It's been 5 years since R.E.M. decided to quit playing and recording music. Since then, Michael Stipe has spent his creative time developing his skills as a sculptor, primarily doing works in bronze and brass.  An invitation to participate in a tribute to David Bowie has him thinking about allocating more time to making music.  Speaking with the New York Times, Stipe was quick to say that he does not want or intend to do it for the sake of attaining commercial success, just that he wants to include making music as part of his life again.  Stipe quit doing that after the release of New Adventures in Hi-Fi, the album he considers his favorite of the R.E.M. catalog.  A deluxe expanded eition of Time Out Of Mind, R.E.M. most successful album gets released Friday (11/18). Stipe is currently producing new songs in the studio for the electronic music group Fischerspooner.
RollingStone.com