When I watched the video I always thought Peter was playing a really weird guitar. It wasn't until recently I found out he's playing Kurt Cobain's left-handed JagStang and it only looks weird because it's upside down
I'm same 54, i loved it back in the day, i used to walk around with my boombox playing tunes with my friends, meeting girls and having endless fun, i thought i was gonna live forever, but then i blinked and then i was old, and living alone, just waiting for the end. yes i know it's dark but it's just how i feel, i'd say 80s and 90s was the most awesome, soon as clock struck 12 on new year 2000, something changed, i have no idea what, but something went wrong, and now here we are on the brink of another War of the elites.
@@80s_kid. Can relate . Waiting for the end my friend . Trust and believe I can relate . Found myself a single father untill recently. Found my son Liam deceased in his room in an unspeakablely gruesome scene . Nov . 8 2021 . He was 21 plus 7 days . I'm here in the same house . But it's silent now . No bedlam . No, " hey dad that smells good , what time is dinner ready "? no video games In the background. My father and my son are gone . The generation before and after me . Now I just exist . Live alone with the cat my son picked out when he was 13 . His mother now married to another man and lives in a foreign nation. It's been a strange ride my friend . The 80s and 90s seemed like such a better time . Wish I could go back. Wish I could
@@edwardmclellan764 Damn man i'm so sorry about that, i'm gutted for you. i hold a secret myself, i've been chronically depressed since i was a kid, Anyone that hasn't had Depression don't have a clue what its like, for me, it's like a dark cloud above me, it's with me every day, everything i do, every where i go, you don't know where it's from, you don't know why of what or how. it's just there 24 hours a day, and no matter what you do you can't get rid of it, everything is flat, everything is the colour grey, everything is winter even when it's summer, you feel hopeless, useless, no point to life, can't see no future, no point in anything, you want to live but you don't, you want friends but you don't, you want a relationship but you don't. you lock yourself away, you don't contact anyone, visit anyone, ring anyone or text anyone, all you want to do is hide, and exist, but in a dark corner away from everyone. that has been me for over 40 years. i've never driven a car, never travelled, never been on holiday, i have seen doctors, psychologists, Psychiatrists, mental health workers, crisis team. now for the past 10 years i've been taking high dose pregabalin and fluoxatine. moral is, some people you can fix, but some people you just can't, i've lived alone in my bedroom for years mate again i'm sorry man.
When I was young and stupid and this song came out, I thought it was too simple. Simple chords, small sound, no flash. Now I understand that this whole album is four ace musicians giving a master class in restraint and taste.
Our brains were just better. Imagine looking at yourself all day long and taking a million selfies. God, what an absolute uninspired, dimwit of a time . Everything is an abbreviation set to a 30 second countdown. We peaked in the 90’s as a culture. So brilliant and powerful.
I'm 63 this is a top 10 band of all time for me This is the last band I took seriously very little as come out since the early 90s that I consider great
Fun fact if no one knew this… but the guitar peter buck is playing is Kurt Cobains personally owned Jagstang given to Buck by courtney love after he died
When I used to work a pub and I noticed one of my regulars, an alcoholic Doctor who propped the bar, bopping his head and singing this song to himself along with the jukebox - I joined in, he looked up and said "this is a brilliant song, isn't it?". From that point, every time this on came on the jukebox, he looked at me with a nod - I knew we were in the same boat for those 4 minutes. Those moments, the connections which overcome everything else, are the one thing I miss about working a pub - People being genuine. Doctor Bob - This one is out to you, pal. Even if it is 5 years later!
I was a sophomore in high school when this album came out. No social media, no smart phones, MTV still played music videos, two stroke dirtbikes & ATVs ruled the world. Can someone build that damn time machine already?!?
You'd waste a time machine on the mid 1990s? Much better than today, of course, but in music alone, a weak, fake time compared even to the '80s. for rock 'n' roll, I'd probably go back to keep Buddy Holly off that plane.
@@matthewweng8483 you sir are absolutely right. It didn't matter what genre of music you was into. You could turn on any radio station and there was something AWESOME playing.
@@matthewweng8483 yes sir. I believe I know the song you are talking about and yes it is a really great song. I have been a fan since elementary school bro. I honestly miss their music.
Nadir Aamir khan 1978 - 2022 You were, are and will always be my eternal brother. Thanks for all your smiles and gentle attitude ! You will be missed but never forgotten
According to Wikipedia, he had an appendicitis attack toward the end of this song and had to go to the hospital, and that's why the song slows down toward the end. Doesn't seem to slow down
@@SiliconBong The phrase comes from a story about when Dan rather was physically attacked and one of the attackers yelled “what’s the frequency Kenneth?” The person was probably a paranoid schizophrenic.
That sound is what I would describe as the Vox AC30 crunch, but then again that's just from the video as he's clearly playing one. In the studio...who knows? Could be an effect pedal(s). Nice sound, nevertheless.
I care. In answer to your question: me. I'm the one who cares about how old you are. And the reason I care is because I want to know why you're 200 years old. I think that's something anyone with even a modicum of intelligence should care about since it's not something we're told is possible and so OF COURSE is something should be followed up on.
I agree. I have them top 5 all time from the US. Wish they would tour again. If only just once. While I loved this song,.it's far from their best. Just the most played.
ahead of their time in the 80s for sure (by the time they made document, they had basically established the 90s alt rock sound). idk if this song is ahead of its time too much tho as it came out 3 years after nevermind lmao
Hey man, there needs to be WAY more REM songs on the radio than just End of the World as We Know It, Losing My Religion and Shiny Happy People. This is one of the greatest bands to grace the human race. They need to do this band like they do with Nirvana and play damn near every single song they've ever made on the alt rock stations I am not even kidding these guys are legends.
My brother, I couldn't agree more. It's been over a decade since they called it quits and I still find a "new" REM song goin back over their albums. Automatic for the People may be a perfect album from start to finish, and going back to Green, and even their eponymous album, I keep finding their music hits me in new ways. I can't find a band like them anywhere. Stipe's lyrics are deeper every time I hear them, and their musicality, arrangements, and experimental style beats anything on radio today. I was lucky enough to see them play live several times as a teen and I miss them. I binged them during the pandemic and I'm still rocking out to Stipe, Mills, Buck, and Berry. Absolute Legends
This song will forever remind me of my parents. My step dad came into my life at the age of 14 and his name is Kenneth. My mom would joke around with him yelling what's your frequency kenneth. A really good memory of mine.
