Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy celebrate 40 years of REM's ‘Fables of the Reconstruction'

Boston Globe

25-02-2025

So what's the difference between a tribute act and what these guys are up to? Simple, says Narducy: He, Shannon, and the rest of the band aren't aiming to be a facsimile of everyone's favorite jangle-pop outfit
'We do the research and talk extensively,' says Narducy, who's played bass with the
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Specifically, at Royale on March 7, they'll be presenting the 11 songs that make up 'Fables of the Reconstruction,' the 1985 R.E.M. album whose first two singles, '
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Such an homage would be unnecessary if R.E.M. were still extant. But Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and drummer Bill Berry
'I've seen some people who are, like, 'Why are you doing this? The band's still alive. I'd rather just see them,'' says Shannon. 'Well, yeah, I would too. But you know what? That's probably not going to happen.'
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A respected stage and screen actor known for playing some frighteningly intense characters – his unsettling performances in '
The gig went well enough that the pair got together several more times, performing whole albums by Neil Young ('Zuma'), The Smiths ('The Queen is Dead'), and The Modern Lovers ('The Modern Lovers'), among others. Then, in 2023, they put a group together to play 'Murmur,' R.E.M.'s stellar first album, at Metro in Chicago.
'It's like sand drawings. That's what the show at Metro was meant to be,' says Shannon, suggesting the band prized passion over perfection.
'It's like, well, here's our impression of 'Murmur,' an album we all adore and think is one of the greatest things we've ever heard.'
Mills, the R.E.M. bassist,
'We were elated and the crowd was elated,' says Narducy.
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A year ago, he and Shannon took the show on the road, performing 'Murmur' at clubs in San Francisco, Minneapolis, New York, and Cambridge, where they were joined on stage at the Sinclair by Morphine's Dana Colley on a cover of R.E.M.'s 'Fireplace,' and by Mission of Burma's Clint Conley on a cover of Burma's 'Academy Fight Song.' (R.E.M.
'When you're around the guys themselves, and you hear them talking about the old days, they have a sense of humor about it,' says Shannon. 'This music, to them, is obviously very important. They devoted their lives to it. But they also have some perspective that the rest of us may not have.'
'Fables,' which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, made a big impression on Shannon. Indeed,
the actor said he feels a strong emotional connection to all R.E.M.'s music, and it's become clear that many of the people attending these shows do, too. Does that make it daunting to perform the songs?
'It's rock n' roll, at the end of the day…It's not, like, a cathedral or something. (R.E.M.) were
While some of Stipe's lyrics, especially on the band's early records, can be hard, if not impossible, to decipher, Shannon said he's done his best to get them right. The prep for this tour, which continues in
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'I listened to the record over and over and over and over again,' he says. 'I don't just say, well, I'll sing whatever I want because no one can understand what he was saying. I listen and I come to my own conclusions. I don't just go up there and scat.'
Shannon understands that there are some R.E.M. purists who want to treat the band like a fly in amber. But he's having fun. 'Fortunately for mankind, attendance isn't mandatory,' he says. 'So if it doesn't sound like your cup of tea, you can stay home.'
MICHAEL SHANNON AND JASON NARDUCY AND FRIENDS
With Dave Hill, at Royale, 279 Tremont St., Boston, March 7, 7 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show, $48+,
Mark Shanahan can be reached at