A friend asked me to answer this question: What was the name of the album released in 1994 by the band from Athens, Georgia?, using the article: R.E.M. was an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist/backing vocalist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe. One of the first alternative rock bands, R.E.M. was noted for Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style, Stipe's distinctive vocal quality and obscure lyrics, Mills' melodic basslines and backing vocals, and Berry's tight, economical style of drumming. R.E.M. released its first single—"Radio Free Europe"—in 1981 on the independent record label Hib-Tone. The single was followed by the Chronic Town EP in 1982, the band's first release on I.R.S. Records. In 1983, the group released its critically acclaimed debut album, Murmur, and built its reputation over the next few years through subsequent releases, constant touring, and the support of college radio. Following years of underground success, R.E.M. achieved a mainstream hit in 1987 with the single "The One I Love". The group signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1988, and began to espouse political and environmental concerns while playing large arenas worldwide. By the early 1990s, when alternative rock began to experience broad mainstream success, R.E.M. was viewed by subsequent acts such as Nirvana and Pavement as a pioneer of the genre. The band then released its two most commercially successful albums, Out of Time (1991) and Automatic for the People (1992), which veered from the band's established sound and catapulted it to international fame. R.E.M.'s 1994 release, Monster, was a return to a more rock-oriented sound, but still continued its run of success. The band began its first tour in six years to support the album; the tour was marred by medical emergencies suffered by three of the band members. In 1996, R.E.M. re-signed with Warner Bros. for a reported US$80 million, at the time the most expensive recording contract in history. Its 1996 release, New Adventures in Hi-Fi, though critically acclaimed, fared worse commercially than its predecessors. The following year, Bill..., what would be the answer ?
Ans: Monster

A friend asked me to answer this question: What is the last name of the person who conducted the Munich Philharmonic in Munich on September 12, 1910?, using the article: The Symphony No. 8 in E-flat major by Gustav Mahler is one of the largest-scale choral works in the classical concert repertoire. Because it requires huge instrumental and vocal forces it is frequently called the "Symphony of a Thousand", although the work is normally presented with far fewer than a thousand performers and the composer did not sanction that name. The work was composed in a single inspired burst, at Maiernigg in southern Austria in the summer of 1906. The last of Mahler's works that was premiered in his lifetime, the symphony was a critical and popular success when he conducted the Munich Philharmonic in its first performance, in Munich, on 12 September 1910. The fusion of song and symphony had been a characteristic of Mahler's early works. In his "middle" compositional period after 1901, a change of direction led him to produce three purely instrumental symphonies. The Eighth, marking the end of the middle period, returns to a combination of orchestra and voice in a symphonic context. The structure of the work is unconventional; instead of the normal framework of several movements, the piece is in two parts. Part I is based on the Latin text of a 9th-century Christian hymn for Pentecost, Veni creator spiritus ("Come, Creator Spirit"), and Part II is a setting of the words from the closing scene of Goethe's Faust. The two parts are unified by a common idea, that of redemption through the power of love, a unity conveyed through shared musical themes. Mahler had been convinced from the start of the work's significance; in renouncing the pessimism that had marked much of his music, he offered the Eighth as an expression of confidence in the eternal human spirit. In the period following the composer's death, performances were comparatively rare. However, from the mid-20th century onwards the symphony has been heard regularly in concert halls all over the world, and has been recorded many times. While recognising its wide popularity, modern critics have divided opinions on the work; Theodor W...., what would be the answer ?
Ans: Mahler

A friend asked me to answer this question: What is the last name of the couple that bought the two massive concrete chairs at the auction?, using the article: Discussion of damming the White River for flood control began in the 1930s, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (CoE) held hearings on building a dam in January 1946. The new dam would create a lake 50 miles (80 km) long, and one arm would extend to Monte Ne. Work on Beaver Dam began in 1960 as the CoE impounded and bought land around the White River. In July 1962, Mary Powell sold Camp Joyzelle to the CoE, and W. T. McWhorten sold his land as well. The Federal Government required that all cemeteries and burial grounds be moved. This included the Harvey tomb, and it was no easy task. In 1962 contractor Harald Mathis of Springdale took nine days to raze the 40-ton tomb and one to move it. The first attempt broke a flatbed truck. Another contractor from Huntsville with a stronger truck then had to be called in. A new road was laid to the new site of Harvey's tomb. The tomb was placed on the crest of a hill donated by Harvey's longtime friends and neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Doescher. Today, the tomb sits on private property visible from the Monte Ne boat launch on Beaver Lake. Relocation of the aging tomb put pressure on it, causing it to crack.The CoE mistakenly believed that the waters of Beaver Lake would cover the area of the large hotels, so those parcels were added to the land they purchased for the project. Dallas Barrack, who owned Oklahoma Row, felt that he had been treated poorly and had received much less than his property was worth. The CoE held a sealed-bid auction and J. G. Gladdens purchased what was left of Missouri and Oklahoma Rows. He planned to move the remnants of Oklahoma Row out of the path of the rising lake waters. In order to do this, it was first necessary to remove the log portion or shell of the hotel. The original windows and doors were dismantled for the move and later reinstalled. The fireplaces, as well as all of the major stonework were later torn down. Also sold at auction were two massive concrete chairs that had been at the base of the amphitheater. They were bought by..., what would be the answer ?
Ans: Rose