frontman MICHAEL STIPE today took to the stand at ISLEWORTH CROWN COURT to give evidence for PETER BUCK, in the guitarist's alleged air-rage trial.
The 42 year-old told the jury that when he first met Buck, he was "my only friend" and "like my big brother" and said his bandmate was a "southern gentleman".
Stipe described Buck, who is alleged to have assaulted two BA cabin crew during drunken rampage on a flight from Seattle to London last April, as a quiet man who did not enjoy being in the limelight.
bassist Mike Mills, band manager Bertis Downs and Buck's wife Stephanie also addressed the jury as character witnesses.
Stipe, wearing a grey suit, white shirt and striped tie, appeared nervous as he gave a glowing testimony to his friend of over 20 years.
He said: "We met in 1979 when I was a teenager. He was my only friend at that time. He treated me like a big brother when I was 19. He was the only person I knew as I had just moved there [Athens in Georgia] with my family. He was the only person that would talk to me.
Stipe also said that, as lead singer, he had been the centre of press attention but Buck had not complained, preferring to remain in the shadows.
Referring to how Buck changed after marriage, Stipe said: "He kind of banked off and spent most of his time at home.
"During the last tour that we went on, after the show was over your adrenaline is very high, he would go back to his room to read, rather than go to the bar with Mike and me and the others.
He also backed Buck's claim of some sort of strange reaction to a sleeping pill, as the guitarist attested earlier in the trial.
Buck denies being drunk on board an aircraft, assaulting cabin staff and damaging property.
The trial was adjourned until after the Easter holiday.