R.E.M. - „We Broke Up Wth The Right Time…“ 

Unlike many interviewers, this guy is actually competent and asks questions that he obviously has researched on his own. We need more journalists like this.

Looking back, I think their music has stood up well over the years. There is certainly no shame in walking away when you recognize it's time; I think it demonstrates a personal degree of integrity for your band and fans. Nothing is forever but they left their mark with some great music; what more can you ask for when it's all said and done?

I love "old REM" but I still believe "Shiny Happy People' is an awesome song. XOXO 1973

In Feb 1982 on a very cold night I was coerced into going to see an unknown band at the time, called REM. They were playing above a strip club near the Birmingham bus station (UK) they could only play stuff from the 1st album, I was instantly impressed by them, MS was wearing a baggy grey suit and long curly hair!! There was only 200 people there ti see this incredible gig!!

Bill, Peter, Mike and Michael have left the world a much better place than they found it. We should all be so lucky!

Broke up at the right time indeed. It's nice to see that they had the wisdom to call it a day while a) people still wanted more rather than wishing they'd go away and b) they could still stand each other.

They were so done creatively. Right move. Great band.

Loved and adored forever...

:" Find the river/; is truly a beautiful song

Life’s rich pageant. What an album.

Will never forget REM with Nelson Mandela in Trafalgar Square. It was historic. Thank you REM for consistently making music for thinking people.

michael stipe just blows my mind. i still look at REM's videos with the same wonderment and awe i felt the first time. even now i can cry thinking about how much their lyrics live in my head, still at 61. watching michael stipe dancing is one of the great joys of life on earth.

I've been an R.E.M fan since about 1988. Few musicians can match the diversity of music styles that seemed to flow effortlessly from them. Hard to pick a favourite song, but for lyrics, it is "World Leader Pretend"

A band that did so much with so little. Honest, heart felt songwriting and a voice with a nuance to die for. R.E.M I salute you. And because of you, I have not lost my religion.💪

Losing My Religion set me down an amazing musical path at a very young age. I regret nothing

Never really got into r.e.m. in the past but now im a bit older i find myself very much liking and appreciating the quality of their work...some great songs that i overlooked

Great contribution from these guys...

Im 64 yrs old and love R E M

REM wrote a lot of great tracks. I believe the Automatic For The People album is a genuine classic. It's just an incredible album that just flows and is definitely 1 of my favourite albums.

The song half a world a way saved my life. thank you R.E.M

They both seem like such well thought out individuals. Ive loved their music since I was a kid, and the way they make politics not seem about left or right, but about right and wrong is so refreshing. Love this band.

still miss them a lot, wish them well

This band. The way they'd conducted and curated their catalogue. They were always within reason; they were always on point. They were clear in their mission statements and always delivered. I miss them so much but the way they've splintered off has also been such a joy to watch. Peter never wanted to sing but he finally did. Bill went off to live and comes back occasionally to enjoy the memories, Mike continues to show up and support great bands and Michael is doing the same thing as well with art and music. These four dudes have showed up kind of exactly the way we wanted them to and have done it in a way that has brought so much joy to their fans. It's an absolute joy to know they're all still doing what they've wanted to do and what we've hoped they'd do. If they can't be together, we still get pieces, and those pieces are priceless. I love every piece I get, personally.

Totally impressed by these guys. Class acts with an amazing repertoire. What a contribution they've made.

I have been a fan since I saw them on Letterman. I’ve never believed in their politics, but I understand it. From a retired Army vet, conservative non-musician school administrator I say R.E.M. is one of the greatest bands ever.

Thank you for letting them talk.

I miss the loud and clear messages of the past. I feel so lost in this world now that I'm older.

Would love to see these guys one more time 🇮🇪

R.E.M. was a brilliant band in so many ways. Musicianship, songwriting, great videos, and just their vibe, of making people think. Automatic For The People is my favourite album of theirs. So many soulful, heartbreaking songs. They also knew when to leave the party, before the music dwindled.

Leaving New York is one of my favourites

30 years of this amazing album

One great artist and band real down to earth group

Stipe is amazing.

Holy Crap! R.E.M. were Pioneer’s of a cool band & I remember as a kid they dropped “It’s the End of the World as we Know it!” On a MTV video the kid in an abandoned house had a Vision “Jinx” Skateboard in the early 80’s on MTV. I still am a skateboarder/collector at 50 now. I hated “Shiny Happy People” too, WTF? My Favorite of their songs was “Whats Your Frequency , Kenneth?” was the best! That guitar sound killed on that song! I still blast it today when I hear it on sat radio or otherwise. We were worlds apart in our politics and lifestyles which made me drop them like a rock, sadly! JUST simply Play “OUR” / “YOUR” music and “keep your ideas to yourself” in music! (You can still have your own lifestyle and political belief’s just keep them to one’s self), So it doesn’t mess with business, fans, money, & income. Same problem in Hollywood now! Our is World is so split on left/right we will NEVER meet in the middle ; same reason our For father’s had the Mason Dixon Line across the U.S.! There were reason’s for All these things they set in place and “WE” messed it up! Just one’s opinion.#DirtyWhiteBoy#DirtySouth#R.E.M.#memories

Shiny happy people was excellent thank you! Kate made it more than just a song.

REM's music made me a better person

wonderful music.

The year is 1982, in a tiny, converted gay bar in Indianapolis, seating about 150 people. Opening act: Replacements (still the loudest set I have ever heard). Sitting in the back of the bar, I am aware of the presence of a guy next to me. I turn and say, "Loud as fuck, huh?" He replies, "Yeah, isn't it great?" We shout introductions over Westerberg, intros that are easy because we both have the same first name. We talk for 10 minutes or so. The Mats end their set, and my companion turns and says, "Welp, time to go to work."

