My feeling is that labels are for canned food... I am what I am - and I know what I am.
Michael Stipe

I'm just not that fascinating a person to have had all those lives that I've written about.
Michael Stipe

There are people that very strongly identify themselves as gay and then lesbian, and then I think there are a lot of people who are kind of some percentage or some version of that.
Michael Stipe

If I'm tired of me, I'm sure the public is as well.
Michael Stipe

I went through a period where I was really tired of seeing and reading about myself.
Michael Stipe

So, when you divide the world into music lovers, music fans and then those people who are just very casual about their music, it's wallpaper to them, it's elevator music, it's just the thing that's playing in the background that helps them through their day.
Michael Stipe

But I think the one thing that I can say about us is that we're very consistent about certain things and part of that is our desire to do the very best work that we can and not rest on our laurels, or not allow formula to come into what we do.
Michael Stipe