Mike Mills
Encyclopedia
Michael Edward "Mike" Mills (born December 17, 1958 in Orange County
, California) is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer who was a founding member of the alternative rock
group R.E.M.
. Though known primarily as a bass guitarist, backing vocalist, and pianist, his musical repertoire includes also keyboards, guitar, and percussion instruments. He also contributed to a majority of the band's musical compositions.
, Georgia and attended Northeast High School
in the early 1970s. Mills' father Frank was a singer whose appearances included The Ed Sullivan Show
, while his mother Adora was a piano teacher, which helped him develop a love of music at an early age. He met and formed a band with drummer friend Bill Berry
in high school. They met Peter Buck
and Michael Stipe
after entering and attending the University of Georgia
.
.
Mills is credited with being the chief composer behind many of R.E.M.'s songs, including "Nightswimming
", "Find the River
", "At My Most Beautiful
", "Why Not Smile", "Let Me In", "Wendell Gee
", "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville
", "Beat a Drum", "Be Mine" and "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?
". In particular, R.E.M.'s 2004 album Around the Sun
was heavily shaped by Mills' piano and keyboard contributions. Mills is also responsible for the prominent backing vocal and harmony
parts found within the band's back catalogue, with his vocal contributions arguably being most noticeable on 1986's Lifes Rich Pageant
and 2008's Accelerate
. In addition to providing backing melodies, he has also sung lead vocals on the songs "Texarkana
", "Near Wild Heaven
", The Clique
cover "Superman" and The Troggs
cover "Love is All Around".
Mills is also known for his collection of Nudie suits, which he often wears on stage; he was first seen wearing one of these suits in the 1994 video
for "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" and then throughout the band's subsequent 1995 tour.
) Hermitage, the 1987 album by the Virginia-based band Waxing Poetics.
The three active instrumentalists from R.E.M. all performed on Nikki Sudden
's 1991 album The Jewel Thief, including the single "I Belong to You
". They also joined up with Warren Zevon
to form the group Hindu Love Gods
for a single self-titled release in 1990, which featured a minor hit in the Prince
cover "Raspberry Beret
".
In late 2003, Mills briefly joined the "Tell Us the Truth" tour, an anti-war, anti-George W. Bush
administration collaboration with Tom Morello
(guitarist for Audioslave
and Rage Against the Machine
, who, like Mills, did a solo acoustic set), Jill Sobule
, Steve Earle
, Janeane Garofalo
, Billy Bragg
, and others.
In March 1999, Mills won a NCAA contest (over one thousand other entrants) in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
's annual "Final Four Fiasco" contest by correctly picking the final four teams in the 1999 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
.
Mills played piano on Mudville's
2007 album Iris Nova.
Mills also recorded a brief piano part for the song "Soma
" from The Smashing Pumpkins
' 1993 album Siamese Dream
, which was recorded in Georgia.
in Denver, Colorado, in 1999. Julian was present at R.E.M.'s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
on March 12, 2007, at New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
, as well as the Georgia Music Hall of Fame
induction in 2006. Julian is now a student at the University of Mississippi
.
Mills' father, Frank, died on September 25, 2001, at the age of 65. A singer whose appearances included The Ed Sullivan Show
, he had recently retired to Lake Oconee
in Greene County
, Georgia. In addition to singing, Mills' father had been an airplane pilot for the U.S. Marine Corps. He was laid to rest four days later at the First Methodist Church of Greensboro
, Georgia.
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, California) is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer who was a founding member of the alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
group R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
. Though known primarily as a bass guitarist, backing vocalist, and pianist, his musical repertoire includes also keyboards, guitar, and percussion instruments. He also contributed to a majority of the band's musical compositions.