You'd get more upvotes if you say he died, or something. "I was listening to this when they buried him", that kind of thing. You need to step up your game.
I'm in Christian! But only if I can persuade my twenty something son to come along, coz frankly he wouldn't recognise good music if it bit him on the arse!
I had my VCR ready and as soon as this song would come on, I would record it and I had an entire tape of just this song and I could play it over and over and over it was like one of the best things ever❤
@dread true Here is how the song originated: Here is the explanation from songfacts: This song is about an incident that took place on October 4, 1986, when the CBS news anchor Dan Rather was attacked on a New York City sidewalk by a crazed man yelling "Kenneth, what is the frequency." The man turned out to be William Tager, who was caught after he killed a stagehand outside of the Today show studios on August 31, 1994. Tager, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison, said he was convinced the media was beaming signals into his head, and he was on a mission to determine their frequencies. When Michael Stipe wrote the lyrics, Tager had not yet been identified as Rather's assailant. He wrote the song after becoming intrigued by the case and the media reaction to it, calling it "The premier unsolved American surrealist act of the 20th century."
yep - my other favorites are: WE WALK, Wolves Lower, Pretty persuasion, Carnival or sorts, SITTING STILL, Laughing, Harbor Coat, Maps and Legends, Green Grow Rushes Grow, I BELIEVE, What if we give it away, Begin the Begin, Ages of You, Exhuming McCarthy, Finest Working, Texarkana, Turn you inside out, Man on the moon, EVERYBODY HURTS, IMITATION OF LIFE and superman
This song hasn't aged a single day. The video looks like it was shot just yesterday. Incredible. Michael Stipe had better moves than Mick Jagger back in the day ....there, I've said it. I am now telling my 27 year old daughter about this music...luckily, she loves it
So right about Stipe. Saw them live on the Green tour, a big room in Portland, Oregon and he was ripped--here he is skinnier and more loose-limbed, at his best as a dancer.
To me Monster is far superior to Automatic, but that sums up why REM was so good. Different albums can speak to different people because the albums sound different and focus on different subjects.
I remember once a British band, Shed seven i think, i may be wrong about that were once criticized for doing the same kind of music, then they released a song that was different and got criticized for doing something different, i loved Automatic, loved Monster, but maybe for r.e.m to was too much of a different sound after Automatic, .. and sorry if i spelt criticized wrong i drunk to much White rum, to much worrying about Corona shit :)
It is what it is. Tongue's good and this stands out as one of their best rockers. Star 69 is great. Took Your Name's Ok. The You Really Got Me ripoff near or at the end is terribly uninspired.
One of the hardest working bands that always gave more of themselves than they got in return. If ur not an REM fan... u lack a vital part of your humanity
being 24 in the bar and hearing this, people rocking out on the dance floor. R.E.M. is simply one of the All-Time greatest bands and artists. Now i'm 53 and I still rock out to this song!
Yeah but obviously our culture has regressed back into a Stalinist kind of Puritanism where there ain't much dancing going on anymore....maybe we need to get back to dancing in the streets again with our boomboxes.
I listen to REM in memory of my dear sister in law Linda who we lost to Cancer in 2002. I miss you so much ! You were the best friend i ever had. 😔🙏❤️😇💕
Who else gets a nostalgic tear in their eye when that sweet 3 bar drop on the guitar in the first and second lines of the second and third verses key in?
Loved this song back in the 90s. Oh wait. still do. Writing a story where the main characters love interest is named Kenneth. So im listening to it while writing ^^
My ex-boss and neighbor did photos for this album. He said watching them record this album was one of the greatest experiences of his life. And he's a REAL Boomer. That means a lot to me
Amazing song and nothing beats Michael Stipe's dance moves. You can clearly see he literally feels the music and lyrics. Makes me smile so big every time I watch this video.
I agree , I always thought the majority of songs I hear no matter the genre all had one thing in common , the inability to properly finish the song . but there are some that can and it makes the song sound so much fuller and just better overall.
I freakin' LOVE this song! I play it for hours, over and over. Just CANNOT get enough of it. Volume at 11, playing it over and over until I'm vibrating! COOLEST SONG EVER!!!
The day this album was released, I felt so good. A new album by one of my favorite bands. I felt so in tune with the culture. I've never felt that way since. I miss REM.
Yeah I know what you mean. 1996 was the the last year rock mattered and if you were all in on rock you’ve been an outsider to the culture ever since. Indie, stoner rock, doom, hardcore, post punk are all fine and dandy but nothing beats hard edged melodic rock with cool riffs and a bad ass band and great front man.
I lived in the past for so long. Boy did I miss the 90s. Being 20 something I had the time of my life back then. I say about 5 years ago I was finally able to move on emotionally from this decade. This is my favorite REM album. So called real "REM," fans shun this album. I never cared, it rocked. I can listen to it now and enjoy it once again without a melancholy feeling. Let go dude. It's time to move into the new world appearing before our eyes.
Probably like millions of others I've rarely gone out of my way to listen to this band but when I hear certain songs by them they hit the mark and it leaves me questioning my musicality. This song above all...................
I was 14 in 1994 when this album Monster came out. I was huge into Grunge at that moment I was already an R.E.M. fan and what a good surprise to hear them rocking hard like this, almost 30 years later this song still makes me feel like a kid.
You notice the Jagstang? This whole song is a tribute to Kurt Cobain. The main riff rhythm, his signature guitar. I didn’t realize this till today. I too was 14 in 1994. Good days.
@@thetruthexperiment Yes, I play guitar too and know about that Cobain signature guitar I saw it on some Guitar World magazine issues. They said Kurt had two prototypes but you know he never saw it released properly.
I'm the same age as you and was also a grunge kid. I knew this was a tribute to Kurt Cobain, but I didn't realize yet that it was also some of the most true and honest music out there at the time. It would have made Kurt so happy. 🥲
I’m the same age, but my 40-year-old boyfriend is an accomplished musician. He heard me playing this song today and said, “Wait, what’s that?” I guarantee he will play it on his drums tonight. When a non-musician (like me) “gets” a song and then a pro musician asks, “What’s that?” then you know you’re listening to quality.
