I don’t know, I think with REM it might be because he started over singing everything after their drummer left the band. His irritating voice then started to dominate. They were a more balanced band before that.
I think Berry left in, like, 1997 (right before "Up," if I remember correctly, because they used a drum machine on it). Stipe started being more coherent (and reedy) around the time of "Life's Rich Pageant" back in the mid-late 80s. I think their true ensemble sounds were earlier on, in the very beginning.
I agree regarding "balance." I love the thread topic, but R.E.M./Stipe might not be the strongest example (sorry,
@Angie --- please don't hate me
). Buck's guitar style is a key part of the sound (especially in first few years it set a distinct core), as is Mike Mills' harmony blend with Stipe.
Nope, I actually secretly agree.
Buck and Mills are key, as was Berry. Berry was probably the most disposable, as they went forward without him... but it wasn't the same. I wanted to use it as an example because, at first blush, R.E.M. is Stipe's vehicle... but it's not. Similarly, just imagine the Pixies without Kim Deal singing "Gigantic," or rocking ass on the guitar.
Conspiracy theory:
@Angie knew full well what she was doing starting with that post. This thread was bound to evolve into a full scale discussion of band dynamics.
It's not as easy as it seems sometimes, is it?
I kind of get this topic, but I kind of don't. Like with REM, you say Michael Stipe and I'll say Mike Mills. His harmonizing vocals are immediately identifiable. You say Thom Yorke, I'll say Johnny Greenwood. The guy is an instrumental genius and one of the more mesmerizing guitar players of our time. And for that matter Phil Selway on drums, I don't think people appreciate what he does with some of the seriously whacked out arrangements that band delivers.
I agree that a guy like David Byrne and his unique voice is the front porch of everyone's perception of the Talking Heads. And that this is the case with other bands like Malkmus with Pavement. Just not sure I agree that you could take Mills away and REM would be the same REM, or that you could take Iha away and Smashing Pumpkins would be the same Smashing Pumpkins, etc.
I do agree with this (I posted above) - I think there are very few ensemble bands where the sum is not greater than the whole!