Early life
As a young boy, Mills moved with his family to MaconMacon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
, Georgia and attended Northeast High School
Northeast High School (Georgia)
Northeast Health Science Magnet High School is a high school in Macon, Georgia, Georgia. It is part of the Bibb County Public School District....
in the early 1970s. Mills' father Frank was a singer whose appearances included The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
, while his mother Adora was a piano teacher, which helped him develop a love of music at an early age. He met and formed a band with drummer friend Bill Berry
Bill Berry
William "Bill" Thomas Berry is a retired American musician, multi-instrumentalist, best known as the drummer for the alternative rock band R.E.M. In addition to his drumming duties, Berry played many other instruments including guitar, bass guitar, and piano, both for songwriting and on R.E.M....
in high school. They met Peter Buck
Peter Buck
Peter Lawrence Buck , is an American rock guitarist who is best known for playing in and co-founding alternative rock band R.E.M....
and Michael Stipe
Michael Stipe
John Michael Stipe is an American singer and lyricist. He was the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band R.E.M.Stipe is noted and occasionally parodied for the "mumbling" style of his early career as well as his social and political activism. He was in charge of R.E.M.'s visual image; often...
after entering and attending the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
.
R.E.M.
Mills, Berry, Buck, and Stipe decided to drop out of college and focus on their band, now named R.E.M. The band quickly developed a following and were soon signed to I.R.S. RecordsI.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records was a record label, started in the United States in 1979 by Miles Copeland III along with Jay Boberg and Carl Grasso. Miles was also the manager of Wishbone Ash, The Police, and later, Sting, as well as other bands. I.R.S. was the sister label of Copeland's Illegal Records .I.R.S...
.
Mills is credited with being the chief composer behind many of R.E.M.'s songs, including "Nightswimming
Nightswimming
"Nightswimming" is a song by the American alternative rock band R.E.M. It was released in 1993 as the fifth single off the group's eighth album Automatic for the People...
", "Find the River
Find the River
"Find the River" is a song by R.E.M., released as the sixth and final single from their eighth album Automatic for the People. It was the twelfth and final track on this critically acclaimed release. The song failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 and struggled on the UK Singles Charts, reaching...
", "At My Most Beautiful
At My Most Beautiful
"At My Most Beautiful" is a song by R.E.M. and the third single from the album Up. With a heavy influence from the Beach Boys and the Beatles, lyricist Michael Stipe wanted it to be the most romantic song he'd ever written....
", "Why Not Smile", "Let Me In", "Wendell Gee
Wendell Gee
"Wendell Gee" is a song by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released as the third and final single from the group's third studio album Fables of the Reconstruction in 1985. It was released in Europe only, in two 7" and two 12" formats....
", "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville
(Don't Go Back To) Rockville
" Rockville" was the second and final single released by R.E.M. from their second studio album Reckoning. The song failed to chart on either the Billboard Hot 100 or the UK Singles Charts....
", "Beat a Drum", "Be Mine" and "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?
What's the Frequency, Kenneth?
"What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" is a song by the American alternative rock group R.E.M. from their 1994 album Monster. It was the first single taken from the album, released three weeks later. It peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number 9 on the UK Singles Chart. Due to its...
". In particular, R.E.M.'s 2004 album Around the Sun
Around the Sun
Around the Sun is the 13th studio album by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released in 2004.-Description:"The Outsiders" features a guest appearance by rapper Q-Tip. When performed live, Michael Stipe carries out the rap, as he does on a later b-side release of the song."Final Straw" is...
was heavily shaped by Mills' piano and keyboard contributions. Mills is also responsible for the prominent backing vocal and harmony
Vocal harmony
Vocal harmony is a style of vocal music in which a consonant note or notes are sung at the same time as a main melody in a predominantly homophonic texture. Vocal harmonies are used in many subgenres of European art music, including Classical choral music and opera and in the popular styles from...
parts found within the band's back catalogue, with his vocal contributions arguably being most noticeable on 1986's Lifes Rich Pageant
Lifes Rich Pageant
Lifes Rich Pageant is the fourth album by the American band R.E.M., released in 1986. Intended as an upbeat reaction to the sobering and historical Fables of the Reconstruction, R.E.M...
and 2008's Accelerate
Accelerate (R.E.M. album)
Accelerate is the 14th studio album by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released on March 31, 2008 in Europe, and on April 1 in North America. Produced with Jacknife Lee, Accelerate was intended as a departure from the 2004 album Around the Sun. R.E.M...
. In addition to providing backing melodies, he has also sung lead vocals on the songs "Texarkana
Texarkana (song)
"Texarkana" is the name of a song from R.E.M.'s studio album Out of Time. Although it was not released as a single, it managed to chart at number 4 on the Modern Rock Tracks Chart and number six on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart...
