Michael Stipe joins to talk about his remarkable life, photography practice, and career as the lead singer and lyricist for the band R.E.M.

Michael Stipe

Complete Collection Vol. 10

R.E.M. Deck the Halls/WXRT 1987 Christmas message

R.E.M. live, 24th August 1982 at the Old Waldorf, San Francisco, CA

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Geoff Melkonian & Bill Berry of The Bad Ends on 99X Atlanta

Interview with Michael Stipe by Tim Sexton for Bang Zoom Cassette Fanzine, conducted before soundcheck at Maxwell's, Hoboken, NJ, 28 April 1983. This was released on Fanzine Issue No.3.

Tracklist:

Introduction / Catapult (Part) / Interview / Sitting Still (Part) / Interview / West Of The Fields (Part 1) / Interview / West Of The Fields (Part 2)

R.E.M. - Bang Zoom Interview - Maxwell's, Hoboken, NJ, 28 April 1983

Part of a Radio interview with Mike Mills & Michael Stipe in Atlanta, GA by Tom Calderone for Modern Rock Live, joined by Peter Buck (in Seattle, WA) & Bill Berry (in Farmington, GA), where Bill Berry describes in hilarious detail his entry in the Farmington, GA, 1994 Christmas Parade.

R.E.M. - 'Modern Rock Live', 99X Studios, Atlanta, GA, 15 December 1994

First performance: 27 October 1987 - Edward C. Elliott Hall Of Music, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Last performance: 11 September 2008 - Saku Suurhall, Tallinn, Estonia
Total number of known performances: 276

‘Peter insists I tell you this is a new song’, Michael told the audience at the 5 November 1987 show in Chicago, IL, barely a week after its debut, possibly because Peter wanted the audience to understand why the lyrics made no sense! The version performed during the last month of the Document tour had a more menacing sound to it than the more pop friendly version that appeared on ‘Green’, and the only lyrics that remained the same were Michael’s cries of ‘hi hi hi hi’. In fact, there doesn’t seem to be any lyrics at all; listening to live shows from this time it sounds like Michael is just mumbling nonsense! After its debut it would be featured in one of the encores at all shows for the rest of the year.

Come the Green tour, with actual lyrics in place, the version we’re familiar with opened all the shows up until 20 June, when it was replaced with ‘Finest Worksong’ for a few shows. For the second leg of the US tour it was switched with ‘Stand’, moving to the start of the first encore.

In 1995 it was performed 98 times (75% of all shows). After that its frequency dropped sharply; 18 times in 1999 (36% of all shows), and then only twice in 2001, 2003 and 2008, with its final performance occurring in Tallinn, Estonia.

Fun fact: Michael described this song as one his ‘fruit loop’ songs, along with ‘Stand’ and ‘Shiny Happy People’. Further, In Q Magazine in 1992 he said "It's a complete piss-take. I guess it's the prototype of, and hopefully the end of, a pop song. It would be the last pop song ever."

#20 - R.E.M. - Pop Song 89 - 5 November 1987 - UIC Pavilion, Chicago, IL

First performance: 19 August 1987 - 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA
Last performance: 18 November 2008 - Auditorio Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
Total number of known performances: 392

Although not released until 'Green' in 1988, the debut performance of the song occurred even before the release of ‘Document’, at a show where the band performed unannounced as the support for the band ‘Silent Peas’. At this show the song features a totally different vocal arrangement, with Michael just singing/rambling various army and war statements. Mike and Bill’s usual backing vocal were not present here.

From there it was played at every show on the Document tour, except for the 14 September 1987 show in Utrecht, The Netherlands. It was presumably omitted from this show because the show was being broadcast on the radio, and the band didn’t want it heard beyond the immediate audience just yet.

It was played at every show on the Green tour, except for the first show in Tokyo, Japan, where perhaps the band wasn’t quite ready to play it. It was also played on the band’s first UK appearance on ‘Top Of The Tops’, with the whole band miming their parts to a backing track rather badly, with Michael miming through a megaphone.

In 1995 it was played 46 times (36% of all shows). It was skipped over for the 1999 tour, before returning for 19 plays in 2003 (33% of all shows). Things really ramped up in 2005 and 2008, and it was played at the majority of shows in those years. Its final performance came at the band’s last show in Mexico City.

Fun fact: Mike has said that this song was his favourite to play live. From Classic Rock Issue 185 “It became a real live favourite,” Mills says of Orange Crush. “On the Green tour I’m pretty sure we played it every night. Then whenever I made the set-list on subsequent tours I always made sure Orange Crush was in there. It’s one of my very favourite songs to this day.” Well he got the Green tour correct, though he given its absence from 1999 setlists it seems he didn't have much influence that tour!

This great recording was recorded and mixed by T. Patton Biddle

1987-08-19 Athens, GA

#08 - R.E.M. - Orange Crush - 19 August 1987 - 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA

1985-05-05 Amherst, NY

R.E.M. and Billy Bragg - Route 66 & Wild Thing medley - 5 May 1985, Amherst, NY

Last spring, I sat down with Bill Berry of R.E.M. in his country house outside of Athens, Georgia. We talked about his life, his favorite chef, and how his musical career began, way back in the 3rd grade. Bill shared some surprising thoughts about being a drummer and talked about the project he's working on now.

Bill is the best. He is warm and kind, and he's a guru when it comes to staying safe at home. If you know an REM fan, you might want to pass this along and brighten their day.

2. A Rare Interview with Bill Berry of R.E.M.

To celebrate the Top 100 R.E.M. Most Played Live Songs Countdown, we caught up with R.E.M.'s Manager/Advisor Bertis Downs to discuss the No.1 played song 'The One I Love' & also the bands amazing live history.

Thanks to JEMS for recording the Santa Barbara 1986 'The One I Love' featured in the podcast.

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