Stipe: 'I wish I could reform Slade'

Michael Stipe has revealed that if he could reform any band in history at the touch of a button it would be British glam rock group Slade.

The REM frontman told The Times that Noddy Holder's outfit were a strong influence on the youth of America in their 1970s heyday.

Sipe said: "Slade - it'd be awesome. I have their greatest hits on my phone. When Bowie put out Young Americans, suddenly a lot of Americans under 18 who hadn't questioned their sexuality - he started us on the whole kinda glam and - you know, Marc Bolan.

"[Slade] just had the hair and the outfits and - well, anyway, you know what I'm talking about."

The singer added that he got in touch with Thom Yorke in 1998 after reading his unusual posts on Radiohead's official website.

Yorke said: "At the beginning. I think he was just trying to stop me going round the twist. He was sort of saying, 'It's okay. These things have happened to other people and there's a reason why'."

Stipe added: "[It's] the adrenalised state that one gets when you tour non-stop.

"It's a byproduct of trying to push the boundaries of your capabilities. Maybe it's the reason why you survive beyond three singles."