Oh how things have changed. Really great interview from the Murmur era describing some of the feelings that Michael has in regards to lyrics, politics, and emotion.   
 
R.E.M. Shadows and Murmurs
Jim Sullivan, Record
July 1983

Boston - Talk about rock 'n' roll bands-their public images and their music-and certain adjectives jump up and wave their hands in the air. Say the Clash and pretty quickly you the to "political." Mention the Cramps and "voodoo rockabilly" comes tagging along.

Talk about R.E.M., yet another fine band from Athens, Georgia, and these sort of words sift to the forefront: Oblique. Hazy. Vague. Look at their cover tof their debut LP, Murmur- a dark, murky, monochromatic shot of dried kudzu, a vine indigenous to ht south. Listen to the music and think of what you remember from the songs-you come up with these gorgeous, hook-laden, minor key melody lines sticking in your brain accompanied by lyrical snippets (and responses) like these-"Talk about the passion" (Which passion? Where?); "Boxcars, pulling out of town" (Why? Where are they going? Why is this important?); "Gardening at night" (a rock song about gardening?! At night?!!)

"House in order . . .wolves at the door" (Oh.) Fragments, shadows, murmurs.

This is confusing

"Good", says R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe, with a pleased, mission accomplished tone.

This is really classic early Stipe here.  Slightly arrogant but not too bad. It gets worse as the years go on. 
 
I enjoy what is said in regards to being in a Pop Band. Stipe throws that around a lot currently and I would like to hear what he has to say now compared to then about Pop Bands.
 
I also think that his comments about Lyric Sheets as this is something that is included with the albums now. Personally, I think it has to do with being very self-conscious of what he was saying back then and putting his lyrics down on sheets is like taking naked photos of yourself. When you are wearing clothes others can get an idea but nakedness is much different. 
 
I think it is important to remember that people change their feelings but I would love to do an interview with Stipe referencing quotes of what he said years ago to just see the reaction he would have to his words on paper. I would never think it is fair to hold someone to their statements 20+ years ago.  
 
 
Alternative America Interview (1983)
 
By  Blake Gumprecht
  

This is not one of those interviews with any fireworks but interesting nonetheless. It also seems that Mike and Bill were always doing something else and that Peter was the main guy doing interviews. It's engaging listening to Peter selling these reviewers about what R.E.M. is all about, selling himself like a dirty whore to these rock critics. He knows their language and I bet charges them 2.99 a minute to listen to him go off on the music biz, radio, etc.

And then of course Michael sits in the corner and makes a quip every once in awhile that doesn’t make any sense or have any rhyme or reason to it. Well maybe not that much here but that point will become more obvious as the interviews roll on.

This interview looks like from their first European trip after Murmur had been released. It's nice and long and Mr. Fletcher had written a book about R.E.M., so there is a genuine fan talking about him. I like this because it is probably his first article about them and you can hear his growing admiration for the band. 
 
 

(Late 1983) R.E.M. interview with Tony Fletcher

Without doubt, one of the finest albums of 1983 was R.E.M.'s debut 'Murmur'. Surprisingly successful in their American homeland (going top 40), it eventually picked up some worthy attention here when the band visited these shores in November. With a name standing for Rapid Eye Movement (the effect of dreaming) it is not surprising to find their music warm and emotional, a trance-like collection of hidden moments and memories. Using the simplicity of jangling guitars, a bright piano and Michael Stripe's* almost Morrison-esque voice, R.E.M. managed to put together an album that grows on the listener like no other I've ever encountered - on the first hearing its good but by the fifty-first it's a classic.