Terfry is also a host at CBC Radio 3, with hosting a program on the CBC Radio 3 website's web radio station during weekdays. In addition, he will be the host of the weekday 3-6pm CBC Radio 2 show beginning in the fall of 2008.
Early career and influences
Terfry was born in 1972 and raised in Mount Uniacke, a rural community outside of Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was first exposed to rap music in the mid-1980s while listening to CBC Radio's late night show Brave New Waves, and then by listening to Halifax campus community radio station CKDU. CKDU then broadcast at only 33 watts, and he had to climb a tree in his yard to hear the station's hip hop show on his cheap transistor radio. Fascinated by hip hop, the young Terfry taught himself how to rap, DJ, and, later, to produce records. His musical influences include MC Shan, David Lynch, Gitche Manitou, and Kool Keith.
Using the moniker DJ Critical, he later hosted a hip-hop show on CKDU called "The Bassment" (later renamed "The Treatment Program", when he assumed the stage name Jesus Murphy), which aired for several years. This period overlapped with many of his non-major-label releases.
Stage Names
Buck 65 has also used a number of other stage names including Johnny Rockwell, Stinkin' Rich, Haslam, and Uncle Climax. These pseudonyms typically represent different characters in his raps (as in Uncle Climax, Johnny Rockwell and Stinkin' Rich) or different aspects of Buck's creativity (as noted above, DJ Critical was his DJ name on CKDU.) Rumours abound that Buck 65's alias comes from his childhood nickname of Buck and his weight of 165 pounds; possibly the pseudonym comes from the weight of the first buck he shot or the $1.65 standard bus fare for Halifax Regional Municipality riders. He has been known to say on stage, "They call me Buck 65... I don't know why." Buck 65's website mentioned previously that he was named after his uncle's 1965 Buick automobile ("'65 Buick" is a track on the Synesthesia album); he performed a show under that name but the promoter mistakenly wrote the name as it is now spelled.
Recently Buck 65 has recorded an EP under the name of Dirk Thornton alongside Irishman DJ Flip, it was scheduled for release early 2007 but the date was not set.
The first release under Dirk Thornton will be a 7" single with the tracks "Yesterday's News" and "Catwalk".
He is also involved in an online collaboration with "Greetings From Tuskan" auteur Joëlle Phuong Minh Lê, as Bike For Three, though a release is yet unforthcoming.
Early releases
In 1993, he released his first cassette of rap tunes while performing under the alias Stinkin' Rich on the Halifax label No Records. The five song cassette was titled Chin Music, which was a reference to his past interest in baseball. The release brought Stinkin' Rich to the attention of members of Halifax alternative rock band Sloan. Sloan signed him to their independent record label Murderecords and released a 7" single and a full length cassette called Game Tight, again featuring a reference to baseball. (Terfry has often stated in interviews that in his teens he had been scouted to play for the New York Yankees but that the death of the talent scout coupled with an injury had caused the deal to fall through)
After a brief break, Terfry returned reconstituted as Buck 65, releasing Language Arts on cassette and the 12" single Wildlife Trilogy, followed by Vertex, which included his popular song "The Centaur." He recorded Sebutonedef (released in 1996 by Funtrip Records) as a collaboration with fellow Halifax artist Sixtoo. Other releases by the duo, known as the Sebutones, are Psoriasis and 50/50 Where It Counts. While still far from mainstream success, he received several odd jobs in Canada's entertainment industry, including making soundtrack music and providing narration for a TV commercial for NBA apparel, and song lyrics for the popular children's program Sesame Street. During a live performance Buck 65 told a story in which he attributed why he was chosen for Sesame Street to three things; his upstanding lifestyle of not drinking, smoking, or doing drugs, his intelligence that wasn't too intelligent for the kids, and Sesame Street's assumption that he was a virgin.
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 in manipulating the Technics 1200 turntable.
