R.E.M. headed for rock hall of fame

LONDON, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- The members of the U.S. rock band R.E.M. are "honored" to be part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class of 2007.

"We're really wretched at looking backwards, so it's an honor that someone took the time to look backward and recognize what we've done in our past," R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe said Monday.

R.E.M., which formed in 1980 in Athens, Ga., will be inducted into the Hall of Fame along with Van Halen, Patti Smith, The Ronettes and Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five. The ceremony takes place March 12 in New York City.

Bassist-keyboardist Mike Mills said that R.E.M. was particularly happy it was being inducted in the same class as Smith, an acknowledged influence and close friend.

"I'm probably happier for her than I am for us," Mills said. "She's been up (for induction) before and hasn't gotten in. I was afraid that her lack of huge record sales might blind people to her influence."