REM are of those rock bands that were memorable, and while being mostly understated, underrated, and understood to be of the very best artists.... Michael Stipe is one of the most inspiring songwriters ever and I know he is a genius of musical portrayals of sound, in the modern day.... The sound of music is based around the frequency that a person hears with on average, at 44100 Hertz (number of oscillations per second of time)........ I'm not sure if Kenneth is a fictional character, or if he knew the frequency....!!!!!
My friend died before I got to ask him what was the frequency. His name was Kenneth. A Firefighter for our city who was killed in the line of duty. Thank You REM. Love you guys!! RIP Kenneth!!
This seems like one of those songs that would be perfect to open a set with to really get the audience hooked in, bouncing around, and excited for the show.
the randomness of the lyrics makes it very hard to learn to sing, I wish he'd kept the lyrics and lyrical structure more down to earth cause the guitar part is very fun to play.
I remember when this song came out-- I was 16, was just getting good at the guitar that summer and I pulled the amp into the backyard, plugged in a Stratocaster, cranked up the volume, stepped on the distortion petal and let this song rip through the neighborhood on a sunny August afternoon. It would take a long time for us 90's kids to realize what happened in the 90's, but I think most of us have figured it out by now.
This song is THE reason I got a Vox amp. The crunch, the fuzz, the warmth of the overdriven gain... the way it cuts the twang of the strat without completely losing it... its just so good.
I’m 70 n can’t get over the hard rock this song presents-n did u see Michael dance 💃-I will always love this song! What’s the frequency Kenneth… I never understood violence… uh huh
Yes. I woke up with their song, It's End of the World as We Know it in my head the other morning. I used to really like them when I was younger. Hadn't heard them in years and now I'm revisiting some of their music! Where are you at? I'm in Canada.
I didn't realize it at the time but I was living through a decade of the latest phase of freedom in America. The 90s we were the generation that had the most to lose and did the least to protect it. Now we are stuck with musicians that listen to that inner voice that says "I know I'm going against my own beliefs but hey what ever it takes right?" What is the frequency Kenneth what is it?
7 year old comment... has nothing on what is happening now.. who would have thought people would be this guttless and just lay down and accept the tyranny.. ControlYouVirus is a conn
Peter Buck is stunning! "Monster" is his own absolute tour-de-force! One of my guitar heroes. Not the most flashy; but the most economic of them all, for sure!!! 😁
Wasn't the guitar solo portion recorded backwards, then replayed forwards to get that effect? I think I heard that on MTv during some interview. A few musicians have used that trick (one of the No Doubt songs in that era did this too), but I was always impressed by musicians who could do that.
Along with the Pixies REM was making & releasing 90s music as far back as 1987 & 1988, light years ahead of their time as each group was, respectively. They were the Godfathers of Alt Rock! And this underrated & largely unheralded musical masterpiece was & is wonderfully emblematic of all that was & is great, good & fantastically captivating about REM, an early 90s gem that is timelessly refreshing, sounding as amazing today in 2023 as it did upon release nearly 3 decades ago!
R.E.M. hot college radio around 1981. Athens! Some folks who remember that are well into their 60's. Let's do the time warp. There was an EP put out before the first LP. . .with a gargoyle on the cover. . .just saying. . .some of us weren't born yet.
@@321bytor Certainly not literally. Though much of the music that each respective band released in 1987-88 was definitely ahead of its time, & usually contained a type of sound & musical texture that had hints of the decade to come. There was almost a 90s sound to much of their late 80s music, I'll just leave it at that!
The absolute joy you'd feel when MTV would come back from a commercial and this video would kick in.
I want my MTV!!!
When I watched the video I always thought Peter was playing a really weird guitar. It wasn't until recently I found out he's playing Kurt Cobain's left-handed JagStang and it only looks weird because it's upside down
Or the joy of having this song come on after sitting through a bunch of shit videos 😂
It’s funny how in the mid to late 90’s we were complaining MTV wasn’t playing enough music like they used to
@@crackawoodI think it looks kool that way! 😎🤘
I have a friend named Ken. For over 20 years, whenever I call him on the phone I ask "What's the frequency Kenneth?" Never gets old...
🤣LOVE that! Makes me wish I had a friend named Ken!
I have to tell you that it was really old as soon as I read it
Can I be friends with Ken so I can do the same?
@@loganstroganoff1284 Sure! Why not?
My dad is called Ken. He used to get this everyday back in the 90s
I am 70 years old and to me this is greatest rock song ever
Respect sir😊😊😊
Agreed ! 👍👍✌️
I'm 10yrs behind ya and yeah it a great tune.
I love it too
47 48 next week . realy great rock yeah.
in every p[laylist from me
I'm 54 . Grew up in the 70s and early 80s, music was epic . This is the music of my youth . We thought youth would never end . But here we are .
I'm the same age as you. You're right... Here we are in middle age. Are we wiser? I don't know...
I'm 58 and I can relate
I'm same 54, i loved it back in the day, i used to walk around with my boombox playing tunes with my friends, meeting girls and having endless fun, i thought i was gonna live forever, but then i blinked and then i was old, and living alone, just waiting for the end. yes i know it's dark but it's just how i feel, i'd say 80s and 90s was the most awesome, soon as clock struck 12 on new year 2000, something changed, i have no idea what, but something went wrong, and now here we are on the brink of another War of the elites.
