you Got together initially Just to play one party. Is that right? we lived at a church, Michael and i, in athens. It was An old abandoned church, And we threw a party For someone, a birthday party. right now this looks like A decrepit abandoned old church, But ten years ago, it was A decrepit abandoned old church, But with r.E.M. Inside of it. and the church had a little Proscenium in the back. You'd have to climb Through a closet to get to it, And it was a stage. Holes in the stage and holes That fell down half a story To the dirt basement Where the graves were. we just wrote ten songs And got ten covers, And played for a friend of our's Birthday party. we let people know That it was going on. We had kegs of beer and, Like, people showed up. Lots of free beer And a free show? That's kind of an impetus To enjoy the band, And three of the people That showed up Were booking agents From clubs, And all of 'em were just Like, "you guys want a job?" And we're like, "you're kidding." athens was so totally Unselfconscious At that time that people You know, you could do anything And nobody would Think twice about. No idea that there was actually A scene going on. it was real innocent; I've never seen a place Where there was less attention To things like career. You know, maybe you'd have A fire eater open for a band. We had a guy That juggled chainsaws once. It was real non-rock and roll, In that anything goes. yeah. you know? And a lot of people That were in bands Couldn't play at all, You know? And they were learning. It wasit was really exciting. none of us really Had that much experience. I think that's really What the greatest thing We had going For us. We had just absolutely no idea What was going on. you really played the clubs And all that down there. bikers bars, Pizza parlors. Any place That would let a band play. We played more New wave nights And gay discos Than any band i could name. It was pretty interesting Actually. It was more fun Than most the dates we played. that's a proving ground. basically we were just playing Around athens. Then we decided, "well, You know, let's go to atlanta. You know? Try that." It was starting to work. So we started booking tours Around the southeast, And we'd start them On, like, friday. So we'd take Friday off of school, And maybe The next monday, too, And that started Turning into thursday All to the next tuesday, And eventually we were all doing Quite poorly in school, And more than one of us Was invited To actually leave school. we finally started to realize That we might be Able to actually Make a living at it, And that was a revelation In itself. We did go out And play everywhere And anywhere That we could. A lot of little towns Where no bands ever went. And when normally The only rock and roll They could ever see Was the big arena shows. we were actually playing In real little places, And people Were seeing us. We were probably the first band Some of those people saw Who didn't have A record contract And that didn't do, Like, The hits of the day In the local disco or whatever.