Michael Stipe admits the reaction to 'Losing My Religion' was the "biggest shot in the arm".
Michael Stipe
The R.E.M. star still has fond memories of how fans around the world reacted to the hit single in 1991, describing it as the "most powerful feeling" he's ever felt.
Speaking about the response to the single, he explained: "You felt it before you saw it. The energy coming off of an audience, a large audience in an outdoor arena, with the first notes, those first da, da, da, da, da and the place would just explode with energy. We got all that being on stage, being elevated, being the centre of attention.
"It all came right towards us. It was the biggest shot in the arm. The biggest jolt of adrenaline. The most powerful feeling that I think I've ever felt."
'Losing My Religion' appears on R.E.M.'s 1991 album 'Out of Time'.
The record turned the band into a huge global name, but Michael hasn't listened to the album in decades.
He told Apple Music Hits: "I mean, I really like the record a lot. In fact, I love the record, most of it.
"You do something, it becomes a part of your DNA. I mean, we worked so hard and so long on those songs and the lyrics and figuring out the melodies and then figuring out how everything's going to go together. You step away from it, and you don't really look back."
The hit album features appearances from the likes of Kate Pierson and rap star KRS-One.
And Michael thinks they brought a fresh feel to the record.
He said: "This was the first time that we had, other than myself and Mike and Bill Berry, this was the first time that we invited guest vocalists to perform on the records.
"And with Kate Pierson, we got some pretty great stuff. Kate from the B-52's, who are this incredibly overlooked band in terms of their impact on contemporary music and post-punk music. And then KRS-One, who it was really just about how cool he was."
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