“As an artist, Michael Stipe is, in his words, “uncategorizable”: He’s a photographer, a musician, a stage designer and a film producer, among other things. When discussing his art in all its forms, Stipe speaks with reverence of the women who have influenced it, from his mother and his multiple goddaughters to Patti Smith, Liza … Continued
Portland’s Eyelids have got a new “dubble” live LP (featuring performances by Peter Buck & Scott McCaughey) available to pre-order starting today. Eyelids maestro Chris Slusarenko reports it’s a “massive 23 track – 2LP set pressed on clear vinyl with black, yellow, red and blue SMOKEY SWIRLS along with an 11×22 poster with 36 … Continued
In this interview, Michael catches up with Diego de Godoy, self-avowed “biggest R.E.M. fan in the southern hemisphere,” to discuss his new book and a host of other timely topics. Watch the interview HERE.
Congratulations to Split Single whose outstanding new album, Amplificado, is out and available today. The band is Jason Narducy, Jon Wurster, and Mike Mills. Purchase the new album, sample tracks, and watch the video for the first single, (Nothing You Can Do) To End This Love” here. File under: highly recommended.
Tonight on BBC 2 in the UK, watch the 1999 Glastonbury headline show in full at 11:00 PM as part of The Glastonbury Experience 2021.
Remember seeing NRBQ opening for R.E.M. on the Green tour? I do! Well, we all still love “The Q,” and all musicians must love Sweet Relief Musician’s Fund, the exceptional organization that’s been helping musicians deal with debilitating medical bills for decades now. When I heard founding NRBQ member Joey Spampinato was in need of … Continued
Michael will be a guest on BBC Two program “Inside Culture” this Friday, June 25 at 7:30 PM (UK). He’ll discuss his new book of photography as well as what he’s up to on the musical front these days. Note: unfortunately, BBC’s iPlayer only works in the UK “due to rights issues,” but the BBC … Continued
“I hope to continue making music and sound a part of my life for the rest of my life. It’s something I find great joy in.” – Michael in a clip from his interview with HardTalk
Automatic For The People is now available in Apple Music‘s Spatial Audio with Dolby ATMOS, an immersive listening experience where sound comes from around and above you. The album was first remixed in Dolby ATMOS by AFTP’s original producer, Scott Litt, and engineer, Clif Norrell, as part of the album’s 25th anniversary reissue in 2017, … Continued
In an outstanding article at Music Radar, producer Mitch Easter shares his in-depth knowledge from heading up the band’s early recording sessions: “They were really committed to that ethos too. They felt like there was a moral quality to getting your shit together fast. I mean they weren’t slapdash about it; they were picky, but … Continued
Patti Smith’s new blog at Substack features an essay about the difficulty she feels (which many of us may share) of re-engaging with the day-to-day now that we’re all beginning to slowly but surely re-emerge from the pandemic. Anxieties still remain, Smith says, that continue to hold us back and tamp down our motivation to … Continued
They’re at it again! It’s Disposable #5 from The Baseball Project! Peter and Scott recorded this demo 80 years after Lou Gehrig’s death. An advance look at the long-awaited 4th BBP album? One can hope so!
Michael highly recommends Sinead’s new memoir REMEMBERINGS published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade and available today (June 1). “ Her voice on the page is as fearless, riveting and unforgettable as her voice in song. The cadence alone is hypnotic, her story essential. Rememberings is a must-read.” — Michael Stipe Go here to order your … Continued
Peter and Scott came up with this quickie for the Baseball Project’s “Disposables” series for the 2021 season.
“I discovered aspects of myself that I never anticipated were so strong and other aspects that I never anticipated were so fragile. I’m a very fortunate person, but I lost some people and, as for everyone, 2020 was incredibly difficult in terms of allowing space for exactly what this book is about, which is being … Continued