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.