The complete lineup of R.E.M. delivered their first public performance since 2007 to mark their induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame Thursday night.
The quartet delivered just one song – their signature track “Losing My Religion” – at the Marriott Marquee Hotel, New York, NY, which can be seen below.
While singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck and bassist Mike Mills broke up the band in 2011, drummer Bill Berry left in 1997. He made a handful of guest appearances over the following decade, the last of those being at their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2007.
READ MORE: Peter Buck Wouldn’t Go Back to R.E.M. Level of Success
The band posted two pictures via social media about the experience. The first showed them receiving their award, with the comment: “What a moment at the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Thank you Jason Isbell and so many others over the years.” The second showed the quartet in action, with the brief comment: “Another moment… oh life.”
As Consequence reported, it’s possible that the performance was a last-minute decision. Asked in a CBS interview earlier that day whether a reunion was possible, Mills said only “a comet” could make it happen. Asked why it wasn’t on the cards, Buck replied: “It would never be as good.”
Why R.E.M.’s ‘Losing My Relgioin’ is Like a Bumble Bee
In the same interview, Buck looked back on how he’d come up with the riff for “Losing My Religion,” which became the band’s biggest hit when it reached No. 4 in 1991. “We were just messing about with a mandolin,” he said. “And I still don’t play mandolin!”
Stipe said he had “no idea” how he’d come up with the leading lyrics. “I remember originally it was ‘That’s me in the kitchen’ and not ‘in the spotlight,’” he explained. “ I love the song – but I never thought it was going to be a hit.”
Mills added: “It’s like a bumble bee – they shouldn’t be able to fly; and that song should never have been a hit!”
R.E.M. Perform ‘Losing My Religion’
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What a moment at the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Thank you Jason Isbell and so many others over the years.
Posted by R.E.M. on Thursday, June 13, 2024
Another moment… oh life photo: Bertis Downs
Posted by R.E.M. on Thursday, June 13, 2024
