June 27, 2009
Lovers,
I'm in the city where I was born: Halifax. I'm making a record. I'm about half-way through, I think. So far, mostly good. As always, there's been a few bumps along the way, but for the most part I'm really excited about how things are coming together. Looks like there will be a bunch of interesting guests on this one. I'm messing around with around 30 songs. Later we'll have to cut that number down to 12 or so for the final album and I'm anticipating that those decisions will be very difficult.
I don't know what the album will be called yet. I'm considering a handful of titles. But I also had the idea to let a friend choose a title and make the artwork. We'll see...
A few nights ago, I went out to see a performance by Little Miss Higgins. It was one of the best things I've ever seen in my life. I LOVED it. Man-o-man.
Yesterday I sat down with my old friend Jo. He's a musical genius. He's contributed music to a bunch of my albums and we used to be in a group together a long time ago. I'm talking about Jorun. We got talking about music and life and next thing I knew, seven hours had passed! I needed that.
Tonight I'm going to see Sarah Slean perform. Can't wait. She's one of a kind.
I've watched a bunch of good movies in the last few days:
- Wendy and Lucy
- The Conformist
- Frozen River
- The Band's Visit
I still don't know what to say about Michael Jackson. I cried and I'm writing a song. The two biggest icons from my childhood - gone on the same day. When I was a little kid, and before I knew the first thing about girls, my friends and I were always super-into Farrah Fawcett and Dolly Parton. Hubba-hubba. Sad.
When I first got here, I met my new little niece for the first time - Ella. My other niece, Grace gave her the amazing nickname Lil' Bounce. Ella is four months old. I think she likes me.
I better go write some lyrics now.
Keep going.
Buck
May 4, 2009
Hello patient lovers.
For the last two years I've been performing a song All There Is To Say About Love and have been explaining that it comes from an album called More Heart Than Brains that I made with a woman from Brussels named Joëlle Phuong Minh Lê, who I've never met in person. Together, we are Bike For Three! Well, at long last this labor of love and agony is seeing the light of day. The album is being released by Anticon on May 26. We've kept a tight lid on this project for a long time now. Joëlle and I are very excited and nervous to share it with you. We sincerely hope you like it.
Bike For Three! should not be thought of as a side-project. This album is NOT a one-off affair. We plan to continue with this collaboration for a long, long time. So be on the look-out for us and spread the word. Bike For Three! is a perpetual motion machine.
Thanks for waiting for us.
Buck
April 21, 2009
Lovers,
Here's an example of one of the things that drives me nuts most:
"That’s what’s so great about being an American – we’re able to have our own opinions.”
That's a quote taken from a recent news story. The story is not relevant here though. You hear this rhetoric all the time in countless contexts. There's this idea people hold that "only in America do people have the freedom that allows them to have opinions or to pursue their dreams..." Sure, maybe they don't have American-style freedom in North Korea, but I think it's safe to say that in Canada, the UK, France, Australia, on and on and on... people can pretty much do what they want to do and think whatever they want to think.
In fact, I may be sticking my neck out here a little, but I feel that in Canada at least, I'm more free to say what's on my mind without getting attacked by jerks than I would be in the US!
And what really makes me crazy is that the whole "freedom" line is usually brought up as a defense after someone has done or said something asshole-ish. "In America I have the freedom to discriminate against whoever I please..."
Gimme a break.
Just be nice.
Two cents,
Buck
April 11, 2009
Lovers,
A big discovery was made this week! Let me tell you about it by starting with a little background...
For a while now I've been telling the story of how I got into hip hop as a little kid. My first interest was as a music fan. Then, I started b-boying. This was shortly after my first exposure to the music, which was mostly at a roller skating rink where I used to hang out on weekends. It was in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia and it was called Wheelies. Soon after I started trying my hand at rapping...
The first raps I ever remember writing were for girls in my class. I wrote them and gave them to the girls as gifts. I remember clearly writing the first one or two. The girls loved them, so then all the other girls wanted me to write ones for them. I was in the seventh grade. I remember the room I was in and everything. This was - brace yourself - 1984!
So anyway, this story has been told many times, but there has never been much of anything in the way of documentation. Shortly after I would record myself rapping while my friend Bruce played drums. He claims to still have the tapes.
Well, just a few days ago, I was contacted by one of the girls from 7th grade. She said she was going through some boxes at her mother's house and found the song I wrote her! She said she always kept it because she thought it might be worth something one day.
So here's the thing: first, I've asked her to scan it and send it to me. When she does, I'll post it up here, even though I'm sure it will be very embarrassing. Second, it sounds like it could be the sort of thing to turn up on eBay one day. She did say she wondered about what it might be worth...
