This book owes its existence to my longtime editor and friend Steve Connell. Our first collaboration, No Certainty Attached, was barely off the presses when I expressed the desire to work with him again. Steve asked if I had ever considered writing about R.E.M. The answer at that time was no, but afterward I thought of little else.
A subsequent conversation with my friends Angela Albright and Jim Doerfler pushed me out of the realm of daydreaming and into the writing chair. They completed the process that Steve began.
Keith Joyner and William Mull, formerly of the great Athens band Seven Simons, helped immensely in the early stages. William provided a detailed list of contacts that I used throughout the project. We can thank him for putting Pat the Wiz, Billy Holmes, and Diane Loring Aiken, among others, on my radar; I think all would agree that the book is richer for these voices.
I wish to thank Jesse Waters and the Bowers Writers House at Elizabethtown College for providing a working space during the completion of the book.
Thank you to Amy Hairston at R.E.M. HQ for the assistance and open line of communication.
While writing the book, I thought often of childhood friends who shared my love of R.E.M.: Andrew Beccone, Pat Curry, Michael Ellick, and Patrick Liddiard. This volume is my attempt to answer the half-verbalized questions we asked each other all those years ago while listening to Murmur and Lifes Rich Pageant. I hope I have captured something of the giddiness and yearning of those days. Remember every moment.
Victor Gagnon and Patrick Rose graciously allowed me to tap into their archives of rare recordings—again. I am so lucky to have them as resources.
The following friends and colleagues provided immeasurable support throughout the journey: Jeremy Beer, Eric Black, Emma Bolden, Pam Brannon, Bob Clay, Ben Guterson, David Guterson, Stanton Hall, Paul Harasha, Stephen Judge, Bill Kauffman, Richard Kaczynski, Steve Kilbey, Peter Koppes, Paul Lickteig, Daniel McCarthy, John J. Miller, Fred Mills, Margaret Obuch, Christopher Sandford, Vaughn Sterling, Serge van Neck, and Ernie Ward.
The University of North Carolina Wilmington MFA program continues to be a source of encouragement and assistance. I owe a special debt to Wendy Brenner, Phil Furia, Philip Gerard, David Gessner, and Rebecca Lee.
I’m not sure I can adequately thank Nova Chase, Scott Fothergill, Mike Monk, and EnvisionWare, Inc.—my non-writing employers—for their continued support and understanding. I would say Mike is fairly unique among employers in that he has always encouraged my creative pursuits and has never viewed them as an encroachment on the work I do for his company. If more bosses were like this, there likely wouldn’t be so much tension between artists’ creative aspirations and their daytime careers.
Last and most important, all thanks to my wife, Harper Piver, and our two beautiful children, Dolly and Dean. You are the everything.