“If I don’t like the bassline, then I’m probably not gonna enjoy playing the song”: Mike Mills on his “selfish” R.E.M. basslines – and their long-awaited reunion

In an unexpected move, R.E.M. briefly reunited to perform an acoustic version of Losing My Religion at the Songwriters Hall of Fame ceremony on June 13. Now, in a new interview with Rick Beato, bassist Mike Mills explains why the bassline is a crucial ingredient in any R.E.M. song and sets the record straight about a possible R.E.M. reunion tour.

“Kind of selfish [but] if I don’t like the bassline, then I’m probably not gonna enjoy playing the song,” he admits.

“So I have to come up with a bassline that makes me happy, even if it’s very very simple. Like Losing My Religion. There’s an F sharp in there, that’s where your tension thing [is]. And it’s like a low F sharp, where the hell does that come from, but it made the song to me like, ‘Great now I’ve got the bassline.’”

Mills also reveals that Losing My Religion’s success came out of left-field. “I mean, who could predict? We knew it was a great song, but you know, it’s supposed to be just a little palate cleanser before you get to Shiny Happy People.”

Despite R.E.M. reuniting for the one-off show that shocked the music world, Mills isn’t sure whether a tour would be on the cards. “I highly doubt it. I don’t really see a circumstance under which that would occur. So many reasons not to. I mean, there are reasons to. It’s a shame that we’re all still alive and we’re not playing,” he ponders.

“I mean, anything can happen. You get hit by a meteorite, but I don’t see it. Nobody’s really pushing for it. Nope, we’re all fine with where we are. You know, it’s like what was it? Live fast, die young. Leave a beautiful memory.”

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