Peter Buck: Classic or Dud?

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he was well on his way to becoming a classic until he got bored with guitar. now he is total and complete D.U.D.

go at it.

― frankE (frankE), Thursday, 23 September 2004 14:02 (8 years ago) Permalink

he's R.E.M.?

― RJG (RJG), Thursday, 23 September 2004 14:06 (8 years ago) Permalink

that's what he claims.

― frankE (frankE), Thursday, 23 September 2004 14:07 (8 years ago) Permalink

someone please spam me at: chipmunk48@aol.com

― Beverly Metzger, Thursday, 23 September 2004 14:07 (8 years ago) Permalink

Oversized-sleeve shirts: Classic or Dud?

― peepee (peepee), Thursday, 23 September 2004 14:07 (8 years ago) Permalink

shirts generally or band shirts?

― Raymond Cummings (Raymond Cummings), Thursday, 23 September 2004 14:08 (8 years ago) Permalink

The ones that PeeBuck always wears.

― peepee (peepee), Thursday, 23 September 2004 14:09 (8 years ago) Permalink

This was inspired, actually, by the Billy Bragg thread. He appeared on Don't Try This at Home. From what I recall, he totally blended in and provided nothing unique. This, unlike his 12 string contribution on Robyn Hitchcock's Globe of Frogs. Also, I forgot he was on the Dream Syndicate's first album.

― frankE (frankE), Thursday, 23 September 2004 14:11 (8 years ago) Permalink

I haven't seen a pic of him recently, but creating the mental image leads me to say "dud."

― Raymond Cummings (Raymond Cummings), Thursday, 23 September 2004 14:11 (8 years ago) Permalink

I forgot he was on the Dream Syndicate's first album.

er... the Dream ACADEMY.

― frankE (frankE), Thursday, 23 September 2004 14:14 (8 years ago) Permalink

Was very nice to me on an interview way back when that he didn't even have to do. Blabbed about records for like an hour. Classic.

― briania (briania), Thursday, 23 September 2004 14:15 (8 years ago) Permalink

Also, I forgot he was on the Dream Syndicate's first album.

He's on The Days of Wine and Roses? Huh, for some reason that slipped my mind.

X-post Hahaha! I was wondering about that!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 23 September 2004 14:17 (8 years ago) Permalink

I think Peter Buck is on "The Medicine Show" not "The Days of Wine & Roses".

I've been listening to the early REM albums quite a bit of late and they are as great as I remembered. They just were not the same band later on, which probably is to be expected I suppose.

― Earl Nash (earlnash), Thursday, 23 September 2004 14:25 (8 years ago) Permalink

I've seen PB wander onstage to jam with both Dream Syndicate and Husker Du. The list of records he's guest-starred on should be sufficient evidence of his classic status. A great music-lover, classy git-picker and friend to all, with the apparent exception of one put-upon flight attendant. Hindu Love Gods, anyone?

― briania (briania), Thursday, 23 September 2004 14:38 (8 years ago) Permalink

the hindu love gods were pretty awful. on the other hand, warren zevon's album sentimental hygiene, which had the same core lineup -- zevon, buck, berry, mills -- is pretty fantastic.

buck's playing on the first several rem albums makes him a guitar hero to me -- clean, simple lines, completely absent any "guitar hero" flash, catchy as hell, and he got fabulous sounds.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 23 September 2004 14:55 (8 years ago) Permalink

The tie he's wearing on the back cover of Murmur = CLASSIC!!!

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 23 September 2004 14:58 (8 years ago) Permalink

speaking of clothes...

a few years ago, i found myself standing behind him at barney's in nyc, waiting to get our pants tailored. if you've ever wondered where rock stars buy their psychedelic velvet threads, now you've got one answer. i was buying threads that were neither psychedelic nor velvet, but you don't need to know that. anyway, the guy waiting on him said something like, "murmur was a great album," in a polite, deferential tone. buck glared back with the iciest eyes i've ever seen and said, "that was 15 years ago." neither buck nor the salesman opened his mouth again as far as i could tell.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 23 September 2004 14:59 (8 years ago) Permalink

Sentimental Hygiene has some great songs. I always really liked "Boom Boom Mancini".

― Earl Nash (earlnash), Thursday, 23 September 2004 15:03 (8 years ago) Permalink

buck glared back with the iciest eyes i've ever seen and said, "that was 15 years ago." neither buck nor the salesman opened his mouth again as far as i could tell.

maybe he should have said "Monster (or Reveal) (or Up) was a real shit album."

― frankE (frankE), Thursday, 23 September 2004 15:04 (8 years ago) Permalink

Wow, Cuz, maybe he's turned into an old asshole. OTM re Hindu Love Gods vs. Sentimental Hygiene, too - I just brought them up as kind of a forgotten chapter.

― briania (briania), Thursday, 23 September 2004 15:05 (8 years ago) Permalink

WHAT? NO MORE WINE? I WOULD FLING MY PUDDING AT YOU BUT I AM STUCK BETWEEN THESE CUSHIONS. FUCK THIS CROCKERY! BONO, SAVE ME!

