The End of R.E.M., and They Feel Fine
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By James C. McKinley Jr.
R.E.M., the underground band from Athens, Ga., that helped invent the alternative-rock sound of the 1980s, said on Wednesday that its members were splitting up after 31 years of making music together.
“A wise man once said, ‘The skill in attending a party is knowing when it’s time to leave, Michael Stipe, the group’s lead singer and lyricist, said in a statement posted on the band’s Web site. “We built something extraordinary together. We did this thing. And now we’re going to walk away from it. I hope our fans realize it wasn’t an easy decision, but all things must end”
