R.E.M. guitarist Buck to release solo album

R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck has confirmed that he has started work on his first solo album.

Scott McCaughey, longtime collaborator with R.E.M and friend of Peter Buck, revealed the "material is going to be pretty out". He offered few details about the record, but said that it is possible that Buck will sing on the album, something that the guitarist never did with R.E.M.

It has not been confirmed when Buck will finish the record, but McCaughey hinted that the R.E.M guitarist may only put the album out on vinyl, and may decline releasing it as a download.

Buck's solo effort is set to be the first record released by a member of R.E.M since the band disbanded last year. Frontman Michael Stripe has already spoken out about his plans not to record any new music in the near future, and Mike Mills has not announced any new projects yet.

R.E.M were one of the most popular alternative rock groups of the 1980s-90's, and signed an $80million dollar recording contract in 1996 when they resigned to Warner Records. At the time this was the most expensive recording contract in history. The American band  were honoured with an induction into the rock'n'roll hall of fame in 2007.