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 23 September 2004 15:21 (8 years ago) Permalink

from the BBC article: Bono had said he'd never seen Peter Buck drunk.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 23 September 2004 15:24 (8 years ago) Permalink

He's done good things with Tuatara also.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 23 September 2004 15:26 (8 years ago) Permalink

Mr Buck had been flying to London to perform at the Nelson Mandela concert in Trafalgar Square.
He said he blacked out until he woke up in a police cell.
The court was told he did not remember allegedly upending a hostess trolley, swearing at the captain and ripping up a "yellow card" warning him to behave or face arrest.
During the trial the millionaire father-of-two was described by his wife, friends and fellow celebrities, including U2 singer Bono, as the "politest, gentlest" person imaginable.

REM are one of the world's most famous bands

REM singer Michael Stipe called Mr Buck the epitome of a "Southern gentleman" who would rather retire to his hotel to read after a gig than go to the bar to drink.

Personally I was under the impression from numerous interviews I read during the ten years R.E.M. was my favorite band that Peter Buck found a way to fit both reading and alcohol into his busy day.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 23 September 2004 15:26 (8 years ago) Permalink

peter buck is not on days of wine and roses.
peter buck is also not on Medcine Show.
peter buck is mediocre at best.

― jack cole (jackcole), Thursday, 23 September 2004 15:28 (8 years ago) Permalink

: (

JACK COLE I DISAGREE WIF YOU.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 23 September 2004 15:30 (8 years ago) Permalink

Classic. It would be rather self-loathing to not thank him for pushing me towards so many bands that I now love in said interviews. Long period of my life where I wanted to be him. That said I'd really like to step on his sunglasses. He wears those things everywhere.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 23 September 2004 15:31 (8 years ago) Permalink

1st 3 REM lps >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>The Days of Wine and Roses

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 23 September 2004 15:32 (8 years ago) Permalink

woah there: peter buck was *acquitted* of all charges related to the alleged air-rage incident. so tread carefully, for you tread on a legally unsullied reputation.

and yeh, he's a classic. not only does he play wonderful mandolin on the billy bragg album (cf other thread); he's also an old sentimentalist who talks to his plants as if they were children (IIRC from an old NME interview).

― grimly fiendish, Thursday, 23 September 2004 15:34 (8 years ago) Permalink

anyone know the story as to how he ended up on the Dream Academy album? seems kind of odd.

― frankE (frankE), Thursday, 23 September 2004 15:39 (8 years ago) Permalink

I remember the story. David Gilmour was producing and he got to go to David Gilmour's house!

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 23 September 2004 15:56 (8 years ago) Permalink

(He implied that this was the selling point.)

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 23 September 2004 15:56 (8 years ago) Permalink

not much of a guitar player I don't think.

― eddie hurt (ddduncan), Thursday, 23 September 2004 17:32 (8 years ago) Permalink

Compared to Django Reinhardt?

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 23 September 2004 17:36 (8 years ago) Permalink

When I was like 16 years old (1985), it was a transcription of "Can't Get There From Here" and an interview with Buck in Guitar for the Practicing Musician that taught me that there was a lot more to music than what I could see on MTV or hear on the radio in crappy fucking Perry, Ohio. So, Classic.

― Phil Dennison (Phil D.), Thursday, 23 September 2004 19:35 (8 years ago) Permalink

Since Billy Berry left, he's easily the coolest guy in the band.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 23 September 2004 19:40 (8 years ago) Permalink

Dud...dud...dud..dud...dududuud...dud...dudud...

― molly, Thursday, 23 September 2004 19:44 (8 years ago) Permalink

Since Billy Berry left, he's easily the coolest guy in the band.

Reminds me of his famous quote about being the most famous "underground" band akin to being the world's tallest midget...

― frankE (frankE), Thursday, 23 September 2004 19:47 (8 years ago) Permalink

Well, being that REM are, as far as I'm concerned, several zip codes away from being relevant anymore, that's the best I could muster.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 23 September 2004 19:59 (8 years ago) Permalink

Peter Buck was one of my guitar teachers (by proxy). The stuff isn't too difficult to play, but it does teach you many clever tricks. Kurt taught me how to rock and Buck showed me how to be graceful.
Nobody has mentioned his undoubtedly classic jangle solo on The Replacements' I Will Dare. That's the business.
I can understand why he'd be a bit cheesed off with indie snobs who only allow themselves to like the first two albums. Admit it, along with Murmur, Automatic is their masterpiece.
He does seem to be a bit bored with REM these days. I think he gets his real kicks playing with his mates in the Minus 5 et al.

― Stew S, Thursday, 23 September 2004 20:08 (8 years ago) Permalink

Classic if only for Document.

― danh (danh), Thursday, 23 September 2004 20:12 (8 years ago) Permalink

I met a future friend of mine in college when I was playing "Wolves, Lower" on my guitar in my room when somebody knocked on the door and asked, stunned, "dude was that early REM?"