I can't remember for sure which girl I wrote for first, but it might have been this girl! I'm thinking it was. If not, she was probably second. I think so because I remember thinking she was cute. So I was probably out to try to impress her.
I'll keep you up to date on the situation.
Love,
Buck
April 8, 2009
Lovers,
Just a quickie here to air out one of my major pet-peeves...
It drives me nuts when rappers can't figure out how to rap over a beat with a 3/4 time signature. It's a fairly common thing and it sounds so terrible when people mess it up. I just heard the new Eminem song and he's guilty of this musical faux pas. He makes the mistake most rappers make - he tries to force a 4/4 flow over a 3/4 beat and it just sounds messy because he's not hitting the beats properly. Here's F.T. doing it how it's supposed to be done.
And on the Outkast song Whole World, everyone screws it up until Killer Mike comes on and shows everyone how it's done to spectacular effect.
It's amazing that "top" rappers like Eminen and Andre and Big Boi weren't able to figure it out. Maybe I'm the only one who picks up on this kind of thing, but it truly drives me crazy.
For the record, I like to think I did it right on the first verse of Not I from Dirtbike (which is also up on the myspace page right now).
Thanks for hearing me out. I feel better having got that off my chest.
Buck
April 5, 2009
Lovers,
Quiz:
- Why wasn't Dirtbike a Rolling Stone cover story?
- What if Kanye West was from Winnipeg? Or the Vivian Girls were from Des Moines?
- Do journalists listen to records with headphones and their eyes closed?
- Will journalism be completely replaced by "comments"?
- Who was Paul C.? Francis Picabia? Robert Frank? Ingmar Bergman?
- Is M.C. Shan still alive?
- Who's better? Mahalia Jackson or Ian Curtis?
- What's the break in the song "Exes" from Talkin' Honky Blues? (hint: you'll never figure it out in a million years) *Bonus points if you can identify the breaks in "She Said Yes", "Days On End", "Craftsmanship" or "Hens".
- Who cares what I have to say?
- Why was Albrecht Durer such a jerk?
- Will someone give me a million dollars? Please?
- Who best personifies hip hop: Slug, Crazy Legs, QBert, Lil Wayne? (be very careful...)
Food for thought:
- the worst thing about your toilet not working is having to bring a "loser" into your house to fix it.
- when you turn 35 you should burn all your personal posessions and give up. Maybe even 27.
- there's no need to wonder anymore - just look it up on Wikipedia!
Holding on,
Buck
March 23, 2009
Lovers,
I just got home from SxSW. I've lost count of how many times I've been to the festival now and I think I can safely say that this was my favorite SxSW ever.
Here are some highlights:
- first off, the weather was amazing. It felt real good after several months of Canadian winter.
- seeing The Homosexuals! Amazing!
- and the New York Dolls!
- seeing my friend Jesy - Tiny Vipers - and hearing a bunch of her new songs. They're incredible and I think her guitar is magic. I don't know where it comes from or how she does it, but it doesn't sound like anything else I've heard. At times it didn't sound like a guitar at all to me.
- performing with Emily Wells for the first time. We've made a lot of music together and will continue to do so for a long time. It was a thrill to share the stage with her and having watched her work up close, I'm more convinced than ever that she's a genius.
- participating in NPR's Leonard Cohen tribute show and meeting the Webb Sisters. It was a thrill and I heard through the grapevine that the newspaper said good things about my contribution (I read his poem 'Thousand Kisses Deep' and set it to the beat for 'She Said Yes' from Dirtbike.
- hanging out at the Six Shooter Records' brunches, eating good food in the sun and telling stories and having laughs with many fine Canadian musicians including the lovely and friendly Melissa Auf Der Mar.
- running into Head at the airport who did an incredible job as PJ Harvey's sound man the night before. Head mixed Secret House Against The World. I hadn't spoken to him in a little while and he told me that PJ really liked Secret House. That's pretty nice.
- seeing Futomomo Satisfaction from Japan - three foxy girls in bikinis playing trombones!
- Hacienda! My surprise SxSW discovery of the year (it's always one of the best things about the festival).
- barbeque!
- real Mexican food!
- taking batting practice. Major League Baseball was a sponsor this year and they set up a batting cage just off 6th street. It felt good to get in some good hacks. I still got it...
- performing Paper Airplane with Jenn Grant a few times. I love that song.
- everything about the SFR showcase was awesome. It was a great night at a great venue. 2Mex was vicious. Cecil Otter was great. I was really happy with my set all-in-all. And Sage performed a bunch of new songs that I produced and they sounded great live.
