Celebrating their upcoming induction into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame, the collective founding members of R.E.M. sat down for a joint interview for the first time since the ‘90s. In what is their first public reunion since drummer Bill Berry departed in the late 90s, R.E.M.’s founders, singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and Berry spoke with CBS Mornings about their legacy in a surprising sprawling interview, considering how short it is. Unfortunately, while the first of CBS’ two-part interview shows the band getting along for the first time since their 2011 breakup, Athens’ favorite sons were quite clear on something else: Don’t lose your religion waiting for a reunion. It ain’t happening.
The band’s current attitude is a long time coming. The interview spans their whole career in about eight minutes, taking us from their practice space, which still houses their gear, to Berry’s life-threatening brain aneurysm that he had on stage in 1995 which led to his departure from the group. By 2011, Buck says R.E.M. “could barely agree on where to go to dinner,” let alone “what kind of music” to write, “where to record it,” and whether or not to tour. Now, “we could just agree on where to go to dinner.”
Stipe adds, “We’re also here to tell the tale, and we’re sitting at the same table together with deep admiration and lifelong friendship. A lot of people who do this can’t.” Why are other groups unable to come to the table? “Ego and lawyers,” Berry offers. He might be right, but Buck also offers another reason: they broke up at the right time. “Great tour, great album, go home.”
But the breakup was much harder on the member who dipped prematurely. Berry, who left the group following his brain aneurysm, broke down in tears, explaining that “of course” he had second thoughts about leaving. In one of the interview’s most touching moments, Berry says, “It was a weird time for me, and I made it weird for these guys.” To which Mills responds, “It wasn’t weird. We respected your decision 100%.”
“Yeah, ‘cause we’re all sitting here friends again,” Berry says.
The interview is emblematic of the profound respect and love these guys have for each other. Still, that’s not enough to get them back on stage. Mills says it would take “a comet” to get them to make music again. Why? Peter Buck has a simple answer: “It would never be as good.”