Buck-O-Nine
Encyclopedia
Buck-O-Nine is an American ska punk
band which was formed in San Diego in 1991. http://www.buck-o-nine.com/history.html The band has toured internationally and released several albums and e.p.'s, as well as appearing on compilations and film soundtracks. During the mid-to-late 1990s, they experienced mainstream success with the release of the album Twenty-Eight Teeth and its most successful single, My Town. Estimates put combined worldwide album sales at approximately 400,000. As the popularity of third-wave ska waned, Buck-O-Nine stopped touring full-time in 2000, but continues to perform regularly throughout California and much of the southwestern United States. Since 2001, the band has also performed in the UK and Hawaii.
Buck-O-Nine released its fifth studio album, entitled Sustain
, on August 7, 2007 on Asian Man Records
.
player, Craig Yarnold was in a Ska
band called the Spy Kids, which also included Matt Hensley from the band Flogging Molly
on guitar, and Scott Russo from the band Unwritten Law
on keyboard. By very early 1992, Buck-O-Nine had played its first live club gig, opening for The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
at the Spirit Club (now Brick By Brick) in San Diego, California. After the first few shows, the lead singer was replaced by Jon Pebsworth, and Dan Albert and Tony Curry joined the band to fill out the horn section.
There are several stories about where Buck-O-Nine's name came from. One was that someone used the phrase in the context of a joke they were telling ("yo mamma don't weigh more than a buck-o-nine," or something to that effect). Another version was the band pooled their money for beer and all they had was a dollar and nine cents.http://www.buck-o-nine.com/faq.html
Jon Pebsworth's entry to the band was solidified after the first rehearsal. Previous to Buck-O-Nine, he was in a hardcore punk
band called Labeled Victims, which also included Pat Kim, the current bass player of the band Unwritten Law
. Pebsworth had a binder full of lyrics, many of which were written during his time in Labeled Victims, and as the band went through its material for him, he began flipping through pages and plugging in lyrics for each song, almost as if the lyrics had been written for the music without him ever hearing it. At the band's next rehearsal, Pebsworth showed up with his shoulder in a sling - he had broken it the previous weekend while stage-diving at a local punk show.
Likewise, Dan Albert and Tony Curry had been playing together in reggae bands, including T. Irie Dread, for several years, and had developed a large repertoire of horn lines and riffs that had gone unused, yet somehow fit perfectly into many of the songs Buck-O-Nine would write over the next several years. Albert and Curry still occasionally perform with T. Irie Dread in and around San Diego.
By the end of 1992, the band prepared to release a twelve song demo tape entitled Buck Naked, which featured a cartoon drawing by then drummer Steve Bauer, depicting a naked deer sheepishly covering its private parts. Steve was attending art school at the time, and used the album art as one of his class projects.
During the recording process, Jonas Kleiner was recruited to play guitar. Kleiner's first rehearsal with the Buck-O-Nine was remarkable in that the band had spent the entire day auditioning guitar players, and Jonas was the last person scheduled to show up. None of the previous guitarists had come close to being able to play the ska style that the music demanded. When Jonas began jamming, his style fit in with the band immediately. Jonas' previous experience playing in various Arizona punk and ska bands became a huge asset to Buck-O-Nine, and over the years his guitar work would provide the musical foundation for many songs.
Most of the guitar tracks on the demo were recorded by bass player Scott Kennerly, with Jonas recording guitar tracks on one song. The demo was released on cassette tape on the band's own pseudo record label
, Working Class Records. Working Class Records would also be the pseudo home of the band The Mountain Men, which was composed of friends and roommates of some members of Buck-O-Nine.
Shortly after the demo was released, a 7" record, known as the California 7", was released on Silver Girl Records. The front cover of the record sleeve features the license plate from Kennerly's truck, attached to the bumper of an old car at a junk-yard and photographed by Kennerly.
It was during this early period that the band began establishing itself in the San Diego all-ages music scene by playing regularly at the well-known club, SOMA
. Originally located in downtown San Diego, SOMA was a unique venue because it had a basement stage area (affectionately known as "The Dungeon") where new bands would perform with hopes of drawing enough fans to be promoted to the main stage located above on the main floor. Buck-O-Nine was able to move from the dungeon to the main stage within a short period of time, and thus began opening up for local favorites such as Sprung Monkey
, as well as nationally touring acts like Skankin' Pickle
. By the time Buck-O-Nine released its first album in 1994, they were regularly selling out the venue, with an estimated 900 - 1000 fans attending most shows.
on San Diego label Immune Records. One week after the CD was released, the band embarked on its first US tour, in support of fellow ska bands Gangster Fun, from Detroit, and MU330 from St. Louis. Unfortunately, the tour was never completed due to a series of misfortunes. Buck-O-Nine had been told prior to leaving for the tour that all bands would be sharing one drum kit. Of course, when the band arrived at the first gig in Corona, California, they found that they were the only band without a drum kit! Fortunately, the other bands were gracious enough to share drums.
Shortly after the halfway point, MU330 had to drop off the tour when their drummer fell ill. On the last leg of the tour, which had the remaining bands swinging through the deep south, Gangster Fun's tour bus (actually an old school bus) broke down and forced them to head home. This left Buck-O-Nine stranded in Mississippi (without a drum kit), where they shacked up at Tony's grandmother's house for several days, attempting to piece together the remainder of the tour. Of course, with the headliner and main support acts gone, promoters were unwilling to commit to hosting the remaining shows, so Buck-O-Nine packed up and headed straight home to San Diego.
