Last night in Seattle, former R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck played his first-ever solo show — after conducting, as he noted from the stage, his first-ever solo soundcheck — he debuted his new backing band Richard M. Nixon as the opening act for the first of two Young Fresh Fellows album-release shows at The Sunset.
Buck and his new band — featuring ex-R.E.M. sidemen Scott McCaughey, who fronts the headliners, and Bill Rieflin, a onetime Ministry drummer — played a nine song set previewing his forthcoming, vinyl-only solo LP (including a performance of the one track that has been released so far, “10 Million BC”). Thanks to YouTube uploader OllieOllie55, you can watch the full set, plus the one-song soundcheck, below.
And, as you’ll see, it’s the debut of Buck on lead vocals.
Richard M. Nixon will open for Young Fresh Fellows again tonight at The Sunset.
Setlist: Richard M. Nixon, The Sunset, Seattle, WA, 9/21/12
Soundcheck: “Johnny”
1. “Johnny”
2. “Alright”
3. “Wig”
4. “New Song”
5. “10 Million BC”
6. “Vaso”
7. “Hard Old”
8. “Outta the House”
9. “Alive”
VIDEO: Richard M. Nixton, “Johnny” (Soundcheck), The Sunset, Seattle, WA, 9/21/12
VIDEO: Richard M. Nixton, “Johnny,” The Sunset, Seattle, WA, 9/21/12
VIDEO: Richard M. Nixton, “Alright,” The Sunset, Seattle, WA, 9/21/12
VIDEO: Richard M. Nixton, “Wig,” The Sunset, Seattle, WA, 9/21/12
VIDEO: Richard M. Nixton, “New Song,” The Sunset, Seattle, WA, 9/21/12
VIDEO: Richard M. Nixton, “10 Million BC,” The Sunset, Seattle, WA, 9/21/12
VIDEO: Richard M. Nixton, “Vaso,” The Sunset, Seattle, WA, 9/21/12
VIDEO: Richard M. Nixton, “Hard Old,” The Sunset, Seattle, WA, 9/21/12
VIDEO: Richard M. Nixton, “Outta the House,” The Sunset, Seattle, WA, 9/21/12
VIDEO: Richard M. Nixton, “Alive,” The Sunset, Seattle, WA, 9/21/12
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at 11:50 pm
Honestly, Mike Mills was the R.E.M. member I most wanted to see put out a solo album.
at 12:46 pm
well, he can’t sing, I think that is pretty obvious.
at 3:37 pm
His voice and the music are utterly suited. This is not pop. Maybe you need to change the dial.
at 11:32 pm
Note: That would be Mr. Kurt Bloch of Seattle’s legendary Fastbacks on second guitar.
at 8:51 am
No REM covers? Lame. REM really should have done one more farewell concert last year, to just say it’s over with no tour or anything was a big F.U. to the fans.
at 9:27 am
Of course there weren’t any REM covers. After all this time do you not see they’re not crowd-pleasing, nostalgia-oriented Showbiz-types? That said, this is shite. And no amount of dial-changing alters the fact that Buck can’t sing, not even in an ironic, Beat Farmers comedy-growl-type way. Bring on that Mike Mills solo project!
at 1:36 pm
@ gonzaxHis voice and the music are utterly suited. This is not pop. Maybe you need to change the dial.
at 5:49 pm
I’ve seen a couple of Peter Bucks projects. Great to see him singing! Maybe we’ll be lucky enough to see a small tour out of this :) Sounds great