There were a few minor disappointments. There were some bands I really wanted to see, but didn't. Six Finger Satellite. Silver Apples. Little Miss Higgins. The Bar-Kays. Meat Puppets.
Overall, it was a great festival. I saw lots of old friends and made a bunch of new ones.
That's all for now.
Buck
March 5, 2009
Lovers,
Just a few quick thoughts...
- First. Dirtbike. The files are very large, so you may need a strong connection and some patience to download them. The albums aren't broken into tracks, so they're each hour-long-ish files.
- Second. Dirtbike. NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH BIKE FOR THREE! Bike For Three! is an altogether different project. Bike For Three! is a collaboration between Buck 65 and Greetings From Tuskan. Our album is called 'More Heart Than Brains' and it comes out in May on Anticon.
- You know, there's a certain romance in being an outsider, an underdog, a pariah. But it's often a bummer. I think it's safe to say I'm a hip hop outsider. The rewards of the outcast are always going to be small victories. But sometimes they are rather sweet...
Pardon my ego here, but it was one of the best days of my life when I heard the guys from Radiohead were fans of my stuff and wanted to meet me. So when I heard the story in the news that Kanye (my oppressor) was "snubbed" by the band at the Grammy's, I took a little satisfaction. Same goes for Hannah-Banana-what's -her-face. I also feel oppressed by her too(but less).
- I'm going to start recording the next "proper" (?) Buck 65 album in Halifax in June. Back to basics and the winning formula.
- I'm going to listen to "Outsider" by the Ramones now...
Buck
February 17, 2009
Lovers,
- I hope you like the Dirtbikes.
- Have you seen the cover of the new Green Day album?! It's almost exactly the same as the cover of Heck! Weird. Google that business!
- I have a theory for you that might blow your mind... I got thinking about it when I received a message on my myspace page from someone who may or may not have been Joaquin Phoenix (probably wasn't)...
Back in 2005, when Walk The Line came out, it made it's premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. For some reason, I was asked to be the "entertainment" at the party for the cast and crew that followed the screening. I did a cover of Cash's Austin Prison with the help of Ron Sexsmith and then a short set of my own stuff. Mr. Phoenix was there.
Did he see me do my thing, become inspired and decide right then and there that was what he wanted to do? Possible? Who knows...
- I had a killer show in Whister over St. Valentine's weekend. I came up with a new-ish idea for a set and I think it worked out really well. I might be on to something that could become a regular part of the show.
- Did you see Sebutone Sixtoo in the Handsome Furs video? Or Sebutone Buck 65 in the Feist video?
- That's all for the time being...
Buck
February 10, 2009
Lovers,
Some people seem to be wondering if I'm still writing/making music since I've started working with the CBC. The answer is yes, of course. Music will always come first. Since the massive Dirtbike project, I've started a few others. Right now I'm working on an EP - possibly a full-length album - with one of my frequent collaborators. Also, the wheels are beginning to slowly turn on the next "proper" Buck 65 album. I've also been producing for a handful of other artists and I'm working on scoring a film right now. Lots of stuff.
I met Lykke Li the other day.
Several years ago I worked on a film in which Liz from Land Of Talk and I were in the lead rolls. Strange but true.
Next week I'm going to see Leonard Cohen play in NYC. I'm pretty excited about that.
The Grammy's is a TV show.
Today (and most days) I'd say Melle Mel is the greatest rapper of all time and Critical Beatdown by Ultramagnetic is the greatest hip hop album of all time.
I'm still hoping the Bike For Three! album will come out in April but it looks like it might be a little later than that. But I'm getting some shows together to celebrate around that time. I'm working on Europe and the US. More will follow closer to the summer, I reckon.
I'm pretty bummed about the A-Rod thing even though I don't see the steroids issue in the stark black-and-white terms that most people do. Clemens was really hard to deal with. Now this... Sigh!
Check out a band called Follows on myspace.
My first few records came out before the first Wu-Tang album. Before the first Radiohead album too. I will always be here.
Back to work.
Buck
January 13, 2009
Lovers,
Can I ask you a favor, just this one time? It's simple and it will only take a few seconds of your time...
Please go to: http://www.cbc.ca/radio2/obamasplay list/theplaylist.html
Then click on the song "Brother (Watching)" by Shad and then click vote (at the bottom of the list). That's it. I'm really looking for your help on this. If you can, do it by the end of the day Friday (January 16), OK?
Thank you so much.
Talk soon,
Buck
January 4, 2009
Lovers,
On December 11, 2008, Bettie Page passed away. She was the inspiration for the album Situation and the song Lipstick is about her.
