[11-01-97 Sat] The hospitalization during the R.E.M.'s 1995 tour was only a "mild factor" in drummer Bill Berry's decision to leave the band. The decision was mostly based on a change in his priorities. "I would say that the opportunity I had to reflect while lying on my back in a Swiss hospital bed I began to sense that my priorities had shifted somewhat, and that I was looking forward to maybe a simpler life with less travel involved," Berry said during a chat on Thurs Oct 30, a day after he announced his leaving from the band. Again, the group repeated that Berry's departure was a totally amicable decision. Band member Mike Mills reinforced this by saying, "The three of us are still the best of friends, and Bill is also a best friend. He just won't be in the same room with us as often."
Berry said that besides a well-deserved break, his immediate plans are undetermined. "That's part of the reason for doing this, so that I can be free to find another opportunity to explore some other options," he said.
The rest of the band says that the possibility of a fourth member replacing Berry in the future will not happen, saying that the group will remain just the three of them. "R.E.M. has always only been the four of us," frontman Michael Stipe said. "We're now a three-piece musically and we have to honor Bill's decisions, to figure out a new direction." Stipe said that the band is working on its next album, and the sound is becoming more "cinematic." "I've got four titles that I will not reveal at this time because I'm not sure how good they are," he said. "I'm going to travel in the upcoming weeks and try to get inspired. Try to clear my head a little."
 Bill Berry, formerly of REM | "We will miss Bill hugely on both a personal and a professional level," Mills commented. "But the fact is the three of us are very happy and excited about the direction our music is taking now, and we want to carry on. We're sorry that Bill isn't coming with us." |
R.E.M. - November 1, 1997
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