I first started listening to REM the rock band around 1984 when I saw a video of theirs on MTV.The album they were promoting was called “Reckoning”. I was hungry for a 1960’s type of sound of the Byrds, Stones, Neil Young, Credence clear water revival etc, and here was this band fitting that sound in an exquisite/original way if not some what  frustrating as about 90% of the lyrics were unintelligible.

Due to my fandom of this group at this time  I read a article in the local newspapers entertainment section that interviewed the bands lead singer Michael Stipe , He spoke of Jack Kerouac, which led me to read a slightly life changing book for me named Dharma bums by Kerouac.