I have a number of questions for you big REM fans out there:

1. How many instrumental tracks have the band done? (BTW I,m not looking for just a number!) 2. How many songs has Mike Mills sung on? 3. Did the band only get 'multi-instrumental' on Out of Time or did they use many instruments on earlier releases. On 'Document' (the only pre-'Out of Time' album I own) all I can spot is a sax, apart from the guitars etc. I was bitterly disappointed by 'Monster' - only 'Tongue' has any keyboard embellishments on it! 4. This question really requires an epic answer: who plays which instruments on 'Automatic...'? It doesn't say in the liner notes (at least on the UK version).

Don't feel obliged to answer all these questions. I'd be very grateful to receive any enlightening info.

-- Paul Michael Walker (seraphim7s@yahoo.com), August 18, 2000

Answers

Ok, I'll answer the last question for you!

On Automatic For The People the instruments used are:

Drive: Peter - Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Mandolin. Mike - Organ, Accordian, Acoustic Guitar. Bill - Bass, Drums, Percussion

Try Not To Breathe: Peter - Acoustic Guitar, Controlled Feedback (Electric Guitar), Dulcimer, Mandolin. Mike - Bass, Organ, Accordian. Bill - Percussion, Drums

Sidewinder: Peter - Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar. Mike - Organ, Bass. Bill - Drums, Percussion

Everybody Hurts: Peter - Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar. Mike - Organ, Bass. Bill - Drums, Percussion

New Orleans: Peter - Electric Guitar. Mike - Stand Up Bass. Bill - Organ

Sweetness Follows: Peter - Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar. Bill - Bass. (Mike is not on this song)

Monty Got A Raw Deal: Peter - Bouzouki, Electric Guitar. Mike - Acoustic Guitar, Bass, Accordian. Bill - Drums, Percussion

Ignorland: Peter - Electric Guitars (Plus E-Bow). Mike - Bass, Six String Fuzz Bass. Bill - Drums, Percussion

Star Me Kitten: Peter - Electric Guitar. Mike - Organ, Sampled Voice Played Through Mixing Desk. Bill - Bass, Percussion

Man On The Moon: Peter - Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bouzouki, Mandolin. Mike - Bass, Piano. Bill - Drums, Percussion

Nightswimming: Mike - Piano (Bill and Peter do not appear on this song)

Find The River: Mike - Acoustic Guitars, Piano, Organ, Accordian. Bill - Bass, Drums, Percussion (Peter does not appear on this song)

-- Dan Clark (dan11223@yahoo.com), August 18, 2000.

question 1) instrumental tracks: Tighten Up, Last Date, Organ Song, Fruity Organ, New Orlean Instrumental #1, New Orleans Instrumental #2, Memphis Train Blues, Forty Second Song, Skin Tight, Winged Mammal Theme, Endgame, Zither, Mandolin Strum, Sex Bomb, Christmas Time Is Here, Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers, Tricycle, Emphysema, Surfing The Ganges, Hot Java. That makes a grand total of 20 instrumentals that have been released at one time or another.

-- Eddie Yo (Mr_BRETT@angelfire.com), August 20, 2000.

question 3) The band also switched up the instruments a bit on New Adventures In Hi-Fi, adding instruments like zither, organ, keyboards, and some other cool/weird stuff. The liner notes gives the complete breakdown of instruments.

-- Eddie Yo (Mr_BRETT@angelfire.com), August 20, 2000.