Proceeds go to Extinction Rebellion
Michael Stipe has announced his first solo single since R.E.M.‘s break-up eight years ago – find more details below.
The former frontman of the legendary US rock band revealed that he was working on new material over the summer, having begun writing again for the first time since the group’s split in 2011.
“For five years I’d had a clean break from music,” he said at the time. “Now I’m writing, composing and recording all by myself and for the first time.” He added that “18 songs are already ready.”
Now, the singer-songwriter has confirmed that ‘Your Capricious Soul’ will arrive this coming Saturday (October 5), exclusively through his official website.
Michael Stipe
Proceeds from the track, which was previewed during a surprise live set in May, will go to the climate activist group Extinction Rebellion. It will also be accompanied by an official video.
“I took a long break from music, and I wanted to jump back in,” Stipe says. “I love “Your Capricious Soul” — it’s my first solo work. I want to add my voice to this exciting shift in consciousness. Extinction Rebellion gave me the incentive to push the release and not wait.
“Our relationship to the environment has been a lifelong concern, and I now feel hopeful—optimistic, even. I believe we can bring the kind of change needed to improve our beautiful planet earth, our standing and our place on it.”
Earlier this year, R.E.M. responded to the news in the New York Times that hundreds of recordings had been lost during a fire at Universal in 2008.
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