", "Near Wild Heaven
Near Wild Heaven
"Near Wild Heaven" was the third single released from R.E.M.'s seventh studio album Out of Time in 1991. The song was the first single released by the band to have had its lyrics both co-written and sung by bassist Mike Mills. According to a quotation from Peter Buck in R.E.M...
", The Clique
The Clique (Texas band)
The Clique are a late 1960s U.S. sunshine pop band from Beaumont, Texas, 90 miles east of Houston.The group was centered around record producer/songwriter Gary Zekley, who often employed session musicians...
cover "Superman" and The Troggs
The Troggs
The Troggs are an English rock band from the 1960s that had a number of hits in UK and the US. Their most famous songs include, "Wild Thing", "With a Girl Like You", and "Love Is All Around"...
cover "Love is All Around".
Mills is also known for his collection of Nudie suits, which he often wears on stage; he was first seen wearing one of these suits in the 1994 video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" and then throughout the band's subsequent 1995 tour.
Other work
Mills co-produced (along with Mitch EasterMitch Easter
Mitch Easter is a songwriter, musician, and producer. As a producer, he is probably best known for his work with R.E.M. from 1981 through 1984, though he has also worked with many other acts including The Hang Ups, Pavement, Suzanne Vega, Game Theory, Marshall Crenshaw, Velvet Crush, and...
) Hermitage, the 1987 album by the Virginia-based band Waxing Poetics.
The three active instrumentalists from R.E.M. all performed on Nikki Sudden
Nikki Sudden
Nikki Sudden was a prolific English singer-songwriter and guitarist. He co-founded the post-punk band Swell Maps with his brother Epic Soundtracks while attending Solihull School in Solihull.-Career:...
's 1991 album The Jewel Thief, including the single "I Belong to You
I Belong to You (Nikki Sudden song)
"I Belong to You" is a 1991 song by Nikki Sudden from the album The Jewel Thief. The song was later collected on the 2000 compilation The Last Bandit: The Best of Nikki Sudden. The songs were recorded during a brief period when Sudden lived at R.E.M...
". They also joined up with Warren Zevon
Warren Zevon
Warren William Zevon was an American rock singer-songwriter and musician noted for including his sometimes sardonic opinions of life in his musical lyrics, composing songs that were sometimes humorous and often had political or historical themes.Zevon's work has often been praised by well-known...
to form the group Hindu Love Gods
Hindu Love Gods (band)
Hindu Love Gods was an American pop/rock and blues band that was, in essence, an occasional side project of members of R.E.M., with Warren Zevon and Bryan Cook.-History:...
for a single self-titled release in 1990, which featured a minor hit in the Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
cover "Raspberry Beret
Raspberry Beret
"Raspberry Beret" is a song by Prince and The Revolution. It was the first U.S. single from their 1985 album, Around the World in a Day. The sound was different from any previous Prince track, incorporating Middle Eastern finger cymbals, stringed instruments, and even a harmonica on the extended...
".
In late 2003, Mills briefly joined the "Tell Us the Truth" tour, an anti-war, anti-George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
administration collaboration with Tom Morello
Tom Morello
Thomas Baptiste "Tom" Morello is a Grammy Award-winning American guitarist best known for his tenure with the bands Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, his acoustic solo act The Nightwatchman, and his newest group, Street Sweeper Social Club...
(guitarist for Audioslave
Audioslave
Audioslave was an American rock supergroup that formed in Los Angeles, California in 2001. It consisted of former Soundgarden lead singer/rhythm guitarist Chris Cornell and the former instrumentalists of Rage Against the Machine: Tom Morello , Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk...
and Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
, who, like Mills, did a solo acoustic set), Jill Sobule
Jill Sobule
Jill Sobule is an American singer-songwriter best known for the 1995 single "I Kissed a Girl", and "Supermodel" from the soundtrack of the 1995 film Clueless...
, Steve Earle
Steve Earle
Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....
, Janeane Garofalo
Janeane Garofalo
Janeane Garofalo is an American stand-up comedian, actress, political activist and writer. She is the former co-host on the now defunct Air America Radio's The Majority Report. Garofalo continues to circulate regularly within New York City's local comedy and performance art scene.-Early...
