R.E.M.'s Buck Pleads Not Guilty

R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck pleaded not guilty in a London courtroom today to charges stemming from his April 2nd alleged air rage incident.

Buck, forty-four, was flying to London aboard British Airways Flight 48 from Seattle to promote the band's latest album Reveal and perform at a Nelson Mandela tribute concert in London's Trafalgar Square when the dispute with crew members took place. Upon landing, he was arrested at Heathrow Airport and detained at the airport's police station. Charges included the assault of two crew members, causing criminal damage, disobeying the lawful command of the plane's captain, damaging British Airways crockery, using threatening behavior and being intoxicated on the aircraft.

Buck first appeared in Uxbridge Magistrates Court in London on April 23rd, where the case was adjourned until June 18th. He was released on an initial $67,000 bail and cleared to continue the tour. It was at this time that he released a statement saying, "I am sorry for the incident and of course I am embarrassed about the whole thing."

Buck's wife Stephanie accompanied him to today's hearing. He was ordered to appear for trial by a jury on November 12th and was released on $28,500 bail.

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Song Stories

“Satisfied”

Tom Waits | 2011

Only the genius of Tom Waits could combine the subject of mortality, a reoccurring theme in his work, with wordplay that name checks both Mick and Keith, whom he calls "Mr. Jagger" and "Mr. Richards," and the title of their magnum opus, "Satisfaction." And to show just how cool Waits really is, he even got Mr. Richards to play along, one of nine guest appearances the guitarist has made on three Waits albums. "This growling roadhouse stomp is a late-breaking response to the Stones' greatest hit," Rolling Stone said of the track.

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