Wikipedia

Mike Mills

For other uses, seeMike Mills (disambiguation).

Michael Edward Mills(born December 17, 1958) is an Americanmulti-instrumentalist,singer, andcomposerwho was a founding member of thealternative rockbandR.E.M.[2]Though known primarily as the bass guitarist and backing vocalist of R.E.M., his musical repertoire also includes keyboards, guitar and occasional lead vocals. He contributed to a majority of the band's musical compositions and is the only member to have had formal musical training.

Mike Mills
Mills in 2008
Mills in 2008
Background information
Birth nameMichael Edward Mills
Born(1958-12-17)December 17, 1958(age 65)
Orange County, California,U.S.
GenresAlternative rock,folk rock,[1]college rock,jangle pop
Occupation(s)Musician, composer, music producer
Instrument(s)Bass guitar,keyboards,vocals
Years active1978–present
SpouseJasmine Pahl

Early life

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Michael Edward Mills was born to Frank and Adora Mills inOrange County, California,where his father was stationed in theMarines.While his father was away, six-month-old Mills, with his mother and grandmother, moved toAtlanta,Georgia,where he lived for around ten years. The family moved toMacon, Georgia,in 1971.[3]It was there that Mills met future R.E.M. bandmateBill Berrywhen they attended high school.[4][5]The duo started out in bands together. Early projects included the band Shadowfax, later called The Back Door Band.[5]Berry kept his drum kit in the basement of Mills's parents' house, and Mills dabbled with it. "We had a turntable next to it, so we would put it on," explained Mills. "I only had three records at that point. I hadA Night at the OperabyQueen,Tres HombresbyZZ Top,and I don't remember the third one. "At high school, he began playing bass because he enjoyed experiencing the woodenbleachersvibrate from the sound of the bass in the school's jazz band. He borrowed two bass guitars from his mother's chiropractor, one being aFenderand the other aGibson EB-2.After giving those back, he used the school's jazz bass for a long time. He played in the school's jazz band, which meant (per the school's rules) that he also had to play in the school's classical band and theirmarching band.[6]

Records Mills regularly listened to during high school includeSuitable for FramingbyThree Dog Night(his favorite band for a long time),Summer BreezebySeals and CroftsandYou Don't Mess Around with JimbyJim Croce.Via histransistor radio,he listened toWNEX-FM,the only top-40 station available in Macon. "Loved it. Ilistenedto everything because they wouldplayeverything. You'd getMotown,you'd getthe Beach Boys,you'd getBritish Invasion."Being in theAmerican South,he was also exposed to whitegospel musicon Sunday-morning television'sSouthernGospel Jubilee."You'd get the white gospel, and you could find some black gospel. Country music was everywhere. My parents were into classical music, and my dad was into jazz. So I was just surrounded by everything." Mills's mother played acoustic guitar.[7]

Mills and Berry sold most of their musical equipment and moved toAthens, Georgia,together. Upon arriving, they bought their equipment back, having been turned onto punk music byIan Copeland,[8]who Berry worked with atParagon Booking Agencyin Macon.[9]Mills attended theUniversity of Georgia,where R.E.M. was formed.[10]

Career

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Mills is credited with being the chief composer behind many of R.E.M.'s songs, including "Nightswimming",[11]"Find the River","At My Most Beautiful","Why Not Smile "," Let Me In ","Wendell Gee","(Don't Go Back To) Rockville",[11]"Beat a Drum", "Be Mine", "Electrolite",[12]and "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?"In particular, R.E.M.'s 2004 albumAround the Sunwas heavily shaped by Mills' piano and keyboard contributions.[citation needed]

Mills is responsible for the prominent backing vocal andharmonyparts found in the band's back catalog, with his vocal contributions being most noticeable on 1986'sLifes Rich Pageantand 2008'sAccelerate.He sang lead vocals on the songs "Texarkana","Near Wild Heaven",The Cliquecover "Superman"andThe Troggscover "Love Is All Around".

Mills performing in 2004

Mills has written and performed with friends on various projects during his time with the band and since.[13]In 1990 he wrote music forHoward Libov's short filmMen Will Be Boys.[14]That same year, he recorded withWarren Zevontogether with Buck and Berry as theHindu Love Gods.[14]

In 2012, Mills contributed piano to aRecord Store Daysingle released byDrive-By TruckersmemberPatterson Hood,in protest of aWalmartdevelopment being built inAthens, Georgia.[15]

Mills is a member, along withSteve Wynn,Scott McCaughey,Peter Buck,andLinda Pitmon,ofThe Baseball Project.[16]

