The original line-up of the band REM performed together for the first time in nearly three decades for their induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on Thursday (13 June). The four-strong outfit, consisting of frontman Michael Stipe , guitarist Peter Buck , bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry, had played their last major concert in 1995. As part of Thursday’s ceremony, the group performed their classic breakthrough hit “Losing my Religion” , first released in 1987.
Stipe also gave an understated and emotive speech in which he spoke about the band’s enduring friendship, as well as their music. “Writing songs and having a catalogue of work that we’re all proud of – that is out there for the rest of the world for the rest of time – is hands-down the most important aspect of what we did,” he said. “Second to that is that we managed to do so all those decades and remain friends – and not just friends, but dear friends.
” REM’s original line-up was broken in 1997 with the departure of Berry , after he suffered a double brain aneurysm while on stage in Switzerland during their world tour. The remaining three members continued playing together until 2008, and officially split in 2011. In a recent interview with CBS , Buck called being inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame a “huge honour”, while Mills said: “It’s the thing that we worked on the most from the very beginning.
” “Because we had to,” added Berry. “Early on, just to pu.