Michael Stipe

Episode notes

(Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for Songwriters Hall Of Fame)

Michael Stipe is the lead singer of R.E.M., one of the biggest rock bands in the history of the genre. You may also know him from his fun appearances on shows like At Home with Amy Sedaris and The Adventures of Pete and Pete. As a solo artist, Stipe has collaborated with Warren Zevon, Patti Smith, Billy Bragg, KRS-One, and so many others.

R.E.M. has also reunited! Sort of. They were recently inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame where they performed their classic song “Losing My Religion.”

Back when Stipe was last on Bullseye, he’d been recording his own material. We talked to him all about the music he’d been writing, discovering his voice, and the punk rock that inspired him to become a singer in high school. We also get into the song he’s most proud of writing.

This interview originally aired in May 2022.

In this episode...

Jesse Thorn

Host

Kevin Ferguson

Senior Producer

Jesus Ambrosio

Producer

Richard Robey

Maximum Fun Producer

Daniel Huecias

Maximum Fun Production Fellow

Guests

Michael Stipe

About the show

Bullseye is a celebration of the best of arts and culture in public radio form. Host Jesse Thorn sifts the wheat from the chaff to bring you in-depth interviews with the most revered and revolutionary minds in our culture.

Bullseye has been featured in Time, The New York Times, GQ and McSweeney’s, which called it “the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world.” Since April 2013, the show has been distributed by NPR.

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