Bill Berry was one of the most iconic musicians of the 80s and helped form the iconic pop group R.E.M.
He was also well known for the way he left the band, which happened at the peak of their stardom.
Sadly, back in 1995 Bill was taken to hospital after suffering a ruptured cerebral aneurysm while on stage.
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Berry was mid-performance when the attack occurred, which caused him to collapse right in front of his fellow band members and the audience.
Although he made a full recovery after receiving care over in Switzerland, Bill decided to leave music altogether just two years later.
(Image: Getty Images)
He spoke to VH-1’s Behind the Music at the time and admitted that he “didn’t wake up one day and decide he couldn’t stand his bandmates”.
Bill said that he “felt like he was ready for a life change” and has since kept a low profile with only a few returns to the band.
Berry now lives as a farmer and has almost completely left the industry he once dominated behind.
(Image: Getty Images)
He has worked on a hay farm in Farmington, Georgia since 1997.
In an interview at his home back in 2019, Bill opened up about his life since leaving R.E.M.
He said: “I would never go on vacation. Vacation for me is right here. I spent enough time in airports and in vans and on buses.”
“I kind of like sitting still for a while. Still haven’t grown tired of that.”
(Image: Getty Images)
R.E.M. officially formed back in 1980 and became one of the defining sounds of the decade.
The hugely successful band became a household name with hits such as Losing My Religion and managed to sell a whopping 90 million records across the world.
R.E.M., whose name comes from the phrase “rapid eye movement,” won many awards throughout their career which spanned over three decades.
(Image: WireImage for Georgia Department of Economic Development)
They won three Grammys, 12 VMA’s, three BRIT Awards and two Billboard Music Awards just to name a few.
Eventually, the four piece disbanded amicably back in 2011 after the members decided to pursue their own solo projects.
The band was made up of drummer Bill Berry, Michael Stipe, Mike Mills and Peter Buck.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
