REM - REM INDUCTED INTO HALL OF FAME

The four founding members of REM treated fans to a second live performance in a week yesterday (16SEP06) as they took to the stage before being inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. MICHAEL STIPE, MIKE MILLS, PETER BUCK and retired drummer BILL BERRY wowed their native Georgia, Atlanta audience with a string of classic hits, opening with BEGIN THE BEGIN from 1986 album LIFE'S RICH PAGEANT. Stipe warned, "This is going to be loud," as the band stormed through their impressive repertoire in front of a 1,500-strong crowd. Earlier in the week (12SEP06), the band rehearsed for the performance at a tribute evening at Athens, Georgia's 40-Watt Club, joining thrilled local acts onstage. REM have rarely performed as a four-piece since 1997, when Berry left the group after suffering a brain aneurysm onstage in 1995. Their three Grammys and more 70 million record sales were honoured last night when they were inducted into the Georgia Hall of Fame alongside ALLMAN BROTHERS founder GREGG ALLMAN, writer-producers DALLAS AUSTIN and JERMAINE DUPRI, and the late FELICE BRYANT.