, Billy Bragg
Billy Bragg
Stephen William Bragg , better known as Billy Bragg, is an English alternative rock musician and left-wing activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, and his lyrics mostly deal with political or romantic themes...
, and others.
In March 1999, Mills won a NCAA contest (over one thousand other entrants) in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is the only major daily newspaper in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, and its suburbs. The AJC, as it is called, is the flagship publication of Cox Enterprises. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is the result of the merger between The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta...
's annual "Final Four Fiasco" contest by correctly picking the final four teams in the 1999 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
1999 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1999 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 11, 1999, and ended with the championship game on March 29 at Tropicana Field in St....
.
Mills played piano on Mudville's
Mudville (band)
Mudville is a Brooklyn, NY-based band and artist collective whose sound, a hybrid of Downtempo, Electronica, Memphis-style Soul and Jazz was dubbed, "post-Trip hop" by John Donohue of The New Yorker...
2007 album Iris Nova.
Mills also recorded a brief piano part for the song "Soma
Soma (song)
"Soma", originally called "Coma", is a track on the album Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins. The song-writing credits list James Iha and Billy Corgan as co-authors, but Corgan claims that Iha only wrote the chord structure for the beginning of the song, and that Corgan himself wrote the rest....
" from The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. Formed by Billy Corgan frontman and James Iha , the band has included Jimmy Chamberlin , D'arcy Wretzky , and currently includes Jeff Schroeder Mike Byrne , and Nicole Fiorentino The Smashing...
' 1993 album Siamese Dream
Siamese Dream
Siamese Dream is the second album by the American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, released on July 27, 1993 on Virgin Records. The album fused diverse influences such as shoegazing, dream pop, grunge, classic rock, heavy metal, and progressive rock.Despite recording sessions fraught...
, which was recorded in Georgia.
Personal notes
Mills has one son, Julian, born in 1989. Mills introduced Julian during a show at the Red Rocks AmphitheatreRed Rocks Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a rock structure near Morrison, Colorado, where concerts are given in the open-air amphitheatre. There is a large, tilted, disc-shaped rock behind the stage, a huge vertical rock angled outwards from stage right, several large outcrops angled outwards from stage left and a...
in Denver, Colorado, in 1999. Julian was present at R.E.M.'s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
on March 12, 2007, at New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
The Waldorf-Astoria is a luxury hotel in New York. It has been housed in two historic landmark buildings in New York City. The first, designed by architect Henry J. Hardenbergh, was on the Fifth Avenue site of the Empire State Building. The present building at 301 Park Avenue in Manhattan is a...
, as well as the Georgia Music Hall of Fame
Georgia Music Hall of Fame
The Georgia Music Hall of Fame, located in downtown Macon, Georgia, preserves and interprets the state's rich musical heritage through programs of collection, exhibition, education and performance...
induction in 2006. Julian is now a student at the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
.
Mills' father, Frank, died on September 25, 2001, at the age of 65. A singer whose appearances included The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
, he had recently retired to Lake Oconee
Lake Oconee
Lake Oconee is a reservoir in central Georgia on the Oconee River near Greensboro and Eatonton. It was created in 1979 when Georgia Power completed the construction of the Wallace Dam on the Oconee River. Lake Oconee is the second largest lake in the state of Georgia...
in Greene County
Greene County, Georgia
Greene County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on February 3, 1786. As of 2000, the population is 14,406. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 15,662. The county seat is Greensboro...
, Georgia. In addition to singing, Mills' father had been an airplane pilot for the U.S. Marine Corps. He was laid to rest four days later at the First Methodist Church of Greensboro
Greensboro, Georgia
Greensboro is a town in Greene County, Georgia, United States. Its population was 3,238 at the time of the 2000 U.S. census. This town is the county seat of Greene County.-Geography:Greensboro is located at .According to the U.S...
, Georgia.
Discography
- 1984 – Hindu Love GodsHindu Love Gods (album)Hindu Love Gods is the only album by American band Hindu Love Gods, released in 1990. The album was recorded around the same time as Warren Zevon's album Sentimental Hygiene, for which Zevon had enlisted Bill Berry, Peter Buck, and Mike Mills of R.E.M. as players. The musicians also recorded this...
