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Peter Buck

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Also known as Raoul

American musician; guitarist for R.E.M., songwriter, record producer

Key facts

Born
Peter Lawrence Buck , ( 1956-12-06 ) December 6, 1956 (age 69) , Berkeley, California , U.S.
Genres
Alternative rock , folk rock , punk rock
Occupations
Musician, songwriter
Instruments
Guitar, mandolin, banjo, bass guitar
Years active
1976–present

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Instance of
human
Given name
Lawrence
Gender
male
Citizenship
United States
Place of birth
Berkeley
Occupation
mandolinist
Languages spoken
American English
Native language
American English
Religion
atheism
Image
Peter Buck of REM in looking over shoulder.jpg
Residence
Portland
Show 6 more facts
Commons category
Peter Buck
date of birth
1956-12-06
start of work period
1981-00-00
birth name
Peter Lawrence Buck
name in native language
Peter Buck
Sources (3)

via Wikidata · CC0

~15 min read

Encyclopedic overview

Peter Lawrence Buck (born December 6, 1956) is an American musician and songwriter. He was a co-founder and the lead guitarist of the alternative rock band R.E.M.; he played the banjo and mandolin on several R.E.M. songs. Throughout his career with R.E.M. (1980–2011), as well as during his subsequent solo career, Buck has been at various times a member of numerous side project groups. These groups included Arthur Buck (with Joseph Arthur), Hindu Love Gods, The Minus 5, Tuatara, The Baseball Project, Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3, Tired Pony, The No-Ones, and Filthy Friends, each of which have released at least one full-length studio album. Additionally, the experimental combo Slow Music have released an official live concert CD. Another side project group called Full Time Men released an EP while Buck was a member. As well, ad hoc "supergroups" Bingo Hand Job (Billy Bragg and R.E.M.), Musical Kings (Michelle Malone, Peter Buck, John Keane) and Nigel & The Crosses (Robyn Hitchcock, Peter Buck, Glenn Tilbrook and others) have each commercially released one track. Buck's latest project as of 2025 is Drink The Sea (with Lizette Garcia, Duke Garwood, Alain Johannes and Barrett Martin), and the band has released a self-titled double album in Autumn 2025.

Richard M. Nixon, a band Buck founded in 2012 to support the release of his solo album with live gigs, has never issued an official recording. Richard M. Nixon consisted of Buck, Scott McCaughey and Bill Rieflin, the same three musicians who comprise The Venus 3.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Peter Buck” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.