Michael Stipe

Michael Stipe and Mike Mills of R.E.M. and Vanessa Briscoe Hay of Pylon are helping encourage residents of Athens, Georgia to get vaccinated.

‘I’ll Be Your Mirror: A Tribute to The Velvet Underground & Nico‘ was produced by the late Hal Wilner and also features Sharon Van Etten w/ Angel Olsen, St. Vincent & Thomas Bartlett, Fontaines DC, Thurston Moore & Bobby Gillespie, and more.

You can also listen to the original version of b-side “Sitting Still,“ which has been shared to streaming services for the first time.

plus Angelique Kidjo, Zola Jesus, Every Time I Die, Lil Nas X, Harmony Woods, Glass Beach, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, and more things to stream this week.

R.E.M.’s seventh album, ‘Out of Time,‘ turns 30 on March 12. “It was the biggest shot in the arm,“ Michael Stipe says of playing “Losing My Religion“ in front of audiences. “The most powerful feeling that I think I’ve ever felt.”

This week in Indie Basement: reviews of new albums from The Weather Station, TV Priest, John Carpenter, Crack Cloud side project Peace Chord, and a compilation from Athens, GA cult band Oh-OK (ft. Michael Stipe’s sister, Lynda).

It’s the holidays as only Puddles could do, and the special also includes Jack Black, Patton Oswalt and more.

Bright Eyes, Phoebe Bridgers, Angel Olsen, Beach House, Death Cab for Cutie, Fleet Foxes, Foo Fighters, Jeff Rosenstock, Jenny Lewis, Jimmy Eat World, Julien Baker, Keith Morris, Sharon Van Etten, Sleater-Kinney, and many more have also lent their support to ”We Need Every Voice.”

Also watch speeches by Michael Stipe, Miley Cyrus, Hillary Clinton, and others from the virtual event…

”Honor Her Wish” also features appearances and performances from Phoebe Bridgers, Margo Price, political figures including Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, and Elizabeth Warren, and more.