R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck surprised thousands of fans on Saturday, June 22, when he appeared for an afternoon set at Clusterfest.

The audience for the “R U Talkin’ R.E.M. RE: Me?” live podcast show at the Bill Graham Stage showed up for the second day of the comedy festival to see hosts Scott Aukerman and Adam Scott discuss R.E.M., one of their favorite bands (the other is U2). What they didn’t expect was an original member of the Grammy-winning ’80s alt-rock band to show up too.

Buck, currently on tour with the pop rock band the Minus 5, had flown to San Francisco in the morning from St. Paul, Minn., to make his cameo. To the delight of R.E.M. loyalists, Buck even joined the cover band Dead Letter Office (a nod to the R.E.M.’s 1987 album) to perform a couple songs including 1981’s “Sitting Still” before sitting down for a podcast interview with Aukerman and Scott.

“I don’t know what prompted me to do this,” Buck quipped. “I really don’t know why I’m here.”

So @ScottAukerman and @mradamscott invite us out to be part of their live R U talkin' R.E.M. RE:ME? show at @clusterfest. We were to keep it hush hush. What wasn't told to us though, was that they also invited @remhq 's Peter Buck! pic.twitter.com/8CSD32r6mY — Dead Letter Office – A Tribute to R.E.M. (@REMtributeDLO) June 23, 2019

While Aukerman and Scott discussed their love of R.E.M., insulting each other and making numerous inside jokes, Buck sat stoic, possibly nervous. In between the silliness, however, the hosts managed to ask Buck some serious questions, to which he replied with R.E.M.arkable stories.

For instance, Buck talked about how much he hated attending award shows, bringing up how he infamously attended the Grammys wearing his pajamas — twice — because, as he put it, “who cares?” (He offered to give Aukerman and Scott one of his Grammys.) Buck even revealed that he uses his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Award as a toilet paper holder in his guest bathroom, so “his guests can get a chuckle too.”

Buck also talked about his other group the Baseball Project, which includes former R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills and the Dream Syndicate’s Steve Wynn. The band only writes songs about baseball, but Buck admitted: “I don’t like baseball. I don’t like organized sports of any kind.”

The last time he saw a baseball game was at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park when he was 6 years old, he said, where he watched Willie Mays hit a home run and Willie McCovey hit a grand slam.

To wrap up the show, Aukerman asked Buck whether R.E.M. could reunite to play a backyard barbecue at his house? Buck couldn’t promise anything, but he did agree to participate if it happens.

R.E.M. fans, rejoice!

Comedy Central Presents Clusterfest: 4 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Friday, June 21; 1 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday, June 22; 1 p.m.-10:15 p.m. Sunday, June 23. $199-$1,250. Civic Center Plaza, S.F. www.clusterfest.com

Related articles

Amy Poehler celebrates love, women, Pride during ‘gayest’ set at Clusterfest 2019

Clusterfest moves comedy festival (mostly) indoors for its third year

Clusterfest 2019: Old faves, new voices, live podcasts at SF comedy fest

Clusterfest Platinum pass $1,250 but includes ‘unlimited’ fries

Scott Aukerman celebrates 10 years of ‘comedy lawyering’ on ‘Comedy Bang! Bang!’