Today is Michael Stipe’s 60th birthday. Happy 60th birthday, Michael Stipe! And to celebrate, the erstwhile R.E.M. frontman is sharing a new song called “Drive To The Ocean.”

“Drive To The Ocean” is only Stipe’s second official solo single following last fall’s “Your Capricious Soul“; he debuted both songs during a surprise opening set for Patti Smith earlier this year.

The song comes along with a video message from Stipe and a story from R.E.M.’s manager. All proceeds from the first year go to the climate change-focused nonprofit organization Pathway To Paris.

Listen to “Drive To The Ocean” and watch its accompanying music video below.

It’s his birthday in the UK, and we need good news so here it is.

October 2012 I was walking up a street in Todos Santos, MX during Peter Buck’s festival when a car pulled up. Michael Stipe poked his head out and literally did a “no time to talk, get in”

So I did. /1 pic.twitter.com/g1AIexr4LS

— Ethan Kaplan (@ethank) January 4, 2020

“Where are we going?”

This was a Nissan rental car, Michael and another friend in the front, me in the back.

“To the yellow hotel on a hill to see if we can find whales.”

So we did, we drove to the ocean. We looked for whales. We saw one. /2

— Ethan Kaplan (@ethank) January 4, 2020

I like to think it inspired his new single, out today (Drive to the Ocean at https://t.co/7Kq6iGLyFr). It probably didn’t.

But I’ll always remember sitting at the yellow hotel, as the sunset, looking for whales in the Pacific.

Happy birthday Michael. Thanks for all you do. pic.twitter.com/kIfPnUUI13

— Ethan Kaplan (@ethank) January 4, 2020

And a message from Michael Stipe… pic.twitter.com/S3K670Ucc2

— Ethan Kaplan (@ethank) January 4, 2020

“Drive to the Ocean” is available on https://t.co/7Kq6iGLyFr with a ton of additional content. All proceeds go to @Pathway2Paris pic.twitter.com/bDRaPBcCJC

— Ethan Kaplan (@ethank) January 4, 2020

Also he asked I share his Memoji. pic.twitter.com/9BtOVjUS0V

— Ethan Kaplan (@ethank) January 4, 2020

No news yet on an album, but Stipe reportedly has a whole bunch of other songs ready to go.