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R.E.M.'s Pete Buck has elaborated on the band's decision to split up, revealing that Michael Stipe said, "I need to be away from this for a long time."
The band split in 2011 after more than 30 years together, following the release of their fifteenth studio album, Collapse Into Now.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, the band's guitarist Pete Buck has explained the reason behind their decision to part ways. Tensions began during a three-hour band meeting in 2008, during which they were asked to add more shows to the tour.
"We were in Bergen, Norway," Buck explained. "I really like Bergen. I wanted to see the town. I had four hours off. Instead, we had a three-hour band meeting. I was really pissed off. We were talking about adding some shows to the tour. It was a lot of money, but I didn’t want to go."
He continued, "I won’t say where it was. I looked at them and said, ‘If this is our last tour, I don’t want to end with two half-full shows in a state you couldn’t pay me to set foot in.’ And they went, ‘OK.'" The band played their final gig in Mexico City in November of that year. "And I went, 'This is kind of sad'," explained Buck, "And Michael goes, 'Yeah a little. We’re probably never going to play these songs again.’ And I went, ‘You might be right.'"
As for their eventual split three years later, Buck explained, "We got together [to record Collapse Into Now], and Michael said, ‘I think you guys will understand. I need to be away from this for a long time.’ And I said, ‘How about forever?’ Michael looked at Mike [Mills], and Mike said, ‘Sounds right to me.’ That’s how it was decided."
