View source for Bill Berry

{{Short description|American drummer (born 1958)}}
{{Other people}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2019}}

{{Infobox musical artist
| name             = Bill Berry
| image            = Billberry.jpg
| image_size       = 250px
| landscape        = Yes
| caption          = Berry in 2011
| alt = Berry smiling while playing drums
| birth_name       = William Thomas Berry
| birth_date       = {{birth date and age|1958|7|31}}
| birth_place      = [[Duluth, Minnesota]], U.S.
| genre            = {{hlist|[[Alternative rock]]|[[folk rock]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160630191157/http://www.mtv.com/news/518931/stipe-carrey-duet-on-rem-penned-soundtrack/ Stipe, Carrey Duet On R.E.M. – Penned Soundtrack]<br>[[MTV]].com<br>Retrieved June 20, 2016</ref>|[[college rock]]|[[jangle pop]]}}
| instrument       = {{hlist|Drums|percussion|vocals}}
| years_active     = {{hlist|1980–1997, 2022–present}}
| current_member_of = [[The Bad Ends]]
| past_member_of   = [[R.E.M.]]
}}
'''William Thomas Berry''' (born July 31, 1958) is an American musician who was the drummer for the [[alternative rock]] band [[R.E.M.]] Although best known for his economical drumming style, Berry also played other instruments, including guitar, bass guitar and piano, both for songwriting and on R.E.M. albums. In 1995, Berry suffered a ruptured [[cerebral aneurysm]] onstage and collapsed.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1579386/bill-berry-heath-rem-brain-aneurysm-symptoms-treatment | title=Bill Berry health: R.E.M drummer on his shock brain aneurysms | date=March 12, 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/put-good-spin-publicly-truth-090030687.html | title="We put a good spin on it publicly but the truth is Bill almost died": Michael Stipe on how R.E.M. Narrowly averted tragedy on the Monster tour | date=January 28, 2024 }}</ref> After a successful recovery he left the music industry two years later to become a farmer, and has since maintained a low profile, making sporadic reunions with R.E.M. and appearing on other artists' recordings. His departure made him the only member of the band to not remain with them during their entire run. Berry eventually returned to the industry in 2022.

==Early years (1958–1980)==
William Thomas Berry was born on July 31, 1958, in [[Duluth, Minnesota]], the fifth child of Don and Anna Berry. At the age of three, Berry moved with his family to [[Wauwatosa, Wisconsin]], a suburb of [[Milwaukee]], where they would remain for the next seven years. In 1968, they moved again, this time to [[Sandusky, Ohio]].

In 1972, the Berry family made their final move, to [[Macon, Georgia]], just in time for Bill to start high school at [[Northeast High School (Macon, Georgia)|Northeast High School]]. It was there that he met bass guitarist [[Mike Mills]], and they played together in several different bands, including Shadowfax.<ref name=weird/> Their first attempt at a career in music was short-lived. He and Mills decided to make money by getting day jobs. They rented an apartment on Arlington Place in Macon, and Bill landed a job at the [[Paragon Booking Agency]] next door.<ref name=":1">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRfhX-XAIiY |title=Mike Mills: The Story Of R.E.M. |date=2024-06-14 |last=Rick Beato |access-date=2024-07-01 |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Buckley |first=David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8aH1OGro9bkC&dq=Paragon+booking+agency+macon+georgia&pg=PT38 |title=R.E.M. Fiction: An Alternative Biography |date=2012-05-31 |publisher=Random House |isbn=978-1-4481-3246-1 |language=en}}</ref>

Berry and Mills moved to [[Athens, Georgia]], in late 1978, where they met [[Michael Stipe]] and [[Peter Buck]]. Prior to dropping out, Berry studied [[pre-law]] at the [[University of Georgia]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/070902/roc_20020707042.shtml |title=Rock Athens: Classic Profile: Athens attorney committed to living life with passion 07/09/02 |publisher=OnlineAthens |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161103164359/http://onlineathens.com/stories/070902/roc_20020707042.shtml |archive-date=November 3, 2016 |url-status=dead |access-date=October 2, 2011 }}</ref>

