▁compared ▁to ▁C elt ic ▁folk ▁artists ▁and ▁Muslim ▁m ue zz in . ▁He ▁was ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁R . E . M .' s ▁visual ▁aspect , ▁often ▁selecting ▁album ▁art work ▁and ▁direct ing ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁band ' s ▁music ▁videos . ▁Out side ▁the ▁music ▁industry , ▁he ▁own s ▁and ▁runs ▁two ▁film ▁production ▁stud ios , ▁C - 0 0 ▁and ▁Single ▁Cell ▁Pictures . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁R . E . M ., ▁St ipe ▁was ▁induct ed ▁into ▁the ▁Rock ▁and ▁Roll ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁As ▁a ▁singer - song writer , ▁St ipe ▁influenced ▁a ▁wide ▁range ▁of ▁artists , ▁including ▁Kurt ▁Cob ain ▁of ▁N ir v ana ▁and ▁Thom ▁Y or ke ▁of ▁Radio head . ▁B ono ▁of ▁U 2 ▁described ▁his ▁voice ▁as ▁" extra ordinary " ▁and ▁Thom ▁Y or ke ▁told ▁The ▁Guardian ▁ ▁that ▁St ipe ▁is ▁his ▁favour ite ▁ly ric ist , ▁saying ▁" I ▁loved ▁the ▁way ▁he ▁would ▁take ▁an ▁em otion ▁and ▁then ▁take ▁a ▁step ▁back ▁from ▁it ▁and ▁in ▁doing ▁so ▁make ▁it ▁so ▁much ▁more ▁powerful ." ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁John ▁Michael ▁St ipe ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁January ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁in ▁Dec atur , ▁Georgia . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁military ▁br at ; ▁his ▁father ▁was ▁a ▁serv ic eman ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁whose ▁career ▁resulted ▁in ▁frequent