In this episode of History for Cocktail Parties, James M. Ottley and Thornton Kennedy reveal the key ingredient in R.E.M.’s origin story: a legendary Athens local named Kathleen O’Brien. The hosts swap stories of how a simple birthday party and O'Brien’s social matchmaking turned a group of shy musicians into a band, centered around a dilapidated, repurposed Episcopal church that served as their first concert venue.