A brief update from Milan–too many emails to get to for any more than this.
After a packed week of radio/TV/live/print madness in London (all fun, all productive) we came down to Milan Friday night for a few days of the same here. Italy is always a highlight and
A preview listening party to celebrate the release of R.E.M.’s new album, Around the Sun, will take place on Monday, October 4 from 6:00 until 9:00 p.m. at Little Kings Club on the corner of Hull Street and West Hancock Street in downtown Athens.
Guests will be able to hear the
Well, after last night, Iâm glad to report that it indeed feels like a
tour. The band played a spirited hour plus set last night for a gracious,
enthusiastic audience of fan club members and radio competition winners.
Highlights were many:
* The public premiere of several songs off the new record,
including
Our intrepid man in London, Bertis E Downs, IV, checked in from London, UK, with the following report from last nite’s big benefit show:
The band played a âsurprizeâ but heavily rumoured show whilst in London. The charity Oxfam was doing a Make Trade Fair live event at
Michael has made the cover of the latest Rolling Stone in a special issue called “The Photographs–The Fifty Greatest Portraits & the Stories Behind Them.”
From Rolling Stone:
“There was no stylist, no makeup artist,” says British photographer Platon, who shot Stipe on September 5, 2001. “He came to
This will be a quick one: video shoot is going great, being directed by our good friend Peter Care, responsible for some great ones in past years (“Man on the Moon,” “Whatâs the Frequency, Kenneth?,” and “Drive”). Of course I wonât give the plot away, but I sense that
On October 5, Epic Records will release Mary Had A Little Amp, a special collection of songs including “We Walk” by R.E.M., to benefit People For the American Wayâs Project Kid Smart and Start Smart America. Both projects are working to ensure preschool education for all American
Tickets for all shows on the upcoming Vote For Change Tour including R.E.M.’s dates with Bruce Springsteen will go on sale this Saturday, August 21st. If you haven’t already, be sure to visit moveonpac.orgwhere you can sign up to be eligible for presale tickets. MoveOnpac.org also
Ken Stringfellow ‘Soft Commands’ is out today on Yep Roc (www.yeproc.com),
which is of course also home of the Minus 5. Tour dates are as follows:
July 16 live on KEXP, 9am Pacific time
July 16 KS/Bridget St. John at Wild Buffalo, Bellingham WA
July 17 KS/Bridget St. John at
Meet Cosmo who claims to be a 6 year old tabby cat. However, evidence suggests that Cosmo is actually a dog trapped in a catsuit (we suspect a Halloween party gone astray coupled with the no-opposable thumbs issue). Cosmo is a sporty boy who loves to play fetch and hunt
Michael has written the foreword to a new book by Steve Taylor of XFM Radio. The book, The A to X of Alternative Music, is described as the “essential reference companion for anyone who loves music made–and listened to–outside the mainstream.” Find out more about The A
This week’s canine best in show is Sadie, 95 pounds of Chocolate Lab muscle (mostly); she is a true Aries – – extremely energetic @ the age of 11 years; enthusiastic and completely confident (no matter how BIG an approaching dog might be, she always thinks she’s bigger) Â and her
Check out new photos of the band in the studio by visiting Michael’s Photo Diary section of the site (click the photo of Michael on the main news page to view them).
Also, we are excited to present to you, at left, our first ever Dog of the Week,
The haiku year, the award-winning book featuring poems by Michael Stipe, Grant Lee Phillips and five others, is now available in a new edition featuring an introduction by Steve Earle, an afterword by contributor Tom Gilroy, and 60 pages of new Haiku entitled “Exact Dates Unknown.” The book, first