Bill Berry rejoins REM!

The original line-up of REM have reunited for the second time in a year.

Drummer Bill Berry, who quit the band in 1997 for personal reasons, joined Michael Stipe, Mike Mills and Peter Buck onstage on Saturday (April 1) at the Georgia Theatre in the group’s native Athens following a performance by Buck’s other band, The Minus 5.

The four-piece played a version of fan favourite ‘Country Feedback’ from the 1991 album ‘Out Of Time’. As there are no drums on the track, Berry played the bass.

Berry also joined the band last October for a seven-song performance at the wedding of longtime REM guitar tech Dewitt Burton.

The only other occasion Berry has played with his old band since his departure was onstage in Raleigh, North Carolina on the band’s greatest hits tour in October 2003, where he sang backing vocals on ‘Radio Free Europe’ and played drums on ‘Permanent Vacation’ .

The performance was a timely one – it came in the week of the 26th anniversary of the band’s first ever performance, which took place on April 5, 1980 in Athens.