After debuting a new song during a performance at the end of April at Stephen Colbert's show on CBS channel and announcing the release of his solo debut album before the end of the year, former REM frontman Michael Stipe appeared on national television again last night (June 2). The occasion? A live performance of his capital songs of the group "I Played the Fool" on Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC channel , where Stipa was accompanied by the song's co-writer and producer Andrew Watt.
The band also included Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, Pearl Jam touring instrumentalist Josh Klinghoffer, Jane's Addiction/AC/DC bassist Chris Chaney and longtime Queens of the Stone Age member Troy Van Leeuwen, who accompanied the bearded 66-year-old Stipe, who has rarely performed since REM's 2011 breakup.
More from Spin:
-
The Afghan Whigs relinquish 'control' over their 10th album.
-
Evil Island have secured rare vocals from Guy Picciotto for their debut album.
-
Rostam is ready to tell his American story.
В TV series "Rooster"« Steve Carrell plays a college professor who also happens to be the author of paperback books best read aimlessly on the beach. The series was co-written by Bill Lawrence, whose daughter Charlotte, a model and musician, is engaged to Watt. Co-creator Matt Tarses says, «We always planned to use music from our college days in the «80s. There was no band more important to me back then than R.E.M. When Andrew told us he thought he could get Michael Stipp to write and record a new song for us, we were like, »Cool, good luck.« We knew it would never happen. But a few months later, Andrew sent an early demo of »I Played the Fool,» and when I listened to it on my phone, I cried. Honestly. To say we’re thrilled to have this wonderful song and this iconic voice as our theme song is a massive understatement.”.
Regarding Stipe's upcoming album, he told Colbert that one of the songs on the album "sounds like a tree hearing itself for the first time. A friend of mine recorded the sound of a tree in my backyard in Georgia and played it back to itself." Stipe said the resulting song "sounds like Daft Punk" and that he reworked the lyrics of the 250-year-old naval song "Drunken Sailor" to complement it.
He continued, "I misheard what I thought was part of the original song—'tie him to the mast and shave his belly.' And then my part starts: 'duct tape, donkey ears, wellington boots early in the morning.'".
To see our constantly updated list of the 100 Greatest Rock Stars of All Time, click here.