==R.E.M. years (1980–1997)==
{{main article|R.E.M.}}
R.E.M. was formed in 1980. In addition to his duties as a drummer, Berry contributed occasional guitar, bass, mandolin, vocals, keyboards and piano on studio tracks. In concert, he sometimes performed on bass, and supplied regular backing vocals.  Berry also made notable songwriting contributions, particularly for "[[Everybody Hurts]]" and "[[Man on the Moon (R.E.M. song)|Man on the Moon]]", both from ''[[Automatic for the People]]''. Other Berry songs included "[[Perfect Circle (song)|Perfect Circle]]", "[[Driver 8]]", "[[Cant Get There from Here]]" and "I Took Your Name". The song "Leave" was also written by Berry for R.E.M.'s album ''[[New Adventures in Hi-Fi]]'' (1996), which was his last album with the band.

Berry was also responsible for toning down the lyrics of the song "Welcome to the Occupation." Stipe's original lyric was "hang your freedom fighters" which, given the [[Presidency of Ronald Reagan|Reagan administration's]] active support for the [[Contras|Nicaraguan contra]] "freedom fighters", sounded violent and militant, although Stipe himself countered that the line could be taken multiple ways ("hang" as in either "lynch" or "frame on a wall"). Berry's objection ultimately led the line to be changed to "hang your freedom higher."

"A lot of [Bill's] stuff is under under-known, under-appreciated, under-rated," said Mills in 2024. "He's a great singer; he comes up with some amazing melodies that I would never have thought of, and ways to sing it that I would never have thought of."<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRfhX-XAIiY |title=Mike Mills: The Story Of R.E.M. |date=2024-06-14 |last=Rick Beato |access-date=2024-06-14 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

During 1984, Berry also was drummer for the impromptu [[Hindu Love Gods (band)|Hindu Love Gods]], which featured his R.E.M. bandmates Peter Buck, Mike Mills, rocker [[Warren Zevon]], and Bryan Cook.

===On-stage collapse and leaving R.E.M. (1995–1997)===
On March 1, 1995, at the Patinoire Auditorium in [[Lausanne]], Switzerland, Berry collapsed on stage during an R.E.M. show from a ruptured [[Cerebral aneurysm|brain aneurysm]]. He recovered and rejoined the band, but left in October 1997, saying that he no longer had the drive or enjoyment level to be in the band, and that he wanted to not travel. He later explained on [[VH-1]]'s ''[[Behind the Music]]'': <blockquote>I didn't wake up one day and decide, "I just can't stand these guys anymore" or anything. I feel like I'm ready for a life change. I'm still young enough that I can do something else. I've been pounding the tubs since I was nine years old ... I'm ready to do something else.</blockquote>

Acquiescing to Berry's wishes, R.E.M. announced that it would reluctantly continue as a three-piece outfit. They continued to tour with several accompanying musicians, including long-time sidemen [[Ken Stringfellow]] and [[Scott McCaughey]] and employed [[Joey Waronker]] and [[Bill Rieflin]] as live drummers over the next decade.

In 2024, when asked if he regretted leaving the band, Berry said: "Of course I did. That was a weird time for me. And I made it weird for these guys too." He added that his aneurysm lowered his energy level. "I was [[Type A and Type B personality theory|Type A]], hyperactive, until that. And I just didn’t have the drive I once did to do this. I didn't regret [leaving] at the time; I sort of regretted it a little later."<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATHHACcw3Q4 |title=Extended interview: R.E.M. on songwriting, breaking up and their lifelong friendship |date=2024-06-14 |last=CBS Mornings |access-date=2024-06-14 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

==Semi-retirement (1997–2022)==
Berry left the music business and became a farmer, working on his [[hay]] farm in [[Farmington, Georgia]], near Athens in late 1997.

Prior to the group's induction into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]], Berry granted his first interview in several years, discussing life after retirement. "It's a great chance to get back together and perform with R.E.M., which I always loved doing", he said.<ref name="R.E.M. Hall" />

Asked where he goes on vacations, in an interview at his home in 2019, Berry stated: "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."<ref name=weird/> He ventures in to Athens to "see shows I want; I don't just go out and hang out at bars." He added: "I get into shows about 1.6 times a month: maybe not twice a month, but more than once."<ref name=weird/>

