R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe On MONSTER, Secrets To Music Success Without Corporate Compromises | MSNBC

R.E.M ‘s Michael Stipe and Mike Mills reflect on the 25th anniversary of their acclaimed album “Monster” and their national debut on David Letterman’s show; discuss the meaning behind some of their most famous lyrics; explore their relationships and mutual respect with other artists like Kurt Cobain and Eddie Vedder; ... and the two recount their battles with the music industry as they forged their own “indie” rock path. This is an extended interview with MSNBC anchor Ari Melber which accompanied their appearance on the TV show “The Beat with Ari Melber.” Aired on 11/01/19.
» Subscribe to MSNBC: on.msnbc.com/Su...
MSNBC delivers breaking news, in-depth analysis of politics headlines, as well as commentary and informed perspectives. Find video clips and segments from The Rachel Maddow Show, Morning Joe, Meet the Press Daily, The Beat with Ari Melber, Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace, Hardball, All In, Last Word, 11th Hour, and more.
Connect with MSNBC Online
Visit msnbc.com: on.msnbc.com/Re...
Subscribe to MSNBC Newsletter: MSNBC.com/Newsl...
Find MSNBC on Facebook: on.msnbc.com/Li...
Follow MSNBC on Twitter: on.msnbc.com/Fo...
Follow MSNBC on Instagram: on.msnbc.com/In...
R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe On MONSTER, Secrets To Music Success Without Corporate Compromises | MSNBC

[@grayman618]

What a great band they were the sound of my youth! Still listen to them often and miss them.

[@claygilchrist632]

I've been watching these Monster 25 year anniversary interviews and this is one of the best!

[@Michael0301L]

Don’t know how I missed this episode of Ari. Glad to see it on you tube. Always loved R.E.M. Great down to earth guys!

[@verystablegenius9317]

Ari: kanye's got a new gospel album. Michael: I’m so sorry 😐

[@lynettepatton2600]

Thank you, R.E.M...thanks, Ari..that's a keeper.

[@kevinfrancis6033]

Love the music of REM , I was in Kathmandu/Nepal (1994 ) walking past a hotel window with a music channel on the TV .....REM's new song " what's the frequency Kenneth " was on 🎵😊

[@ReturnOfTheJ.D.]

Wow this is incredible. An actually meaningful conversation in a news format. This could be the wave of the future.

[@isaiahephraim9858]

InstaBlaster...

[@zencat999]

people might get old, but rock n roll never rusts

[@PeterSoby]

I love this Ari! That you had freaking Michael Stipe and Mike Mills on your show! You transcend what it means to be a news reporter. To "quote Lonely Island… "Never stop Never stopping" Ari!!!

[@FrisbeeGirl]

Ha, Ari, I was waiting for you to quote "Cuyahoga", but I guess that would have been a bit too on the nose this week. "Let's put our heads together And start a new country up Our father's father's father tried Erased the parts he didn't like Let's try to fill it in ... Rewrite the book and rule the pages Saving face, secured in faith Bury, burn the waste behind you This land is the land of ours This river runs red over it We are not your allies We cannot defend"

[@seaoftranquility7228]

Frisbee Girl gorgeous song.

[@andrewmastin4312]

From my favorite REM album. “Fall on Me,” “Flowers of Guatemala,” “Swan Swan Hummingbird,” etc. Brilliant.

[@cmulder002]

What i like about thise guys is the lack of arrogance and there thoughtfulness. If you didn't know better you would never guess these guys where successful musicians.

[@blkcatzette]

REM has always been and always be one of my all time favorite bands.

[@silkywellman315]

You rock!

[@belescli]

So happy to see them!!! I loved them when growing up.

[@acercade439]

Mis preferidos de habla inglés. Dos minutos una canción de Diciembre? Michael Stipe Mike Mill ❤️

[@greyroom6730]

Finally....an insightful and informed host.... I loved the lyrics questions....great interview...

[@brianwalendy3735]

More accurately than "broke up", they retired the band.

