REM - Interview Athens, GA 1988

REM - Interview Athens, GA 1988

[@Tommy-wf9kr]

If they considered R.E.M. a local landmark in 1988, imagine how they felt about the band in 1992!

[@tommyhaynes521]

Michael is really thoughtful and articulate , they all do a good interview

[@Frequency95]

the guy who left his land to a tree is a legend

[@paullagasse5504]

I'm here because of the tree

[@lordsalisbury1]

Michael got a LOT better at being a frontman in the 90s. I think often that seeming 'awkward' (or even 'an asshole') is just chronic shyness. Thom Yorke has the same problem, just because he's not running around hugging people, grinning, schmoozing everyone, doesn't necessarily mean he's a dick.

[@camlisa100]

It's hard to look directly at Michael, he's so beautiful. Like a solar eclipse.

[@lewisc215]

Bi

[@tik-takk]

yes, and he never played the sexy roll, thanks god... he was (still is) a real beautiful man

[@liv0003]

@@tik-takk and gay. Nothing wrong about that obviously

[@lucasoheyze4597]

There's certainly a lot of hot gas coming out of him

[@gremlins7727]

Definitely cool dude. Not sure why his looks matter lol😂

[@mikeday4060]

My right ear enjoyed this

[@justindawson5930]

These guys are LEGENDARY ❤️

[@rbraxley]

I was in Athens on/off from 79-86, and saw the band frequently. Very early on, pre-Murmur, I always had the impression that Stipe was very shy, even on stage, but that was part of who they were. I can remember him on stage at Tyrone's reading from an old Look Magazine from circa 48, or something like that. Clearly he bacame much more comfortable fronting the band as time wore on.

[@jbfrient]

I lived in Athens 80-85, I would see him at Wuxtry on Baxter Ave next to The Flamingo Room, when I was about 9-10 yrs old, I got ice cream there occasionally until Gorins on College Square opened. M. Stipe's affect at his age, became increasingly who I saw his music portray him as, meek and watching, shy and withdrawn, but still suiting up, dammit. Really he succinctly served a slice o`life; Michael stuck where moz sagged, SMH. He served up the zeitgeist that was the imprint on Gen X. He was, and the last time I was back there, he still IS the $hit that killed Elvis. 8^)

[@rbraxley]

@@jbfrient Oh man, you're taking me back. I had completely forgotten the Flamingo Room on Baxter, but I was a regular at Gorin's, so there's a very good chance that you and I were within yards of one another on many occasions. There used to be an old jazz/blues pianist who played there sometimes. I was constantly at Tyrone's and the 40 Watt on Broad, and at the Uptown on the back side of downtown. I used to see Art in the Dark at the Uptown pretty often.

[@OlafProt]

I remember reading about 80s Athens (I grew up in the uk) and how each new Fall student intake at the Uni would get all goofy for a few weeks seeing the band around but then “when they realised they could see their heroes anytime” they got over it. Especially as Peter still did the odd shift at Wuxtry! Peter is so much more relaxed here, fame really sent him to places that weren’t great. Michael is really barely on the cusp here of learning how to talk in interviews interestingly without giving too much of himself. Bill and Mike, hell they’re just Bill and Mike. Twas ever thus😂 Such a special time.

[@OlafProt]

I remember discovering REM in 89 and lamenting the fact that it was JUST too late for that time when they were great, but still hanging around Athens, regular guys.

[@rickyg8462]

Michael is so funny...and he doesn't really try...he's so sweet n charming

[@ishmealmonovani3171]

Peter Buck the human. Subject to all the short comings that life gives us. Not to mention all the phenomenal music and arrangements he gave us, (and hopefully will continue to)...Give me an other red wine..........

[@phototristan]

In retrospect it's a bit surprising they had so much integrity even when they were younger.

[@ebrena1]

[@MrKastaway66]

That Michael Stipe is one "happy go lucky" guy.

[@claudelzanni8446]

He is my favourite singer. He speaks very slowly and his voice is very low. he doesn't speak with american accent.

[@earinsound]

@@claudelzanni8446 it's very American...southern American

[@johnmonachelli5256]

Epic back story on the double barrel cannon

[@CollapseN2murmur]

I don't think Stipe is shy at all. I think he is all too aware of his surroundings. I think the ideas behind his statements are purposely meant to be left of center. Him asking if there is anything in his teeth is a conscious bit of self amusement.

