Mitch Easter is best known as the co-producer for the first two REM albums, Murmur and Reckoning from the early Eighties. That exposure helped him land numerous other production gigs. At the same time, Easter was leading his own fine band, Let’s Active, who released four records for IRS. After that band’s breakup, it took him almost 20 years to release new material — 2007’s Dynamico was Easter’s first release under his own name. Icon Fetch talks to the influential producer about why it took him so long between releases, the story behind hooking up with REM, and how he feels about the state of the recording industry now.