The Irish Drinking Song from Songs in the Key of Bree
is sometimes mistakenly credited as "Drink and Fight" by Flogging Molly
, The Bouncing Souls
or Dropkick Murphys
. Although Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys are known for playing similar types of songs, that particular song was written and recorded by Buck-O-Nine. http://punknews.org/article/22230 There is a Canadian band called Mudmen
who wrote a song called "Drink and Fight."http://www.songmeanings.net/lyric.php?lid=133215
In 1995, Buck-O-Nine released its second full-length album, entitled Barfly on Taang! Records
. The album title was inspired by the movie of the same name
, starring Mickey Rourke
and Faye Dunaway
. The album featured a mixture of originals and cover tunes by bands which had inspired Buck-O-Nine's music since the band's inception. The track "Barfly" actually appears on two Buck-O-Nine albums, Songs in the Key of Bree
(1994) and "Barfly" (1995). "Songs in the Key of Bree" was originally released on Immune Records, a tiny San Diego Label. Curtis Casella, owner of Taang! Records
and a fan, wanted to release a Buck-O-Nine EP on his label called Barfly
that would consist of several cover tunes and the Buck-O-Nine original, Barfly. Taang! eventually re-released Key Of Bree as well.http://www.buck-o-nine.com/albums.html As sales of Barfly
started to increase, the band was slapped with a cease and desist notice. The original cover of the album used images of both Mickey Rourke and Faye Dunaway. The actors' legal representation were less than thrilled with this. In 1996, drummer Steve Bauer created an alternate album cover for Barfly, which is the current album cover.
During this time, the band also released a video, entitled "Raw Crap" which was composed of tour footage shot by the band as well as the videos for the songs "On A Mission" and "Water In My Head". The "On A Mission" video was shot in Boston by a friend of Curtis Casella. The "Water In My Head" video was shot in San Diego by Mark Mannschreck, a friend of Jonas'.
Other notable events during this period include:
In 1996, after two years of constant touring, Buck-O-Nine saw the sales of their Taang! releases, Songs In The Key of Bree and Barfly, increase substantially to well over 60,000 copies sold despite distribution problems and a dire lack of promotion by the Taang! Records label.
. The album was released April 15, 1997,while the band was touring the U.S. with Face To Face.
With the release of this third album, and several years of touring under their belts, Buck-O-Nine began to see increased national radio airplay with the release of the single "My Town". A video was shot and received limited airplay on MTV
. Twenty-Eight Teeth sold over 200,000 copies, appearing in a top spot on the Billboard HeatSeekers chart at one point, and appearing in the Billboard Top 200 for one week, peaking at #190. In addition, "My Town" was featured in season 8 of Beverly Hills, 90210
in the episode, "Toil And Trouble," which aired October 29, 1997. http://www.nndb.com/tv/596/000049449/ The band toured constantly to promote Twenty-Eight Teeth, sharing the stage with a wide variety of bands, both in and outside their genre. Notable appearances included the 1997 Warped Tour
, and being picked by Primus
as the support act on their tour for The Brown Album
.
On top of extensive national touring, Buck-O-Nine co-headlined a nation-wide tour of Canada along with the Suicide Machines. The tour saw both bands enjoy increased popularity north of the border, and culminated with a show at Toronto's famed El Mocambo
club. The band also traveled to Australia twice, playing shows up and down the east coast and connecting with Australia's most famous ska band, The Porkers
.
The band's fourth album Libido was released on TVT Records in 1999. Buy this time, drummer Steve Bauer had left the band, and studio drummer Chuck Treece was hired to record the drum tracks. (Bauer is now a successful tattoo artist in Colorado Springs
.http://www.premiertattoo.com) Libido represents an evolution in the sound the band had developed, steering somewhat away from the ska
and punk
sound that defined Buck-O-Nine in the earlier years. One of the stand-out tracks, "Who Are They?," was featured on an episode of Six Feet Under. http://www.hbo.com/sixfeetunder/episode/music/episode12.shtml By the time Libido was released, the popularity of third wave ska in the US had crested and was beginning to recede. During this period, original bass player Scott Kennerly left the band and was replaced by original Unwritten Law
bassist, John Bell. http://www.buck-o-nine.com/history2.html The band continued to tour throughout 1999, but stopped working full-time after this.
Unfortunately, Buck-O-Nine's last national tour almost ended in tragedy when Bell fell ill with severe stomach pain. After soundchecking for a gig in Pittsburgh, PA Bell collapsed back-stage and had to be rushed to the hospital, where doctors discovered he was suffering from Meckel's Diverticulum
. Surgery followed, and eventually the band headed straight home for San Diego, while Bell recovered with his parents by his side. Longtime associated Andy Platfoot filled in on bass for the ailing Bell, and would eventually become a full-time member of the band.
Buck-O-Nine won eight San Diego Music Awards
between 1995 - 2000.http://www.sandiegomusicawards.com/
Between the latter part of 2000 and well into 2001, things quieted down for the band, and they considered calling it quits all together. During this period, John Bell left the band as he pursued college and a career in engineering full-time. An offer to tour the UK saw the band regroup near the end of 2001 and release a UK only album composed of tracks from the band's first two albums and e.p. A successful tour of much of the UK ensued, and in the aftermath, Buck-O-Nine found itself re-energized and continued to play regional shows and write new material.
