Michael Stipe Working on Autobiographical Photo Book
Michael Stipe revealed that he’s currently at work on a “series of books” about his life, including his time with R.E.M. The photo book, which the singer is working on with frequent collaborator Jonathan Berger, is due out later this year.
“It’s the first in a series of books I’m releasing,” Stipe told the Creative Independent. “This one focuses on my timeline, on the work I’ve done all along, all through the band and back to my early 20s. It’s all photo-based, but some of it’s just documentation of things I’m obsessed with and that I focus on to make new pieces from. There are also certain things I’ll take, recontextualize, and present as something completely different.”
Stipe and Berger previously teamed for a project called New Sights, New Noise, an art piece the duo presented while Stipe served as a guest artist at NYU’s Steinhardt Department of Art and Art Professions in November 2014.
Stipe added, “Jonathan and I are also working on a project for the High Line, which will involve composing some pieces of music to be played by this bell tower that will be constructed at the northern end. He and I have several projects going simultaneously.”
In 2016, Stipe revealed that he also hopes to return to the music world in some capacity after being inspired by the David Bowie tributes he participated in.
“I’m not ready to go completely into pop stardom again, as a 56-year-old,” Stipe told the New York Times before adding, “I want to work in music again.” The singer also stated that he’s currently producing the upcoming Fischerspooner album.