REM was always a band that i liked, but certainly not one of my personal favorites. Having said that, I feel a tremendous respect for them, for having parted ways in the way they did, in an adult and peaceful manner

happy 57th birthday michael stipe !!!

One thing I have learned is that "Automatic for the people" is a timeless piece of artwork! I listened to it hard in the 90's and listen to it hard now 2021. I would be a fool to throw out their music just because we may not fully agree on politics! Thank you R.E.M. for your hard work and pouring out all you were into your music, it has been food for my soul.

I just listened to the Chronic Town EP what a phenomenal start to a great band

Great interview! Thanks for sharing!

Wow! These two really impressed me. Brilliant!

Loved their music, all of it😊

That was a great interview. Good questions and the interviewer didn't interrupt them. Nice!

Some very intelligent and articulate people - decent guys and brilliant musicians❤

God I miss REM 😢💙💙💙

as a 12 year old listening to 'Automatic for the People' back in the 90's, I didn't give a shit about Politics, still don't care. I just know I love their music and songs like 'Nightswimming' are timeless classics.

I remember watching “Fall On Me,” on MTV. I was so taken by their sound.

I agree Michael: totally did it the right way. Mission accomplished!

they were so freakin talented

A brilliant group of musicians which recognized its natural lifecycle, which makes their work all the more luminescent and ultimately, timeless.

The one song they did that really made an impression on me was "Fall on Me'. Very inspiring and i remember that time and where i was in my life and when i heard that song I was like "yeah that's how i feel."

A great interview!

Great band, with brilliant albums, although the last couple showed signs that maybe they were past their peak, caught them twice live as well and they were terrific

Mike Mills was way more than just a Bassist.

What a great beard. ..mine was almost on par with that until last night. .I chopped most of it off and kept a small goatee. ..REM one of the best ever bands to create music. .miss them a lot. .Michael is a great front man with a wonderful voice

Hats off!

I love you guys ❤️ incredible, unbelieable, unique, seen you for about 5 times And want more 🙏🔥🥰

They were truly outstanding.. But I've never seen them live.. I've only a couple of albums but they were everywhere... A 'Monster' band and hopefully they'll reunite...

WÓWWWW... ÁWESOME....THÁNK YOU for sharing....!!!!!!!!!!!

I liked this interview more than I thought I would. The last part.. about not being censored.. that was epic! I wonder if Mike sees the horror of the hypocrisy that his party is thugging it's way forward with?

If only more discussions and debates could be conducted with this balanced, quiet, thoughtful approach we could advance from where we are now

Utterly sympathetic human beings who seem to have no primadonna attitude whatsoever. I had the privilege to experience R.E.M. live once - it remains one of the Top 5 gigs I have ever witnessed. The sheer joy of being on stage that they radiated was simply mesmerising. It made me turn from ‘just liking them’ to be a fan.

Such a huge part of my life

I miss REM, though. I just listened to Murmur and got nostalgic about my youth, and how wonderful it was to have REM with me through all my adventures. Remember the feeling when you first heard " this one goes out to the one I love"?

Great stuff !

You found a way to break my heart.

I don't remember how but I got a copy of out of time a couple of days before it came out and listening to it with a couple of friends and neighbors was really a one-of-a-kind listening experience because it was so unique. I didn't personally like every song on there but it was a really good album.

Bunch a nice guys that made nice music 🎶🎵

Good to see them so happily seperated

I would love to see them live again...Hope one day it happens....for now...Genesis Dec 5th ....MSG...NYC..

If R.E.M send a song to space to remember R.E.M. it better be man on the moon.

I feel old now. Dammit.

Metal in his nose. Splendid.

Me encanta el vídeo 😍

Love REM. Have done for years.

My favorite REM song is “Don’t Go Back to Rockville,” which happens to be where I reside.

For me losing ones religion can mean having little faith in establishment verses more faith in personal spirituality. I perform this song at karaoke when ever I can. One of my favorites of REM.

I respect them for realising it was over. U2 please take note!

Country feedback is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard in my life and I've heard a LOT of music

Was a huge REM fan and happy to see they retired with class, the guys from Queen, INXS and so on could take a leaf out of their book...

So glad to hear they hated Shiny Happy People - that song (and most of that album) broke my faith w REM.

My 5 year old loves Shiny Happy People!

Shiny Happy People is a awesome song.

The great Michael Stipe.

I think a lot of bands hang around way past their best-before date... REM arguably did too but their last 2 records were a bit of a resurgence, and it's good to see them bow out on a high note leaving the audience wanting more rather than being a shadow of themselves.

I love these two plus Peter.... them 3 men are R.E.M

I was captivated by Fables Of The Reconstruction

I loveeee shiny happy people

Automatic for the people, their most important and best album imo. However Losing my religion was amazing and deserves its place in the best songs of the 20th century.

Out of time is still my favorite…..an amazing album….

I just timewarped. I'm 14 years old again. My first rem tape was eponymous. ... I'll be somewhere in time with Christopher Reeves looking for that beautiful woman in the hotel...

Because it's a great song, I'm glad Stipe thought the expression "losing my religion" was common enough to work as a song title. But I grew up around old people in the American south near his home state of Georgia, and I've never heard it once.

Stand was my first fav

Not a fan of their music much but a huge fan of them as people and their politics, and how they kept their integrity while forging their music career; they did it the hard way and were not swayed by those who offered fame and fortune in exchange for their principles.

The change in the air in 91 was everything getting worse. But the music was never better.

Their importance will always be important.

Shiney Happy People was one of my favorites :(