Between 2002 and 2004, the band wrote close to 20 new songs, but most of them fell by the wayside until 2006 when they got serious about putting together a new album. Only three songs that had previously been written survived the cut, and the band relentlessly pumped out another nine original songs throughout the end of 2006. The philosophy was simple - to stick to what the band does best, which is to write and perform high-energy ska-influenced music that combines elements of reggae, punk and rock & roll.
Before entering a professional recording studio, the band recorded the entire album using its own recording equipment and rehearsal studio so that they could get a better feel for what the finished product might sound like, and iron out any underlying issues with arrangement, tuning and tempos. The band decided to return to Doubletime Studios in El Cajon, California, where the first two studio albums were recorded. In early 2007 they began recording tracks during several weekend and evening sessions.
At the end of recording and during some preliminary mixing sessions, they decided to have the entire album shipped to The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado for final mixing and mastering.
In 2007, Buck-O-Nine released its fifth studio album, entitled Sustain
, and performed on all California dates of the Vans Warped Tour
.
In December 2007, the band filmed a video for the song I'm not Dead. The video was filmed and edited by bass player Andy Platfoot, to be available for viewing on the band's web site.http://www.buckonine.com/ Andy has also directed and edited music videos for a number of bands, including Flogging Molly
. http://www.platfoot.com
Guitarist Jonas Kleiner is also the guitarist and singer of the San Diego band, Destrung.http://www.jonasmusic.com
Ska punk
Ska punk is a fusion music genre that combines ska and punk rock. It achieved its highest level of commercial success in the United States in the late 1990s. Ska-core is a subgenre of ska punk, blending ska with hardcore punk.The characteristics of ska punk vary, due to the fusion of contrasting...
band which was formed in San Diego in 1991. http://www.buck-o-nine.com/history.html The band has toured internationally and released several albums and e.p.'s, as well as appearing on compilations and film soundtracks. During the mid-to-late 1990s, they experienced mainstream success with the release of the album Twenty-Eight Teeth and its most successful single, My Town. Estimates put combined worldwide album sales at approximately 400,000. As the popularity of third-wave ska waned, Buck-O-Nine stopped touring full-time in 2000, but continues to perform regularly throughout California and much of the southwestern United States. Since 2001, the band has also performed in the UK and Hawaii.
Buck-O-Nine released its fifth studio album, entitled Sustain
Sustain (album)
Sustain is the fifth studio album from Buck-O-Nine and was released in the United States on August 7, 2007 on Asian Man Records and in Canada on September 6, 2007 by Stomp Records.-Track listing:#I'm Not Dead#Cook Me Into The Bowl...
, on August 7, 2007 on Asian Man Records
Asian Man Records
Asian Man Records is a small, DIY record label run by Mike Park in Monte Sereno, California. Park started a record label and began releasing music in 1989 under the name Dill Records, with the Asian Man label established May 1996.-Artists:...
.
1991 to 1993
Buck-O-Nine formed around the end of 1991, when one of the original members of the band, Scott Kennerly, placed a newspaper ad and Steve Bauer and Craig Yarnold answered and began playing with the earliest incarnation of the band. Previous to Buck-O-Nine, saxophoneSaxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
player, Craig Yarnold was in a Ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
band called the Spy Kids, which also included Matt Hensley from the band Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly is a seven-piece Irish-descendant band from Los Angeles, California, that is currently signed to their own record label, Borstal Beat Records.-Early years:...
on guitar, and Scott Russo from the band Unwritten Law
Unwritten Law
Unwritten Law is an American rock band formed in 1990 in Poway, California and currently recording for Suburban Noize Records. They have released seven full-length studio albums and have toured internationally, including performances on the Warped Tour...
on keyboard. By very early 1992, Buck-O-Nine had played its first live club gig, opening for The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are an American ska punk band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1983. Since the band's inception, lead vocalist Dicky Barrett, bassist Joe Gittleman, tenor saxophonist Tim "Johnny Vegas" Burton and dancer Ben Carr have remained constant members...
at the Spirit Club (now Brick By Brick) in San Diego, California. After the first few shows, the lead singer was replaced by Jon Pebsworth, and Dan Albert and Tony Curry joined the band to fill out the horn section.
There are several stories about where Buck-O-Nine's name came from. One was that someone used the phrase in the context of a joke they were telling ("yo mamma don't weigh more than a buck-o-nine," or something to that effect). Another version was the band pooled their money for beer and all they had was a dollar and nine cents.http://www.buck-o-nine.com/faq.html
Jon Pebsworth's entry to the band was solidified after the first rehearsal. Previous to Buck-O-Nine, he was in a hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
band called Labeled Victims, which also included Pat Kim, the current bass player of the band Unwritten Law
Unwritten Law
Unwritten Law is an American rock band formed in 1990 in Poway, California and currently recording for Suburban Noize Records. They have released seven full-length studio albums and have toured internationally, including performances on the Warped Tour...
. Pebsworth had a binder full of lyrics, many of which were written during his time in Labeled Victims, and as the band went through its material for him, he began flipping through pages and plugging in lyrics for each song, almost as if the lyrics had been written for the music without him ever hearing it. At the band's next rehearsal, Pebsworth showed up with his shoulder in a sling - he had broken it the previous weekend while stage-diving at a local punk show.
Likewise, Dan Albert and Tony Curry had been playing together in reggae bands, including T. Irie Dread, for several years, and had developed a large repertoire of horn lines and riffs that had gone unused, yet somehow fit perfectly into many of the songs Buck-O-Nine would write over the next several years. Albert and Curry still occasionally perform with T. Irie Dread in and around San Diego.
