John Michael Stipe (born January 4, 1960) is an American (United States) singer who is the lead vocalist for the alternative rock band R.E.M. Stipe has become well-known (and occasionally parodied) for the "mumbling" style of his early career and for his complex, surreal (surrealism) lyrics, as well as his social and political activism. Stipe is in charge of the bands visual image, often selecting album artwork and directing many of the bands music videos. Stipes work extends outside of the music industry, and he runs his own film production companies, C-00 and Single Cell Pictures.