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Buck 65

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Richard Terfry (a.k.a. Buck 65)

Richard Terfry, better known as Buck 65, is a Canadian hip hop artist, MC and turntablist. He was born and raised in Mount Uniacke, Nova Scotia, a small rural town outside of Halifax.

Biography

Richard Terfry was first exposed to rap music in the mid-1980s while listening to Halifax campus community radio station CKDU. CKDU broadcasts at only 33 watts, and Richard has said that he had to climb a tree in his yard in order to be able to hear the station's hip hop show on his cheap transistor radio. This lead to a fascination with hip hop. Richard taught himself how to rap, DJ, and produce records. He later hosted a hip-hop show on CKDU called "The Bassment" (later renamed "The Treatment), which aired for many years.

In 1993, he released his first cassette of hip hop songs while performing under the alias "Stinkin' Rich" on Halifax label No Records The five song cassette was titled "Chin Music" which was a reference to his past interest in baseball. A rumour, spread in part by Terfry, is that he had been scouted to play for the Yankees but the talent scout had a heart attack and died before a contract could be signed. The release brought Stinkin' Rich to the attention of members of Halifax alternative rock band Sloan. Sloan signed Richard to their independent record label Murderecords and released a 7" single and a full length cassette called "Game Tight," again in reference to the baseball story.

After a brief break, Richard returned reconstituted as Buck 65. He recorded Sebutonedef (originally released in 1996 by Funtrip Records) as a collaboration with fellow Halifax artist Sixtoo. Some have suggested the name Buck 65 is a derivative of the traditional American to Canadian exchange rate. Others have suggested it may be a reference to Richard's Earned Run Average (ERA) of 1.65, the number of runs a pitcher can be expected to give up in a nine-inning baseball game. Buck also said recently at the 2005 Hillside Festival that the alias came from a misprinted poster which was supposed to say 65 Buick. Other releases by the duo, known as the Sebutones, are Psoriasis and 50/50 Where It Counts. Some people have said that Buck 65 just likes making up new fake scenarios of how he got his name on the spot whenever someone asks him.

Buck 65 has also used a number of other aliases including Johnny Rockwell, DJ Critical, Jesus Murphy, Haslam, and Uncle Climax. The usually represent different characters in his raps (as in Uncle Climax, Johnny Rockwell) or different aspects of Buck's creativity (DJ Critical was his DJ name on CKDU.)

Man Overboard, originally released on the Anticon label, was a significant turning point in his career. The record, and the entire Anticon collective (of which Sixtoo was also a part) were considered hallmarks of a new avant-garde movement in underground hip hop. It was at this time that Buck met Cincinnati DJ Mr. Dibbs who inducted him into the 1200 Hobos, a loosely-knit hip-hop collective named for their proficiency and skill in manipulating the Technics 1200 turntable.

Many of his early Buck 65 projects attracted attention after they were re-released, first on the independent Metaforensics label and subsequently by Warner Music. While Buck's has gained critical acclaim and world wide exposure through his major label deal, commercial success has escaped him. Although Warner's worldwide affiliates distribute his records, Warner USA does not. A recent deal with V2 USA has allowed his latest release to be generally available in the USA. His most recent record is Secret House Against the World. Some of Buck 65's music is used on the Canadian show Trailer Park Boys, frequently in the character Julian's car.

He lists his influences as being MC Shan, David Lynch, J.V.C. FORCE, John Galliano, and Kool Keith.

View of hip-hop

In August of 2004, Buck sparked some controversy in the underground hip-hop world over comments he made to an interviewer in Kerrang! magazine. Buck was quoted as saying that he had "grown to hate" hip hop as he had educated himself about music, and charging that "people behind hip hop don’t know anything about music theory." In response, fellow rapper and former Anticon label-mate Sage Francis (in a post on his website) stated that "Buck has had his head up his arse for many years now." Buck later apologized, saying he had gone overboard after being provoked by the interviewer and that he didn't really believe what he had said.

Buck's most recent albums have gradually moved away from his original pure hip-hop sound into territory influenced by folk, blues and electronica, with many comparing elements of his sound to Tom Waits.

Buck 65 has been very vocal in support of local artists that he admires. He has recently praised such acts as The Nellis Complex, The Stance and Venkman.

Partial Discography

Albums

NOTE: - All Language Arts records were repackaged with new artwork, remastered, and re-released by Warner Music in 2002.

Singles

  1. "The Centaur" (1999)
  2. "Wicked & Weird" (6 October 2003)
  3. "463" (5 April 2004)
  4. "Sore" (4 October 2004)
  5. "Kennedy Killed The Hat" (Summer 2005)
  6. "Devil's Eyes (Autumn 2005)
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