@@80s_kid. Can relate . Waiting for the end my friend . Trust and believe I can relate . Found myself a single father untill recently. Found my son Liam deceased in his room in an unspeakablely gruesome scene . Nov . 8 2021 . He was 21 plus 7 days . I'm here in the same house . But it's silent now . No bedlam . No, " hey dad that smells good , what time is dinner ready "? no video games In the background. My father and my son are gone . The generation before and after me . Now I just exist . Live alone with the cat my son picked out when he was 13 . His mother now married to another man and lives in a foreign nation. It's been a strange ride my friend . The 80s and 90s seemed like such a better time . Wish I could go back. Wish I could
@@edwardmclellan764 Damn man i'm so sorry about that, i'm gutted for you. i hold a secret myself, i've been chronically depressed since i was a kid, Anyone that hasn't had Depression don't have a clue what its like, for me, it's like a dark cloud above me, it's with me every day, everything i do, every where i go, you don't know where it's from, you don't know why of what or how. it's just there 24 hours a day, and no matter what you do you can't get rid of it, everything is flat, everything is the colour grey, everything is winter even when it's summer, you feel hopeless, useless, no point to life, can't see no future, no point in anything, you want to live but you don't, you want friends but you don't, you want a relationship but you don't. you lock yourself away, you don't contact anyone, visit anyone, ring anyone or text anyone, all you want to do is hide, and exist, but in a dark corner away from everyone. that has been me for over 40 years. i've never driven a car, never travelled, never been on holiday, i have seen doctors, psychologists, Psychiatrists, mental health workers, crisis team. now for the past 10 years i've been taking high dose pregabalin and fluoxatine. moral is, some people you can fix, but some people you just can't, i've lived alone in my bedroom for years mate again i'm sorry man.
I'm Kenneth and I approve this message.
Yeah, but, WHAT"S THE FREQUENCY!?!!?!!?!!!
@@jaredloveless 120 mhz
@@kenharness1417 William Tager thanks you very much!
@@kenharness1417😂😂😂 Good one, mate! 😂😂😂 Anyway have a good weekend 😊 \m/
Not if you' are william Tagler. Do you know the full story of the song?
I love that the blue Jag-Stang is being used here, given the band’s history with Cobain
Btw, for those of you who don’t know, that was Kurt’s jag-stang, gifted to him by Courtney after his passing. That’s why it’s upside down
Yeah, because Cobain played left-handed guitars, but Peter (R.E.M.'s guitarist) plays right-handed guitars @RepaidGold58
When I was young and stupid and this song came out, I thought it was too simple. Simple chords, small sound, no flash. Now I understand that this whole album is four ace musicians giving a master class in restraint and taste.
Indeed
White wine man!
Yeah same here,that was view on most things,art,film and music,people....i became classy at 40,its because after years you finally appreciate.
Well said!
Very well said....!
Our brains were just better. Imagine looking at yourself all day long and taking a million selfies. God, what an absolute uninspired, dimwit of a time . Everything is an abbreviation set to a 30 second countdown. We peaked in the 90’s as a culture. So brilliant and powerful.
RIP my beloved husband Fred, who introduced me to REM’s music back in the early 90s
🕯️
We love you Fred! 💜💙💚💛❤️🩷🩵💛
My condolences to you. Rest In Peace Fred
What happened?
My condolences.
REM - quite simply the last great American rock band. God we need this band again.
I'm 63 this is a top 10 band of all time for me This is the last band I took seriously very little as come out since the early 90s that I consider great
There from Ireland 🤡
Interesting. I would not agree but it is a good point.
Last Great American rock band? Pretty sure Nirvana came after them
@@skippystirling9770 NO! There from Turkmenistan
Fun fact if no one knew this… but the guitar peter buck is playing is Kurt Cobains personally owned Jagstang given to Buck by courtney love after he died
I've heard this also! Don't doubt it just can't get a clear look in this clip.
how very cool:)
It is a left handed guitar being played by a right handed player...
Interesting she would give his guitars away only months after his passing.
@@stephentaylor5607 that would explain why it's upside down
I am 73 and REM is one of the great bands of its time
Im 45 and I love REM 😊
When I used to work a pub and I noticed one of my regulars, an alcoholic Doctor who propped the bar, bopping his head and singing this song to himself along with the jukebox - I joined in, he looked up and said "this is a brilliant song, isn't it?". From that point, every time this on came on the jukebox, he looked at me with a nod - I knew we were in the same boat for those 4 minutes. Those moments, the connections which overcome everything else, are the one thing I miss about working a pub - People being genuine.
Doctor Bob - This one is out to you, pal. Even if it is 5 years later!
Gak- Man ummm, should a Doctor be a drunk 😵
An alcoholic doctor named Dr. Bob? I hope the irony isn't lost on you.
@@anecdoteskywalker😉
Gak- Man ,well said,well taken,well genuine 100% memory
The BEST doctors
I was a sophomore in high school when this album came out. No social media, no smart phones, MTV still played music videos, two stroke dirtbikes & ATVs ruled the world.
Can someone build that damn time machine already?!?
Was in 7th grade and I couldn’t agree more. What a great time.
Yes. Please. It sucks here now lol
You'd waste a time machine on the mid 1990s? Much better than today, of course, but in music alone, a weak, fake time compared even to the '80s. for rock 'n' roll, I'd probably go back to keep Buddy Holly off that plane.
@@jamescantrell6956 very true, damn shame what happened to him and everyone else on that flight. Yes I agree, I would go back to the 80s anytime!
Just hold on…
I’m almost done.
My God, I miss turning on the radio and hearing really, really good, new music.
Not in the late 90s it wasnt
@@matthewweng8483 you sir are absolutely right. It didn't matter what genre of music you was into. You could turn on any radio station and there was something AWESOME playing.
@@troytravis8598 You're damn right brother...
@@matthewweng8483 yes sir. I believe I know the song you are talking about and yes it is a really great song. I have been a fan since elementary school bro. I honestly miss their music.
@@troytravis8598 Me too man, me too... I think even the first time I heard "Radio Free Europe" I thought "Yep, I'm in..."
Probably my favorite REM song of all. I can listen to this over and over, and not get tired of it.
every few weeks i just get the bug and have to listen to it again.
@@bencousins7311 Ditto - I was just thinking the same thing so I loaded this baby up!!!!!
I’m glad they never really took off took off.
I got this jam on repeat right now.
Story is a homeless guy knocked Newsguy Dan Rather on his ass and just screamed WHATS THE FREQUENCY KENNETH IN HIS FACE FOR 5 MINUTES.
RIP Nadir Khan
You may be gone but never forgotten!
❤️ Class 1998 ❤️
You will always be in our hearts, Nadir.
This was one of his favorite songs!
