The Monkees’ Micky Dolenz paying tribute to R.E.M. with new EP

You don’t often think of R.E.M. when you hear The Monkees’ Micky Dolenz, but that’s about to change.

Rolling Stone reports that Dolenz will release a tribute EP to the Athens rockers, Dolenz Sings R.E.M., on November 3. It features the just-released cover of the Out of Time track “Shiny Happy People,” produced by Michael Nesmith’s son Christian, who plays many of the instruments on the EP.

The EP also includes Dolenz’s take on R.E.M.’s debut single, “Radio Free Europe,” as well as the Automatic for the People track “Man on the Moon” and Around the Sun’s “Leaving New York.”

“These songs are absolutely incredible,” R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe shares. “Micky Dolenz covering R.E.M. Monkees style, I have died and gone to heaven. This is really something. … ‘Shiny Happy People’ sounds incredible (never thought you or I would hear me say that!!!).”

R.E.M. has shared in the past that they were fans of The Monkees, something Dolenz calls “incredibly flattering.” “Those guys were such great poets,” he tells the mag. “The lyrics at times remind of Michael Nesmith lyrics. They’re very poetic, which I love.”