why were things so dark Around the time of fables? Can you elaborate at all? oh, the weather. weather. we went into the studio In london, Which was A massive mistake. We were there in, I think march, And it was miserable. It was cold. It was snowing. now london's a pretty dull Place actually, If you'reyou know, Unless you know all the hot Spots, so it was basically and we're pretty dull boys. yeah. It was just plod into the studio And do it, And plod back home. when we recorded That album, It was a very rough time For us as a band. We weren't sure That we wanted to continue Doing what we were doing. time and distance are out of place here it was seemingly maybe The end. it wasn't so much tension Between us. It was just general tension. I mean, None of us were very happy, And, you know, We kind of said, "well, we'll just work Our way through it." well, to say We got on each other's nerves Is probably An understatement. well, we almost broke up, But instead we put out This record That is incredibly dark And kind of very introverted, And not at all It's just very kind Of constrictive. even by that point we'd been Through enough adversity To know that, "okay. Well, we can weather this. "let's just Make this record, "and we'llyou know, We'll do it again. It's not the end Of the world." but everything I think is gonna be successful Is not successful, And every time i think something Is really going down the toilet It goes right to number one. right now there's a lot Of bands out there Sweating over Who's number one. Well, i don't know what to tell You other than the truth. r.E.M.'s fables of the Reconstruction is number one. You did it, R.E.M. You're number one. Even the south can't rise Any higher than that! whoo! [r.E.M.'s can't get there From here] when the world Is a monster bad to swallow You whole no kick the clay That holds you're listening To wrsu fm, New brunswick, Rutgers university, and here is r.E.M. With the carnival of sorts. They were one Of the first bands that was, Like, broken almost entirely On college radio, And itit's sort of true. You heard a few Of the songs On regular Mainstream radio, You know, Over and over again possibly, But for the most part, They were college radio, And so i think it's neat That they're going around And touring the colleges. spring concerts are One way for students To ease the pressure Of oncoming final exams, And r.E.M. Is One band that students Have no trouble relating to. i'm sorry i'm sorry college radio really did kind Of make r.E.M., i mean, They picked up on us when all The big radio stations And all The big record stores Really didn't want To have that much to do with us. i mean, we've always Done really well at colleges, And, you know, college Radio's been real supportive, But i don't know Why we picked up more fans There than anywhere else. it's one of three things. They have more leisure time, More money, Or they take more drugs, And i haven't decided Which one. Both: more leisure time. i think probably one Really good thing about r.E.M. Is that we could maybe Be defined as a common voice,