I have long been fascinated by Bettie Page. Of course she was a sex symbol and all that jazz, but I don't think that's why I became such a fan. I've appreciated her look as much as anyone else, I suppose, but it's the fact that she became a provocateur and one of the most iconic figures in the history of popular culture - and without even trying. She never planned the universe she created. It just happened because her personality and spirit were so undeniably and irresistibly strong. I guess you could say she had a way of seducing you and making you think at the same time - an amazing trick for someone who was just doing what came naturally to her.
She lived 85 years. I can't say I'll miss her because I never knew her personally (it seems few did), but also because the truth is, Bettie Page the icon will live forever.
buck
December 20, 2008
Lovers,
I just got back from a pretty great trip to New York.
When I got off my plane at Laguardia, I ran into Guy Maddin - film maker extraordinaire and one of my heroes - in the terminal building. We had a nice little chat and a hug. What a thrill. Guy Maddin!
Then I did what I always do in New York, I walked (a LOT), people-watched, bought books, music and DVDs and ate a lot of amazing food.
The main purpose of my trip was to play a show at the legendary Knitting Factory, which M.C. Black Thought described as "our" CBGB's, which is closing it's doors (at it's present location) in a few days. The show was a special 10th anniversary showcase for Anticon and was the second to last show that my friend Peter (the hip hop booker there) put together (the last was last night, which I stayed for and I'll come back to that). Pretty much all the old originals were there (except Sixtoo, the bum). I wanted to do something special for the night. So with help from my man Buddy Peace, I played a one-time-only 30 minute mega-mix set that covered material from Language Arts to the present. Lots of verses I haven't performed in a long time. I was worried about screwing it up or coughing (I'm just getting over a cold), but it went off close to perfectly despite the fact that I had a splitting headache the whole time. The whole show was filmed, so hopefully you'll get a chance to see it one day. Buddy put together an amazing set. He is a wizard. Love Buddy Peace - that's an order.
The next night was the big hip hop blow out. Lots of people showed up. It was a night full of surprises. But here are the hightlights: Psycho Les of the Beatnuts, The Legion (performed Jingle Jangle with Dres from Blacksheep!), Brand Nubian, JUST-ICE!!!, The Roots, and Rakim. Rakim! Just-Ice performed 'Cold Gettin' Dumb', which blew my mind and I rapped along every word with 'Goin' Way Back'. Rakim came out and played 'My Melody', which was one of those 'I can die now' situations.
It was a thrill to see all these rappers and there were some great performances by some of the newer, lesser known cats who were on the bill. This show, for me, represented everything I love AND can't stand about hip hop - and hip hop shows in particular. Basically, the simplest way I can put it is that it was a legendary mess. My night was peaks and valleys of incredible thrills and agonizing frustration. But my view is undoubtedly informed by the fact that I'm the most antisocial person on earth and I hate going out under any circumstances. Beyond that, I'll keep my social philosophies and opinions on art and crap to myself. I wish I could say that at least everyone seemed to have a good time, but honestly, I couldn't quite tell if they did. Part of me felt like the night was one big checking off of a major item on my all-time 'to do' list and from where I stood, it kinda seemed like that was the case for most people who were there.
But I can say, that all in all, it was a great couple of days. I do love that town.
That's all for now. I'll be back shortly with some reflections on the year and a look ahead to '09...
buck
October 25, 2008
Lovers,
I have completed the task I had set out for myself to put together three huge album's worth of music in three months - what's been called the 'Dirtbike' project. In these last three months I managed to write and record approximately 70 songs. The three "albums" are each around an hour in length. I have a bunch of material left over that didn't make it onto any of these Vertex-like mixes. Someday I'll do something with those too.
Right now I think of Dirtbike 1-3 as a woodshed demo project. But I've wanted to share this work, at this stage, with anyone who was interested in hearing it. So I sent copies to a few friends and to the people who contributed and they've floated around a bit from there.
Contributors to this project have included:
- Buddy Peace: DJ/producer extraordinaire from the UK. He put together an intro for each one and we co-produced two or three beats on each of the three Dirtbikes. Buddy is incredible. When you hear the beats with an insane amount of chopping, you'll know it's Buddy. He also did some cuts for me.
- Emily Wells: multi-instrument sorcoress from Los Angeles who added her beautiful touch to seven songs altogether.
- John Zytaruk: my friend in Toronto with whom I made Porch. He played a bunch of stuff (mostly things stringed: banjo, guitar, steel) on six songs.
- Moka Only: all-around hip hop renaissance man from Vancouver who rapped on one track and contributed two beats.
