MICHAEL STIPE ON "HOLLOWMAN"

R.E.M.'s second single, "Hollow Man," from their new album Accelerate, premiered on MySpace TV last Wednesday, April 23rd. The video was created by Crush Inc. - a cutting edge graphic-design and production studio based in Toronto.

R.E.M front man Michael Stipe had this to say about the innovative clip...

"I wanted Hollow Man to be a piece that creates a chaotic universe that only really occurs on a desktop, backlit and made of light, and to allow within that universe varying levels of, and glimpses into, intimacy and distance, abstraction and distraction, focus and avoidance. All the things that flash across the conscious mind when you're trying to work your way through something. The Pixelman became the kind of unconscious; direct, calm and absolute, but ultimately unclear in his direction.

I had the idea that Crush could provide a completely made up universe that references our world but flattens it out and mixes in the turmoil and tumult of emotion; in essence, like the character in the song, overwhelmed, incomplete, emptied out, on repeat.

Crush delivered brilliant ideas which became several roughs, and we worked closely on the ideas, bouncing them off of Chris Bilheimer and a few trusted allies and artists. I was inspired by Douglas Coupland, various websites that invite web experimentation that I discovered with Jacknife Lee, and Eliot's "The Hollow Men". It was great fun working with Crush. I think the result is staggering. We are already at work on our next project together."

- Michael Stipe