A Fan’s Perspective: Marilyn Carino

I met Mike Mills years ago when REM did some recording in a studio I was working at as an engineer. We have been close ever since, and he’s often played me rough tracks and asked my opinion on the various stages of production on upcoming REM albums. He thought I was weird for thinking “Up” was the best thing they had done since the ‘80s, but then again he always referred to me as “jazz girl”, which if you hear my music that’s pretty weird too.

Mike has a pure love of music and being a musician, and when he talks
about music that he likes he’s like a teenage fanboy. He told me stories of how thrilled and humbled he was to jam with some New Orleans musicians right after Katrina, and also when REM went to South America and played “Losing My Religion” unplugged, sitting in a rainforest with a group of native people. One time we stayed up all night playing stoned improvisational music in his cosy home studio in Athens, me on piano and him on saxophone! It was some of the most fun I’ve had playing music.

He’s a major rock star, a world traveler, very sophisticated about art, food, politics. But he also is, first and foremost, a serious musician that loves to play.

Mike was always a supportive fan of my music and when I recorded an album called “Iris Nova” with my band Mudville, we decided we needed a really interesting, melodic piano part for a song called “Eternity”. I immediately thought of Mike’s gorgeous playing on so many REM records and rang him up. He was most eager to do it, although he took some convincing that he was “the right guy”. He didn’t think of himself as a “piano player”. But I knew he was the ONLY guy. He flew up to New York and gave a perfectly lyrical, unexpected performance we all loved. Then he sat in with us for a gig at the Blue Note, just like any other side man. He was, as always, sweet and easygoing, concerned about getting it right for the band. You can see the video of that Mudville show, with Mike on piano, on YouTube at http://youtu.be/XjYiHji_zZs

I always felt Mike was the best true musician in that band, and the most creative. For many reasons, things I know about him, watching him with the band over the years, he was the heart, the conscience, the “love” that millions feel when they listen to REM. I’m not sure what he’ll do next, but without a doubt, he’s going to play.

A Fan’s Perspective: Jeff Daily