The U2 album that profoundly impacted R.E.M’s Michael Stipe
R.E.M. and U2 might be polar opposites in many respects, but both became two independent rock forces of the 1980s by injecting a sense of irony into their artistry. U2 may be the forerunner when considering which did it with more deliberate execution, but both parties enjoyed incorporating a playful edge into their musical vision, even when the lyrics themselves appeared more earnest.
Another similarity between the two isn’t just found in the legacies each has cultivated over the years but also in the actual trajectory of their careers. Both acts, for instance, could arguably be viewed as two bands who took years to hone their craft, only finding mainstream success after a few attempts at breaking the mould.
Despite releasing their debut in 1980, it would be years before U2 would be considered among the greats, especially once the world had been let in on the coveted The Joshua Tree and the twist that ended up being Achtung Baby. Though considered a reinvention, the latter showed that by 1991, U2 was finally a band that could take risks while maintaining its roots in accessibility.
Following the release of Achtung Baby, many of U2’s contemporaries were astounded by their ability to pull off experimentalism so effortlessly, especially considering the fact that their earlier music seemed to be confidently well-established in the realm of post-punk and anthemic rock. Not only this, but their entire image seemed to do a full 180, with Bono suddenly appearing leather-clad under the guise of ‘The Fly’.
This pivot inspired R.E.M’s Michael Stipe to explore new sonic territories, forming the basis of what would eventually become 1994’s Monster. Discussing the album’s appeal during an episode of Kyle Meredith With, Stipe explained how he took U2’s approach and allowed it to guide him into the making of Monster. “They were applying this ironic distance to themselves to be able to knock themselves down as public figures,” he said.
“That had a profound impact on me,” he continued, adding: “As a lover of music, also a friend of those guys, I thought it was fantastic what they were doing, and it was my favourite thing they’d done. So, we took that same kind of ironic distance, accidentally, I think, I don’t think we did it on purpose, but using glam rock as a base, that’s what Monster became.
Although, musically, Stipe found himself having progressed past Monster by the time it was released, the foundations proved to be necessary throughout all of his work as he became more comfortable with the uncertainty of doing something new and different each time. Like U2, pivoting their musical output became a necessary conduit for even more greatness, allowing them to continually reinvent themselves and stay relevant in an ever-evolving musical landscape.
