After touring to celebrate the 40th anniversaries of R.E.M.’s Murmur and Fables of the Reconstruction, actor Michael Shannon and his musical partner Jason Narducy are ready to take on another album from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band.
Narducy tells SPIN they’re hoping to tour in celebration of the 40th anniversary of R.E.M.’s Life’s Rich Pageant in 2026.
“We want to do it, but there’s so many logistics still to be worked out, like who’s available when and what cities we would go to,” Narducy tells the mag. “We’re learning as we go.”
He adds, “I love that record and I love these tours, so we’re going to do everything we can to make it happen.”
Shannon and Narducy recently wrapped their Fables tour in Chicago. Their two nights in Athens, Georgia, birthplace of R.E.M., included an onstage reunion of all four members of R.E.M. – Michael Stipe, Mike Mills, Peter Buck and Bill Berry. The duo will next bring the Fables tour to the U.K. and Ireland in August.
“I don’t aspire to be in a cover band, but this is just so damn fun,” Narducy says. “It also doesn’t feel like a cover band. It’s more like a celebration band.”
He adds, “Most of the comments from people are them sensing that we love the songs and they love the songs and we’re just going to get into a room and do that for two-plus hours. What does that say about R.E.M.? They’re so phenomenal. The quality of every single album is astounding.”
Released in July 1986, Life’s Rich Pageant was R.E.M.’s fourth studio album and peaked at #21 on the Billboard chart. It featured such songs as “Fall on Me,” “Begin the Begin” and a cover of “Superman,” which was sung by Mills.
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