. called it quits today after 31 years together as a band. The reason was not any dramatic, just, as Mike Mills put it on their website, "The time just feels right."

A hat-tip to you boys, I know you certainly added much to my adolescent ears and music tastes (not to mention my taste buds...gotta love that Weaver D's!). You also taught an entire generation that there was music to be had beyond what we were being fed on regular FM radio, music that was tremendous, that could (and did!) change your outlook, your beliefs, as well as your life. God-speed gents, you done good.

You can read more comments by the band about the breakup here.

"Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone" Out in October, Laurence Fishburne Narrating

When Fishbone first emerged from California, no other band sounded or looked like them, and the weight of their innovative and iconic presence is still being felt decades later. Coinciding with the group’s 25th anniversary, filmmakers Lev Anderson & Chris Metzler have directed a compelling new documentary, narrated by Laurence Fishburne. "Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone" is both a fascinating and brutally honest look at the band’s history for longtime fans, as well as a perfect entry point for newcomers.

Everyday Sunshine will open on October 7th at the ReRun Theater in Brooklyn, NY, and on October 21st at the Laemmle Sunset 5 in Los Angeles, CA. Many other cities (including Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, DC) will follow. The band is also celebrating their 25th anniversary with the release of their much-anticipated new EP, Crazy Glue, out on October 11th on DC Jam Records.

Everyday Sunshine is a documentary about the band Fishbone, musical pioneers who have been rocking on the margins of pop culture for the past 25 years. From the streets of South Central-Los Angeles and the competitive Hollywood music scene of the 1980's, the band rose to prominence, only to fall apart when on the verge of "making it."

The documentary includes interviews with: Gwen Stefani (No Doubt), Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Ice-T (rapper), Branford Marsalis (saxophonist), Perry Farrell (Jane’s Addiction, Porno For Pyros), Questlove (The Roots), and more.

Trailer: