Minor news thread

R.E.M. (1980-2011)
#1

Starting this thread with Mike Mills’ book recommendations.

The content is found on the website of WUGA which broadcasts from the University of Georgia’s campus, where Mike Mills recommends a couple of books he’s currently reading. ”Like many readers, I read more than one book at a time”.

The first one is Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorised!) Biography of Golf’s Most Colourful Superstar by Alan Shipnuck, while the second is David Corn’s American Psychosis: A Historical Investigation of How the Republican Party Went Crazy.

Speaking of the latter book, he describes it as “a fascinating read”.

“I’ve known David for many years, he has a lot of knowledge about how politics works (…) when we get together he wants to talk rock n’ roll and I want to talk about politics”.

“I wish more people would be involved in politics because it affects everyone of us”, added Mr. Mills.

millswuga

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#2

San Francisco singer-songwriter Matt Nathanson in a conversation with Ed Condran of Spokane-based The Spokesman Review, briefly discusses R.E.M.’s songwriting:

“(REM vocalist) Michael Stipe almost never used the word ‘love’ in a song,” Nathanson said. “Yes, he used it in ‘The One I Love,’ which is one of the darkest love songs ever, but aside from that, he didn’t use the word ‘love’ in R.E.M. songs. A producer once told me that he suggested that Stipe use the word ‘love’ in a particular R.E.M. song since it fit perfectly but Stipe declined.”

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/sep/29/matt-nathanson-left-his-accent-in-boston/

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#3

Thanks for that link. I used to listen to Matt N. a lot between around 2001-2008 or so. Dropped out of listening to him around then but I did just a few weeks ago end up kind of randomly listening to his new Boston Accent album and liked it. Good interview and nice random R.E.M. comment. (I remember back when I would see Matt in concert a lot in the early 00s he would sometimes throw in a few lines of “We Live As We Dream, Alone”, like Stipe used to do.)