Berry maintains that he never enjoyed being a drummer. "It's just not the most musical instrument. I've never written a song on a set of drums."<ref name=weird/> His preferred instrument is the acoustic guitar, which (as of 2019) is something he plays every day. "I wish I'd played more of it before I retired. I've done most of my practising after I've retired. I've become a pretty good guitarist now; I wasn't then."<ref name=weird/>

His musical activities after leaving R.E.M. have been sporadic, but did include recording for the [[Tourette Syndrome]] Charity Album ''Welcome Companions'' in 2000. On May 11, 2018, he performed at the Winterville Auditorium in [[Winterville, Georgia]], as part of a quintet named Mayor Ferrelle and the Councilmen,  formed by the band's vocalist and lead guitarist, city mayor Dodd Ferrelle. The other three members were [[John Keane (record producer)|John Kean]], [[David Barbe]] and Adam Poulin.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLHo30XjA18 "Bill Berry of REM performs with Winterville, Ga mayor, Dodd Ferrelle"] – Jawavi Films, YouTube, May 17, 2018</ref>

Berry appeared in the 2020 ''[[Song Exploder]]'' documentary about the band's song "[[Losing My Religion]]", even playing part of his drum line from the song.<ref name=se>[https://www.npr.org/2020/10/02/919569680/from-podcast-to-tv-song-exploder-pops "From Podcast To TV, 'Song Exploder' Pops"] – [[NPR]], October 2, 2020</ref> In the same documentary, Peter Buck says, "There's no drummer like Bill Berry on Earth. None. I have a lot of drummer friends, and they all ask me the same thing: 'What's his secret?' And I can't tell you, because I don't know. My theory is that he uses the space between the [[Hi-hat|high hat]] and the [[snare drum]] in a kind of disco-y way, without being too disco."<ref name=se/>

In 1999, [[Joey Waronker]] explained the process of how he learned Berry's drum parts. He had learned around fifty of R.E.M.'s songs. "I think we have about 40 that we’re rotating amongst. I had to make a book — just notes — on every song. It's really, really subtle rhythmically. There's a lot going on, and I never noticed it. I'm a drummer, and never picked up on it. I was listening to the songs, saying, 'These are definitely not straightforward.'"<ref>''[[Minneapolis Star Tribune]]'', August 1999</ref>

== Return to the music industry (2022–present) ==
In 2022, twenty-five years after his departure from R.E.M., Berry formed a new supergroup called [[The Bad Ends]] with Athens- and Atlanta-based musicians<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Music & Video from The Bad Ends Featuring Bill Berry! {{!}} R.E.M.HQ |date=October 14, 2022 |url=https://remhq.com/news/new-music-video-from-the-bad-ends-featuring-bill-berry/ |access-date=2022-10-24 |language=en-US}}</ref> Mike Mantione of [[Five Eight (band)|Five Eight]] on guitar and vocals, Dave Domizi on bass and vocals, Geoff Melkonian on keyboards and vocals, Christian Lopez on guitars and mandolin, and Berry on drums and backing vocals.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2022-10-14 |title=Bill Berry returns to music with new supergroup The Bad Ends |url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/bill-berry-returns-to-music-with-new-supergroup-the-bad-ends/ |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=faroutmagazine.co.uk |language=en-US}}</ref> The origins of the group are a chance meeting between Mike Mantione and Berry on a street in Athens. Mantione had recently been described by Peter Buck as "the unsung hero of Athens rock and roll" and offered Berry "an opportunity to play in the game again", as in playing music professionally.<ref name=":0" />

The group have released one single and video called "All Your Friends Are Dying" and performed a hometown show on November 27, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pearis |first=Bill|title=The Bad Ends, Bill Berry's first group since R.E.M., announce debut LP, share first single |url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/the-bad-ends-bill-berrys-first-group-since-r-e-m-announce-debut-lp-share-first-single/ |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=BrooklynVegan |date=October 14, 2022 |language=en}}</ref> They released their debut album, ''[[The Power and the Glory (Bad Ends album)|The Power and the Glory]]'', on January 20, 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|via=[[YouTube]] |title=The Bad Ends – "All Your Friends Are Dying" [Official Video] |date=October 14, 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDU-tmoRqvQ |language=en-GB |access-date=2022-10-24}}</ref>

