Erin Vierra March 26th, 2018 - 11:13 PM
Michael Stipe, frontman of R.E.M released today a new 40-second track to support the recent March For Our Lives Rally. The short quasi-song is Stipe’s first solo track which he shared on his Instagram page early this morning. The track is called “Future, If Future,” and it comes along with a selfie and motivational text flashing across the screen. He captioned the post with a statement: “@marchforourlives #whatif #neveragain Future, If Future ©️Michael Stipe new song Future, if Future, this future is ours/ Stunk to high heaven lotus, nerve gas or flowers/ We’ve got the obvious, we’ve got the power/ Please don’t stare, we’re doing all we can/” Those lyrics, as short as they are, are powerful, especially with current events and the ever-raging debate over gun control and how to keep our students safe.
Stipe is of course famous for his role in alternative legends R.E.M., the band he sang for from 1980 until 2011. The Athen, GA band was famous for classic tunes like “Everybody Hurts,” “Losing My Religion” and “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” and so many more. In addition to commercial success, the band has always received respect from critics and fellow artists, playing a huge role in the popularity of “college rock” with their crossover appeal. After the band broke up, Stipe has mostly laid low in terms of musical performance, though he did perform a set of covers at the Pathways to Paris Climate Change Concert and performed new music at Moogfest as part of an art installation last year.