- D-Styles: the greatest DJ in the world, from California put cuts on a handful of tracks scattered across the three sets.
- JEL: Anticon beat master of Subtle and Thenselves fame contributed a rediculously heavy beat to Dirtbike2.
- Tunng: one of my favorite bands, from London, UK - with whom I've worked and toured on several occasions. There's a song on number three that tells the story of Joseph which was a co-production between Tunng and myself.
- Norm Adams: he was the other main soloist (besides me) when I did my performance with Symphony Nova Scotia earlier this year. He's a cellist and played on the Microwave Popcorn song on part 3.
- Electrelane: well, specifically Mia Clarke. Sadly Electrelane broke up. I was a big fan. Mia is an incredible guitar player and was generous enough to lay some downright evil sounds on the Queen of the Shitbags song on Dirtbike3.
- Charles Austin: my long-time partner in crime, with whom I've been working since Man Overboard. He wrote and performed the music for the Roadkill song on part three (I chopped it up and added drum parts).
- Rodney Decroo: take-no-prisioners singer from Pittsburg, PA who I've never met. I was a fan and reached out to him in cyber-space and he came through immediately and in amazing fashion on the Roadkill song (part 3).
- Serafina Steer: harpist from London, England who I met during my extended festival collaboration with Tunng in France last year. She played on the song about La Golue that appears on the first enstallment.
- Doseone: weirdo rapper and my fellow North American Adonis from Oakland. He rapped on a heavy/pretty track (one I made with Emily Wells) on Dirtbike1.
- Tom Inhaler: good ole Tom from Providence played on the song about St. Anthony on the first dirtbike. We worked on a handful of stuff and it will all see the light soon...
- Cadence Weapon: my pal from Edmonton, Alberta made the horrifying beat that wraps the whole project up - right at the end of Dirtbike3.
- Jorun: my main man from damn close to day one. Genius. I honestly believe Jo is one of the greatest beat-makers ever. He made the 'Legs Like Shotguns' beat that Moka and I rapped on, on Dirtbike1.
- Sage Francis: the legend. One of my few true friends. He rapped with me about the death of music on a beat that Buddy Peace and I made together on part 3.
- Barnes & Barnes: legendary freaks from LA - famous for Fish Heads. They made the music for the Halloween song on Dirtbike2.
- Andrew Glencross: my friend from Halifax who's been playing on my records and in my touring band for several years. He played and sang on 'We Are Not The Same' which is the last song on Dirtbike 1.
- Benjamin Blower: beat-maker/musician/ all-around good person from Birmingham, UK. He made the music for 'Buddah' on Dirtbike2.
- Aupheus: the dirty, dark beat murderer from the UK made the beat on Dirtbike2 for the sorta spoken-wordy song about rap music and whatnot.
- Jenn Grant: songbird from Halifax. She sang on the 'Paper Airplane' song on Dirtbike2. Check out the video for her song Dreamer. YouTube it. You'll sigh with delight.
- Old Man Luedecke: folk hero I hooked up with for Indestructible Sam a few years ago. We made the 'Why So Sad' song together. We actually recorded a lot of stuff that day and more will come from that session.
- Graematter: another long-time collaborator and former room-mate. Half man, half machine. He helped out with the Shitbags beat and the beat for the song about Paris on number 2.
- Tiny Vipers: Jesy and I didn't really work directly together on the St. Anthony song, but we talked and she gave me her blessing to sample her song Campfire Resemblance. We are going to make some music together. Soon I hope. Jesy's just not a big computer person, so it's harder...
- Gabriel Minnikin: the only person I know with perfect pitch. He's an absolutely incredible musician and an old friend who lives in Manchester in the UK. He usually plays shows with me when I'm there. He laid a bunch of stuff on the last song on #2, including some backing vocals.
- Skratch Bastid: the red-headed step child did cuts on the 'here's buck...' part near the beginning of Dirtbike1.
- Emily: my lady. You hear her voice on Person to Person on the first dirtbike and we worked together on the lyrics for the songs about St. Anthony, La Golue, Fatty Arbuckle, watching bad acrobats on tv in France, the Rambler and the Free Spirit, No Man's Land, the Flying Wallendas and the last song on dirtbike2, which is kinda about our apartment.
I think that covers it. I reached out to several other people - famous, not-so-famous and friends who were unable to come through for one reason or another. I almost got a very famous singer that everyone knows on a track. Hopefully it will still happen one day. I was just super-psyched to talk to this person on the phone... I tried to get Sixtoo down but that's like pulling teeth. We did have lunch though. The original plan was to do some stuff with Vinnie Gallo, but he's a busy man. We played together in Buffalo, at least. We'll make it happen one of these days.
