R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe has become a restaurant reviewer for Gwyneth Paltrow.
A true Renaissance man, Michael Stipe has often stepped outside the world of music. A published writer, the R.E.M. frontman recently took up his pen to become a restaurant reviewer.
The singer is a close friend of Gwyneth Paltrow, who invited him to pen an article to her ongoing e-newsletter. Michael Stripe chose to write a piece about restaurants in New Orleans, where the band recorded their recent album.
Retreating to the Big Easy, R.E.M. laid down a number of tracks before completing the album in Berlin. However New Orleans remains close to the band’s heart (and stomach) as Michael Stripe explains.
Enthusing about the city’s cuisine, the frontman named Cochon as a particular favourite. “Cochon is Peter Buck’s favorite restaurant in New Orleans, and he eats there pretty much every night that he can.”
Continuing, Michael Stipe revealed: “The food, service, drinks, and freshness are unparalleled. Cochon was, in my short stay there, the gathering place for Alex Chilton; Ana Matronix (sic) from Scissor Sisters; Nicolas Cage, Eddie Vedder, Tim Robbins; Mario Batali, Dermot Mulroney, Parker Posey, various local and international writers, and of course, Peter Buck.”
Of course, R.E.M. are big fans of eating out. Their hugely successful album ‘Automatic For The People’ took its name from a slogan used by a restaurant in their hometown of Athens, Georgia.
Meanwhile, Spinner reports that sessions with producer Jacknife Lee are almost complete. Manager Bertis Downs was typically enthusiastic about the project. “I will not report on the sound or the dimension of the recordings so far, to my ears it all sounds like quite a wonderful set of songs.”
R.E.M. are due to release their new album in Spring 2011.
