R.E.M.’s Mike Mills Announces David Letterman’s Retirement

R.E.M.’s Mike Mills Announces David Letterman’s Retirement

Tonight, two former R.E.M. members, Mike Mills and Peter Buck, will be on the Late Show With David Letterman. They’re backing up the night’s musical guest, singer-songwriter Joseph Arthur. Letterman tapes his show early in the day, which means those guys were on hand for something of a landmark show-business moment: Apparently, David Letterman is retiring. We only know this, though, because Mills tweeted it, effectively breaking the news. Here’s Mills: “Dave just announced his retirement #2015 #muchlovedave.”

Below watch R.E.M. playing Late Night With David Letterman in October ’83. It was the band’s first television performance and “So. Central Rain” didn’t even have a name yet…

UPDATE: Here’s Letterman’s announcement followed by a short backstage interview in which Mills explains why he broke the news over Twitter.

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