On February 8, 2024, Berry joined the [[Michael Shannon]] / [[Jason Narducy]] band on stage at the [[40 Watt Club]] in Athens to perform the piano part in "Perfect Circle", the song that R.E.M. had resumed performing and dedicated to Berry after he left the band in the late 1990s.<ref name="spin">{{Cite magazine |issn=0886-3032 |language=en-US |magazine=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] |accessdate=2024-02-28 |date=2024-02-09 |url=https://www.spin.com/2024/02/rem-athens-tribute-show/ |department=News |title=Inside R.E.M.'s Surprise Appearance At Athens, Ga. Tribute Show |first=Jonathan |last=Cohen}}</ref>

==Personal life==
On March 22, 1986, Berry married girlfriend Mari Berry.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0077494/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm |title=Bill Berry – Biography |publisher=IMDb.com |access-date=June 8, 2021}}</ref> They divorced in 1997. When [[crack cocaine|crack]] began to infiltrate Athens in the early 1990s, the couple moved to nearby Farmington.<ref name=weird/> "In 1988, I decided that I would broaden my portfolio, which was pretty slim back then. It's not like I was rolling in dough," he explained in 2019. "I wanted to buy land and found this spot. It's sixty acres, and it's far enough outside of town that it was cheap. It was, like, $2,000/acre back in '88. Land's more like $10–$12,000 now. It was strictly an investment; I was going to sell it later."<ref name=weird>[https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/in-weird-cities/2-a-rare-interview-with-bill-20eRBtKmv8n/ 2. A Rare Interview with Bill Berry of R.E.M.] –  ''In Weird Cities'' podcast, spring 2019</ref> His farm, which includes sheep, is at the north end of his property. A caretaker works on the farm; Berry does not anymore. He has a garden, but his caretaker also looks after that. "I get the rewards of it, but he does all the work."<ref name=weird/>

In 2003, Berry and Cybele Lange had a son.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.onlineathens.com/news/20190506/two-athens-academy-students-win-honors-at-literary-meet%3ftemplate=ampart |title=Two Athens Academy students win honors at literary meets |work=Athens Banner Herald |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031232715/https://www.onlineathens.com/news/20190506/two-athens-academy-students-win-honors-at-literary-meet |archive-date=October 31, 2020 |url-status=dead |date=May 6, 2019}}</ref><ref name="R.E.M. Hall">{{Cite web |url=http://www.onlineathens.com/rem-hall/stories/berry.shtml |title=R.E.M.: The Hall: Frenzy of fame contributes to former drummer's shyness |publisher=Onlineathens.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171031035029/http://www.onlineathens.com/rem-hall/stories/berry.shtml |archive-date=October 31, 2017 |url-status=dead |access-date=October 2, 2011}}</ref>

Berry was an avid golfer while a member of R.E.M.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jimdero.com/News2004/Oct24REMfeature.htm |title=R.E.M. comes 'Around' full circle |publisher=Jimdero.com |date=October 24, 2004 |access-date=October 2, 2011}}</ref>

