He’s had some time alone, and Michael Stipe really wants you all to barricade yourself indoors. Maybe with an Out of Time vinyl. And definitely with no other people. Posting a short video message on social media and a longer PSA on his website, the Really Entertaining Musician implored his fans to keep practicing social distancing until the coronavirus pandemic gets under control, as he himself has been “quasi-quarantined for days now.” He also gave some hot tips about how to wash your hands (“don’t sing ‘Happy Birthday’ twice, that’s depressing, find some other song, find a happy and calming song”) and the importance of having a trusted, legitimate news source for updates about the virus (“I’m a former pop star, yup, but don’t trust social media”).

While Stipe is cautious about what the rest of 2020 holds, he’s hopeful we can all “take this seriously” and “get our shit together” before the pandemic gets even worse and hurts everybody. “I hope I don’t sound too much like a preacher, I’m terrible at that,” he concluded. “But I really do love us and I think we can pull through. I think we can manage this. It’s really simple.”

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