There are also several covers across the three works...
- Enter Governor Bolts by Governor Bolts on Dirtbike1
- Person To Person by Hypothetical Prophets on Dirtbike1
- Buddah by Al Tuck on Dirtbike2
- Men With Broken Hearts by Hank Williams on Dirtbike3
- A combination of Whoa Buck by Leadbelly and Mean Talkin' Blues by Woody Guthrie on Dirtbike3.
I think that's all you need to know. These 'albums' aren't for sale and never will be. Never-ever.
It was just really important for me at this point in my career to act creatively without any consideration for money or press or anything other than art. I refuse to see any of this work as a failure in terms of sales or critical response or whatever. So I guess it could be said that this is just something I had to do for myself.
Finally, these recordings were made at home with crappy gear and were mixed in headphones that are 15 years old and were never very good in the first place. So they are pretty lo-fi. So for the few of you who will hear them, they're best heard in headphones. On a stereo and especially in a car, they will probably sound awful.
In other news...
I've been working away at my radio job at the CBC and it's been pretty fun. I'm learning a lot. Lots of big-time famous people come though the studios and sometimes I get to say hello, which is a fun perk. In the last few weeks I've had the chance to see, meet, talk to, or interview: Beck, Tony Bennett, Lindsay Buckingham (who was incredible), Wynona Ryder, Barbara Walters,
Youssou N'Dour, Patti Smith and a whole bunch more. I've learned that it's very difficult to interview people. I hope to get better at it and that in the process I'll learn how to be a better interview-ee.
When I played with Vinnie G. in Buffalo, he asked me to try living without wheat for a while. I'm doing it now. It's hard, but I really do feel a difference. I have much more energy. I just feel better. But I miss cookies. I also met Vincent's family - all of whom look exactly like him.
'What Just Happened' - the film with DeNiro and Bruce Willis and Sean Penn that my song Bandits is in, is about to be released. Maybe some of you have seen the preview (which the song is also in). I'm pretty psyched about it.
I've also been invloved in some interesting, fairly big collaborations with other musicians lately. I'd love to talk about them, but I probably shouldn't. You'll see/hear soon enough. These are things for other people's songs and albums...
What else?
Maybe I've already mentoned that both Big Rig and L'Histoire de Richard O. are both out on DVD now.
Oh! And a new super-deluxe Buck 65 DVD is almost done. It's being made by Christopher Mills who made the videos for Dang and Shutterbuggin'. He's crazy-brilliant. I can't wait for you to see.
Also, the Bike For Three! album is ready to go. Little things like the artwork and whatnot are coming together now. It will be out soon. It will probably be on vinyl and Joelle and I will be going to work on more music shortly.
So it's been a very, very busy last few months. Sorry I've been so scarce here. I've been pretty absorbed. But now the load will lighten a little and I'll be able to spend more time here.
So I'll be talking to you soon.
Take a good look around,
Buck
September 4, 2008
Lovers,
I've been doing some woodshedding. I've been making beats and collecting them from some friends. I put together this thing called Dirtbike. Actually - at the risk of sounding nuts or esoteric or pretentious - the project is called Dirtbike (I figure it will be an on-going endeavor) and the first piece of it is called Lettersongs (Different Kinds of Dirt). I don't really even understand it myself.
Anyhow, it's a new project. It's kind of an album. It's one very long piece and in many ways it's a lot like the original versions of Vertex and Man Overboard. It's an hour and ten minutes long and is very lo-fi (sounds like crap). This is just something I did on my own time for fun - like I said: woodshedding.
But I didn't work alone. My old friend and collaborator Jorun contributed an amazing beat that Moka Only raps on. Moka also contributed a beat for a part that was inspired by Vivienne Westwood's Active Resistance Manifesto. There's a "hook" in the song that goes "take action...". I also had input and added production or instrumentation from: Buddy Peace, Emily Wells, Tom Inhaler, D-Styles, Skratch Bastid, Andrew Glencross and Serafina Steer. Oh yeah, and Doseone raps on a part - yes, raps.
There's a "song" about Fatty Arbuckle, one about St. Anthony the Great, one about La Golue who was featured in many Toulouse Lautrec paintings. There's also a cover of a weird French song (in English) from the late '70's (maybe 1980).
Anyhow, it's a very strange, experimental, un-commercial project. I made it for my own perverted pleasures and never considered for a second that it might be a proper release. I gave a few copies to friends and that's all I ever planned for it.