By the end of 1992, the band prepared to release a twelve song demo tape entitled Buck Naked, which featured a cartoon drawing by then drummer Steve Bauer, depicting a naked deer sheepishly covering its private parts. Steve was attending art school at the time, and used the album art as one of his class projects.
During the recording process, Jonas Kleiner was recruited to play guitar. Kleiner's first rehearsal with the Buck-O-Nine was remarkable in that the band had spent the entire day auditioning guitar players, and Jonas was the last person scheduled to show up. None of the previous guitarists had come close to being able to play the ska style that the music demanded. When Jonas began jamming, his style fit in with the band immediately. Jonas' previous experience playing in various Arizona punk and ska bands became a huge asset to Buck-O-Nine, and over the years his guitar work would provide the musical foundation for many songs.
Most of the guitar tracks on the demo were recorded by bass player Scott Kennerly, with Jonas recording guitar tracks on one song. The demo was released on cassette tape on the band's own pseudo record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, Working Class Records. Working Class Records would also be the pseudo home of the band The Mountain Men, which was composed of friends and roommates of some members of Buck-O-Nine.
Shortly after the demo was released, a 7" record, known as the California 7", was released on Silver Girl Records. The front cover of the record sleeve features the license plate from Kennerly's truck, attached to the bumper of an old car at a junk-yard and photographed by Kennerly.
It was during this early period that the band began establishing itself in the San Diego all-ages music scene by playing regularly at the well-known club, SOMA
Soma San Diego
SOMA is a popular all-ages concert venue in the Midway District area of San Diego, California, right next to the San Diego Sports Arena. Over the years it has become one of the more popular concert venues in the city. Claiming to be one of the best all ages venue in the "SoCal" music scene, Soma...
. Originally located in downtown San Diego, SOMA was a unique venue because it had a basement stage area (affectionately known as "The Dungeon") where new bands would perform with hopes of drawing enough fans to be promoted to the main stage located above on the main floor. Buck-O-Nine was able to move from the dungeon to the main stage within a short period of time, and thus began opening up for local favorites such as Sprung Monkey
Surfdog Records
Surfdog Records is a record label and music publishing company based in Encinitas, California, The United States of America with close ties to the local music and surfing communities. Its roster is diverse and includes artists of the rock, punk, swing, rockabilly, reggae, lounge and alternative...
, as well as nationally touring acts like Skankin' Pickle
Skankin' Pickle
Skankin' Pickle was an American ska punk band formed in San Jose, California that was active from 1989 to 1996.-Biography:Skankin' Pickle first formed in December 1988, made up of students from Westmont High School and Los Gatos High School. The band played their first show on April 28, 1989,...
. By the time Buck-O-Nine released its first album in 1994, they were regularly selling out the venue, with an estimated 900 - 1000 fans attending most shows.
1994 to 1996
In 1994, the band released its first full-length album, Songs in the Key of BreeSongs in the Key of Bree
Songs in the Key of Bree is the debut album by Buck-O-Nine, originally released in 1994 on Immune Records, and subsequently re-released on Taang! Records in 1996. This album consists of many of the songs that the band wrote over a period of two years as it played numerous gigs in Southern...
on San Diego label Immune Records. One week after the CD was released, the band embarked on its first US tour, in support of fellow ska bands Gangster Fun, from Detroit, and MU330 from St. Louis. Unfortunately, the tour was never completed due to a series of misfortunes. Buck-O-Nine had been told prior to leaving for the tour that all bands would be sharing one drum kit. Of course, when the band arrived at the first gig in Corona, California, they found that they were the only band without a drum kit! Fortunately, the other bands were gracious enough to share drums.
Shortly after the halfway point, MU330 had to drop off the tour when their drummer fell ill. On the last leg of the tour, which had the remaining bands swinging through the deep south, Gangster Fun's tour bus (actually an old school bus) broke down and forced them to head home. This left Buck-O-Nine stranded in Mississippi (without a drum kit), where they shacked up at Tony's grandmother's house for several days, attempting to piece together the remainder of the tour. Of course, with the headliner and main support acts gone, promoters were unwilling to commit to hosting the remaining shows, so Buck-O-Nine packed up and headed straight home to San Diego.
The Irish Drinking Song from Songs in the Key of Bree
Songs in the Key of Bree
Songs in the Key of Bree is the debut album by Buck-O-Nine, originally released in 1994 on Immune Records, and subsequently re-released on Taang! Records in 1996. This album consists of many of the songs that the band wrote over a period of two years as it played numerous gigs in Southern...
is sometimes mistakenly credited as "Drink and Fight" by Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly is a seven-piece Irish-descendant band from Los Angeles, California, that is currently signed to their own record label, Borstal Beat Records.-Early years:...
, The Bouncing Souls
The Bouncing Souls
The Bouncing Souls are a punk rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, formed in 1987. By the time of their acknowledgment by the national punk rock scene, they had reignited a "pogo" element to New Jersey punk rock by playing fast light-hearted songs, a model followed by various other local...
or Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys are an Irish-American punk rock band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1996. The band was initially signed to independent punk record label Hellcat Records, releasing five albums for the label, and making a name for themselves locally through constant playing and yearly St....