Nadir Aamir khan 1978 - 2022 You were, are and will always be my eternal brother. Thanks for all your smiles and gentle attitude ! You will be missed but never forgotten
Rest in peace Nadir, my brother. I'll miss you.
...I never understood the frequency...
You wore our expectations like an armored suit.
Rest in the eternal frequency of bliss my friend, with God. May He give you everlasting peace in the Hereafter.🙏
Man, I absolutely love the bass line. Mike Mills is such an underrated bassist.
Never a truer word spoken 👏great backing vocals too. Also just an all round fine musician and from what I've read and seen a real cool dude 🤘
I totally agree.
According to Wikipedia, he had an appendicitis attack toward the end of this song and had to go to the hospital, and that's why the song slows down toward the end. Doesn't seem to slow down
If yo're really into base, listen to some songs with a giant stand up acoustic base; pretie awsome
Absolutely true the whole band is so underrated and just freaking solid
I'm 47 and this is mankind's crowning achievement.
Stipe's energy is just so fun to watch. That dude has soul.
quirky and wonderfully weird.
@@forzahorizon2249 Correct me if i'm wrong but it was a random question hat gave this song its name.
its disgusting his hands in and out of his mouth......... rem is an eastr coast thing....signed california
@@SiliconBong The phrase comes from a story about when Dan rather was physically attacked and one of the attackers yelled “what’s the frequency Kenneth?”
The person was probably a paranoid schizophrenic.
He always could boogie!
Such a straight up ballsy guitar tone...have loved this tune forever
thats some good news for a change :)
That sound is what I would describe as the Vox AC30 crunch, but then again that's just from the video as he's clearly playing one. In the studio...who knows? Could be an effect pedal(s). Nice sound, nevertheless.
Regards of all REM a dream about lol whatever you are welcome love PERCHANCE TOO DREAM nouveau riche old gold SALEM SERENITY CONSIDER THIS kindness
YOU'RE SIMPLY THE BEST WISHES
@@StevenCarinci you’re correct sir. Maybe with a bit of a boost in front of the amp too, though it could be straight up. A magical tone.
Monster may not be considered the "best" R.E.M. album by critics and most fans, but it's my favorite.
Mine, too. And it IS the best.
Right on Justin!
Mine too!
We agree!
Mine also!
I'm 200 years old. And this is my favorite song.. Who the freak cares about how old you are. It's a solid rock song
Happy birthday
@@5minutemovies977200 is an impressive milestone!
My dads 200 years old also. He still gets frisky with mom.
I care. In answer to your question: me. I'm the one who cares about how old you are. And the reason I care is because I want to know why you're 200 years old. I think that's something anyone with even a modicum of intelligence should care about since it's not something we're told is possible and so OF COURSE is something should be followed up on.
I'm still in my mother's womb and I listen to this every day.
Great song, but REM rarely ever did a bad song. Way ahead of their time.
I agree. I have them top 5 all time from the US. Wish they would tour again. If only just once. While I loved this song,.it's far from their best. Just the most played.
Rarely?? Never did a bad song. Stipe is a god. Best band ever...in my opinion
😆 🤣 😂 they rarely recorded anything good after 1987
ahead of their time in the 80s for sure (by the time they made document, they had basically established the 90s alt rock sound). idk if this song is ahead of its time too much tho as it came out 3 years after nevermind lmao
Don't get me wrong tho, this song rules, rem's discography is goat from chronic town to up
Hey man, there needs to be WAY more REM songs on the radio than just End of the World as We Know It, Losing My Religion and Shiny Happy People. This is one of the greatest bands to grace the human race. They need to do this band like they do with Nirvana and play damn near every single song they've ever made on the alt rock stations I am not even kidding these guys are legends.
My brother, I couldn't agree more. It's been over a decade since they called it quits and I still find a "new" REM song goin back over their albums. Automatic for the People may be a perfect album from start to finish, and going back to Green, and even their eponymous album, I keep finding their music hits me in new ways. I can't find a band like them anywhere. Stipe's lyrics are deeper every time I hear them, and their musicality, arrangements, and experimental style beats anything on radio today. I was lucky enough to see them play live several times as a teen and I miss them. I binged them during the pandemic and I'm still rocking out to Stipe, Mills, Buck, and Berry. Absolute Legends
Play some Harborcoat!
Don't go back to Rockville
The radio sucks. They started as an underground band so who gives a fuck! They don’t.
I've been hearing this particular song on the radio out here in NH.
This song will forever remind me of my parents. My step dad came into my life at the age of 14 and his name is Kenneth. My mom would joke around with him yelling what's your frequency kenneth. A really good memory of mine.
hahaa
You'd get more upvotes if you say he died, or something. "I was listening to this when they buried him", that kind of thing. You need to step up your game.
@@AshleyPomeroy come on, don't ruin the moment
♥️
@Justin Gardener. . .Thank you for the laugh !
I'm fifty years old and I keep jumping like a grasshopper when I listen to this song.
❤😂👍
That's awesome😂
63 here and I’m the same!
Great song, but can we take a moment to realise how actually awesome this actual video is.
I love it.
The videos is a work of art. It carries on with the electricity, that the song introduces, frenetic, chaotic, amazing
Yes we can! 😊
This song was played endlessly in 1994, to the point I think it got oversaturated, but revisting it almost 30 years later, it sounds fantastic.
I listened to REM in 1985 , 1986
It’s never enough:)
Can't believe 1994 was 30 f*ckin yrs ago..
You ain't wrong!
And yet, I still had Monster on repeat on my Walkman at that time 😂
Who wants to run away with me and listen to 90s alternative the entire time
Where, Red Rock, like to go there before I die. Not Rem, because they aren't doing anything right now. But want to go 🙏
I'll go!!!!! Please!!
I'm in Christian! But only if I can persuade my twenty something son to come along, coz frankly he wouldn't recognise good music if it bit him on the arse!
@@simonbolam6396 I'm only 20 myself xD
None of the baggage like the rest Lol Just me 🤭
I had my VCR ready and as soon as this song would come on, I would record it and I had an entire tape of just this song and I could play it over and over and over it was like one of the best things ever❤
I think it might be my favorite REM song.
Bad Day is the best. At least until I change my mind again.
Me too
Never trust anybody who says orherwise
You've got good taste, for sure..