Well, I tell you about all this because it's out there. If you're interested in hearing it, I don't think you'd have to search on the internet very long or hard to find it. The key word is Dirtbike1/3.
Before I put it together I felt as though I was sitting on around four hours worth or material of the same sort that I now plan to complete before the end of October. So there may be more of this kind of thing to come - soon.
I'm also working on the "proper" follow-up to "Situation" and the Bike For Three! album will be out in January.
That's all. Hope you're good.
Buck
June 18, 2008
Lovers,
So, I guess that word is out. I've accepted a big job offer from the CBC here in Canada. And starting in September, I will be on national radio - live - everyday.
It's a big step. Deciding to do this has been the biggest decision I've had to make in my life so far. It's a really big deal. I labored over the decision for many days and sleepless nights.
So the biggest changes that I'm now facing in my day-to-day life stack up like this:
- a daily routine, i.e. regular hours. (weird!)
- very little touring.
- a salary.
- full social benefits. (yes! And for my girlfriend too!)
So I won't be sleeping in until 1:00 in the afternoon anymore. I'll be a morning person from now on!
It's impossible to say, of course, what this will do to/for Buck 65. But right now, I'm seeing it entirely as a positive. As I've mentioned, I'm working on tons of new music right now and the Bike For Three! album is finished and should be out early in the new year. I can't help but think that the knowledge that I have a certain measure of security in my life (that I've never had before - ever), will create shift in my overall state of mind that will reflect positively on my work. Freedom! You know? I kinda feel like my career could be akin to that of Hieronymus Bosch now, which is exciting (if you know what I mean).
So we'll see how it goes! It's going to be a learning experience, for certain. I love radio and have always seen it as my dream job. I had my own college radio show for 11 years and I loved every minute of it. And basically, on the program I'll be hosting, I'll be playing music and telling stories! My two favorite things! I'm sure I'll have the chance to be exposed to and educated by lots and lots of new music and musicians from all over the world everyday. This job promises to allow me to grow a lot.
Let me also tell you that although I know I'll be well prepared when I hit the air and I'm very excited, I'm also very nervous. I want it to be great. And I know there will be a lot of scrutiny because this is part of some big changes at the CBC. The format of my time-slot is changing pretty much completely. It's all quite big news here in Canada.
So I'll keep you up to date on that.
This doesn't mean that I won't be seeing all you beautiful people in countries outside Canada anymore. But it might mean I'll be coming around a little less frequently - which means it will be all the more special for us. I kinda like that. I'll miss you though (sniff!).
This brings me to another point. The eBay enterprise...
See, before the job offer came along, I was already looking at a some time off the road, having just finished a world tour and turning my attention to a new record (or two or three or four). I was honestly a little stressed about financial outlook for the next bunch of months and was looking for a way to supplement my income. Now that I can look forward to a regular paycheck coming in, it's not so much of a concern.
However, this process has been a lot of fun, very successful and super-interesting. Plus, I think it's a great way to make a meaningful, personalized and unique connection with you (my audience). It should be obvious by now that the nature of the music business is changing drastically. People's expectations are completely different now. The value of music is a huge debate, but the bottom line is, people now need and want something special. Something unique. One-of-a-kind items are the only commodity left these days that has real value in this age of easy, rapid and unstoppable file sharing. Touring is becoming increasingly difficult and demanding, plus the market is becoming flooded. There's extremely high competition for the ticket-buying dollar. So given the new realities (whether we like them or not), what can an artist/musician/what ever give to his or her following that is truly meaningful and makes them feel valued and important? I think this sort of plan is pretty much the only way to go.
So I guess what I'm saying is that this is something I would like to continue to do. But not so much for what you can do for me, but for what I can do for you. The old ways just aren't cutting it like they used to. I want to give you something you can't download or see on Youtube, basically. I hope that makes sense. So we'll see how that goes too.
That's the update. Big things happening in my weird world. It's exciting and scary. We'll figure it all out together. And you can count on me continuing to keep you up to date here. And be on the look-out for some new music very soon (this summer, even).
OK.
Kisses,
buck
June 17, 2008
Lovers,
It's time to put another item up for bids on eBay. For this next one I'm going to get swivey. I won't be doing this often, but perhaps once in a while...
So what I'm going to do is offer up an insanely rare piece of my music. So I'm offering up the first thing I ever put out on vinyl. In fact, this is only the second thing I ever released solo (there were a few little things with my old group, Haltown Projex before that).
It's the 'Stolen Bass' 7" that came out on Murderecords back in 1994 (recorded in '93). The a-side is a song called 'Who You Frontin' For?' and the b-side is called 'Chin Music'.