[@Alan-gi2ku]

Agreed

[@3ld919]

Monster is an under rated Gem and was a return to the brilliance of their early offerings.

[@chromiumveins]

Great interview! Stipes explains some of his songs, including his references to Jesus, Central America, and Bob Marley.

[@RobRVA]

I got to go to Athens Georgia and see the Murmur railroad trestle (among other sites) last summer, it was wonderful.

[@danielostblom5250]

Fantastic band with tons of great music, and this very underrated album stands atop the pile for me! I just think Monster is absolutely phenomenal to me. The artwork is phenomenal and the music is phenomenal. There's not a weak track among them all, and it just flows so fantastically fine. People try to pin R.E.M. with trying to copy grunge on this album, and while there may be smatterings of inspiration from that particular sound, there's just as much inspiration from 60's rock and 70's glam rock and everything in between. It's a meltingpot of music, and the amazing sound that resonates throughout this album just molds everything into something that's completely unique yet completely R.E.M. as well.

[@3ld919]

REM's the type of band you were so proud to "own" before they broke big, but continued to admire despite an occasional "Shiny happy people" clunker.

[@cmulder002]

As a song by itself "shiny happy people" is nice and fun. just because it isn't a "typical" REM song does not make it bad.

[@3ld919]

@ Truth be told, I kinda liked it as well, but prefer "Stand" as their flat out, unashamed pop offering.

[@suesjoy]

I played Murmer on college radio when it first came out! They were the pioneers of “college radio.”

[@mitchkent68]

What a great interview!

[@averageamerican1983]

Bravo Ari....and thank you.

[@misterjag]

Here's a truck stop instead of Saint Peter's yeah yeah yeah yeah

[@blkcatzette]

Man on the moon.

[@gman5794]

wrong album

[@andrewmastin4312]

Hah hah, Mike Mills said you can always tell when an REM fan was in their first year in college, because the record they like the most is the one that came out that year. I was a freshman in 1983, when the “Chronic Town” EP and then “Murmur” came out. I do love “Murmur,” and so many of their others, but my favorite is “Life’s Rich Pageant.”

[@greggbelt4470]

Not your average bear, ages of you , airport man, and strange currencies are favorites. Greatly appreciate most all time periods of saint R.E.M

[@suesjoy]

And that was their least favorite album! I love that one, too. I think Driver 8 is my favorite REM song.

[@greggbelt4470]

@@suesjoy curious cause I don't know, which one was their least favorite album?

[@burstthroughtheconcrete]

I was lucky enough to grow up with several R.E.M. albums, singles, and MTV's "120 Minutes" from back in the day. All of that shaped who I am today. I became a more open minded and explorative individual because of R.E.M., thank you for helping remind people of just how special they are.

[@kerrymcintosh4979]

I'm Canadian. They are so Tragically Hip.

[@davedavid427]

Mike took note on his twitter when Gord went public that was sick - the same or next day. He also retweeted when I shared the final concert with him. So Millsey is definitely a fan.

[@gkarjala]

They opened rock music up, then rock died.Via computer age. i loved R.E.M., still do. Monster wasn't their best but i had bought it, it was good." Let Me In" prolly my fave

[@stifledvoice]

Still upset with myself that I missed their 1984 concert at my school. I was uptight and a too-serious student way back then. Love these guys.

[@andrewmastin4312]

Stifled Voice, when I was a freshman at Harvard in 1983, one of my roommates was from Athens and helped bring them to campus to play before Murmur even came out. I got to meet them and became a lifelong fan. Lots of folks could share your feeling, though, because the audience for their concert was very small - most students hadn’t heard of them and didn’t come to see them play.

[@krislvzep]

Lol Kanye West has a new rap gospel album coming out I’m so sorry... lol too funny

[@doctorthirteen5727]

I'm waiting for his fans to say it's a parody.