==Discography==

===With R.E.M.===
{{further|R.E.M. discography}}

===Without members of R.E.M.===
{|class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!Artist
!Release
!Year
!Role
!Notes
|-
|13111
|"My Bible Is the Latest TV Guide"/"Things I'd Like to Say"
|1989
|Solo project
|Solo single released by [[Jefferson Holt]]'s Dog Gone Records in 1989. The a-side is a Berry original credited to "Stashus Mute"; the b-side is a cover of the [[New Colony Six]] song from the album ''Revelations'' (1968). "13111" is intended to look like "Bill" in digits.
|-
|The Bad Ends
|''[[The Power and the Glory (Bad Ends album)|The Power and the Glory]]''
|January 20, 2023
|Drummer
|
|-
|Bill Berry
|n/a
|December 17, 1997
|Drums
|Berry drummed with friends at a charity event for [[Tourette Syndrome]] at the [[Morton Theatre]]. After the show, he auctioned off his drum set.
|-
|Bill Berry
|"Riviera Nap"
|2000
|Co-writing, drums
|Berry and fellow Athenian Davis Causey contributed this song to the Tourette Syndrome benefit compilation ''Welcome Companions'' in the summer of 2000. He also drummed on three tracks by Sherry Joyce.
|-
|[[Rick Fowler]]
|''Back on My Good Foot''
|2008
|Drums
|The two previously collaborated on the Tourette Syndrome Charity album.
|-
|Love Tractor
|n/a
|1980
|Drums
|Bill joined the Tractor for five months and played with them at the same time as R.E.M. He ultimately chose the latter because they were willing to quit school to play music.
|-
|Love Tractor
|''Love Tractor''
|1982
|Writing
|When the Tractor's self-titled debut album was released, it included the Berry composition "Motorcade". The album was re-released two years later as '''Til the Cows Come Home.''
|-
|Love Tractor
|''The Sky at Night''
|2001
|Percussion
|Bill rejoined the line-up as a percussionist during their 2001 reunion album, playing on Bright.
|-
|[[Michelle Malone]]
|''[[New Experience]]''
|1988
|Drums
|Plays on "Into the Night","Circus, Circus","Long Love Century", "Incident 8" & "All I Can Give You".
|-
|Rana
|n/a
|July 2001
|Production
|Berry produced demos of this New Jersey band, including the songs "Day She Went Away", "[Love It] Automatic", "Not So Mopso", "Ring in the Sand" and "So Long Edgewood".
|-
|[[Widespread Panic]]
|n/a
|March 1, 2000 – Athens, United States
|Drums
|Bill sat in with this band for a benefit playing "Ride Me High", Drums", "Time Is Free" and "Climb to Safety". Mike Mills joined the band the following night.
|-
|WUOGerz
|n/a
|1979
|Drums
|A band made up of fellow [[University of Georgia]] students who were mainly from the campus radio station WUOG.
|}