. Although Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys are known for playing similar types of songs, that particular song was written and recorded by Buck-O-Nine. http://punknews.org/article/22230 There is a Canadian band called Mudmen
Mudmen
Mudmen are a Canadian rock band that formed in Toronto, Ontario in 2000. Initially comprising vocalist Zoy Nicoles, guitarist Lonny Knapp, bassist Tommy Skilton, drummer Ryan McCaffrey and bagpipe-playing brothers Robby and Sandy Campbell...
who wrote a song called "Drink and Fight."http://www.songmeanings.net/lyric.php?lid=133215
In 1995, Buck-O-Nine released its second full-length album, entitled Barfly on Taang! Records
Taang! Records
Taang! Records is an American independent record label founded by Curtis Casella in Boston, Massachusetts which is currently based in San Diego...
. The album title was inspired by the movie of the same name
Barfly (film)
Barfly is a 1987 American film which is a semi-autobiography of poet/author Charles Bukowski during the time he spent drinking heavily in Los Angeles. The screenplay by Bukowski was commissioned by the French film director Barbet Schroeder – it was published, with illustrations by the author, in...
, starring Mickey Rourke
Mickey Rourke
Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke, Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter and retired boxer, who has appeared primarily as a leading man in action, drama, and thriller films....
and Faye Dunaway
Faye Dunaway
Faye Dunaway is an American actress.Dunaway won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Network after receiving previous nominations for the critically acclaimed films Bonnie and Clyde and Chinatown...
. The album featured a mixture of originals and cover tunes by bands which had inspired Buck-O-Nine's music since the band's inception. The track "Barfly" actually appears on two Buck-O-Nine albums, Songs in the Key of Bree
Songs in the Key of Bree
Songs in the Key of Bree is the debut album by Buck-O-Nine, originally released in 1994 on Immune Records, and subsequently re-released on Taang! Records in 1996. This album consists of many of the songs that the band wrote over a period of two years as it played numerous gigs in Southern...
(1994) and "Barfly" (1995). "Songs in the Key of Bree" was originally released on Immune Records, a tiny San Diego Label. Curtis Casella, owner of Taang! Records
Taang! Records
Taang! Records is an American independent record label founded by Curtis Casella in Boston, Massachusetts which is currently based in San Diego...
and a fan, wanted to release a Buck-O-Nine EP on his label called Barfly
Barfly (album)
Barfly is the second album from Buck-O-Nine, originally released in 1995 on Taang! Records. The album contains several cover songs that influenced the band's individual members. The cover songs were narrowed down from a list of seven possible cover songs the band had rehearsed and performed live,...
that would consist of several cover tunes and the Buck-O-Nine original, Barfly. Taang! eventually re-released Key Of Bree as well.http://www.buck-o-nine.com/albums.html As sales of Barfly
Barfly (album)
Barfly is the second album from Buck-O-Nine, originally released in 1995 on Taang! Records. The album contains several cover songs that influenced the band's individual members. The cover songs were narrowed down from a list of seven possible cover songs the band had rehearsed and performed live,...
started to increase, the band was slapped with a cease and desist notice. The original cover of the album used images of both Mickey Rourke and Faye Dunaway. The actors' legal representation were less than thrilled with this. In 1996, drummer Steve Bauer created an alternate album cover for Barfly, which is the current album cover.
During this time, the band also released a video, entitled "Raw Crap" which was composed of tour footage shot by the band as well as the videos for the songs "On A Mission" and "Water In My Head". The "On A Mission" video was shot in Boston by a friend of Curtis Casella. The "Water In My Head" video was shot in San Diego by Mark Mannschreck, a friend of Jonas'.
Other notable events during this period include:
- The band's first trip to JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, playing two shows in TokyoTokyo, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
in support of The Voodoo Glow Skulls. - A US tour with The Suicide MachinesThe Suicide MachinesThe Suicide Machines were an American punk rock band formed in March 1991 in Detroit, Michigan and disbanded in May 2006. During the course of their career the band released six full-length albums on the labels Hollywood Records and Side One Dummy Records...
. This tour marked the beginning of a friendship between the two bands, who would continue to perform together over the next several years. - Touring much of the US in support of The SpecialsThe SpecialsThe Specials are an English 2 Tone ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry, England. Their music combines a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude", and had a "more focused and informed political and social stance" than other ska groups...
. This tour greatly increased the band's visibility in the national ska music scene. During the tour, Specials guitar player Roddy Radiation commented that bands like Buck-O-Nine had helped spark a resurgence of interest in ska music in America, which enabled The Specials to return to the US and play to larger audiences in larger venues than they had just a couple of years previously.
In 1996, after two years of constant touring, Buck-O-Nine saw the sales of their Taang! releases, Songs In The Key of Bree and Barfly, increase substantially to well over 60,000 copies sold despite distribution problems and a dire lack of promotion by the Taang! Records label.
1997 to 1999
Buck-O-Nine's next full-length release was the 1997 album Twenty-Eight Teeth on TVT RecordsTVT Records
TVT Records was an independent US record label founded by Steve Gottlieb. Over the course of its 25 year history the label released some 25 Gold, Platinum and Multi-platinum releases. Its roster included Nine Inch Nails, Ja Rule, Lil Jon, Underworld, The KLF, Sevendust, Brian Jonestown Massacre and...
. The album was released April 15, 1997,while the band was touring the U.S. with Face To Face.