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 23 September 2004 21:25 (8 years ago) Permalink

Chronic Town is indeed fuckin' flawless. It must be said.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 23 September 2004 21:28 (8 years ago) Permalink

I owe my guitar style (such as it is) completely to Buck. He is the only guitarist I can seriously talk about being "influenced" by.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Thursday, 23 September 2004 21:32 (8 years ago) Permalink

the more buck dominates, the worse REM are.

this is not to say that buck is bad, just that too much of him is a bad thing.

for his part in rem's great records, buck is classic.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Thursday, 23 September 2004 22:29 (8 years ago) Permalink

I was listening to Chronic Town just yesterday and I say classic. Maybe when he picked up a mandolin things turned dud. But I always thought "Peter Buck" was a great guitar hero name.

― wickerbocker please (hammy), Friday, 24 September 2004 00:58 (8 years ago) Permalink

Maybe when he picked up a mandolin things turned dud.

agreed

― frankE (frankE), Friday, 24 September 2004 12:15 (8 years ago) Permalink

Right after I came back from Portugal, I read an interview where Buck was talking about trying to get a decent cheese sandwich on a train in Portugal. He knows his cheese sandwiches I tell you, because I couldn't find a decent cheese sandwich either. They're very dry.

― dave225 (Dave225), Friday, 24 September 2004 12:25 (8 years ago) Permalink

Cool muttonchops, but I always found his guitar playing to be distinctly UN-distinctive. Not as good as Kimberly Rew or Roger McGuinn or Richard Thompson or whoever else he's been compared to. I admit not having heard everything he's ever played on (only owned 4 REM LPs in my life & rarely played 'em), but of the stuff I've heard, nothing made me take notice. Recording with the Replacements showed good taste, but that was negated (with a vengeance) by recording with Dream Academy (which I didn't know until just now.) Even that Tuatara thing was a big letdown.

One thing: At least I'll give him credit for a sense of humour, recording a track called "E-Bow The Letter" and NOT actually using the e-bow on said track. Assuming that actually WAS a joke of some kind. Never could tell with those guys.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Friday, 24 September 2004 14:19 (8 years ago) Permalink

um, I think there's e-bow in that. There was in the video.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 24 September 2004 14:27 (8 years ago) Permalink

there's ridiculous amounts of e-bow in that song. including the two-note lead.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Friday, 24 September 2004 15:09 (8 years ago) Permalink

I always thought "Peter Buck" was a great guitar hero name.

Also a great porn star name!

― morris pavilion (samjeff), Friday, 24 September 2004 15:30 (8 years ago) Permalink

there's ridiculous amounts of e-bow in that song. including the two-note lead.

Then again, "Country Feedback" also consists of mostly what the title tells us :)

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Friday, 24 September 2004 15:44 (8 years ago) Permalink

But REM's mandolin songs are mostly great...Wrong Child, Hairshirt, Losing My Religion, Half A World Away. In fact, those are the only ones with mandolin, not counting obscure b-sides and that.
Sure he's nowhere as good as Roger McGuinn or Richard Thompson, but he's never claimed to be.
At his best, Buck is a great example of a guitarist who serves the band rather than himself.

― Stew S, Friday, 24 September 2004 19:43 (8 years ago) Permalink

Stew S OTM!

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Friday, 24 September 2004 19:48 (8 years ago) Permalink

recording a track called "E-Bow The Letter" and NOT actually using the e-bow on said track. - MVB
um, I think there's e-bow in that. There was in the video.
-- manthony m1cc1o

there's ridiculous amounts of e-bow in that song. including the two-note lead. -- Joseph Cotten

Sorry, my mistake. (Well, not ENTIRELY mine: I actually read that somewhere recently and just assumed it was correct! I've never even HEARD "E-Bow The Letter", to my knowledge.)

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Thursday, 30 September 2004 09:09 (8 years ago) Permalink

It's very good!

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Thursday, 30 September 2004 09:15 (8 years ago) Permalink

whenever this thread pops up i don't know what to think :X

― peter $.., Thursday, 30 September 2004 09:18 (8 years ago) Permalink

i mean, classic!

― peter $.., Thursday, 30 September 2004 09:19 (8 years ago) Permalink

7 years pass...

so here's what Buck is doing post - R.E.M.

― tylerw, Tuesday, 3 January 2012 18:36 (1 year ago) Permalink

http://journaldelpacifico.com/blog/music-festival/

― tylerw, Tuesday, 3 January 2012 18:37 (1 year ago) Permalink

9 months pass...

Anyone heard the Peter Buck solo album yet? I ordered it on impulse the other night, still waiting for it to show up.

― trebek sajak iii (cwkiii), Thursday, 1 November 2012 13:12 (6 months ago) Permalink

http://soundcloud.com/slicingupeyeballs/peter-buck-10-million-bc-rem

― 'Separate Lives', by Phil Collins & Marilyn Manson (PaulTMA), Thursday, 1 November 2012 20:27 (6 months ago) Permalink

hmm, sounds like steve wynn

― tylerw, Friday, 2 November 2012 15:20 (6 months ago) Permalink

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