===With Peter Buck and Mike Mills===
{|class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!Artist
!Release
!Year
!Role
!Notes
|-
|[[Hindu Love Gods (band)|Hindu Love Gods]]
|n/a
|February 14, 1984 – Athens, United States
|Drums, guitar, bass
|This ''ad hoc'' band, with local pianist and singer Bryan Cook of Time Toy, formed during a break from R.E.M. Their first gig was at the 40 Watt Club. Set: "Bangkok", "With a Girl Like You", "I'm Through with You", "Walk, Don't Run", "Personality Crisis", "Narrator", "Pipeline", "Needles and Pins", "California Sun", "Government Center", "[[Hippy Hippy Shake]]", "[[(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone]]", "Permanent Vacation", "Jump" and "Color Me Impressed".
|-
|Hindu Love Gods
|n/a
|February 29, 1984 – Athens, United States
|Drums, guitar, bass
|Another performance at the 40 Watt, with opening act Wheel O'Cheese (a pseudonym for Love Tractor.) This time the line-up was augmented by Michael Stipe and singer Warren Zevon. Michael played drums on "Rebel Rebel" and sang from "Little America" on. Bryan Cook only sang on "Gonna Have a Good Time Tonight". Set: "Up on the Cross", "Boom Boom Mancini", "Trouble Waiting to Happen", "[[Werewolves of London]]", "Gonna Have a Good Time Tonight", "Little America", "Second Guessing", "[[Gloria (Them song)|Gloria]]", "[[Rebel Rebel]]" and "[[Wild Thing (The Troggs song)|Wild Thing]]".
|-
|Hindu Love Gods
|n/a
|June 1, 1984 – Athens, United States
|Drums, guitar, bass
|Performance at the Bourbon Street Club. Set: "Color Me Impressed", "White Light/White Heat", "[[There She Goes Again]]", "Government Center", "Broken Whisky Glass", "Little Willie", "Authority Song", "Personality Crisis", "[[Hang On Sloopy]]" and "Gonna Have a Good Time Tonight".
|-
|Hindu Love Gods
|"Gonna Have a Good Time Tonight"/"Narrator"
|1986
|Drums, guitar, bass
|The Hindus went to [[John Keane (record producer)|John Keane]] Studio in 1984 to record this single. The a-side is an [[Easybeats]] cover, the b-side is a Bill Berry original that pre-dates R.E.M. IRS released the material two years later with a cover painted by Bill.
|-
|Hindu Love Gods
|n/a
|January 20, 1986 – Athens, United States
|Drums, guitar, bass
|The band reformed for a benefit concert at the 40 Watt for recently deceased [[Minutemen (band)|Minutemen]] guitarist [[D. Boon]]. R.E.M. performed a set and were joined in their first encore by Cook. Stipe sat out "Gonna Have a Good Time Tonight". Set: "Strange", "Gonna Have a Good Time Tonight" and "Pills".
|-
|Hindu Love Gods
|''[[Hindu Love Gods (album)|Hindu Love Gods]]''
|1990
|Drums, guitar, bass
|While recording the sessions for Warren Zevon's album ''[[Sentimental Hygiene]]'', the guys also cut several blues covers and a Prince cover. The material was released as an album by Warren's label, Giant, in 1990. Tracks: "Walking Blues", "[[Traveling Riverside Blues]]", "[[Raspberry Beret]]", "[[Crosscut Saw (song)|Crosscut Saw]]", "Junko Partner", "[[Mannish Boy]]", "Wang Dang Doodle", "Battleship Chains", "I'm a One Woman Man" and "Vigilante Man".
|-
|Hindu Love Gods
|"Raspberry Beret"/"Wang Dang Doodle"/"Mannish Boy"
|1990
|Drums, guitar, bass
|Single from the self-titled album. Some versions do not have the last track.
|-
|[[Indigo Girls]]
|''[[Indigo Girls (album)|Indigo Girls]]''
|1990
|Drums, guitar, bass
|On the track "Tried to Be True". Michael sings on "Kid Fears".
|-
|Southern Gentlemen
|n/a
|May 11, 1988 – Athens, United States
|Drums, guitar, bass
|The instrumentalists from R.E.M. joined [[Roger McGuinn]] of [[The Byrds]] in the middle of his set at the Uptown Lounge. Set: "[[You Ain't Goin' Nowhere]]", "[[Mr. Spaceman]]", "[[The Bells of Rhymney]]", "[[Mr. Tambourine Man]]", "[[Turn! Turn! Turn!]]", "[[Eight Miles High]]", "[[Knockin' on Heaven's Door]]" and "[[I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better]]". McGuinn had guested at several R.E.M. shows as well.
|-
|[[The Spongetones]]
|''Torn Apart''
|1984
|Clapping
|On the track "Shock Therapy", with [[Don Dixon (musician)|Don Dixon]] and [[Mitch Easter]].
|-
|[[Nikki Sudden]]
|''The Jewel Thief''
|1991
|Drums, guitar, bass
|On the tracks "[[I Belong to You (Nikki Sudden song)|I Belong to You]]", "Alley of the Street" and "Jigsaw Blues".
|-
|Nikki Sudden
|"I Belong to You"/"Alley of the Street"/"Jigsaw Blues"
|1991
|Drums, guitar, bass
|Single from the album.
|-
|[[The Troggs]]
|"Don't You Know"/"Nowhere Road"
|February 2, 1992
|Drums, guitar, bass, co-writing
|Single from ''Athens, Andover''.
|-
|The Troggs
|''[[Athens Andover]]''
|March 23, 1992
|Drums, guitar, bass, co-writing
|Berry, Buck and Mills, along with [[Peter Holsapple]], act as a backing band to [[Reg Presley]] on this album and co-wrote the track Nowhere Road. Recorded at John Keane Studio in August and September 1991. Tracks: "Crazy Annie", "Together", "Tuned into Love", "Déjà Vu", "Nowhere Road", "Dust Bowl", "I'm in Control", "Don't You Know", "What's Your Game", "Suspicious" and "Hot Stuff". R.E.M. briefly considered recording an EP named ''The Godlike Genius of the Troggs as Presented by {{small|R.E.M.}}''.
|-
|The Troggs
|"Together"/"Crazy Annie"/"Turned into Love"
|1992
|Drums, guitar, bass
|Single from the album.
|-
|The Troggs
|[[Athens and Beyond]]
|1999
|Drums, guitar, bass
|Re-release of ''Athens, Andover'' with bonus tracks.
|-
|Warren Zevon
|''[[Sentimental Hygiene]]''
|1987
|Drums, guitar, bass, co-writing
|This was touted as a comeback album for Zevon and featured several guest stars in addition to R.E.M., such as fellow Duluth native [[Bob Dylan]], [[Flea (musician)|Flea]] from [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]], and [[Neil Young]]. The entire band performs on the song "Bad Karma", with Michael singing backup and playing shears as a musical instrument. All three members perform on [[Boom Boom Mancini]]", "Detox Mansion", "Bad Karma" and "Even a Dog Can Shake Hands", the latter of which they co-wrote with Zevon. Peter and Bill play on "Sentimental Hygiene" and "The Heartache".
|-
|Warren Zevon
|"Sentimental Hygiene"/"The Factory"/"Leave My Monkey Alone"
|August 1987
|Drums, guitar, bass
|Single from the album. Some versions do not have the last track.
|-
|Warren Zevon
|"Bad Karma"/"Boom Boom Mancini"/"Leave My Monkey Alone"
|November 1987
|Drums, guitar, bass
|Single from the album. Some versions do not have the last track.
|-
|Warren Zevon
|"Reconsider Me"/"The Factory"/"Bad Karma"
|February 1988
|Drums, guitar, bass
|Single from the album. Some versions do not have the last track.
|-
|Warren Zevon
|"Splendid Isolation"/"Even a Dog Can Shake Hands"/"Bad Karma"/"Gridlock"
|1989
|Drums, guitar, bass, co-writing
|Single from the album. Some versions do not have the last two tracks.
|-
|Warren Zevon
|"Even a Dog Can Shake Hands"
|1999
|Drums, guitar, bass, co-writing
|Used as the theme song to the television series ''[[Action (TV series)|Action]]''.
|-
|[[James Mercer (musician)|James Mercer]]
|n/a
|January 6, 2018 – Portland, Oregon
|Percussion
|Performance at the Wonder Ballroom on the second night of the Help the Hoople benefit for [[Scott McCaughey]]. Berry, Buck and Mills joined [[Jenny Conlee]] of [[The Decemberists]] backing [[James Mercer (musician)|James Mercer]] for his performance of "You Are the Everything".
|-
|[[Filthy Friends|Filthier Friends]]
|n/a
|January 6, 2018 – Portland, Oregon
|Drums
|Performance at the Wonder Ballroom on the second night of the Help the Hoople benefit for [[Scott McCaughey]]. [[Mike Mills]] took lead vocal duties with [[Corin Tucker]] and Chloe Johnson on backing vocals and [[Kurt Bloch]] on guitar. Set: "[[The One I Love (R.E.M. song)|The One I Love]]", "[[Texarkana (song)|Texarkana]]", "[[(Don't Go Back To) Rockville]]", "I Believe" (with [[Colin Meloy]] of [[The Decemberists]] on lead vocals), and "[[Superman (The Clique song)|Superman]]".
|}

