Former REM guitarist Peter Buck has recalled how the band called it a day and explained that the seeds were sown back in 2008 when they played their final live show in Mexico City.And three years later, after they had released their final studio album Collapse Into Now, Stipe explained to Buck and bassist Mike Mills that he needed "to be away from this for a long time". "And I said, 'How about forever?' Michael looked at Mike, and Mike said, 'Sounds right to me'. That's how it was decided," Buck outlined. "I'm really proud of the fact that we ended in 2011 with the ideals we started with in 1980. I'm really proud of the body of work. There are a couple of records that aren't great. But there's a couple of Bob Dylan records that aren't great.”
