'People pay attention to what you say or do': Michael Stipe enjoys fame
REM frontman Michael Stipe has revealed that he considers fame to be "fascinating".
Michael Stipe finds fame "fascinating".
The REM frontman has revealed that he enjoys the "ridiculous" fact that he has a degree of influence in the public consciousness thanks to his work with the Losing My Religion band.
In an interview with The Sunday Times newspaper, Michael said: "I love fame.
"It wasn't always easy, but, yes, it's really fun. Of course it is fun. It's ridiculous. People pay attention to what you say or do, it's a fascinating position."
However, Stipe acknowledged that he is fortunate not to have an overwhelming level of fame.
The 66-year-old singer explained: "I can walk the streets and people say, 'Hey, thank you', but I am at a tier, and have been most of my life, where I can be a normal person. I don't shut down a restaurant because people are gawking at me, but I've friends who do and that's quite a limiting life."
Stipe is a long-time political activist and feels that the US is going through "tough times" during the presidency of Donald Trump.
He said: "It is upsetting and - as an American - good lord, my apologies.
"These are tough times, but I try to remind myself we are moving through them..."
Stipe famously protested with t-shirts bearing slogans such as 'Wear a condom' and 'Handgun control' at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards and is saddened that the issues are still as relevant as ever 35 years on.
The Man on the Moon artist said: "That's really upsetting to me, because I thought, oh, I can use this public forum and my generation will understand...
"I'm not terribly binary, but there is right and wrong and I thought people would know what is bad, how one behaves, what is human or inhuman. And I'm disappointed and sometimes take it personally when people emerge who did not get the note. You think it is going to make a difference..."
Michael added: "But, maybe it did?
"I mean, from time to time someone approaches me to say they became an environmental lawyer because of such and such a song. Wow, that's incredible."
Stipe is grateful that he is able to separate his personal life from his music.
He said: "Well, an ability to separate oneself from one's work is essential, to step back and not convince yourself you're brilliant all the time.
"It allows me to not be a raging a*******, egomaniacal crazy person, because I was a pop star with a lot of light for most of my adult life.
"A lot of people don't emerge intact from that. But I feel quite grounded - I feel quite intact."