With the release of this third album, and several years of touring under their belts, Buck-O-Nine began to see increased national radio airplay with the release of the single "My Town". A video was shot and received limited airplay on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. Twenty-Eight Teeth sold over 200,000 copies, appearing in a top spot on the Billboard HeatSeekers chart at one point, and appearing in the Billboard Top 200 for one week, peaking at #190. In addition, "My Town" was featured in season 8 of Beverly Hills, 90210
Beverly Hills, 90210
Beverly Hills, 90210 is an American drama series that originally aired from October 4, 1990 to May 17, 2000 on Fox and was produced by Spelling Television in the United States, and subsequently on various networks around the world. It is the first series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise...
in the episode, "Toil And Trouble," which aired October 29, 1997. http://www.nndb.com/tv/596/000049449/ The band toured constantly to promote Twenty-Eight Teeth, sharing the stage with a wide variety of bands, both in and outside their genre. Notable appearances included the 1997 Warped Tour
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
, and being picked by Primus
Primus (band)
Primus is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde and drummer Jay Lane. Primus originally formed in 1984 with Claypool and guitarist Todd Huth, later joined by Lane, though the latter two departed...
as the support act on their tour for The Brown Album
Brown Album
- Personnel :* Les Claypool – bass, vocals* Larry LaLonde – guitar* Bryan "Brain" Mantia – drums* Produced by Primus* Engineered by Les Claypool* Production coordinator: Jill "Galaxy Queen" Rose* Studio assistant: Tim "Soya" Soylan-Critical reception:...
.
On top of extensive national touring, Buck-O-Nine co-headlined a nation-wide tour of Canada along with the Suicide Machines. The tour saw both bands enjoy increased popularity north of the border, and culminated with a show at Toronto's famed El Mocambo
El Mocambo
The El Mocambo Tavern is a live music and entertainment venue in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Located on Spadina Avenue, just south of College Street, the bar played an important role in the development of popular music in Toronto since the 19th century...
club. The band also traveled to Australia twice, playing shows up and down the east coast and connecting with Australia's most famous ska band, The Porkers
Sound System Records
Sound System Records is an Australian independent record label that is probably best known for being the label of prominent Australian ska outift The Porkers. As of 23 February 2007, the label has totalled 30 releases. Sound System's current line up includes The Porkers and Los Capitanes amongst...
.
The band's fourth album Libido was released on TVT Records in 1999. Buy this time, drummer Steve Bauer had left the band, and studio drummer Chuck Treece was hired to record the drum tracks. (Bauer is now a successful tattoo artist in Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
.http://www.premiertattoo.com) Libido represents an evolution in the sound the band had developed, steering somewhat away from the ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
and punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
sound that defined Buck-O-Nine in the earlier years. One of the stand-out tracks, "Who Are They?," was featured on an episode of Six Feet Under. http://www.hbo.com/sixfeetunder/episode/music/episode12.shtml By the time Libido was released, the popularity of third wave ska in the US had crested and was beginning to recede. During this period, original bass player Scott Kennerly left the band and was replaced by original Unwritten Law
Unwritten Law
Unwritten Law is an American rock band formed in 1990 in Poway, California and currently recording for Suburban Noize Records. They have released seven full-length studio albums and have toured internationally, including performances on the Warped Tour...
bassist, John Bell. http://www.buck-o-nine.com/history2.html The band continued to tour throughout 1999, but stopped working full-time after this.
Unfortunately, Buck-O-Nine's last national tour almost ended in tragedy when Bell fell ill with severe stomach pain. After soundchecking for a gig in Pittsburgh, PA Bell collapsed back-stage and had to be rushed to the hospital, where doctors discovered he was suffering from Meckel's Diverticulum
Meckel's diverticulum
A Meckel's diverticulum, a true congenital diverticulum, is a small bulge in the small intestine present at birth. It is a vestigial remnant of the omphalomesenteric duct , and is the most frequent malformation of the gastrointestinal tract...
. Surgery followed, and eventually the band headed straight home for San Diego, while Bell recovered with his parents by his side. Longtime associated Andy Platfoot filled in on bass for the ailing Bell, and would eventually become a full-time member of the band.
Buck-O-Nine won eight San Diego Music Awards
San Diego Music Awards
The San Diego Music Awards are an awards show held annually in San Diego, California to recognize the best bands and artists in local music. The awards have been held since 1991 and were originally organized by the city's main local music publication, , which eventually became the alternative...
between 1995 - 2000.http://www.sandiegomusicawards.com/
2000 to present
In 2000, Buck-O-Nine released Hellos and Goodbyes, a live album which also included new unreleased tracks that were demos of songs intended for a 5th full length studio CD release. Buck-O-Nine eventually decided to not pursue the recording of this album.Between the latter part of 2000 and well into 2001, things quieted down for the band, and they considered calling it quits all together. During this period, John Bell left the band as he pursued college and a career in engineering full-time. An offer to tour the UK saw the band regroup near the end of 2001 and release a UK only album composed of tracks from the band's first two albums and e.p. A successful tour of much of the UK ensued, and in the aftermath, Buck-O-Nine found itself re-energized and continued to play regional shows and write new material.
Between 2002 and 2004, the band wrote close to 20 new songs, but most of them fell by the wayside until 2006 when they got serious about putting together a new album. Only three songs that had previously been written survived the cut, and the band relentlessly pumped out another nine original songs throughout the end of 2006. The philosophy was simple - to stick to what the band does best, which is to write and perform high-energy ska-influenced music that combines elements of reggae, punk and rock & roll.
Before entering a professional recording studio, the band recorded the entire album using its own recording equipment and rehearsal studio so that they could get a better feel for what the finished product might sound like, and iron out any underlying issues with arrangement, tuning and tempos. The band decided to return to Doubletime Studios in El Cajon, California, where the first two studio albums were recorded. In early 2007 they began recording tracks during several weekend and evening sessions.
