The case was adjourned until June 18 and Buck was granted bail until then. He was charged with disobeying a lawful command of the commander of an aircraft, being drunk on an aircraft, damaging Britsh Airways crockery, using threatening behavior and assaulting two crew members.

Bail was set at £30,000. An earlier bail condition requiring Buck to surrender his passport was withdrawn. The June 18 hearing dates mean the band will be able to perform April 29 in London at a South African Freedom Day concert and uphold other scheduled promotional appearances.

The guitarist reportedly was contrite and apologized outside the courtroom through a statement read by R.E.M. manager Bertis Downs.

The statement said: “I am sorry for the incident and of course I am embarrassed about the whole thing. However, I have been advised not to talk about it further.”