Are we killing our rock stars?

[BombaySapphire3]

Originally Posted by luminol

Yes! I was going to mention R.E.M., too (one of my all-time favorites and definite soundtrack to my life growing up in Georgia in the '80s). I had mad respect for them for continuing on without Bill Berry (post aneurism) for 15 years, and even more respect for being self-aware enough to know when to call it. They had great successes, made an indelible impact on the music scene for a couple decades, continued to tour and make albums for years (with Berry's blessing), and then realized, "We had a great ride and it is time to move on." There's a lot to be said for that. They're all still dabbling in different projects (music oriented and otherwise) and appear to be enjoying life post-R.E.M. .

Michael Stipe is one of a tiny handful of rock superstars who is a true introvert so I don't think he ever really had a great desire to be a rock star.