I actually still remember where I was when I first heard it on the radio. It's a great song, no question.
This is an absolutely perfect rock song. Crunchy, heavy, simple, seamless.
+Skins Conrad: Do you know the origin of this song?
@dread true
Here is how the song originated:
Here is the explanation from songfacts: This song is about an incident
that took place on October 4, 1986, when the CBS news anchor Dan Rather
was attacked on a New York City sidewalk by a crazed man yelling
"Kenneth, what is the frequency." The man turned out to be William
Tager, who was caught after he killed a stagehand outside of the Today
show studios on August 31, 1994. Tager, who was sentenced to 25 years in
prison, said he was convinced the media was beaming signals into his
head, and he was on a mission to determine their frequencies.
When Michael Stipe wrote the lyrics, Tager had not yet been identified
as Rather's assailant. He wrote the song after becoming intrigued by the
case and the media reaction to it, calling it "The premier unsolved
American surrealist act of the 20th century."
Loud & Stupid!
With a guitar solo.
And addictive song.
I’m 65, oh to be 36 again when I saw this first. Still love it! Michael Stipe is great in this!
I’m 60 and I love this song… one my all time favourites. I wish they have a reunion … my biggest regret is not seeing them live.
Probably America's greatest rock & roll band..
Aerosmith, Van Halen, and others would disagree...
Definitely underrated. I didn't realize how good they were til a few years ago. America still hasn't discovered them like I have.
rambojr03 lolwut? they've been a fixture on american rock radio since AT LEAST the late 80s. REM aren't some well-kept secret.
yep - my other favorites are: WE WALK, Wolves Lower, Pretty persuasion, Carnival or sorts, SITTING STILL, Laughing, Harbor Coat, Maps and Legends, Green Grow Rushes Grow, I BELIEVE, What if we give it away, Begin the Begin, Ages of You, Exhuming McCarthy, Finest Working, Texarkana, Turn you inside out, Man on the moon, EVERYBODY HURTS, IMITATION OF LIFE and superman
Good choices.
This is as bad ass as a song can be
This song hasn't aged a single day. The video looks like it was shot just yesterday. Incredible.
Michael Stipe had better moves than Mick Jagger back in the day ....there, I've said it.
I am now telling my 27 year old daughter about this music...luckily, she loves it
Oh totally, Micj Jagger looks like a startled rooster
@@paulinegallagher7821 bruh LMFAO 😂🐓
The video looks like it was filmed yesterday? Your being a bit too nice to it
It has definitely aged, it’s superrr 90s. You might be too stuck in the 90s to tell a difference!
So right about Stipe. Saw them live on the Green tour, a big room in Portland, Oregon and he was ripped--here he is skinnier and more loose-limbed, at his best as a dancer.
"Monster" is one of their greatest albums. Never understood the criticism. It absolutely shreds.
To me Monster is far superior to Automatic, but that sums up why REM was so good. Different albums can speak to different people because the albums sound different and focus on different subjects.
The remix of monster is amazing
LOVE Monster...
I remember once a British band, Shed seven i think, i may be wrong about that were once criticized for doing the same kind of music, then they released a song that was different and got criticized for doing something different, i loved Automatic, loved Monster, but maybe for r.e.m to was too much of a different sound after Automatic, .. and sorry if i spelt criticized wrong i drunk to much White rum, to much worrying about Corona shit :)
It is what it is. Tongue's good and this stands out as one of their best rockers. Star 69 is great. Took Your Name's Ok. The You Really Got Me ripoff near or at the end is terribly uninspired.
The backward guitar solo starting at 1:54 on Cobain's guitar ... puts this track, Over The Top.
One of the hardest working bands that always gave more of themselves than they got in return. If ur not an REM fan... u lack a vital part of your humanity
being 24 in the bar and hearing this, people rocking out on the dance floor. R.E.M. is simply one of the All-Time greatest bands and artists. Now i'm 53 and I still rock out to this song!
Yeah but obviously our culture has regressed back into a Stalinist kind of Puritanism where there ain't much dancing going on anymore....maybe we need to get back to dancing in the streets again with our boomboxes.
Approaching 70 and have experienced the best music ever thank you JESUS !!!!!
You have good taste in music
great sound effects no doubt!! 😀😀
Good luck getting this song loud enough.
It is not possible.....
@@jeffthrow6892 I tried, but my amp only goes to 11!
Here here
perfectly said ...
Been trying for decades.
Never loud enough.
This song hasn't aged a single day. The video looks like it was shot just yesterday. Incredible.
That's the charm of the 90s 😍💕💕💕💕
thats what happens when u sign in blood with the devil , u also get a time machine :-D
i think they had a delorean
@BxxDxx Hoodoo DISTRACTIONS FROM PLANET X HUNTER CHANNEL
@BxxDxx Hoodoo watch ( planet x hunter channel. Eyes to the skies.
Stipe's dancing is so adorable.❤
Bald men have the gift. Don't believe me? MIDNIGHT OIL.
I listen to REM in memory of my dear sister in law Linda who we lost to Cancer in 2002. I miss you so much ! You were the best friend i ever had. 😔🙏❤️😇💕
RIP, Linda 👍
Who else gets a nostalgic tear in their eye when that sweet 3 bar drop on the guitar in the first and second lines of the second and third verses key in?
The best days of our life 😢 I was in 8th grade,but love it more now..
Uh, what?
Don't even know what you're referring to after the second and third time reading this.
Don't even know what you're referring to after the second and third time reading this.
Who remembers this song when it first came out and is still shadow singing right along with Michael Stipe ?
😆😃
Me 🙂 I was in high school
ya, it sucks.
🤗
Oh yes indeed 😊😊
I love his energy. I listened to REM in 1986 .... and still do.
Since 82. Go back to Rockville. I was in the army.
Loved this song back in the 90s. Oh wait. still do. Writing a story where the main characters love interest is named Kenneth. So im listening to it while writing ^^
My ex-boss and neighbor did photos for this album. He said watching them record this album was one of the greatest experiences of his life. And he's a REAL Boomer. That means a lot to me
That is super cool!
I’ve heard this 100 times or more, and still blows my mind.