In 2007, Buck-O-Nine released its fifth studio album, entitled Sustain
Sustain (album)
Sustain is the fifth studio album from Buck-O-Nine and was released in the United States on August 7, 2007 on Asian Man Records and in Canada on September 6, 2007 by Stomp Records.-Track listing:#I'm Not Dead#Cook Me Into The Bowl...
, and performed on all California dates of the Vans Warped Tour
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
.
In December 2007, the band filmed a video for the song I'm not Dead. The video was filmed and edited by bass player Andy Platfoot, to be available for viewing on the band's web site.http://www.buckonine.com/ Andy has also directed and edited music videos for a number of bands, including Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly is a seven-piece Irish-descendant band from Los Angeles, California, that is currently signed to their own record label, Borstal Beat Records.-Early years:...
. http://www.platfoot.com
Guitarist Jonas Kleiner is also the guitarist and singer of the San Diego band, Destrung.http://www.jonasmusic.com
Members
- Jon Pebsworth - vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- Dan Albert - tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
- Tony Curry - trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Jeff Hawthorne - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Jonas Kleiner - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Andy Platfoot - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Craig Yarnold - alto/tenor saxophone
Former members
- Steve Bauer - drums (1991–1999)
- Scott Kennerly - bass guitar (1991–1999)
- John Bell - bass guitar (1999–2001)
Albums
| Year | Title | Label | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Songs in the Key of Bree Songs in the Key of Bree Songs in the Key of Bree is the debut album by Buck-O-Nine, originally released in 1994 on Immune Records, and subsequently re-released on Taang! Records in 1996. This album consists of many of the songs that the band wrote over a period of two years as it played numerous gigs in Southern... |
Taang! Records Taang! Records Taang! Records is an American independent record label founded by Curtis Casella in Boston, Massachusetts which is currently based in San Diego... |
CD, Vinyl, Cassette |
| 1995 | Barfly Barfly (album) Barfly is the second album from Buck-O-Nine, originally released in 1995 on Taang! Records. The album contains several cover songs that influenced the band's individual members. The cover songs were narrowed down from a list of seven possible cover songs the band had rehearsed and performed live,... |
Taang! Records Taang! Records Taang! Records is an American independent record label founded by Curtis Casella in Boston, Massachusetts which is currently based in San Diego... |
CD, Vinyl, Cassette |
| 1996 | Water in My Head Water in My Head Water in My Head is a Buck-O-Nine EP released in 1996 on Taang! Records, and features a recording of the classic Greek folk song Miserlou, recorded with members of Agent Orange-Performance:*Jon Pebsworth - Vocals*Jonas Kleiner - Guitar... |
Taang! Records Taang! Records Taang! Records is an American independent record label founded by Curtis Casella in Boston, Massachusetts which is currently based in San Diego... |
CD, Vinyl |
| 1997 | Twenty-Eight Teeth | TVT Records TVT Records TVT Records was an independent US record label founded by Steve Gottlieb. Over the course of its 25 year history the label released some 25 Gold, Platinum and Multi-platinum releases. Its roster included Nine Inch Nails, Ja Rule, Lil Jon, Underworld, The KLF, Sevendust, Brian Jonestown Massacre and... |
CD, Vinyl, Cassette |
| 1998 | Pass the Dutchie Pass the Dutchie (EP) Pass the Dutchie is the second EP released by Buck-O-Nine and was released in 1998 on TVT Records. The song was featured on the soundtrack for the American comedy thriller film, Homegrown.-Track listing:#"Pass the Dutchie"#"Split"#"Fall Guy"... |
TVT Records TVT Records TVT Records was an independent US record label founded by Steve Gottlieb. Over the course of its 25 year history the label released some 25 Gold, Platinum and Multi-platinum releases. Its roster included Nine Inch Nails, Ja Rule, Lil Jon, Underworld, The KLF, Sevendust, Brian Jonestown Massacre and... |
CD, Vinyl |
| 1999 | Libido | TVT Records TVT Records TVT Records was an independent US record label founded by Steve Gottlieb. Over the course of its 25 year history the label released some 25 Gold, Platinum and Multi-platinum releases. Its roster included Nine Inch Nails, Ja Rule, Lil Jon, Underworld, The KLF, Sevendust, Brian Jonestown Massacre and... |
CD, Vinyl |
| 2000 | Hellos and Goodbyes (Live) | Offramp Records | CD |
| 2001 | On a Mission | Moon Ska Europe Moon Ska World Moon Ska World, formerly known as Moon Ska Europe, was formed in 1998 as the European sister label of the defunct record label Moon Ska Records. It is based in the United Kingdom. The name change was revealed through the Moon Ska Europe website in 2006... |
CD |
| 2007 | Sustain Sustain (album) Sustain is the fifth studio album from Buck-O-Nine and was released in the United States on August 7, 2007 on Asian Man Records and in Canada on September 6, 2007 by Stomp Records.-Track listing:#I'm Not Dead#Cook Me Into The Bowl... |
Asian Man Records Asian Man Records Asian Man Records is a small, DIY record label run by Mike Park in Monte Sereno, California. Park started a record label and began releasing music in 1989 under the name Dill Records, with the Asian Man label established May 1996.-Artists:... |
CD |
Compilation albums
| Year | Title | Label | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Blackpool's Skampilation, Vol. 2 | Steady Beat | 7"/cassette - Out of print |