Mills performs as part of singer-songwriterJoseph Arthur's band.[17]On April 3, 2014, while performing with Arthur, Mills broke the news thatDavid Lettermanwould be retiring in 2015.[18]Nine years later, Mills said: "I spoke to Dave about it later and he said, 'No, it was fine. If somebody was going to do it, I'd rather it be you.' And I said, 'Well, thank you.' It was quite a moment to hear him say that sitting there in the dressing room."[19]Mills took a band self-portrait that he posted toInstagram[20]and did a short interview about "breaking" the story.[21]

Since 2010, Mills has played with a rotating group of musicians for a series of concerts built aroundBig Star's albumThird/Sister Lovers.Known asBig Star's Third,the concerts have taken place in London, Sydney, Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York.[22]A longtime Big Star fan, Mills wrote the liner notes for the 2014 reissue of the band's first two releases, 1972's#1 Recordand 1974'sRadio City.[23]

In 2016, he toured to support aConcerto for Violin, Rock Band, and String Orchestrawith childhood friendRobert McDuffie,[24]along with guitar playersWilliam TonksandJohn Neff.[25]The tour resumed in 2022.[26]

In 2023, a mushroom species of the genusPluteus,Pluteus millsiiJusto, Borovička, Grootmyers, Kalichman and S.D. Russell, was named in his honor.[27]

Musical style

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Mills' melodic approach to bass playing is inspired byPaul McCartneyofthe BeatlesandChris SquireofYes;Mills has said, "I always played a melodic bass, like a piano bass in some ways... I never wanted to play the traditional locked into the kick drum, root note bass work."[28]Mills has more musical training than his bandmates, which he has said "made it easier to turn abstract musical ideas into reality."[29]He began taking piano lessons at age 14.[30]

During R.E.M.'s career, Mills often harmonized withMichael Stipein songs; in the chorus for "Stand",Mills and Stipe alternate singing lyrics, creating a dialogue.[31]"My voice is the culmination of a lifetime of enjoying harmony," Mills explained in 2023. "When I was a kid singing in the church choir, I was always finding harmony. I usually got the tenor part. I grew up around music. There was always music in the house. So when R.E.M. started playing, I sang. Our approach was that my voice and Michael's voice were extra instruments. It wasn't about a lead vocal and a backing vocal and a harmony vocal. It was just more melody and more instrumentation to add to the mix."[32]

Equipment

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Regarding his best bass sound in R.E.M.'s catalog, Mills said: "I'm not a gearhead, and I don't always think about it in those terms. TheRickI had for the first couple of records was cool; it sounded alright. The trouble with the Rick was that when thepickupswent out, the replacement pickups sucked. Rickenbacker's replacement pickups all sucked, so I had to quit playing their bass. I went through this series ofIbanezand various different things. I ended up with a Guild Pilot for the '89 tour. Which sounded fine; it was cool. It might even be on [Green]; I can't remember. I finally broke down. I didn't want to play a [Fender Precision] bass because everybody played one, but then I thought, 'There's a reason everybody plays one.' They're the best basses, especially for bigger halls. "[33]

Discography

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Mills, 2017
See also:R.E.M. discography

Personal life

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Mills is an avidfantasy sportsplayer, with interest inNFL,NBA,andPGAteams, among others.[39]He is also a fan of his alma mater's football team, theGeorgia Bulldogs.

He is married to Jasmine Pahl.[40]He is anatheist.[41]

Mills has one sibling, younger brother Mitch, who is also a musician.[42]

