Happy birthday to Michael! What an enormous creative influence you've been on my life. In high school I made a T shirt which was either an homage to Michael Stipe or perhaps an outright imitation: I used Sharpie to write "COURAGE" but made the "RAGE" part in red marker. Wish I still had the shirt!
I want to see that shirt!! When I was in college and had just met Michael, I wrote a Bukowski quote on a paper lunch bag and mailed it to him. He used it to bring his lunch to the studio in Athens. It sounds like you and I were both deep and rebellious thinkers and included Michael in our statement-making "art". I love that
Happiest of birthdays to the brilliant Michael Stipe!
I first saw REM in college (a band named Pylon opened for them) and remember dancing in the aisle next to our nosebleed seats. Since then, their music has been an emotional touchstone for so many moments throughout my life. I still go to them when I need to feel the BIG FEELS—they unlock me in an instant.
It's a gift to grow older with REM as a soundtrack. Thank you!
Thank you so much for writing that. I saw pylon many many times too. If you remember the city and the year, I will know if I was at that concert with you. And I still play R.E.M. for that instant unlocking too. I think Michael may have been initially surprised by it but E Bow The letter is the one that gets me the most. I listen to it on repeat when I need it.
1989, Senior Year in HS, Pan American Stadium at New Mexico State University! Strange Currencies always does it for me. Fall on Me and Country Feedback on high rotation, too, depending on the level of fuckery I'm contending with.
Oh yes, those are such good choices! And I was not at that show because I was stuck in New York editing Sassy but I probably saw them when they came to the east coast and I am so glad you were there. Thanks for the details!
Thank you so much for your words and voice. I was 12 in 1985 when I turned on MTV and was introduced to R.E.M. through “Can’t Get There From Here” and became a fan. I edited my senior high school yearbook listening to “Out of Time.” I could go on, memories and learnings from each album. Brilliant moments at shows. Your work continues to touch my life in wonderful ways.
A toast and love from Belleville, IL, south of Collinsville!
What a gorgeous message, thank you! This is bringing me back to that time when REM was right at that phase you describe and how beautifully shocking it was how mainstream successful they were becoming.
Oh, I almost mentioned this to you last week—I came across a post in an Illinois music FB group, complaining about all the awesome musicians who haven’t been nominated to the IL Music Hall of Fame. Michael was high on the list. I live about 10 minutes from Collinsville on the Illinois side of St. Louis. While his time here was short and early, we’re still proud to claim him as one of our own.
I can’t even begin to imagine how exciting and surreal that was! I remember the weekend “It’s the End of the World …” premiered, mainly because I went back to school on Monday and all of a sudden there were other R.E.M. fans! I felt very protective of them, hoping that they weren’t going to be treated as a one-song novelty. Obviously, I didn’t need to worry. 😊
A few years ago I made friends with a guy from Mississippi who’s a huge fan. I’ve loved getting his perspective on their impact on him as a young man in the Deep South. The weekend we met, Peter Buck might have run away from him. 😹 or maybe it was Mike. I can’t remember for sure. We were talking about Michael’s birthday yesterday, sending videos back and forth. A lovely little celebration.
Happy belated birthday Michael. “A simple prop to occupy my time” has played in my head for 30 years and I have zero complaints. I love the love Jane and you so abundantly share with one another.
Happy Birthday, Michael! I've loved R.E.M. since high school, and I can't thank you enough for your words and music! Remember the flexi-disc single you included in Sassy, Jane? That was beyond cool and I thank you, too! 😎💖🎵
I definitely remember the flexi disc! Michael and the band had given us the recording of their cover of that Syd Barrett song and then I insisted that Michael record himself saying happy holidays to the sassy readers on it too so that it would be something extra special and exclusive just for Sassy readers. We talked about how he shouldn't say merry Christmas, but should make it more wide ranging. Thanks for bringing back all
Michael, when I learned that we shared a birthday, my tiny teenaged brain exploded in the most delightful way. Happy birthmonth to us!