With you all the way brother,It does not get any better than this.What a fantastic track from an outstanding band.
Amazing song and nothing beats Michael Stipe's dance moves. You can clearly see he literally feels the music and lyrics. Makes me smile so big every time I watch this video.
Hi Kim, I recommend a song called 'covid19 jam' by Robert Nix
This comment makes me so happy. I thought it was just me!
* or he's having a seizure
My thoughts
He was riding the music
"Withdrawal in disgust is not the same as apathy" is poetry.
Damn, this song never gets old. LOVE this!
For sure my friend
It actually just gets better
Hi Jessica I recommend taking a listen to a song entitled 'where I come from' by Robert Nix
Can't beat it with a stick!
What's up? Won't even need to change your last name.
I love a song that actually FINISHES, rather than just fades miserably out.
ruclips.net/video/QpKypvDjiPM/видео.html
I agree , I always thought the majority of songs I hear no matter the genre all had one thing in common , the inability to properly finish the song . but there are some that can and it makes the song sound so much fuller and just better overall.
They do a fade out so they can use different endings, or blend into another song in concert
The fade-out is almost a thing of the past now. You won't find many chart songs that use one.
@@MrReasonabubble huh never really thought about that but yeah makes sense
I am 63 and this is on the sound track of my life
It's almost as if Michael Stipe knew "these videos will be eternal, I better make them timeless". ❤
And the song is about a time traveller that attacked Dan Rather
I feel so sorry for all young generation who never experienced R.E.M...
This is hands down THE BEST REM song. I said what I said. 😘
It's up there, that's for sure
"Begin the Begin"...but, there are SO many...:)
What about its ,the end of the world as we know it..??
It's up there, but maybe not the best.
Agree
Micheal Stipe is pure genius. Just no other way to put it.
I agree and think all the guys in R.e.m are as well.Btw Mike Mills suit is killer in this video.This song is so powerful and perfect
Love the get up of Mike Mills suit and Peter buck dresses like a dad strumming a guitar in a music store
I freakin' LOVE this song! I play it for hours, over and over. Just CANNOT get enough of it. Volume at 11, playing it over and over until I'm vibrating! COOLEST SONG EVER!!!
Love Peter Bucks guitar riff through out the song.🎸
Love Neil Young too.
@@janehop AWESOME, JANE!!!
Cinnamon Girl
Got this tune on repeat.
The sound of this guitar is addictive.
The day this album was released, I felt so good. A new album by one of my favorite bands. I felt so in tune with the culture. I've never felt that way since. I miss REM.
I played this when it 1st came out in a car stereo competition god I miss those days
Yeah I know what you mean. 1996 was the the last year rock mattered and if you were all in on rock you’ve been an outsider to the culture ever since. Indie, stoner rock, doom, hardcore, post punk are all fine and dandy but nothing beats hard edged melodic rock with cool riffs and a bad ass band and great front man.
Do what I do, Live in the past.
I lived in the past for so long. Boy did I miss the 90s. Being 20 something I had the time of my life back then. I say about 5 years ago I was finally able to move on emotionally from this decade. This is my favorite REM album. So called real "REM," fans shun this album. I never cared, it rocked. I can listen to it now and enjoy it once again without a melancholy feeling. Let go dude. It's time to move into the new world appearing before our eyes.
Probably like millions of others I've rarely gone out of my way to listen to this band but when I hear certain songs by them they hit the mark and it leaves me questioning my musicality. This song above all...................
Finest Worksong, is a masterpiece mate. Also, Bad Day is a banger.
I was 14 in 1994 when this album Monster came out. I was huge into Grunge at that moment I was already an R.E.M. fan and what a good surprise to hear them rocking hard like this, almost 30 years later this song still makes me feel like a kid.
You notice the Jagstang? This whole song is a tribute to Kurt Cobain. The main riff rhythm, his signature guitar. I didn’t realize this till today. I too was 14 in 1994. Good days.
By the way the jagstang is strung righty on a lefty. It’s an absolute tribute. Very cool.
@@thetruthexperiment Yes, I play guitar too and know about that Cobain signature guitar I saw it on some Guitar World magazine issues. They said Kurt had two prototypes but you know he never saw it released properly.
I'm the same age as you and was also a grunge kid. I knew this was a tribute to Kurt Cobain, but I didn't realize yet that it was also some of the most true and honest music out there at the time. It would have made Kurt so happy. 🥲
I was 15 and felt the same. I remember how FRESH this sounded when it came out. It was kinda mind-blowing. Still love it.
This good music saves good innocent people's lives ... not just the old , not just the young ... I am not the only one .....
It's crazy that I'm 61 & this was the music of my youth but my 22 year old son loves it too. This song & video seem to somehow cross generations!
I’m the same age, but my 40-year-old boyfriend is an accomplished musician. He heard me playing this song today and said, “Wait, what’s that?” I guarantee he will play it on his drums tonight. When a non-musician (like me) “gets” a song and then a pro musician asks, “What’s that?” then you know you’re listening to quality.
REM are of those rock bands that were memorable, and while being mostly understated, underrated, and understood to be of the very best artists.... Michael Stipe is one of the most inspiring songwriters ever and I know he is a genius of musical portrayals of sound, in the modern day.... The sound of music is based around the frequency that a person hears with on average, at 44100 Hertz (number of oscillations per second of time)........
I'm not sure if Kenneth is a fictional character, or if he knew the frequency....!!!!!
Oh poor Danny boy😅😂
I’m 63 and l still love R.E.M !!!!❤
What are you going to stop liking it one day?
My friend died before I got to ask him what was the frequency. His name was Kenneth. A Firefighter for our city who was killed in the line of duty. Thank You REM. Love you guys!! RIP Kenneth!!
That's sad to hear Sorry for your loss 👍
@Corinna Williams Do you the underlying story of this song?
@yeahSOwhat It's what Dan Rather attacker said to him in the late 80s. The guy was never caught.
His name was William Tager who went on to shoot an NBC stagehand to death outside of Rockefeller Center.
An absolute MASTERPIECE. A forever song, timeless.
Maybe one of the most essential rock songs of the 90's.
This song reminds of when our son Devin was born 28 years ago. It was played constantly on the radio. I could never get enough of it.
