Our generation was supposed to be about trying to deal with nuclear concerns and environmental disasters.

My feeling is that labels are for canned food... I am what I am - and I know what I am.

I am not an autobiographical writer. I'll take little elements here and there from things that I've actually experienced-counting eyelashes on a sleeping beauty, for example.

Once I reached my 40s, I thought to myself that if I'm going to play live now, I need to really mean this. I can't go out and be a little bit, for one moment slovenly in my choices as a performer. I mean, these people have paid a lot of money to be here, they've been through the nightmare of getting here, starving themselves waiting for us to get on stage, so I'm going to give them what they came here for.

Love, love will be my strongest weapon

In fact, a lot of critics seemed to consider R.E.M. the first American music since the '60s to break out on its own and develop a stand-alone sound.

Sometimes before we make a record I go back and listen to a few. It's equally humbling and uplifting.