BUCK 65

Secret House Against The World
I grew up in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by music. All kinds. I seen a lot of things.
By the time I started making records, I had a story to tell but I didn't know how to tell it. I had an interesting upbringing, but it didn't prevent me from being a jackass as a young man. Pity. My first bunch of records are crap and that's all there is to it. Boring hip hop...
First time I ever said anything interesting on a record was on a song called 'Memories of the Passed' which appeared on a compilation album called Bassments of Bad Men.
Around the same time (1995-1996), I started doing some collaborative work with my friend Robert (better known as Sixtoo). Our first album was called Psoriasis. I accidentally made a decent song on this record called 'Security Screws'.
The next few years of my life were a waste of everybody's time. I was chicken-shit and hip hop music had me in a headlock. I was trying to make interesting music but failed again and again.
My first real attempts at honesty came along while making an album called Vertex. Songs like 'The Centaur' and 'BSc.' Showed signs of life, but my head was still up my ass and the music was horrible. You can't even really call it music.
Now my heart was beating and with my next album, Man Overboard, I started to grow some guts for once. Songs like 'Ice', 'Secret Splendor' and 'Pants on Fire' had some humanity at last. Empathy. Plus I finally had the sense to take on some help with the music. It was on this album that I started to work with my friends (and current band members) Graeme Campbell and Charles Austin.
Miraculously, I was offered a major-label deal on the strength of a not-so-great album called Square. But this album did have two good songs on it: 'Cries A Girl' and 'Phil'. I got lucky with 'Phil' and it offered a glimpse of my future.
Post 9-11 I was still a moron. I still had poisoned blood in my veins, but I was pulling my socks up and was learning to finally say what I meant. With some help from a keyboard player named Andrew Glencross, a drummer named Mike Catano and the best pedal steel player in the land, Dale Murray; Graeme, Charles and I went to work on a record called Talkin' Honky Blues. We developed a secret formula that worked. We toured all over the world. The committee of the Canadian music awards (the Juno's) recognized our work. I was nominated as "best songwriter" and we won the trophy for "best alternative album" in 2003.
In 2004 we ditched our winning formula for the chance to work with hot-shots like Tortoise, D-Styles, Gonzales and PJ Harvey's producer, Head. The result is an album called 'A Secret House Against The World'. It also features vocalists Tim Rutili, Tara White and the newest addition to the family, a French genius named Claire Berest.
Now the sound is developed and our own. The pieces are in place, but the perfect record has not been made. It's up to me to write some truly great songs. Maybe one day I will.
Buck 65



Let's start with the beginning: Buck 65 (aka Richard Terfry, aka Stinkin' Rich) is as old as his age. But it's not because he's less young than the others that he's less intelligent. Far from it. Matter of fact, he's from Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, which proves a lot (what exactly will never be known). As a toddler he already knew that, his name being Richard, it was written that he should meet Robert Squire, aka Sixtoo, in Halifax, and thus form the Sebutones (that was in 1996, if my source is exact). This is precisely what happened, which gives much credit to destiny, I guess. But a whole bunch of other interesting stuff happened in his life. For example, he met Mr Dibbs, and that's how you become a member of the -multi talented- 1200 Hobbos.
Buck 65 can do anything and everything, and that's precisely the reason why he actually does everything: DJ, MC, he created a label (Four Ways To Rock), he does commercials for the NBA, played a part in Sesame Street...just like every human being does, but way better.
As far as music goes, let's simply say that it's close to genius. Now that sure makes things simpler to explain. I might as well be frank. Real poetry like it should be. Excellent scratches like it should be. Sample choices like it should be. In short: the ideal mix. All there's to do is to look a little closer than usual at the lyrics in order to fully comprehend what's behind them. The next step is to look a little closer than usual at the sounds included in all honnesty. After that difficult and rather enjoyable task, shake it all and enjoy. That's when you tell yourself that yep, no way denying it, Buck 65's very amazingly good.

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