[@Tamar-sz8ox]

Love you guys ❤️ Last week I heard “ Don’t go back to Rockville “ and “ you can’t get there from here “ , I’m 51 yrs old , my daughter is 20 years old and likes REM - that says a lot

[@verystablegenius9317]

life is bigger than you and you are not me

[@JackKnight762]

Mills's subtle comment about the host being 20 years behind the times in his bogus affect is great... Gee, how come the host ain't quoting "The undermining Social Democratic downhill slide into abysmal..."

[@lesliepfeifer8518]

Love REM!- Great interview Ari!!

[@dynjarren7523]

Dan RatherNot!

[@JussiTuukkanen]

Thank you for sharing Ari and M & M of R.E.M

[@carolcooks1208]

Great interview

[@carvercapitalequitypartner122]

MONSTER

[@sabryt7842]

ART is not only that :) ;)

[@petatownsent]

Sublime

[@dynjarren7523]

I Got News for you All! The Millennials now officially outnumber the Baby Boomers as the biggest generation! The Baby Boomers are dying off rather quickly especially lately. The Rock Icons are All dying off. Lou Reeds gone. Bowie, Prince, Tom Petty, and now Ric Ocasek and Eddie Money and many others! A lot are in their 70s. I’m not going to name them all but you know who they are. The Baby Boomers influence is waning and the Millennials are dominating the culture and changing everything rather rapidly. Get ready for a wild ride, Binky! Because the Times they are a changin! In the words of another Baby Boomer Icon! Dylan. And the first in line will soon be the last, for the Times they are changing! And you don’t what it is? Do you? Mr. Jones?

[@AnonYmous-qw4zu]

Lou reed..🙃🤓. I watch way to much KZbin... 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@Rune-Thorne]

The Rock gods broke the mold when they created these guys, and lord knows they influenced a lifetime of thought in a young man growing up in the same world they inhabited.

[@fast4wood]

REM , was a great band . supernatural superserious , my fav by the band . Unfortunately was their last .

[@tlister67]

Automatic was better

[@delboy20091]

Brilliant

[@StratsRUs]

Ari M with REM

[@andrenewcomb3708]

Specter and the valleys of the dolls. Myra and cj

[@tmford5025]

I love these guys..time to listen to the mid 80s tracks

[@qwehrke2]

So glad I'm on this political train ride as an artist.

[@TheFatblob25]

I feel old. & I love R.E.M. but Monster was bleh. I couldn't help but notice the dozen plus copies they always had at the used Cd/record store. Best part of that record was getting to see Sonic Youth open for them on that tour.

[@erikh448]

It sounds kind of dated now too. Very much of its time.

[@690169016901]

Ari is such a fan boy.

[@johno1405]

VOTE Blue!!

[@andrenewcomb3708]

In those days having a little oil (olive, palm, myrrh, whatever) was a luxury . . . to have a light at night to psychologically ward off the cold and uncertainties.

[@andrenewcomb3708]

Sort of like a pilot light . . . a Pilate light . . . many, many people haven't a clue on how to relate.

[@carljcreighton]

@@andrenewcomb3708 it's so true light sucks

[@guybeauregard]

Lovely!

[@KM-zw9qb]

the guy who attacked dan rather actually murdered someone later on

[@Arizona_Bay_Real_Estate]

"Corporate greed is bad. Please by our repackaged album, again."

[@suesjoy]

I wonder why Pete Buck isn’t doing interviews?

[@KM-zw9qb]

he doesn't like doing promotional stuff. on the other hand, i'm surprised stipe and mills are doing so many interviews

[@dynjarren7523]

Sue DeSimone His playing does all the talking!

[@gman5794]

Acclaimed? It sucked.

[@cherrypickingdiaries]

Let's have a listen to your albums muppet?? Sucks like ur mom

[@gman5794]

@@cherrypickingdiaries Sucks more like your Dad

[@shelteredshaman5992]

25 years.....jfc

[@zencat999]

you keep your ouwn council and echew all of the standard "industry" polls, surveys etc.... stay in the garage.

[@thomassperduti4500]

YUCK!

[@IxDRINKxGASOLINExxx]

I've never been this early to a video

[@covers_girl]

Me neither, but I was looking for this one