"In Stipe’s startling photographs and 12 brief written homages, Patti Smith is depicted as a down-to-earth goddess, a part of and apart from her evolving entourage of musicians, artists, poets (Allen Ginsberg makes an appearance), and friends. This isn’t a traditional book of portraits . . . The overwhelming mood is one of disjunction, claustrophobia, exhaustion, temporariness--and the effect is raw and intimate . . . And [Stipe] is no longer the “dork nerd” teenager, but a fellow musician -- and from his proud, caring mien, even a protector." --Publishers Weekly "An energetic and gracious tribute to not only a great artist, but also to a powerful moment in her oeuvre -- and to those who contributed to it and shared in it." --New York Journal of Books "Stipe's personal friendship lends something greater to the overall vision of this book. It isn't simply a set of snapshots of performances, rather a collection of rare moments. The personal nature of the anthology makes it all the more enticing and enjoyable. Smith, in all her glory and awe-inspiring talent, is portrayed in the truest light." --Verbicide Magazine "A fascinating book . . . including appearances by Allen Ginsberg, Gregory Corso, Tom Verlaine, the members of Sonic Youth and more . . . and the short text tributes to Smith by these people, scattered throughout the manuscript, are well worth your time." --Chicago Center for Literature and Photography This book comprises Michael Stipe's intimate and evocative photos of Patti Smith on tour in 1995, along with other cultural celebrities who appeared with her, such as Allen Ginsberg. In addition to text by Stipe, William Burroughs, and Patti Smith, there is also commentary from Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon, Lenny Kaye, Tom Verlaine, and more. Michael Stipe is a singer, photographer, film producer, and activist. He lives in Athens, GA, and New York, NY. R.E.M. formed in 1980 in Athens, GA, and is composed of Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe. Heralded by Rolling Stone as "America's Best Rock and Roll Band," R.E.M. rose from cult college radio status to sell more than seventy million albums worldwide and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007....

In this third, photo-based chapter of the Damiani series, Michael Stipe explores strength, courage and vulnerability, pausing the project abruptly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. What follows is a lockdown interpretation of a 21st-century portrait, with a resolute desire to show our resilience, our humor, our collective fortitude and our adaptability. The book is enriched by free audio content which deepens and enhances the discovery of the images. Scanning the QR code opens access to the “making-of” anecdotes and the intention behind the book, as told by Stipe. As an undergraduate studio art major at the University of Georgia, Michael Stipe (born 1960) studied photography and painting before leaving school upon the formation of R.E.M., the band for which he served as frontman and singer/songwriter until its dissolution in 2011. The sensibility that he began to develop during his time as an art student transferred to the spectrum of his work for R.E.M., from art directing all graphic, video and stage design, to writing, composing and performance, and his iconoclastic personal style. Stipe’s visibility as a media figure in the popular culture of the 1980s and ’90s left an indelible mark on the aesthetic trends of the time, many of which have trickled down to contemporary culture....