Sunday, July 30
Milton Keynes

First gig with R.E.M. Mr Stipe comes in before the show to say hello. "Hi, I'm Michael. I'm really glad you could do this. I'm a very big fan." Wonder how many times I will run this through my brain after today. I've never believed in hero worship and so on, but I have to admit to myself that I'm fighting for breath. [...]

Tuesday, August 1
Berlin

[...] After the show, R.E.M. have this record company thing in an old army barracks set in the hills. The entrance is lined with inflatable dinosaurs. They get awarded all these specially commissioned bonkers discs. Just for being R.E.M., basically. They all pose and smile and do the whole political bit and are extremely nice. I'm shocked. It seems you have to be nice to people forever. I may as well get used to my cracked smile now.
[...] Shit, shit, shit. This is R.E.M. and they really like us. No, I mean they REALLY like us. They're not just being nice. When someone you really admire gives you something like that, your shoulders get a little lighter, you feel a little stronger. Forever.

Thursday, August 3
Oslo

Watching R.E.M. tonight makes me think how huge they are and how much they have gone through. Now, of course, Bill Clinton writes them letters and they play stadiums. [...]
The R.E.M. machine is astounding. How is it possible to redress the balance in your head between all this stuff and being some guys with drums and guitars and a couple of mikes? I guess the answer is with songs like Strange Currencies or a brand new one called The Undertow. Songs that would make me jam on the brakes in the middle of the motorway and veer into the hard shoulder until they had finished. What else is there to life except moments of honey like this? Listening to Finest Worksong makes me feel like I'm 10 feet tall and can crush anything in my path.

Friday, August 4
Oslo/Stockholm

[...] After the show I play the role of pop star with a much bigger pop star. I have deliberately been avoiding Mr Stipe because I didn't want to make a fool out of myself. Or get mistaken for a stalker. But, tonight we end up playing with Kinder toys and talking about when he met Patti Smith so I feel much better about it all. Go out 'til morning. Do cartwheels and Elvis impersonations.