American musician, a guitarist with the group R.E.M. (Rapid Eye Movement), which was formed in Athens, Georgia in 1980. He joined Michael Stipe, Bill Berry and Mike Mills for their concert debut on 4/05/1980. The group put out their first single the following year and quickly began moving up the charts.
Buck was managing a record shop when he met University of Georgia student Michael Stipe. With bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry, the they formed R.E.M. in the spring of 1980. The group honed an “atmospheric, jangly pop sound often reminiscent of the Byrds,” toured relentlessly, then issued their debut single “Radio Free Europe” in mid-1981. R.E.M.’s first full-length album, 1983’s “Murmur,” cemented their favorable reputation with critics. “Reckoning” in 1984 reached the Top 30.
Their songs revealed a growing awareness with socio-political concerns, but “Document” in 1987 was R.E.M.’s commercial breakthrough along with the Top Ten hit “The One I Love.” Their Warner Brothers label debut “Green” was released on Election Day 1988. Following the Green tour, R.E.M. took an extended break, during which time the band participated in other group and individual projects. Buck, who earlier produced the Feelies’ 1986 comeback LP “The Good Earth,” also produced sessions for several other artists.
R.E.M. returned in 1991 with the chart-topping “Out of Time,” which generated two Top Ten hits. Automatic for the People” followed in 1992, and as alternative rock took over the pop charts, the band was widely acknowledged among the chief inspirations behind a new generation of artists. A comic book called “Uncle Tupelo” that appeared 3/16-20/1992 even portrayed Buck as a superhero. In the wake of 1995’s “Monster,” Buck formed the side project Tuatara, an experimental, free jazz-inspired collective. He returned to R.E.M. – then a trio following Berry’s retirement – for 1998’s “Up.”
On 4/21/2001, in an unpleasant incident of air-rage, Buck was arrested and charged with assaulting two crew members and being drunk in the first-class section of a British Airways flight from Seattle to London. The American guitarist was held in custody at Heathrow Police Station with a court hearing that began on 11/12/2001.
The 21-year-old band, R.E.M., is due to participate on April 29th in a South Africa Freedom Day Concert in London’s Trafalgar Square in front of Nelson Mandela and an anticipated crowd of 20,000.
At Buck’s trial for air-rage, colleagues testified that his rampage was out of character and he claimed that he had taken a sleeping pill and did not even remember the events: he was cleared of charges on 4/04/2002.
Link to Wikipedia biography