Tanzplagen was a rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by Michael Stipe (vocals, farfisa organ), David Pierce (drums), Neil McArthur (bass) and William Lee Self (guitar).

[4] In his book It Crawled from the South, Marcus Gray writes: "Determined to pursue his art-noise interests parallel to his more conventional activities with R.E.M., Michael hooked up with William Lee Self, Neil McArthur and David Pierce in Tanzplagen.

The connection was strengthened when Oh-OK Lynda Stipe and Linda Hopper contributed backing vocals at a 40 Watt Club appearance that was taped to provide a rough-and ready three-track demo.

In addition to further occasional appearances in town and one short local tour Tanzplagen even got as far as recording tracks for a single, intended for release on David Healys ill-fated Dasht Hopes label.

Neil McArthur had left by the time of the session, and so William Lee Self, the groups real leader, doubled on bass while Lynda Stipe supplied vocals.