===With Peter Buck===
{|class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!Artist
!Release
!Year
!Role
!Notes
|-
|Doubting Thomas
|''Blue Angel''
|1993
|Drums, guitar
|On one track.
|-
|[[Tony Trischka]]
|''World Turning''
|1993
|[[Bouzouki]], percussion
|On "Alfa Ya Ya" and "If Animals Could Talk."
|}

===Reunions with R.E.M.===
Performances of the three-piece R.E.M. reunited with their original drummer.
{|class="sortable wikitable"
|-
!Release
!Date
!Notes
|-
|n/a
|October 10, 2003 – Raleigh, United States
|After walking across the stage to shake [[Joey Waronker]]'s hand on August 29, 1999, at the Chastain Park Amphitheatre in Atlanta,<ref>Buckley, David. R.E.M.|Fiction: An Alternative History, Virgin Books, 2002 {{ISBN|1-85227-927-3}}. [[Peter Buck]]
<blockquote>As much as I wanted to see him, it puts real pressure on him if I ask him to come and do something. We invited him to the show, and considered asking him to play, but Mike said "No, he would stress about that for three months beforehand and then he probably wouldn't show up." So, we invited him to the show, and he stood at the side of the stage. Then people in the audience saw him and shouted "Hey Bill", and Bill waved and after the song <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Find the River]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> was finished he walked out on the stage, hugged Mike, Michael, and me, then walked over to Joey, and shook his hand.. and the whole audience was going insane of course.. then he waved to the crowd and walked off stage. I think he got in his car and drove home, because I didn't see him after the show.</blockquote>