Critical Acclaim
Many of his early projects attracted attention after they were re-released, first on the independent Metaforensics label and subsequently by Warner Music Canada. While Buck 65 has gained critical acclaim and worldwide exposure through his major label deal, commercial success has escaped him. Although Warner's worldwide affiliates distribute his records, Warner USA does not. After a deal was signed with V2 USA, This Right Here Is Buck 65 was released in the States, a sort of "Best of" that was marketed as an introduction to his work. However after V2 chose not to release his next effort, Secret House Against the World, the deal was amicably dissolved. Since then Buck 65 was signed onto Strange Famous Records where he's planning on taking over hip-hop with Sage Francis. His latest release is titled "Situation".
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 some even comparing elements of his sound to Tom Waits. Some of Buck 65's music is used on the Canadian show Trailer Park Boys, frequently in the character Julian's car. He gained additional recognition in 2006 when he appeared at the national Juno Awards with Pamela Anderson.
Kerrang! “Controversy”
In August 2004, he sparked controversy in the underground hip-hop world over comments he made to an interviewer in Kerrang! magazine. Buck was quoted as saying:
“I now hate hip hop, the more I’ve educated myself about music, the more I’ve grown to hate it. I don’t use that word lightly, either.”
In response, 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 wrote in a letter to Exclaim!:
“I’m apologizing for all that. I lost my cool on tape which is never good. The journalist was provoking me, calling me a sell-out and a whore. I was trying to make a point by playing devil’s advocate, but I went way overboard. No hint of irony or role-playing or intelligence came across in the story. Now I just look like an idiot. I take it back. I don’t really believe any of that. I don’t think being able to read music is a concern. Most of my favourite music was made by non-educated musicians. It doesn’t matter. I still have heavy criticisms of most hip hop, but I really didn’t make them well on this particular day. I put my foot in my mouth and I’m apologizing for that."
Dirty Work
Buck 65 released a 5 song digital EP called "Dirty Work". It was released over a month long campaign, adding one song per week for free download via his MySpace page. All five tracks are still available for download on his official website. The EP comes with artwork drawn by Buck himself, and the tracks are all b-sides from the full length record 'Situation'.
Situation to present
Buck 65 released the album Situation on October 30th, 2007, on Strange Famous Records in the US and Warner Music worldwide. The album is a concept album based around the year 1957, and is a return to a more 'pure' hip-hop sound than the previous blues, country and avant-garde influences in Secret House Against the World. It was produced by fellow Halifax DJ Skratch Bastid, aimed at making a "classic hip-hop record that pulses with joy and clarity of purpose".
Buck 65 is currently working on a new album which, judging from live material, will feature much more prominent electronic beats than before. Additionally, Buck 65's collaboration project with "Greetings From Tuskan" auteur Joëlle Phuong Minh Lê, Bike for Three!, has its debut album completed for release in early 2009.
He has been a host of CBC Radio 3's web radio for the past year, and recently accepted daily hosting duties on CBC Radio 2's national radio beginning fall 2008.
Superstars Don't Love
Buck 65 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cycle's action, hideaway
News flash, loose cash, soft-core porn
Orsi lying on the floor
Where no man has gone before
Red meats, bed sheets, born forlorn
War-torn b-boys
Cybernetic decoys
Nerdy henchman, dirty Frenchman, world's on strike
Underground and transatlantic
Rumour mill expands the panic
Run ragged, long legged girls on bikes
Watch me! Karate kick! Spin the reversal
I got the shit just like in the commercial
Watch me! Risque! Controversial!
Livin' life just like in the commercial
A step ahead, ran beyond, pen and paper champion
Ink and blood, sink in mud, earn your turn
Digging deep, source obscure
What a load of horse manure
Roxanne, Roxanne. Burn! Burn! Burn!
Never ending, probably starting
Memories of Dolly Parton
Paris nights and Paris sights, found my flaw
Goose-neck, handle bar, silver ships of Andilar
Dixie jive, sixty-five, down by law
Superstars don't love, they play
This is how we do, everyday
I feel like a million bucks
I feel like a million bucks
I feel like a million bucks
I feel like a million bucks
Michael Jackson! Michael Jackson! Michael Jackson!
