We Are Scientists Traded R.E.M. for Death Metal

Posted on Sep 9th 2008 4:00PM by Jolie Lash
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With an international career spanning three decades, R.E.M. have certainly had their fair share of influence on youth of the world. New York City's We Are Scientists, who are opening for the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, told Spinner they flitted in and out of fandom during their teens.

"Weirdly I got really into R.E.M. in college, not high school, even though high school was when they were really killing it," WAS frontman, the oft-acerbic Keith Murray tells Spinner. "I got into them in their sluggish years and now they are back. I liked the good fiery, youthful passion years. I was living in the wrong time for R.E.M., but now it's all come back."

Part of the reason Murray notes he missed out on swooning over Michael Stipe lyrics and Peter Buck's swirling guitars in his younger days had to do with his penchant for sounds of the harder variety. Though the silver fox now fronts a band whose new album, 'Brain Thrust Mastery,' offers soft, fuller tones in a pop shell, Murray's school days were concentrated on something similar to speed death metal.

"I actually do think that was part of the problem in high school," Murray sheepishly admits. "I really was into metal."

"It's a well known fact that you can't be into R.E.M. and metal at the same time," bassist Chris Cain, who did enjoy the outfit during freshman through senior year, chimes in. "People go through phases and they do them in a different order."

Now that they are entrenched in camp R.E.M. on the European tour, which started earlier this month, the WAS boys will use the trek to -- as Murray puts it jokingly -- "find out whether [Michael Stipe] is simply a legend or an actual performing human." Afterward WAS will head back Stateside by October 11 to kick off their tour with another group of Southerners.

"We're going on tour with Kings of Leon in the U.S. Five weeks. It's going to be great," Cains says.

Having already spent some casual time in previously with the KOL brothers, and cousin Followill, Murray expects "adventures will manifold on that tour." And during the shows, they'll be bringing their "A-Game of charm," he said.

"We massage the audience so they are most perceptive to the headliner," Murray notes.