At 12, "Stand" was my gateway drug to an REM obsession, and "You Are the Everything" nudged me away from the top 40 to a more refined appreciation of music (a more pretentious one, as well!) that got me my first boyfriend a year later.
Fun fact: on a secret mall date, said boyfriend borrowed $20 from me to buy Tour Film, which we watched at Catholic youth group. Which I suppose would be weirder if we didn't grow up in Georgia.
At 49, my obsession is now a deep appreciation for the music that raised me and the fact that the folks behind it seem like genuinely good humans. So thank you for that.
Thank you for that beautiful heartfelt note. I love that you say Stand was your gateway drug. I remember them recording that like it was yesterday and it was such a ton of fun to hear again and again. Happy belated birthday to you too!
Oh lord, and the fact that YOU were friends with him and wrote about the Shiny Happy People video shoot just made me want to be you even more than I already did.
My bestie from that era gave me a copy of the Sassy with REM lyrics (Losing my Religion, I think) during the pandemic, and I love it so much. Sassy played a huge role in my music education, telling me I'd like Toad the Wet Sprocket (which I did and still do) and using Velvet Underground quotes in a fashion spread.
I think you even got me reading Willa Cather thanks to a prairie dress feature. God, that magazine was everything. Thank you for it.
Wow thank you for recognizing and remembering and being influenced by all of those things! That's all I ever ever could've hoped for in my work. Let's keep it all going! Thank you again.
Late to the party, but I went to college in Athens from 1993-1996. Monster was released during that time and everyone in the country was listening to it -- I loved living in a funky little town where Michael Stipe could -and did- walk around downtown IN A CLOWN WIG and no one bothered him. Happy birthday month, Michael!
Happy birthday to Michael! What an enormous creative influence you've been on my life. In high school I made a T shirt which was either an homage to Michael Stipe or perhaps an outright imitation: I used Sharpie to write "COURAGE" but made the "RAGE" part in red marker. Wish I still had the shirt!
I want to see that shirt!! When I was in college and had just met Michael, I wrote a Bukowski quote on a paper lunch bag and mailed it to him. He used it to bring his lunch to the studio in Athens. It sounds like you and I were both deep and rebellious thinkers and included Michael in our statement-making "art". I love that
Happy birthday, Michael! Love your music. 🥳🎶
Happy Birthday Michael. Your work has meant so much to me. Thank you!
Happiest of birthdays to the brilliant Michael Stipe!
I first saw REM in college (a band named Pylon opened for them) and remember dancing in the aisle next to our nosebleed seats. Since then, their music has been an emotional touchstone for so many moments throughout my life. I still go to them when I need to feel the BIG FEELS—they unlock me in an instant.
It's a gift to grow older with REM as a soundtrack. Thank you!
What a beautiful tribute!!
Thank you so much for writing that. I saw pylon many many times too. If you remember the city and the year, I will know if I was at that concert with you. And I still play R.E.M. for that instant unlocking too. I think Michael may have been initially surprised by it but E Bow The letter is the one that gets me the most. I listen to it on repeat when I need it.
Being a huge Patti Smith fan from waaaay back, I love “E Bow the Letter”! Pure magic.
1989, Senior Year in HS, Pan American Stadium at New Mexico State University! Strange Currencies always does it for me. Fall on Me and Country Feedback on high rotation, too, depending on the level of fuckery I'm contending with.
Oh yes, those are such good choices! And I was not at that show because I was stuck in New York editing Sassy but I probably saw them when they came to the east coast and I am so glad you were there. Thanks for the details!
Happy birthday to Michael!
Thank you so much for your words and voice. I was 12 in 1985 when I turned on MTV and was introduced to R.E.M. through “Can’t Get There From Here” and became a fan. I edited my senior high school yearbook listening to “Out of Time.” I could go on, memories and learnings from each album. Brilliant moments at shows. Your work continues to touch my life in wonderful ways.