Notes and references

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  1. ^Stipe, Carrey Duet On R.E.M. - Penned Soundtrack
    MTV
    Retrieved 20 June 2016
  2. ^Ankeny, Jason."Mike Mills Biography".AllMusic.Retrieved25 November2011.
  3. ^Rick Beato (2024-06-14).Mike Mills: The Story Of R.E.M.Retrieved2024-06-14– via YouTube.
  4. ^"Mike Mills and Bill Berry: Historic Macon Music Registry".Retrieved2022-09-23.
  5. ^abEvans, Brad (August 12, 2013)."An Interview with Mike Mills of REM".11th Hour.Archived fromthe originalon 7 April 2014.Retrieved3 April2014.
  6. ^Rick Beato (2024-06-14).Mike Mills: The Story Of R.E.M.Retrieved2024-06-14– via YouTube.
  7. ^Rick Beato (2024-06-14).Mike Mills: The Story Of R.E.M.Retrieved2024-06-14– via YouTube.
  8. ^Rick Beato (2024-06-14).Mike Mills: The Story Of R.E.M.Retrieved2024-06-14– via YouTube.
  9. ^Rick Beato (2024-06-14).Mike Mills: The Story Of R.E.M.Retrieved2024-06-14– via YouTube.
  10. ^Kretsch, Ron (March 7, 2014)."R.E.M.'s Mike Mills on 'Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee'"(YouTube clip).Dangerous Minds.Retrieved3 April2014.
  11. ^abHyden, Steven (16 November 2011)."R.E.M.'s Mike Mills".The A.V. Club.Retrieved25 November2011.
  12. ^reporter, Mark Caro, Tribune (3 June 2008)."Mike Mills reveals R.E.M.'s songwriting process, sort of".chicagotribune.Retrieved2019-10-22.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ^Hyden, Steven (November 16, 2011)."R.E.M.'s Mike Mills".The A.V. Club.Onion Inc.Retrieved3 April2014.
  14. ^abGill, Andy (5 March 1991). "The Home Guard".Q Magazine.55:56–61.
  15. ^abKane, Tyler (February 1, 2012)."Patterson Hood, Mike Mills of R.E.M. Record Walmart Protest Song".Paste Magazine.Archived fromthe originalon 23 October 2013.Retrieved3 April2014.
  16. ^Leggett, Steve."The Baseball Project - Biography".AllMusic.Retrieved3 April2014.
  17. ^Glide (November 14, 2013)."R.E.M.'s Mike Mills Joins Joseph Arthur's Touring Band".Glide Magazine.Retrieved3 April2014.
  18. ^Testa, Jessica (3 April 2014)."David Letterman Is Retiring From" The Late Show "".BuzzFeed.Retrieved3 April2014.
  19. ^Ivie, Devon (2023-09-13)."The Most Heartfelt and Goofy of R.E.M., According to Mike Mills".Vulture.Retrieved2024-01-27.
  20. ^Ryan, Shane (3 April 2014)."David Letterman Will Retire in 2015".Paste Magazine.Paste Media Group. Archived fromthe originalon 4 April 2014.Retrieved3 April2014.
  21. ^Breihan, Tom (3 April 2014)."R.E.M.'s Mike Mills Announces David Letterman's Retirement"(YouTube video).Stereogum.Retrieved3 April2014.
  22. ^Matheson, Whitney (September 2, 2014)."Q&A: R.E.M.'s Mike Mills chats about Big Star reissues".USA Todaya.Retrieved28 September2014.
  23. ^News Staff."Big Star's first two albums to be remastered and reissued".uncut.co.uk.Uncut. Archived fromthe originalon September 28, 2014.Retrieved28 September2014.
  24. ^Grow, Kory (October 19, 2016)."R.E.M. Bassist on 'Breaking Down Walls Between Classical and Rock'".Rolling Stone.Wenner Media.
  25. ^"Review: R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills, violinist Robert McDuffie cook up a rockin’ classical gas"Arts ATL2016
  26. ^"Leavell, McDuffie, Mills make ‘A Night of Georgia Music’ one to remember"The Telegraph6 March 2022
  27. ^https:// mdpi /2309-608X/9/9/898/"Holarctic Species in thePluteus podospileusClade: Description of Six New Species and Reassessment of Old Names "
  28. ^David Buckley (2002).R.E.M.: Fiction: An Alternative Biography.Virgin. p. 105.ISBN1-85227-927-3.
  29. ^David Buckley (2002).R.E.M.: Fiction: An Alternative Biography.Virgin. p. 81.ISBN1-85227-927-3.
  30. ^Rick Beato (2024-06-14).Mike Mills: The Story Of R.E.M.Retrieved2024-06-14– via YouTube.
  31. ^David Buckley (2002).R.E.M.: Fiction: An Alternative Biography.Virgin. pp. 180–181.ISBN1-85227-927-3.
  32. ^Ivie, Devon (2023-09-13)."The Most Heartfelt and Goofy of R.E.M., According to Mike Mills".Vulture.Retrieved2024-01-27.
  33. ^Rick Beato (2024-06-14).Mike Mills: The Story Of R.E.M.Retrieved2024-06-14– via YouTube.
  34. ^"Mike Guests on Jason Ringenberg's New Album Nature Jams".R.E.M.2012-02-24.Retrieved2012-02-24.
  35. ^"Weekend Update: Record Store Day, Dresden, Will Rock 4 Food, Futurebirds, Finster, and Future Music".R.E.M.2012-04-20. Archived fromthe originalon 2016-02-24.Retrieved2012-04-22.
  36. ^"Mills/McDuffie Concerto For Violin, Rock Band & String Orchestra Out On Orange Mountain Music October 14".R.E.M. HQ. 11 August 2016.Retrieved1 December2023.
  37. ^"Wild Loneliness, by Superchunk".Superchunk.Retrieved2022-05-06.
  38. ^"Mike Plays on Johnny Irion's Album".R.E.M.2024-05-14.Retrieved2024-05-14.
  39. ^Tierney, Mike (April 20, 2013)."Mike Mills: A Rock Star of Fantasy Sports".New York Times.Retrieved3 April2014.
  40. ^[1]- February 10, 2020
  41. ^Q,March 1995
  42. ^"Rock for Learning Features SUGARWALL's Mitch Mills".Rockforlearning.Archivedfrom the original on July 15, 2011.Retrieved2013-04-01.
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