monkinetic the blog

Michael Stipe is selling recordings and videos of his new track, Drive to the Ocean, with much of the proceeds going to Pathway to Paris:

> Pathway to Paris brings together musicians, artists, activists, academics, mayors, and innovators to help raise consciousness surrounding the urgency of climate action and offers solutions to turning the Paris Agreement into action.

Purchased - and would have even if Micheal was putting all the proceeds in his lovely pocket - but I’m really glad to support Pathway to Paris as well.

Michael Stipe, who just celebrated his 60th birthday, is making music again, and it’s really good music.

Hearing this makes me happy and sad. I can hear echoes in this song of some of R.E.M.’s work on Up and Reveal, which were departures from their previous work and were generally disliked by fans (myself included at the time). Listening now I feel like this was a direction Michael wanted to go a long time, but fans weren’t ready for it. I’m really glad he’s getting to make his own music now.