Bryan Wawzenek is a freelance journalist who writes for Diffuser.fm and Ultimate Classic Rock. He learned more from a three-minute record than he ever learned in school. His mind is racing, as it always will. Don't start him talking, he could talk all night. The sunshine bores the daylights out of him. Don't touch him, he's a real live wire. Most things he worries about never happen anyway. But he's been smiling lately, thinking about the good things to come.
Bryan Wawzenek
R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe Vents His Spleen on ‘Ignoreland’
It was the most biting and specific political critique of band's then-12-year career.
‘Monty Got a Raw Deal’ Takes R.E.M. Down and Out in Beverly Hills
Mysterious track was inspired by the tragic life of film star Montgomery Clift and Greek instrument the bouzouki.
R.E.M. Find a Hollow Center in ‘Sweetness Follows’
A meditation on loss, the quiet, pulsing track may be the centerpiece of 'Automatic for the People.'
R.E.M. Gets Kind of Blue on ‘New Orleans Instrumental No. 1′
Lone instrumental track on 'Automatic for the People' conjures a late-night atmosphere.
R.E.M. Shows Some Soul on ‘Everybody Hurts’
R&B-influenced ballad took an uncharacteristically direct approach to the subject of suicide.
Michael Stipe Goes ‘Out There’ for R.E.M.’s ‘The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite’
With a title nodding to a doo-wop classic, this bouncy track brought some levity to the moody 'Automatic for the People.'
How R.E.M. Explored Life’s End With ‘Try Not to Breathe’
The second track from 'Automatic for the People' is the album's first one about death. But the song's title originated with a much more innocuous statement.
How ‘Drive’ Set the Tone for R.E.M.’s Stark Opus
Originally thought of as a B-side, the brooding song became the first track and lead single off 'Automatic for the People.'
R.E.M. Ponders Earthquakes and Artistry on ‘King of Birds’
Michael Stipe's earthquake phobia came to the forefront on this 'Document' track, set to a martial beat.
How R.E.M. Defied Easy Interpretation With ‘Lightnin’ Hopkins’
Despite its title, the 'Document' track has nothing to do with the late Texas bluesman.