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Community Trolls

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Community Trolls, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 29 November 202522 sources
Community Trolls
Company typeMusical partnership
IndustryMusic
Founded1983
FounderMichael Stipe, Matthew Sweet
Defunct1985
Headquarters
Athens, Georgia
,
United States
ProductsMusic recordings

Community Trolls was a brief-lived musical partnership between Michael Stipe of R.E.M. and Matthew Sweet. In 1983, they joined forces within the vibrant Athens, Georgia, music community, composing and recording three tracks. One piece, "Tainted Obligation", was almost included on a 1986 compilation, circulated on bootlegs, and eventually saw an official release in 2002. Another track, "Six Stock Answers", appeared in an unreleased independent film featuring Stipe, Sweet, and their acquaintances.

The lineup of Community Trolls sometimes expanded to include additional musicians and they performed publicly on at least two occasions. By approximately 1984, Sweet began to distance himself from the Athens scene; within a year he secured a recording contract and relocated to New York. Although some critics suggested Sweet capitalized on his Athens connections to boost his career, R.E.M. did not hold any resentment.

Background

During his teenage years in Lincoln, Nebraska, Sweet was an admirer of producer Mitch Easter, who had produced R.E.M.’s debut single—the Hib-Tone version of "Radio Free Europe". Sweet was particularly fond of its B-side, "Sitting Still", which sparked his fandom for R.E.M. When R.E.M. performed in Lincoln in September 1982 before a modest audience, Sweet met the band and handed Michael Stipe a tape containing his own songs. Originating from Athens, Georgia, R.E.M. were gaining momentum thanks to their energetic local music scene; Sweet had read about Athens in New York Rocker magazine.

R.E.M. introduced Sweet to Easter, who encouraged him to move to Athens after finishing high school. Stipe also passed Sweet’s tape along to his sister Lynda and friend Linda Hopper from the band Oh-OK, who invited Sweet to open for Oh-OK in Athens. Consequently, Sweet enrolled at the University of Georgia in Athens and soon became part of Oh-OK, recording their EP Furthermore What in August 1983. At the same time, he started collaborating with Stipe under the name Community Trolls.

Songs

In the fall of 1983, Stipe and Sweet co-created at least three songs.[1] According to Sweet, Stipe took the lead during songwriting while Sweet contributed guitar accompaniment.[2]

"Tainted Obligation"

The duo recorded three songs with producer John Keane in late 1983; however, only "Tainted Obligation" received an official release.[3] Stipe performed accordion while Sweet played acoustic guitar; both shared vocal duties.[4]

Initially slated for inclusion on the 1986 Zippo/Demon Records compilation Don't Shoot, it was ultimately excluded.[5][6] The track appeared on early UK cassette promos but was removed before the final release.[6] It later emerged on unofficial R.E.M. bootlegs during the 1990s and was formally released on Sweet’s 2002 compilation To Understand: The Early Recordings of Matthew Sweet. Rolling Stone highlighted its "captivating" harmonies.[7]

"Six Stock Answers" and "My Roof to Your Roof"

Two additional known Community Trolls compositions are "Six Stock Answers" and "My Roof to Your Roof".[6] Sung by Stipe, "Six Stock Answers" featured in an unreleased low-budget Super-8 film titled Just Like a Movie, filmed in Athens during September 1983 by photographer Laura Levine.[2][6] The cast included Levine, Stipe, Sweet, Hopper, Lynda Stipe, and R.E.M.'s Bill Berry.[8] A memorable scene parodied Bob Dylan’s Dont Look Back segment with Stipe holding up lyric placards.[2][9] The narrative focused on competing bands vying for audience attention.[2][9]

Live performances

Community Trolls made their initial public appearance by busking near Athens' 40 Watt Club in September 1983.[2] On September 30 of the same year, they delivered a set of four songs—"Six Stock Answers," "My Roof to Your Roof," "Tainted Obligation," and a cover of the Velvet Underground's "Pale Blue Eyes"—performed between two R.E.M. sets at Stitchcraft in Athens.[6] This particular show is believed to have been included in the Just Like a Movie footage.[10] Selections from these performances were later featured on the R.E.M. bootleg titled 20th Century Boys Volume 1.[6] Additionally, Sweet appeared alongside R.E.M. on stage during an October 1983 concert at the University of Georgia.[1][11]

Possible other band members

Although only Stipe and Sweet have been definitively identified as performers on "Tainted Obligation," the complete roster of the band remains uncertain. Gray characterizes Community Trolls as a loosely organized group centered around Sweet, who served as guitarist and vocalist.[12] The publication Rolling Stone's Alt-Rock-A-Rama refers to them as an Athens-based ensemble featuring Stipe's vocal contributions on certain tracks.[5]

Aftermath

Simultaneously with his collaboration with Stipe, Sweet established the Buzz of Delight alongside former Oh-OK drummer David Pierce,[13] releasing a six-track EP entitled Soundcastles in the spring of 1984 through DB Records.[14] Further recording sessions took place later that year, though these were initially unreleased; some of this material eventually appeared on compilations such as To Understand.[15][16]

Meanwhile, R.E.M. achieved critical success with their debut album Murmur, which was recognized as album of the year by Rolling Stone and other outlets in 1983; by mid-1984, sales had reached 200,000 copies.[17] They commenced work on their follow-up album Reckoning in November 1983.[18]

Sweet chose to step away from the Athens music scene, departing from Oh-OK in 1984; by 1985, Buzz of Delight had dissolved.[16] That same year, he signed a contract with CBS Records and moved to New York City.[19] Allegations were made that he capitalized on his connections within Athens for professional advancement,[15][20] though Sweet refutes claims of exploiting local ties and attributes his departure to disenchantment with the scene following R.E.M.'s rise.[15] His focus was on acquiring studio equipment rather than seeking immediate fame.[19]

There was no animosity from R.E.M.; Peter Buck expressed supportive sentiments regarding Sweet’s aspirations.[6] Subsequent joint efforts included Sweet collaborating with R.E.M.'s Mike Mills on Big Star tribute projects released between 1998 and 2006.[21] In March 2011, Sweet and Mills performed together at a Big Star tribute event where Stipe also made an appearance.[22]

References

External links

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Calder5
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named reveal
  3. ↑ Calder 2002, pp. 6, 18
  4. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Calder21
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named schinder
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named itcrawled2
  7. ↑ Edwards 2002
  8. ↑ Jovanovic 2006, p. 74
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named itcrawled
  10. ↑ Gray 1997, p. 344
  11. ↑ Gray 1997, p. 159
  12. ↑ Gray 1997, p. 203
  13. ↑ Calder 2002, p. 6
  14. ↑ Calder 2002, pp. 6–7
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named bob
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Calder7-8
  17. ↑ Black 2004, p. 81
  18. ↑ Black 2004, p. 89
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Calder8
  20. ↑ Brown 1991, pp. 210–211
  21. ↑ REM, Ryan Adams join forces!
  22. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Donelan

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