Geez, I'm as old as Devin, but my parents did not listen to REM enough!
Mike Mills outfit. The year he decided to embrace being a rock star.
That’s a famous Nudie Suit.
It's a Nudie suit. More country and country rock. Mills was probably influenced by Gram Parsons and The Flying Burrito Brothers to wear it.
And yet he is the one seen least of all in this video.
Now you’re not the only one listening to this in 2024.
I'm buying frequency crystals for my Mega Modulated Pulse Energy Beam weapons in EVE Online and it reminded me of this song.
No. Got to love it I love this old music
I listen to this daily
🙂
Here we are!!!!!
Thank you RUclips. The music and videos are too good to ever die.
This seems like one of those songs that would be perfect to open a set with to really get the audience hooked in, bouncing around, and excited for the show.
Maybe if it were dynamic instead of dull
@@docsavage8640 glad you listen to dull music lol 😂
They usually played it fairly early in their concerts for that reason.
the randomness of the lyrics makes it very hard to learn to sing, I wish he'd kept the lyrics and lyrical structure more down to earth cause the guitar part is very fun to play.
@@joejones9520 yeah but that wouldn’t be R.E.M lol
I remember when this song came out-- I was 16, was just getting good at the guitar that summer and I pulled the amp into the backyard, plugged in a Stratocaster, cranked up the volume, stepped on the distortion petal and let this song rip through the neighborhood on a sunny August afternoon. It would take a long time for us 90's kids to realize what happened in the 90's, but I think most of us have figured it out by now.
Damn right!!!!!!!!!!
Forever and always *best* R. E. M. track
It's fantastic.
Why does this song come into my head every night when I go to bed. I go days without hearing it, suddenly there it is. I can't explain it.
This song is THE reason I got a Vox amp. The crunch, the fuzz, the warmth of the overdriven gain... the way it cuts the twang of the strat without completely losing it... its just so good.
Based Vox-appreciator
Iirc the distortion on this song is a Rat pedal thru a Vox
When I hear anything by R.E.M. I'm 17 again. I just love them.
The finest American band of all time
AMEN.......AMEN.
He understands
I’m 70 n can’t get over the hard rock this song presents-n did u see Michael dance 💃-I will always love this song!
What’s the frequency Kenneth… I never understood violence… uh huh
One of the best opening songs to an album ever! Still makes me want to move.
Hi, Monster is their best ever album, in my mind
@@barriejackson965 Me too. I thought it was where they "peaked".
@@RogueCarrier-lh6yp they peaked at automatic for the people for me.
@@1977Futre I liked Monster and even New Adventures in HiFi but then they lost me.
@@RogueCarrier-lh6yp Yeh, new adventures was certainly downhill for me. I was so into them I couldn't imagine life without them at that point.
When a guy rocks the mic with a dance and a voice like that, he's devoted to his listeners 100%
March 2020 anyone listening to this brilliant music love this tune
What else is there to do? This is on their best album, really speaks to me.
"What's the frequency Kenneth". Google it.
"Benzedrine". Google it.
I'm 41 years old and have only just truly found this song.
Yes. I woke up with their song, It's End of the World as We Know it in my head the other morning. I used to really like them when I was younger. Hadn't heard them in years and now I'm revisiting some of their music! Where are you at? I'm in Canada.
crystal fraser I’m in Dunfermline fife Scotland uk
I'm at the tip of Africa and their frequency has always reached me.
When R.E.M. first got popular I laughed and laughed. Years later my baby sister gave me MONSTER on CD. 90s. I've loved it ever sense. Never gets old.
I didn't realize it at the time but I was living through a decade of the latest phase of freedom in America. The 90s we were the generation that had the most to lose and did the least to protect it. Now we are stuck with musicians that listen to that inner voice that says "I know I'm going against my own beliefs but hey what ever it takes right?" What is the frequency Kenneth what is it?
7 year old comment... has nothing on what is happening now..
who would have thought people would be this guttless and just lay down and accept the tyranny..
ControlYouVirus is a conn
Peter Buck is stunning! "Monster" is his own absolute tour-de-force! One of my guitar heroes. Not the most flashy; but the most economic of them all, for sure!!! 😁
Wasn't the guitar solo portion recorded backwards, then replayed forwards to get that effect? I think I heard that on MTv during some interview. A few musicians have used that trick (one of the No Doubt songs in that era did this too), but I was always impressed by musicians who could do that.
1:54 simple, clean, timeless, sublime....Guitar Solo!!! Peter Buck!
That step into frame was so great!!
1:54. Yes, okay best intro to lead says i EVAH!!! 🎸🎸🎸. BRAVO
Along with the Pixies REM was making & releasing 90s music as far back as 1987 & 1988, light years ahead of their time as each group was, respectively. They were the Godfathers of Alt Rock! And this underrated & largely unheralded musical masterpiece was & is wonderfully emblematic of all that was & is great, good & fantastically captivating about REM, an early 90s gem that is timelessly refreshing, sounding as amazing today in 2023 as it did upon release nearly 3 decades ago!
R.E.M. hot college radio around 1981. Athens! Some folks who remember that are well into their 60's. Let's do the time warp. There was an EP put out before the first LP. . .with a gargoyle on the cover. . .just saying. . .some of us weren't born yet.
I'm not sure anyone could 'release 90s music' in '1987 & 1988'. By definition.
@@321bytor Certainly not literally. Though much of the music that each respective band released in 1987-88 was definitely ahead of its time, & usually contained a type of sound & musical texture that had hints of the decade to come. There was almost a 90s sound to much of their late 80s music, I'll just leave it at that!
@@jubydudecame here to say remember when they were called college rock? Good ol’ days!
I can't help start dancing like him even before he starts.
It's called the coffee beans dance x
.............KOZ I FOUND....................KENNETH, WITHOUT MABLES YN MY MOUTH,......DIDNT THINK SO,....8 SWORDS,AVE.
He's doing the W.Axl Rose who ripped it from Davy Jones-Watch Sweet Child&Daydream Believer...
In 2021 can we please bring back the 90s? I miss this...
Whit the time machine
If we go backwards, let’s take it all the way to when things were truly great.
90s music always lift me up
The had depth to their music for sure