DOCUMENT: Celebrity, Drunk

R.E.M.'s Buck: A Shiny Happy Defendant

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R.E.M.'s Buck: A Shiny Happy Defendant

Mike Mills Testimony

A London jury today (4/5) cleared R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck of charges that he went on a drunken rampage during a British Airways flight last April. While never denying that he went berserk, Buck claimed that he took a sleeping pill, had some red wine, and then simply "blacked out." This defense, as it were, was backed up by character testimony from three of Buck's fellow rock superstars, U2's Bono, and R.E.M. bandmates Michael Stipe and Mike Mills. We're not sure what weight jurors gave this celebrity testimony (for which TSG paid a lot of quid), but we were sure impressed by Stipe's characterization of Buck as a "Southern gentleman" and his "big brother." You'll find the R.E.M. singer's March 27 testimony below (and make sure to follow those links above for testimony from Mills and Bono). (8 pages)

BONUS: Backstage demands for 134 rock, pop bands.