– "Gonna Have a Good Time Tonight"/"Narrator". - 1985 – Full Time Men – Full Time Men, organ on "One More Time"
- 1987 – Warren ZevonWarren ZevonWarren William Zevon was an American rock singer-songwriter and musician noted for including his sometimes sardonic opinions of life in his musical lyrics, composing songs that were sometimes humorous and often had political or historical themes.Zevon's work has often been praised by well-known...
– Sentimental HygieneSentimental HygieneSentimental Hygiene is an album by rock singer/songwriter Warren Zevon, released in 1987. The release of Sentimental Hygiene marked the first studio album for Zevon in five years...
on "Sentimental Hygiene", "Boom Boom Mancini", "The Factory", "Trouble Waiting to Happen", "Detox Mansion", "Bad Karma", "Even a Dog Can Shake Hands", and "The Heartache" - 1987 – Waxing Poetics – Hermitage, production
- 1988 – Billy JamesBilly JamesBilly James is a publicist and talent scout; best known for his work in the 1960s and 1970s discovering and developing musical talent for record companies such as Columbia, Elektra, and RCA Records....
– Sixes and Sevens, production - 1988 – The CynicsThe CynicsThe Cynics are an influential Garage rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The band, consisting of guitarist Gregg Kostelich, drummer Bill Von Hagen, vocalist Michael Kastelic, bass player Steve Magee, and keyboardist and later founder of New York City's Bellwether gallery Becky Smith, debuted...
– "What's It Gonna Be"/"Roadrunner" (live) - 1989 – Kevn Kinney – MacDougal Blues
- 1989 – Indigo GirlsIndigo GirlsThe Indigo Girls are an American folk rock music duo, consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. They met in elementary school and began performing together as high school students in Decatur, Georgia, part of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
– Indigo GirlsIndigo Girls (album)Indigo Girls is the second studio album by Indigo Girls. It was released in 1989 on Epic Records.The album received excellent critical reviews, and went gold after six months and eventually went platinum. The duo was nominated for a Best New Artist Grammy , and won one for Best Contemporary Folk...
, bass guitar on "Tried to Be True" - 1989 – Vibrating Egg – Come On in Here If You Want To, writing and performance
- 1990 – Mike Mills wrote music for Howard Libov's short film Men Will Be Boys
- 1990 – Hindu Love Gods – Hindu Love GodsHindu Love Gods (album)Hindu Love Gods is the only album by American band Hindu Love Gods, released in 1990. The album was recorded around the same time as Warren Zevon's album Sentimental Hygiene, for which Zevon had enlisted Bill Berry, Peter Buck, and Mike Mills of R.E.M. as players. The musicians also recorded this...
- 1990 – Hindu Love Gods – "Raspberry BeretRaspberry Beret"Raspberry Beret" is a song by Prince and The Revolution. It was the first U.S. single from their 1985 album, Around the World in a Day. The sound was different from any previous Prince track, incorporating Middle Eastern finger cymbals, stringed instruments, and even a harmonica on the extended...
" - 1991 – Nikki SuddenNikki SuddenNikki Sudden was a prolific English singer-songwriter and guitarist. He co-founded the post-punk band Swell Maps with his brother Epic Soundtracks while attending Solihull School in Solihull.-Career:...
– The Jewel Thief - 1991 – Nikki Sudden – "I Belong to YouI Belong to You (Nikki Sudden song)"I Belong to You" is a 1991 song by Nikki Sudden from the album The Jewel Thief. The song was later collected on the 2000 compilation The Last Bandit: The Best of Nikki Sudden. The songs were recorded during a brief period when Sudden lived at R.E.M...
" - 1991 – The TroggsThe TroggsThe Troggs are an English rock band from the 1960s that had a number of hits in UK and the US. Their most famous songs include, "Wild Thing", "With a Girl Like You", and "Love Is All Around"...
– Athens, Andover - 1991 – Robbie RobertsonRobbie RobertsonRobbie Robertson, OC; is a Canadian singer-songwriter, and guitarist. He is best known for his membership as the guitarist and primary songwriter within The Band. He was ranked 59th in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time...
