Michael Stipe is finishing up work on his upcoming solo debut, 'FYI'
A tree recording, Daft Punk textures and 'Drunken Sailor' all feature on the record
Former R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe has offered a glimpse into the wide-ranging sonic palette of his long-awaited first solo record, describing a combination of natural recordings, electronic textures and traditional folk music.
Appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Stipe confirmed he was in the final stages of completing the album, telling the host he was "writing the final lyrics" for the project. It has been a lengthy journey for the singer, who has been working on the record for several years following R.E.M.'s amicable split in 2011.
Among the more unusual elements set to feature on the album is a track built around the sound of a tree. "One of the songs is the sound of a tree hearing itself for the first time," Stipe explained. "It's this confusing situation. My friend recorded a tree in my backyard in Georgia and played it back to itself, and so it sounds like Daft Punk, but I'm putting a sea shanty [in the song]."
Pressed by Colbert on which shanty he had chosen, Stipe responded, "It's the most familiar that everyone knows," before launching into 'Drunken Sailor'. As for the tree's opinion on the collaboration, Stipe joked: "The tree has not responded yet. We're gonna let his people get back to my people and see what happens."
Stipe also revealed he had written "a very special lyric" inspired by mishearing the original 'Drunken Sailor', singing: "Tie him to the mast and shave his belly, Tie him to the mast and shave his belly," and: "Duct tape donkey ears, jelly wellies, earl-eye in the morning."
Earlier this year, Stipe addressed the protracted timeline of the project head-on. "Covid didn't help, but I'm finishing it. When the band split, I just needed a break. I took five years but I got pulled back into music. It's been a struggle. That's the main thing. I want it to be great, but I've got the pressure of having been in R.E.M. and it's a high bar, because I want this to be as good as that, and that's near impossible."
Since R.E.M. disbanded, Stipe's recorded output has been sporadic. Solo singles 'Your Capricious Soul' and 'Drive To The Ocean' arrived in 2019 and 2020 respectively, while he collaborated with Aaron Dessner's Big Red Machine on 'No Time For Love Like Now' in 2020. He has also recently teamed up with Andrew Watt, Josh Klinghoffer and Travis Barker on a theme song for the show Rooster.
Relations between the four members of R.E.M. remain warm. Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Bill Berry reunited in summer 2024 for their induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, performing 'Losing My Religion' acoustically together for the first time since the band's 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony.
Appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Stipe confirmed he was in the final stages of completing the album, telling the host he was "writing the final lyrics" for the project. It has been a lengthy journey for the singer, who has been working on the record for several years following R.E.M.'s amicable split in 2011.
Among the more unusual elements set to feature on the album is a track built around the sound of a tree. "One of the songs is the sound of a tree hearing itself for the first time," Stipe explained. "It's this confusing situation. My friend recorded a tree in my backyard in Georgia and played it back to itself, and so it sounds like Daft Punk, but I'm putting a sea shanty [in the song]."
Pressed by Colbert on which shanty he had chosen, Stipe responded, "It's the most familiar that everyone knows," before launching into 'Drunken Sailor'. As for the tree's opinion on the collaboration, Stipe joked: "The tree has not responded yet. We're gonna let his people get back to my people and see what happens."
Stipe also revealed he had written "a very special lyric" inspired by mishearing the original 'Drunken Sailor', singing: "Tie him to the mast and shave his belly, Tie him to the mast and shave his belly," and: "Duct tape donkey ears, jelly wellies, earl-eye in the morning."
Earlier this year, Stipe addressed the protracted timeline of the project head-on. "Covid didn't help, but I'm finishing it. When the band split, I just needed a break. I took five years but I got pulled back into music. It's been a struggle. That's the main thing. I want it to be great, but I've got the pressure of having been in R.E.M. and it's a high bar, because I want this to be as good as that, and that's near impossible."
Since R.E.M. disbanded, Stipe's recorded output has been sporadic. Solo singles 'Your Capricious Soul' and 'Drive To The Ocean' arrived in 2019 and 2020 respectively, while he collaborated with Aaron Dessner's Big Red Machine on 'No Time For Love Like Now' in 2020. He has also recently teamed up with Andrew Watt, Josh Klinghoffer and Travis Barker on a theme song for the show Rooster.
Relations between the four members of R.E.M. remain warm. Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Bill Berry reunited in summer 2024 for their induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, performing 'Losing My Religion' acoustically together for the first time since the band's 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony.
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