| 1996 | Spawn of Skarmageddon | Moon Ska Records/Caroline Caroline Records Caroline Records started out as a subsidiary of Richard Branson's Virgin Records label during the early to mid 1970s. The label originally specialized in putting out budget price LPs by mainly progressive rock and jazz artists generally not considered to have a great deal of 'mainstream' or... |
CD |
| 1996 | Joint Ventures in Ska | Red Distribution | CD |
| 1997 | Misfits of Ska II | Asian Man Records Asian Man Records Asian Man Records is a small, DIY record label run by Mike Park in Monte Sereno, California. Park started a record label and began releasing music in 1989 under the name Dill Records, with the Asian Man label established May 1996.-Artists:... |
CD |
| 1997 | The Duran Duran Tribute Album | Umvd Labels | CD |
| 1997 | Got TVT? | TVT Records TVT Records TVT Records was an independent US record label founded by Steve Gottlieb. Over the course of its 25 year history the label released some 25 Gold, Platinum and Multi-platinum releases. Its roster included Nine Inch Nails, Ja Rule, Lil Jon, Underworld, The KLF, Sevendust, Brian Jonestown Massacre and... |
CD |
| 1997 | Move to the Ska Groove | Stubborn Records | CD |
| 1998 | SRH Presents: Lose Your Illusion, Vol. 1 | Interscope Records Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:... |
CD |
| 1998 | Steady Sounds From the Underground | SideOneDummy Records SideOneDummy Records SideOneDummy Records is a Los Angeles-based independent record label whose roster focuses mostly on punk and related genres. Founded in 1995 by Joe Sib and Bill Armstrong, who continue to run it today, the label has built a reputation for its diverse roster of artists ranging from third wave ska... |
CD |
| Unknown | Digital Snow - A Snowboarder's Soundtrack | Prophecy | CD, DVD |
| 2001 | 2001 Warped Tour Compilation | SideOneDummy Records SideOneDummy Records SideOneDummy Records is a Los Angeles-based independent record label whose roster focuses mostly on punk and related genres. Founded in 1995 by Joe Sib and Bill Armstrong, who continue to run it today, the label has built a reputation for its diverse roster of artists ranging from third wave ska... |
CD |
| 2004 | Still Standing: A North American Ska Compilation | Megalith Records Megalith Records Megalith Records is a ska record label founded on August 22, 2002 and located in Norman, Oklahoma. It is owned by Robert "Bucket" Hingley of The Toasters and the defunct label Moon Ska Records, and managed by Jeremy Patton, current webmaster and graphic artist for the Toasters... |
CD |
| 2007 | 2007 Warped Tour Compilation | SideOneDummy Records SideOneDummy Records SideOneDummy Records is a Los Angeles-based independent record label whose roster focuses mostly on punk and related genres. Founded in 1995 by Joe Sib and Bill Armstrong, who continue to run it today, the label has built a reputation for its diverse roster of artists ranging from third wave ska... |
CD |
| 2007 | Ska is Dead | Asian Man Records Asian Man Records Asian Man Records is a small, DIY record label run by Mike Park in Monte Sereno, California. Park started a record label and began releasing music in 1989 under the name Dill Records, with the Asian Man label established May 1996.-Artists:... |
CD |
Singles
| Song | Year | Label | Other Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| My Town | 1997 | TVT Records TVT Records TVT Records was an independent US record label founded by Steve Gottlieb. Over the course of its 25 year history the label released some 25 Gold, Platinum and Multi-platinum releases. Its roster included Nine Inch Nails, Ja Rule, Lil Jon, Underworld, The KLF, Sevendust, Brian Jonestown Massacre and... |
Peaked at #32 on Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?JSESSIONID=tJF4GfhKxBVQLBVdPpQwPnw14wvpytYml3RQryCxv4zhj0KC1fYz!1105127888&model.vnuArtistId=175109&model.vnuAlbumId=1057009 |
Music videos
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "On a Mission" | Barfly Barfly (album) Barfly is the second album from Buck-O-Nine, originally released in 1995 on Taang! Records. The album contains several cover songs that influenced the band's individual members. The cover songs were narrowed down from a list of seven possible cover songs the band had rehearsed and performed live,... |
| 1996 | "Water in my Head" | Water in My Head Water in My Head Water in My Head is a Buck-O-Nine EP released in 1996 on Taang! Records, and features a recording of the classic Greek folk song Miserlou, recorded with members of Agent Orange-Performance:*Jon Pebsworth - Vocals*Jonas Kleiner - Guitar... |
| 1997 | "My Town" | Twenty-Eight Teeth |
| 2007 | "I'm Not Dead" | Sustain Sustain (album) Sustain is the fifth studio album from Buck-O-Nine and was released in the United States on August 7, 2007 on Asian Man Records and in Canada on September 6, 2007 by Stomp Records.-Track listing:#I'm Not Dead#Cook Me Into The Bowl... |
Soundtracks
| 1998 | The Big Hit The Big Hit The Big Hit is a 1998 American black comedy crime film directed by Hong Kong filmmaker Che-Kirk Wong. The film stars Mark Wahlberg, Lou Diamond Phillips, Christina Applegate, Avery Brooks, and Elliot Gould.... http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000005ZD8 |
| 1998 | Homegrown Homegrown (film) Homegrown is a 1998 comedy / thriller film. It was directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal and starred Billy Bob Thornton, John Lithgow, and Hank Azaria.-Plot:... http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000063CL |
| 2000 | Whipped |
External links
- Official website
- Buck-O-Nine at FaceBook.com
- Buck-O-Nine at purevolume.com
- Buck-O-Nine at MySpace.com
- Buck-O-Nine Blog
- Buck-O-Nine Twitter profile