Forever fly, severed ties
The king of pop will never die
Michael Jackson! Michael Jackson! Michael Jackson!
Forever fly, severed ties
The king of pop will never die
Situation, Guy Debord, Grand Wizard Theodore
Distant lover, Crispin Glover, everything is fine!
Dollar bill, holy grail, you can't win, only fail
Over oceans, Nova Scotian, every kind combined
A lot of noise, a little peace, circumstance: middle east
Woody Guthrie, would he trust me?
Ran a fence between
Sing the words, you know the song
Everything you know is wrong
Rocket ships! Apocalypse! Man against machine...
B-boys, warlords, outlaws, heroes, smart girls
Cowboys, poor folks, zeroes
Bookworms, weirdos, wise ones, nomads
Young punks, good guys, stick it to the man!
Superstars don't love, they play
This is how we do, everyday...
Flash light
Last night
Ass tight
That's right
Making friends by telephone
Leave the kids the hell alone
Trouble maker, double-taker, ultra pretty mom
Imitation Spiderman, hide the truth inside your hand
Rural China, girl's vagina, keep the city calm
Super-unapologetic, especially precocious
Form and focus, swarm of locust
Peril of the sun, magic words are mine to say
Lead me not, I'll find the way
Masterpiece, Evangelista, barrel of a gun!
B-boys, warlords, outlaws, heroes, smart girls
Cowboys, poor folks, zeroes
Bookworms, weirdos, wise ones, nomads
Young punks, good guys, stick it to the man!
Superstars don't love, they play
This is how we do, everyday
Buck 65's song "Superstars Don't Love" is a commentary on celebrity culture and the cult of personality that surrounds famous individuals. The song opens with the news of Michael Jackson's death, which sets the tone for the rest of the song. The lyrics touch on a range of topics, from tabloid media to war and politics, and the chorus emphasizes how superstars are more concerned with playing their roles than with authentic love and connection.
The song's lyrics are complex and multifaceted, weaving together pop culture references, political commentary, and personal reflections. Buck 65 uses a diverse range of cultural touchpoints to illustrate his points, from old-school hip hop (Grand Wizard Theodore) to French cinema ("dirty Frenchman").
One recurring theme in the song is the tension between art and commerce, and the ways in which the entertainment industry can corrupt and exploit artists. Buck 65 references the "cycle's action" and the "rumor mill" that churns up stories about celebrities, as well as the pressure to conform to commercial expectations ("I got the shit just like in the commercial"). But throughout the song, there's also a sense that true creativity and authenticity can still shine through, even in a world that values superficiality and image over substance.
Overall, "Superstars Don't Love" is a thought-provoking commentary on celebrity culture, fame, and the ways in which we construct our identities and our relationships with others in a media-saturated world.
Line by Line Meaning
Michael Jackson died today
The death of Michael Jackson has just been announced
Cycle's action, hideaway
Life is constantly moving on, and people tend to hide from reality
News flash, loose cash, soft-core porn
Media sensationalizes everything and prioritizes money over values
Orsi lying on the floor
A woman named Orsi is on the floor, possibly in distress
Where no man has gone before
Exploration and going beyond limits are glorified in society
Red meats, bed sheets, born forlorn
Life is often associated with food, sex, and misery
War-torn b-boys
The effects of war have impacted hip hop culture
Cybernetic decoys
Technology has been used to deceive and manipulate people
Nerdy henchman, dirty Frenchman, world's on strike
Stereotypes are used to mock and demean different groups of people, and society is in a state of unrest
Underground and transatlantic
Hip hop culture exists beyond geographical boundaries
Rumour mill expands the panic
Misinformation and rumors are causing people to panic
Run ragged, long legged girls on bikes
Women are often objectified and exploited in society
Watch me! Karate kick! Spin the reversal
People are eager to prove themselves and show off
I got the shit just like in the commercial
People strive to be like celebrities and are influenced by advertisements
Watch me! Risque! Controversial!
