This was copied without MTV's, Warner Brother's, or R.E.M./Athens LLC.'s permission.. (SORRY!) Kurt Loder: [in MTV Studios, New York] It was quite unexpectedly the week that R.E.M., the prototype Alternative Rock band of the 1980's and Alternative Rock chart barons, too, took the first hit to its original lineup after 18 [sic] years together. Drummer Bill Berry, whose sudden surgery for a brain aneurysm had derailed the band's last tour, told MTV news on Wednsday night, [October 29th] that he was leaving with the band's reluctant blessing. Chris Connelly went down to the band's home base, Athens, Georgia on Friday [October 31st] to get the whole story. Chris Connelly: Kurt, thank you. Yes, I am in Athens with the members of R.E.M. Bill, you said some of your priorities have shifted. What are those priotities, and why do they mean you can't be in R.E.M. any more? Bill Berry: Well, when you don't have the enthusiasm, that for 17 years I've managed to have, matched with these guys, ya know, ya need to make a change. And that's maybe for their sake more than mine, but I'm gonna benefit from it also. Chris Connelly: When did you realize that enthusiasm was lacking this time? Bill Berry: Uh.. it was four months last... no. [laughter] I dont... ya know, it's.. it was a process, it's, ya know, I didn't wake up one day and decide, ya know, I can't stand these guys any more, it's just, I feel like I'm ready for a life change. I'm young enough [39] that I can do something else. I've been pounding the tubs since i was 9 years old. I'm ready to do something else. Michael Stipe: Pounding the tub? Bill Berry: Pounding the tubs. Michael Stipe: The tubs, OK. [chuckles] Chris Connelly: How did it feel when Bill told you that he wanted to leave? Michael Stipe: Well.. [Bill cringes, laughter] we... I mean... we were like speechless, ya know? It's um... it's been a long... its been... we've... we've done something that, um, a lotta bands, I think, would loved to have done, which is to maintain a friendship and a really great career, uh, for 17 years and for him to say 'I don't wanna do it any more' ya know, is a really... um.. it really, um, we were left speechless. The first thing that Bill said to us 'If my leaving breaks up the band, I'm not gonna leave' but we don't want him to stay and be miserable, ya know, its... I mean... if he's not enjoying doing it any more then he shouldn't do it, and we support his decision to leave, as, as, sad as it is, but ya know, I think, it's... it's... a very strangly positive thing, it's definalty, ya know, it's definatly what he wants. Chris Connelly: Peter, you said that it wasn't 100 percent a surprise that Bill wanted to leave. Is that true, and did you try to talk him out of it? Peter Buck: Bill's has mentioned that maybe he's maybe not enjoying some of the... the things that go on around the music as much as, ya know, as we have in the past, the, the endless touring, the... not that it has been endless! [laughter] But, ya know, the fact that it seems endless in the middle of it, um, the early reviews, ya know, um, the videos, ya know, just, just a lotta things that go along with this that can get really stressful, and if you're not enjoying yourself musically makes it worse. I...I could see it coming in the next few years maybe, um, [I] had no clue that it was gonna be three weeks ago, I mean, the three of us, Mike and Michael and myself had been on the phone and were realy excited about, ya know, where we were musically and we had tapes of songs we'd written I...I was so excited about getting to the rehearsal that I couldn't sleep for the coup-... two nights previous, I was real excited and Bill just said 'Well, I just don't wanna do this anymore' and you can't try to talk someone out of it... if that's what they feel, and over the three weeks I think we have kinda come to terms with it, the fact that Bill really feels that... he's done with it for now and that's a decision we respect. Chris Connelly: Mike, ya gonna hire another drummer? Mike Mills: Uh... no... [chuckles] we... our drummer now comes in little aluminum boxes. No, we, we, uh, we were gonna actually, ya know, move in a different direction hopefully on this record, and... uh, uh, and have Bill program drum loops and play alotta different percussion, uh, rather than just having straight bass drum kinda thing going on, so... um... so, ya know, that was the plan anyway and now we just kinda accelerating that. Chris Connelly: Is this a sad moment for you guys? All: yeah, very much so, yeah, um hm... Chris Connelly: What kinda emotions, Bill, do you take with you as you leave? Regrets? You wish you could stay on? Bill Berry: [long pause, heavy sigh] I wish it wasnt me. I wish, there was maybe one of these other guys that was gonna do it first, I feel...I feel horrible about it. But it's what I feel in my heart. And I feel like it's the fair thing to do... for these guys anyway. I just don't want to go in there and work at 50 percent capacity, when everyone else is at 100 percent. I mean... I made alot of records, I know what it takes, you know, it takes alot of inner mettle and... I need to be there 100 percent... if I'm not, I'm not contributing the way i should. Kurt Loder: [In MTV Studios, New York] Drummer Bill Berry bowing out of R.E.M.