On the cover is a ridiculous photo of me with an insanely long beard. On the back is a photo of a mock crime scene of sorts. It's all very silly. In fact, it borders on embarrassing, but it is an important part of my history.
There might be a few things like this floating around places like stolenbass.com, but the difference here is that this one comes from my own private stash.
This thing is crazy-rare. It went out of print long, long ago (I think there was only ever one pressing, so I guess it went out of print later the same year it came out - 14 years ago!).
I'm about to post it up after I write this, so it'll be up shortly. Look for Buck 65's Stolen Bass 7" or something to that effect. You'll find it.
I think I mentioned this here before, but there is definitely a much more piece of Buck 65 vinyl out there. After Square came out in 2000, or whatever, we planned to release a 7" single for the song Phil. We got test pressings, but then for one reason or another (I probably ran out of money), it was never made. So all that exists is the test pressings. I have two of them. There might be another one out there somewhere, but I'm not sure.
Anyway!
More big news soon.
hug,
Buck
June 3, 2008
Lovers,
Good news: we recovered the tapes that were stolen a few weeks ago! So we're forging ahead with the DVD and it's going to be amazing. We have lots of big ideas.
Tonight I'm going to post a new item for the eBay enterprise. This time it's going to be the vinyl I've used on stage every night for the last two years. It's a scratch record, meaning it just has a bunch of sounds on it that I use in my songs... to scratch. You know. The record is beat up and the cover of it is covered with backstage passes from all-over the world. People have asked me to sell it a million times and now that my world tour is done and the record is on it's last legs, I figure, 'why not?' You could probably go out and find this same record, but this one is special. I caressed it every night, month after month. I also sweated all over it many nights. This thing is seasoned. It has marinated in my human funk. It's gross...
Anyhow, just search 'Buck 65 stage vinyl' and you should find it.
People have been asking quite a bit why I'm selling my stuff. The truth is, I like to keep a personal connection with people who like what I do as much as I can, but I also need the money. I know it's depressing, but it's true. I'm telling you kids, it's getting harder and harder to make a living in this business. So help if you can.
I just got back from China and it was the most amazing trip I've ever made. It was my first time there. I loved it so much. I can't recommend it enough. I bought a camera while I was there (you can find anything there for dirt cheap), so I'll finally have some new photos for the site shortly.
It would be really hard to pick a very favorite moment or part of the trip, but here's a few highlights:
- conquering the Great Wall.
- the 798 neighborhood.
- The Dirt Market.
- Seeing Mao.
- The Forbidden City.
- The Temple of Heaven.
- visiting a genuine Chinese massage parlour.
- insanely cute babies everywhere.
- everyone was really friendly and nice.
- generally speaking Chinese people are really funny and silly.
- robots!
- pandas!
- eating dangerous things!
- my girlfriend held a monkey (and rode a camel).
- berzerk modern architecture/enginee ring feats.
- I saw a guy wearing a t-shirt that said "mind on the afro" on it.
I could go on and on. But believe me, I can't wait to go back. It was an incredible learning experience.
I have an idea for an album that I will try to finish this summer that I believe is completely new and even downright revolutionary. Stay tuned for that. I can't even believe I thought of it.
OK. Let's all make art!
kisses,
buck
May 25, 2008
Lovers,
The eBay enterprise is off to a wonderful start. The next item up for bids hits the market tonight! This time it's the baseball uniform I wore in the 463 video. It comes with jersey, pants, and hat. The whole shmear, as they say. Search 'Buck 65 baseball uniform' and you'll find it. Join the team! Ha.
Today I reached an important milestone. As I imported the Steady B. album 'What's My Name' into my iTunes, I passed the 10,000 songs mark. I don't know why, but I got real excited about this. I don't know why, exactly. I have around 50,000 records in my collection, but there's something about big, round numbers that I like.
I'm plowing away on the next Buck 65 album and I now have 38 songs ready to go. That's a lot of songs. And I don't mind telling you it's all killer stuff. I'm going nuts. No holds barred.
Tomorrow I'm going to China.
Talk soon.
Buck
May 17, 2008
Lovers,
A week or two ago I mentioned my idea of creating a little eBay enterprise. Remember? Well, the first item is up for bids. It's a pair of shoes with a lot of history behind 'em. I'll probably throw in a few other little odds and ends for whoever takes 'em home. If you search my name and maybe add the words "shoes" and "Glastonbury", you'll surely find the posting.
In other news, the other day I realized I'm a bigger Ice-T fan than I had ever considered before. It also occured to me that the Souls of Mischief album '93 'til Infinity' is perhaps of underestimated influence and importance.
Gotta blow my nose...
buck