Michael Stipe writes all R.E.M.'s songs on his mobile phone

The 'Mine Smell Like Honey' singer said the facilities on his cell phone - which include being able to write notes and record his voice - enabled him to write all the words to current album 'Collapse Into Now' on it.

He told Absolute Radio DJ Dave Gorman: "My notepad is my iPhone, and in fact I recorded and wrote this entire record on my phone.

"I love technology for that, it's so much easier than having scraps of paper everywhere. Of course I write lyrics that I hope would someday see the light of day, more times than not that never happens.

"I see things when I hear music and it's usually a landscape, and my job as the lyricist is to people that landscape with stories and with narrative and with ideas and with words."

The often cryptic vocalist also said he'll never explain the songs he has written to people, as he believes it is more important for them to come up with their own interpretations.

He added: "That's the power of the medium of music. I often say that the songwriter's interpretation of their own words is the least important, and yours as the listener is the most important."

'Collapse Into Now' is available now.

'Like' our facebook page and be entered into a draw to win 1000 CDs including rare, signed and promotional copies here!