A toast and love from Belleville, IL, south of Collinsville!
What a gorgeous message, thank you! This is bringing me back to that time when REM was right at that phase you describe and how beautifully shocking it was how mainstream successful they were becoming.
Oh, I almost mentioned this to you last week—I came across a post in an Illinois music FB group, complaining about all the awesome musicians who haven’t been nominated to the IL Music Hall of Fame. Michael was high on the list. I live about 10 minutes from Collinsville on the Illinois side of St. Louis. While his time here was short and early, we’re still proud to claim him as one of our own.
I can’t even begin to imagine how exciting and surreal that was! I remember the weekend “It’s the End of the World …” premiered, mainly because I went back to school on Monday and all of a sudden there were other R.E.M. fans! I felt very protective of them, hoping that they weren’t going to be treated as a one-song novelty. Obviously, I didn’t need to worry. 😊
A few years ago I made friends with a guy from Mississippi who’s a huge fan. I’ve loved getting his perspective on their impact on him as a young man in the Deep South. The weekend we met, Peter Buck might have run away from him. 😹 or maybe it was Mike. I can’t remember for sure. We were talking about Michael’s birthday yesterday, sending videos back and forth. A lovely little celebration.
Happy birthday! Your voice is one of my favorite things ever!
Happy belated birthday Michael. “A simple prop to occupy my time” has played in my head for 30 years and I have zero complaints. I love the love Jane and you so abundantly share with one another.
❤️❤️
Happy Birthday, Michael! I've loved R.E.M. since high school, and I can't thank you enough for your words and music! Remember the flexi-disc single you included in Sassy, Jane? That was beyond cool and I thank you, too! 😎💖🎵
I definitely remember the flexi disc! Michael and the band had given us the recording of their cover of that Syd Barrett song and then I insisted that Michael record himself saying happy holidays to the sassy readers on it too so that it would be something extra special and exclusive just for Sassy readers. We talked about how he shouldn't say merry Christmas, but should make it more wide ranging. Thanks for bringing back all
the memories!!
🤗
Michael, when I learned that we shared a birthday, my tiny teenaged brain exploded in the most delightful way. Happy birthmonth to us!
At 12, "Stand" was my gateway drug to an REM obsession, and "You Are the Everything" nudged me away from the top 40 to a more refined appreciation of music (a more pretentious one, as well!) that got me my first boyfriend a year later.
Fun fact: on a secret mall date, said boyfriend borrowed $20 from me to buy Tour Film, which we watched at Catholic youth group. Which I suppose would be weirder if we didn't grow up in Georgia.
At 49, my obsession is now a deep appreciation for the music that raised me and the fact that the folks behind it seem like genuinely good humans. So thank you for that.
Thank you for that beautiful heartfelt note. I love that you say Stand was your gateway drug. I remember them recording that like it was yesterday and it was such a ton of fun to hear again and again. Happy belated birthday to you too!
Oh lord, and the fact that YOU were friends with him and wrote about the Shiny Happy People video shoot just made me want to be you even more than I already did.
My bestie from that era gave me a copy of the Sassy with REM lyrics (Losing my Religion, I think) during the pandemic, and I love it so much. Sassy played a huge role in my music education, telling me I'd like Toad the Wet Sprocket (which I did and still do) and using Velvet Underground quotes in a fashion spread.
I think you even got me reading Willa Cather thanks to a prairie dress feature. God, that magazine was everything. Thank you for it.
Wow thank you for recognizing and remembering and being influenced by all of those things! That's all I ever ever could've hoped for in my work. Let's keep it all going! Thank you again.
Late to the party, but I went to college in Athens from 1993-1996. Monster was released during that time and everyone in the country was listening to it -- I loved living in a funky little town where Michael Stipe could -and did- walk around downtown IN A CLOWN WIG and no one bothered him. Happy birthday month, Michael!