[@tik-takk]

excatly, i agree, totally

[@anacristinasilva3254]

BRASIL I LOVE R.E M THE THE Best

[@jermaineclunis776]

One thing that I find is that many people who comment on videos like these were an artist/group is profiled, and in some way have some connection to Kurt Cobain, is that people always rehash Kurt's suicide. As far as I know, everyone in this video is alive today. As much as I love Kurt, I can't feel sorry for him that much because he was well aware of the life he was living, and whether or not he killed himself, he was aware of his role as a father, a musical artist, and as an adult. We must focus on life.

[@johnnydtractive]

Bill Berry is playing drums in heaven tho

[@RobRVA]

johnnydtractive He (Bill Berry) left the band many years ago after his health issues, but he’s very much alive.

[@johnnydtractive]

@@RobRVA Holy sh*t. I would've gone to my own grave believing Bill Berry died in the late 90's. Wow, well that's great news. I'm off to google him & see what he's been doing since his not-death. cheers!

[@chiragrulze]

Kurt had a hard life, and is very easy to fall into drugs or sin, when the pain is so great. But drugs just make your life and pain worse in the long run. "The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ" - Romans 6:23 "What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" - Mark 8:36-37 Jesus said: "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" - Luke 9:23 "Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee." - Proverbs 4:5-9 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" - Proverbs 9:10

[@iranew8284]

johnnydtractive Bill Berry was very much alive January 17th when he and his son played with Love Tractor at the 40 Watt Club in Athens. 🙂

[@a1950hotrodcat]

Really nice stuff...thanks!

[@robertk2007]

I didnt think it would get any bigger for REM than Green. then, Out of TIme proved me extremely wrong

[@sexobscura]

... hang your hairshirt on the lowest rung

[@RajTamil]

I like the idea of the double barrel cannon. Get rid of the chain, and you got power baby!

[@usebothhandsequally232]

Wow michael stipe is such a legendary legend of legends. Did I mentioned that hes a lengend?

[@NibberKSmooth]

My IQ has increased after watching this.

[@StratsRUs]

The greatest band

[@jamesfields2554]

There was a period from about 86-96 that whenever Stipe was chillin downtown minding his own business, I learned never to aproach him and it was only because of watching other people harassing for autographs, only to get shot down. Really hilarious when your watching from a distance and hearing him scream at some unfourtunate tourist or worst a nosey athenian!It had nothing to do w/him being mean rather when an artists mind is@ a certain level theres not alot of time for disruption, fan or not

[@hamburgerdan101]

Hes a hack and his music is flat and and his fans are too. No reason to be an ass to fans or people because you can.

[@gordonirvine726]

I call bullshit on this

[@preziosestelle7368]

I can only hear in one year

[@privatepenguin3137]

That's a great head of hair that Michael Stipe has in this interview. Mark my words...he will NEVER lose that head of hair!

[@sloburnjo]

👌 Already signs of early onset MPB.

[@genius0173]

Nice video clip. Great songs loosing my religion the flowers of guatemala The one I love, etc.

[@epiclipidofficial7172]

michael stipe has a ponytail too ? WOW dude, i can't look him the same way again 😫

[@sexobscura]

pontytail [retches]

[@danielamondschein]

Digging the decent Casanova hairstyle.

[@dpm12]

Does Michael change his voice when he sings?

[@jeffbrown-hill7739]

Nearly everyone does to some extent.

[@cliffrobertson7967]

That interview is done by Denise Donlon. Much music Vancouver, B.C. Not in Athens , Georgia.

[@catnip213]

@696cerberus yes i have met all of them several times (i live in downtown athens ga)

[@theflorgeormix]

Stipe is a star and hilarious

[@zyxwut321]

You can see he's starting to shed the head hair around the same time he's starting to shed some shyness. Inverse relationship between hair and shyness? ;)

[@ultrakool]

male pattern boldness?

[@lewisc215]

Rubbish

[@CrystalShip8899]

​@@ultrakoolUnderrated comment👍

[@AndrewDunn-zj1jz]

its funny to hear mike and bill tell the double cannonball story in unison

[@MarkKennedyStillKickingtfc]

I love this glimpse of back in the day, both in terms of somewhat early days of R.E.M. and music television. Back before music channels we used to look forward to a weekly show on Toronto television called The New Music. This clip is from that show. That is Denise Donlon interviewing. There was more Lawrence Welk on tv back then than new wave/ alternative bands.

[@derickmiller6875]

I live an hour away from Athens.

[@TheEliteM0NK3Y]

JUNKMAN'S !!! I love that damned store...

[@jaggass]

look at his hair

[@mbuchart2927]

Canadian here. Anyone know who the interviewer is? Her accent sounds Canadian to me.

