Bill Berry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bill Berry
|
|
|---|---|
Berry in 2011
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | William Thomas Berry |
| Born | July 31, 1958 Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Genres |
|
| Instruments |
|
| Years active |
|
William Thomas Berry (born July 31, 1958) is an American musician. He is best known as the drummer for the famous alternative rock band R.E.M.. While he was an amazing drummer, Bill also played other instruments like guitar, bass, and piano. He used these skills to help write songs and record albums for R.E.M.
In 1995, Bill had a serious health scare when he collapsed on stage. He recovered well, but two years later, he decided to leave the music world. He wanted to become a farmer and live a quieter life. Since then, he has mostly stayed out of the spotlight, though he has joined R.E.M. for a few special reunions and played on other artists' songs. Bill was the only member of R.E.M. who did not stay with the band for its entire history. He returned to the music industry in 2022.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings (1958–1980)
William Thomas Berry was born on July 31, 1958, in Duluth, Minnesota. He was the fifth child in his family. When he was three, his family moved to Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, near Milwaukee. They lived there for seven years before moving to Sandusky, Ohio, in 1968.
In 1972, Bill's family moved one last time to Macon, Georgia. This was just in time for him to start high school at Northeast High School. There, he met bass guitarist Mike Mills. They played in several bands together, including one called Shadowfax. Their first try at a music career did not last long. Bill and Mike decided to get regular jobs to earn money. They rented an apartment in Macon, and Bill found work at a booking agency nearby.
In late 1978, Bill and Mike moved to Athens, Georgia. This is where they met Michael Stipe and Peter Buck. Before dropping out, Bill had studied pre-law at the University of Georgia.
The R.E.M. Years (1980–1997)
R.E.M. was formed in 1980. As the drummer, Bill was a key part of the band's sound. He also played other instruments on their albums, such as guitar, bass, mandolin, keyboards, and piano. During concerts, he sometimes played bass and often sang backing vocals.
Bill also helped write many important R.E.M. songs. He contributed to hits like "Everybody Hurts" and "Man on the Moon" from their album Automatic for the People. Other songs he helped write include "Perfect Circle", "Driver 8", and "Cant Get There from Here". The song "Leave" was also written by Bill for R.E.M.'s 1996 album, New Adventures in Hi-Fi. This was his last album with the band.
Bill was also known for helping to change some song lyrics. For example, he suggested changing a line in "Welcome to the Occupation" to make it less harsh. Mike Mills, another band member, said in 2024 that many of Bill's contributions were "under-known" and "under-appreciated." He added that Bill was a "great singer" who came up with "amazing melodies."
In 1984, Bill also played drums for a band called Hindu Love Gods. This group included his R.E.M. bandmates Peter Buck and Mike Mills, along with rocker Warren Zevon and Bryan Cook.
On-Stage Collapse and Leaving R.E.M. (1995–1997)
On March 1, 1995, during an R.E.M. concert in Lausanne, Switzerland, Bill collapsed on stage. He had a ruptured brain aneurysm. After a successful recovery, he rejoined the band. However, in October 1997, he decided to leave. He explained that he no longer had the same passion or desire to be in the band, and he wanted to stop traveling so much.
He later said, "I feel like I'm ready for a life change. I'm still young enough that I can do something else. I've been pounding the tubs since I was nine years old ... I'm ready to do something else."
R.E.M. respected Bill's decision and continued as a three-person band. They toured with other musicians, including Joey Waronker and Bill Rieflin as drummers. In 2024, Bill said he did regret leaving the band a little later on. He explained that his aneurysm lowered his energy, and he did not have the same drive he once did.
Life After R.E.M. (1997–2022)
After leaving R.E.M., Bill stepped away from the music business. He became a farmer, working on his hay farm in Farmington, Georgia, near Athens.
Before R.E.M. was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Bill gave an interview. He talked about his life after retiring. He said it was "a great chance to get back together and perform with R.E.M., which I always loved doing."
In 2019, Bill said he never takes vacations. He enjoys staying home because he spent so much time traveling with the band. He still goes to Athens to see shows he likes, but he does not just hang out at bars.
Bill also shared that he never truly enjoyed being a drummer. He felt it was "not the most musical instrument" and that he never wrote a song on drums. His favorite instrument is the acoustic guitar, which he plays every day. He wished he had played it more before he retired.
Bill's musical activities after R.E.M. were not very frequent. He recorded for a charity album in 2000 and performed with a quintet called Mayor Ferrelle and the Councilmen in 2018. In 2020, he appeared in a documentary about R.E.M.'s song "Losing My Religion", even playing his drum part. Peter Buck praised Bill's drumming, saying, "There's no drummer like Bill Berry on Earth."
Return to Music (2022–Present)
In 2022, twenty-five years after leaving R.E.M., Bill Berry formed a new band called The Bad Ends. He joined other musicians from Athens and Atlanta, including Mike Mantione on guitar and vocals, Dave Domizi on bass, Geoff Melkonian on keyboards, and Christian Lopez on guitars. Bill plays drums and sings backing vocals.
The idea for the band came from a chance meeting between Mike Mantione and Bill in Athens. Mike offered Bill a chance to play music professionally again. The group released a single and video called "All Your Friends Are Dying." They also performed a show in Athens in November 2022. Their first album, The Power and the Glory, was released on January 20, 2023.
Bill has also made other appearances. On February 8, 2024, he joined the Michael Shannon / Jason Narducy band on stage in Athens. He played the piano part in "Perfect Circle," a song R.E.M. had dedicated to him after he left the band. In February 2025, Bill appeared with Shannon and Narducy again, playing tambourine on "Pretty Persuasion" with all three other members of R.E.M.
Personal Life
Bill Berry married Mari Berry on March 22, 1986. They divorced in 1997. In the early 1990s, they moved to Farmington, Georgia, to get away from problems in Athens. Bill bought sixty acres of land there in 1988 as an investment. His farm has sheep, but a caretaker now looks after the farm and his garden. Bill enjoys the benefits without doing the work.
In 2003, Bill and Cybele Lange had a son. While he was in R.E.M., Bill was also a very keen golfer.
Musical Contributions
Bill Berry was a vital part of R.E.M., not just as a drummer but also as a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. His unique drumming style and musical ideas helped shape the band's sound.
He also collaborated with other artists and bands throughout his career. Some of these include:
- Hindu Love Gods: A band formed with Peter Buck and Mike Mills, featuring Warren Zevon. They released an album in 1990.
- Michelle Malone: Bill played drums on her 1988 album New Experience.
- The Troggs: Bill, Peter Buck, and Mike Mills played as a backing band for The Troggs on their 1992 album Athens Andover.
- Warren Zevon: Bill contributed to Zevon's 1987 album Sentimental Hygiene.
Bill has also reunited with R.E.M. for special performances, including their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2024.
See also
In Spanish: Bill Berry para niños