Michael dedicated the following song, [[At My Most Beautiful]], to him.</ref> Bill walked onstage at the [[Alltel Pavilion at Walnut Creek]] in [[Raleigh, North Carolina]] to sing on "[[Radio Free Europe (song)|Radio Free Europe]]" and drum on "Permanent Vacation".
|-
|n/a
|August 10, 2005 – Athens, United States
|The band reformed to play a friend and guitar tech Dewitt Burton's wedding reception at Kingpins Bowl and Brew in Athens, Georgia. The set: "Sitting Still", "[[(Don't Go Back To) Rockville]]", "Wolves, Lower", "[[Begin the Begin]]", "[[The One I Love (R.E.M. song)|The One I Love]]", "Permanent Vacation" and "Radio Free Europe", with a short instrumental interlude between the last two numbers.
|-
|n/a
|April 1, 2006 – Athens, United States
|At a [[Minus 5]] show in the Georgia Theatre, Bill, Mike and Michael joined Peter, [[Scott McCaughey]] and [[Bill Rieflin]] for an impromptu performance of "[[Country Feedback]]". Bill played bass, with Mike on keyboards.
|-
|2006 Christmas single
|September 12, 2006 – Athens, United States
|The band reforms to play at the "Finest Worksongs: Athens Bands Play the Music of R.E.M." tribute at the 40 Watt, playing "Begin the Begin" and "[[So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)]]". Proceeds went to the Community Connection and Family Connection/[[Communities in Schools]] charities.
|-
|n/a
|September 9, 2006 – Atlanta, Georgia
|The band was inducted into the [[Georgia Music Hall of Fame]] at the Georgia World Congress Center. They performed "Begin the Begin", "[[Losing My Religion]]" and "[[Man on the Moon (R.E.M. song)|Man on the Moon]]". Bill, Peter, Mike and [[Scott McCaughey]] also accompanied [[Gregg Allman]] on a performance of "[[Midnight Rider]]" to round out the show.
|-
|n/a
|March 12, 2007 – New York City, United States
|For the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] Induction Ceremony at the [[Waldorf Astoria Hotel]], the band played "[[Begin the Begin]]", "[[Gardening at Night]]", "[[Man on the Moon (R.E.M. song)|Man on the Moon]]" (with [[Eddie Vedder]] of [[Pearl Jam]]), and "[[I Wanna Be Your Dog]]" (with [[Patti Smith]] and [[Lenny Kaye]]).
|-
|[[Number 9 Dream|#9 Dream]]
|March 17, 2007
|While preparing for their performance at the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, the original four members of R.E.M. recorded this John Lennon song in John Keane Studio, with production by [[Jacknife Lee]]. The song was released as a single on March 17, 2007 and was the first track to be released from the benefit compilation ''[[Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur]]'', released on June 12, 2007.
|-
|n/a
|Jun 13, 2024 – New York City, United States
|At the [[Songwriters Hall of Fame]] induction ceremony at the [[New York Marriott Marquis|Marriott Marquis Hotel]] in New York City, Berry, Buck, Mills and Stipe played an acoustic version of "[[Losing My Religion]]".<ref name="v572">{{cite web | last=Savage | first=Mark | title=REM perform for the first time since 2007 at Songwriters Hall Of Fame | website=BBC Home | date=2024-06-14 | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c722rr51928o | access-date=2024-06-14}}</ref>
|}

==See also==
* [[:Category:Albums produced by Bill Berry|Albums produced by Bill Berry]]
* [[:Category:Songs written by Bill Berry|Songs written by Bill Berry]]

==References==
* Source for discography: Marcus Gray – It Crawled from the South {{ISBN|0-306-80751-3}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060822140259/http://www.thei.aust.com/music2/nov4rem.html iZine's interview with Berry from 1994]

{{R.E.M.}}
{{2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Berry, Bill}}
[[Category:1958 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Farmers from Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Grammy Award winners]]
[[Category:American male drummers]]
[[Category:American rock songwriters]]
[[Category:American male songwriters]]
[[Category:Musicians from Athens, Georgia]]
[[Category:Musicians from Duluth, Minnesota]]
[[Category:People from Oconee County, Georgia]]
[[Category:R.E.M. members]]
[[Category:Songwriters from Minnesota]]
[[Category:University of Georgia people]]
[[Category:American alternative rock drummers]]
[[Category:Musicians from Macon, Georgia]]
[[Category:Hindu Love Gods (band) members]]
[[Category:Record producers from Minnesota]]
[[Category:Record producers from Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:20th-century American drummers]]
[[Category:Drummers from Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Drummers from Minnesota]]