M. in 2008.
He described R. E.
M. as a band that made him want to write songs and be in a band.
Smith recalled how R. E.
M. members interacted backstage.
Guitarist Peter Buck and bassist Mike Mills were more laid-back, while frontman Michael Stipe was intense but kind.
“When he gave you his attention, it was like eye to eye,” Smith said of Stipe. He called Stipe an inspiration and an amazing singer and lyricist.
Smith expressed a desire to return to major festival stages, including Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage, which Editors first played in 2008.
He also recalled a past performance at Red Rocks in Colorado where the band played in the car park instead of the main stage.
Editors are preparing to release their eighth studio album, Surface, Echo & Sound, on October 30, 2026.
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They will support the album with a UK and European tour from January to March 2027.
