BERETS FROM MARS! R.E.M. EAT THE DOCUMENT

It’s dangerous to write about R.E.M. without falling into the Larger-Than-Life trap. Perhaps it’s because so few “Rock Stars” (and that term is used loosely) define themselves not only by music but by principles. That the band tends to come off looking like, well, um, folk heroes, just by being decent human beings, is a rather ironic reflection not only on the music business but on celebrities in general.