– StoryvilleStoryville (album)Storyville is Robbie Robertson's second solo album. It is focused on the famous jazz homeland section of New Orleans and on that part of the South in particular...
, singing on "Shake This Town" - 1992 – Jane Pratt Show theme musicTheme musicTheme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
- 1993 – Automatic BabyAutomatic BabyAutomatic Baby was rock supergroup briefly formed by members of the bands U2 and R.E.M.. It was co-formed by Mike Mills , Michael Stipe , both from R.E.M., and Larry Mullen Jr. , and Adam Clayton from U2. The band's only performance was an acoustic version of "One" during an MTV concert for...
– "OneOne (U2 song)"One" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track from their 1991 album Achtung Baby, and it was released as the record's third single in March 1992. It was recorded at three recording studios, Hansa Ton Studios, Elsinore, and Windmill Lane Studios...
" - 1993 – The Smashing PumpkinsThe Smashing PumpkinsThe Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. Formed by Billy Corgan frontman and James Iha , the band has included Jimmy Chamberlin , D'arcy Wretzky , and currently includes Jeff Schroeder Mike Byrne , and Nicole Fiorentino The Smashing...
– Siamese DreamSiamese DreamSiamese Dream is the second album by the American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, released on July 27, 1993 on Virgin Records. The album fused diverse influences such as shoegazing, dream pop, grunge, classic rock, heavy metal, and progressive rock.Despite recording sessions fraught...
, piano on "Soma" - 1993 – Three Walls Down – Building Our House, production
- 1993 – Three Walls Down – "Steps"/"Wooden Nails"/"Faith in These Times" (live)
- 1994 – BackbeatBackbeat (film)Backbeat is a 1994 British-German drama film directed by Iain Softley. It chronicles the early days of The Beatles in Hamburg, Germany. The film focuses primarily on the relationship between Stuart Sutcliffe and John Lennon , and also with Sutcliffe's German girlfriend Astrid Kirchherr...
soundtrack - 1994 – Victoria WilliamsVictoria WilliamsVictoria Williams is an American singer-songwriter and musician, originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, although she has resided in Southern California throughout her musical career. She is noted for her descriptive songwriting talent, which she has used to immerse the listener of her songs into a...
– Loose, vocals on "You R Loved" - 2000 – Christy McWilson – The Lucky One
- 2006 – Various artists – Big Star Small World, bass guitar on "The Ballad of El Goodo", with Matthew SweetMatthew SweetSidney Matthew Sweet is an American alternative rock/power pop musician. He was part of the burgeoning Athens, Georgia music scene in the early and mid-1980s before gaining commercial success during the early 1990s...
- 2006 – Mike Mills and Sally Ellyson – "Jesus Christ", a Big StarBig StarBig Star was an American rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1971 by Alex Chilton, Chris Bell, Jody Stephens and Andy Hummel. The group broke up in 1974, but reorganized with a new line-up nearly 20 years later...
song covered for a charity single for the Red Apple Foundation - 2007 – MudvilleMudville (band)Mudville is a Brooklyn, NY-based band and artist collective whose sound, a hybrid of Downtempo, Electronica, Memphis-style Soul and Jazz was dubbed, "post-Trip hop" by John Donohue of The New Yorker...
– Iris Nova, piano on "Eternity" - 2008 – Modern SkirtsModern SkirtsModern Skirts is an alternative rock band based in Athens, GA. The band consists of four members: Jay Gulley , JoJo Glidewell , Phillip Brantley and John Swint ....
– All of Us in Our Night, production on "Motorcade" - 2009 – Favorite Son soundtrack – "Gift of the Fathers"
- 2009 – Jill HennessyJill HennessyJillian Noel "Jill" Hennessy is a Canadian actress and musician known for her television roles on Law & Order and Crossing Jordan.-Early life:...
– Ghost in My Head, backing vocals on "Erin" - 2010 – Various artists – The Voice Project, cover of Billy BraggBilly BraggStephen William Bragg , better known as Billy Bragg, is an English alternative rock musician and left-wing activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, and his lyrics mostly deal with political or romantic themes...
's "Sing Their Souls Back Home" - Mills also produced Athens bands Greenhouse and Purr.