[@junkstewy6990]

michael's speaking voice kinda reminds me of jim morrison

[@nigelleslie3896]

❤❤

[@spuffchops70]

Stipe looks like he's fallen out of bed from an Egon Schiele painting into this video. He was lazing in bed til noon with his young harpsichord playing muse. And that's a few crumbs of sachetorte in between his teeth.

[@darrinheaton4016]

That's hilarious. He absolutely does look like one of those stylized, overwrought male figures that Schiele loved to paint. Never made the connexion until you mentioned it...but it is uncanny. I wonder if that similarity has anything to do with REM's popularity in Germany...if there's some kind of unconscious teutonic attraction to this type? (I know Schiele was Austrian...but the cultural diff between the two countries is negligible)

[@sonicmoremusic1]

Denise Donlon and The New Music

[@arricammarques1955]

When NM was relevant

[@DCHurlford1]

Nice clip.

[@696cerberus]

@catnip213 do you know him for said that?

[@lisaganser588]

no audio????

[@TheHooks]

Poor Kurt.

[@sexobscura]

and he was a millionaire

[@catnip213]

@Lifevirus4 i met them all several times around town, but it is well known around town that stipe only likes the fans when he is making money..

[@DXP322]

The way Michael Stipe spoke and acted in interviews then is the exact same he does now. It looks like his personality hasn't changed at all. So peculiar.

[@tstieber]

Why would someone's personality change? That would surprise me more.

[@DXP322]

@@tstieber That interview is from like 40 years ago. He hasn't changed in the slightest!

[@TheEliteM0NK3Y]

r.e.m. wrote Green before green was cool.

[@erwinwoodedge4885]

Stipe sounds like Bill Murray

[@DamienSRiley]

Erwin Woodedge Also sounds like Campbell Scott

[@Rachelmariaaa]

How cool! Do I have any food on my teeth! Haha

[@krisscanlon4051]

Hair loss makes no sense...dude had so much hair...so did I too lol MS and REM cool

[@sinewave779]

@Lifevirus4 would u mind linking us to that page where he replies? thank you.

[@itsneverbeenlike1]

@oldTOtaper If you read biographies, you read that Michael Stipe in that period was struggling with life as "a star". I can totally understand that. Later on, it seems that he have found a way to handle with that. Fortunately! (remember Kurt Cobain)

[@briteness]

I wonder if the tree that owns itself is still there.

[@LeeB9999]

Interesting.

[@swampscrapper]

I just don't understand the mentality of, "On our new album, we discarded the music that got us here and instead kept the music that sounded like crap because it was different." Green was the beginning of the end for me, its no surprise. You guys weren't exactly the Rolling Stones by 1988, why did you feel you had to get away from a good thing? I would have been fine with a few more Reckonings or even Documents.

[@muggymug]

They should have refused to do videos. There music is better without them.

[@acercade439]

🙂😔

[@bernlin2000]

@lordsalisbury1 Super sensitive, nearly autistic really: they both certainly have that mentality (York and Stipe)

[@thugvida]

I’ve been in GA my whole life. Only been in Athens twice. It’s a college town

[@reptileita]

3:14 guybrush threepwood

[@imapisces1]

That woman interviewer's hair! Omg. 🤮

[@jehouse]

JMS totally has spinach in his teeth.

[@0219brixton]

Bad.

[@billyjoechoctaw1706]

Oh how does Michael carry all that weight of being in an alternative rock band. Good gawwwd man I can't even listen to them anymore. I try like once a year or five and I just can't handle that pretentious drip he drowns the music with. Yep.

[@robertbruce1307]

BillyJoe Choctaw ive always loved their music but hated when they opened their mouths and gave these pretentious interviews. Dont get me wrong, they can say what they want, but Michael especially always came across as a miserable little shit always blaming society on everything. A real yawn

[@phoenixzappa7366]

To be fair to the rest of the band it was just stipe who was a pretentious pretender

[@preziosestelle7368]

Michael is not a shit, I actually agree with his views n not kk like you little punks wanna shove down people's throats. He doesn't blame socitey for everything, but I am sure glad he hates that little piece of kk trump.

[@preziosestelle7368]

Actually to be fair, none of the band were pretentious pretenders like you

[@fundies2]

And boy was he ever a pretentious pretender. He tries so hard to sound profound but usually comes off as ungenuine. I like REM but...boy....

[@0219brixton]

Bad...just bad. Not good.

[@mikelowe22]

They only had a handful of decent songs after "Life's Rich Pageant"...."Losing My Religion" was crap!!!!

[@andersortegren3943]

oh, ok, didn't know that thank's for setting me straight 😂😂😂