People seek attention and will do things that are provocative and controversial to get it
Livin' life just like in the commercial
People try to emulate the lifestyles they see in advertisements and media
A step ahead, ran beyond, pen and paper champion
Being creative and thinking outside the box can lead to success
Ink and blood, sink in mud, earn your turn
People must work hard and be dedicated to achieve their goals
Digging deep, source obscure
Finding the truth often requires a lot of work and research
What a load of horse manure
Some things in life are simply fake or untrue
Roxanne, Roxanne. Burn! Burn! Burn!
The song is referencing the classic hip hop battle between Roxanne Shante and the Juice Crew
Never ending, probably starting
The cycle of life and society is ongoing and never ending
Memories of Dolly Parton
The singer Dolly Parton is being remembered
Paris nights and Paris sights, found my flaw
Even in beautiful places like Paris, flaws and imperfections still exist
Goose-neck, handle bar, silver ships of Andilar
The song references several connected images without specific meaning
Dixie jive, sixty-five, down by law
More disconnected images with no specific meaning
Superstars don't love, they play
Famous people often prioritize fame and money over love
This is how we do, everyday
This is just how society operates on a daily basis
I feel like a million bucks
I feel great
Michael Jackson! Michael Jackson! Michael Jackson!
Repeating the name of Michael Jackson, as he was the king of pop and just died
Forever fly, severed ties
MJ's memory will live on, but he is no longer with us
The king of pop will never die
Michael Jackson's legacy will live on
Situation, Guy Debord, Grand Wizard Theodore
Name dropping cultural icons with no specific meaning
Distant lover, Crispin Glover, everything is fine!
Referencing a song by Marvin Gaye and Tami Terrell, mentioning film actor Crispin Glover
Dollar bill, holy grail, you can't win, only fail
Money rules the world, and it's impossible to win against those in power
Over oceans, Nova Scotian, every kind combined
People from all over the world, from different backgrounds, come together
A lot of noise, a little peace, circumstance: middle east
The Middle East is in conflict, and it is difficult to find peace
Woody Guthrie, would he trust me?
Referencing musician Woody Guthrie and wondering if he would be proud of the song
Ran a fence between
Separating oneself from others
Sing the words, you know the song
The song encourages people to sing along if they know it
Everything you know is wrong
The song is subverting expectations and challenging what people know
Rocket ships! Apocalypse! Man against machine...
Mentions various phrases without specific meaning
B-boys, warlords, outlaws, heroes, smart girls
People come from all walks of life
Cowboys, poor folks, zeroes
More examples of the diversity of people
Bookworms, weirdos, wise ones, nomads
Even more examples of different types of people
Young punks, good guys, stick it to the man!
People who are rebellious and stand up to authority
Flash light
Band Parliament's song 'Flash Light' is referenced
Last night
Referencing any night, last night included
Ass tight
Objectifying women and their bodies
That's right
Exclamation of confirmation
Making friends by telephone
People have become reliant on technology for social interactions
Leave the kids the hell alone
Children should be protected and not subjected to adult themes
Trouble maker, double-taker, ultra pretty mom
Name dropping random phrases without clear meaning
Imitation Spiderman, hide the truth inside your hand
People often hide who they truly are and put on a facade, like how Spiderman has a secret identity
Rural China, girl's vagina, keep the city calm
Sexualizing and objectifying women from different cultures
Super-unapologetic, especially precocious
Sometimes people are very confident and unapologetic for their actions
Form and focus, swarm of locust
Name dropping random phrases without clear meaning
Peril of the sun, magic words are mine to say
The song references random phrases without clear meaning
Lead me not, I'll find the way
People sometimes don't want help and prefer to find their own way
Masterpiece, Evangelista, barrel of a gun!
Name dropping famous people without clear meaning
Superstars don't love, they play
Famous people often prioritize fame and money over love
This is how we do, everyday...
This is just how society operates on a daily basis
Contributed by Alexis D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.