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.
Wicked And Weird
Buck 65 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Driving with a yellow dog, I95
He's got a smile on his face and big shiny eyes
Up at a decent hour, never ate yet
Got a little Johnny Cash in the ol' tape deck
Nothing in the trunk but some base ball gloves
A pair of jumper cables and a set of golf clubs
Blanket on the back seat, we're in rough shape
Sunroof held on with a bit of duct tape
Looking for a gas station, better make a list
Fill'er up with regular, I need to take a piss
Sexy girl air freshener, snacks and that pinwheel
Top up the fluids, clean the bugs off the windshield
Not a care in the world, not a how and a why
No destination, not a cloud in the sky
Back on the road not a moment too soon
Dish ran away with some other spoon
[chorus x2]
Wicked and weird, I'm a road hog with an old dog
Singing slow songs, tryin'a hold on
Wicked and weird, I'm a rat fish
Tryin'a practice doin' back flips on your mattress
[verse 2]
Hole in the muffler, ghosts on the shoulder
Cough drops, loose change in the beverage holder
To roll down the window, you gotta use a wrench
Been thinking about brushing up on my french
Right there in the glove box, if you should look
You'll find 40 parking tickets and a copy of the Good Book
Don't bother looking, you'll never find me
I'm starting from scratch and leaving trouble behind me
[chorus x2]
Wicked and weird, I'm a road hog with an old dog
Singing slow songs, tryin'a hold on
Wicked and weird, I'm a rat fish
Tryin'a practice doin' back flips on your mattress
Wicked, wicked, wicked and weird
[verse 3]
Christ Almighty, there's a rattle in the wheel well
Dog fell asleep and man, I don't feel well
But all I need's a half decent breakfast
And I'll be back at it, dirty and reckless
Five o'clock shadow, lips like mudflaps
Hands like eagle's talons, eyes like hub caps
The further I get, I keep goin' faster
Whispers in the wind and cows in the pasture
I have no plans and nothin' to prove either
I eat out of a bag and sleep in a movie theatre
The highway's a story teller, I just write it down
Already been beaten, there's no way to fight it now
I just kick back and keep warm on the cold days
And laugh 'cause it ain't like it was in the old days
I figure when I make it to the Heavenly gates
They'll be working on my car and playing '78's
[chorus x2]
Wicked and weird, I'm a road hog with an old dog
Singing slow songs, tryin'a hold on
Wicked and weird, I'm a rat fish
Tryin'a practice doin' back flips on your mattress
The song "Wicked And Weird" by Buck 65 depicts an adventure of driving with his dog on the highway, looking for a gas station and making pit stops for snacks, cleaning bugs off the windshield, and trying to fix his car. The lyrics provide a detailed description of the journey and the strange occurrences along the way, such as ghosts on the shoulder and a rattle in the wheel well, all while the singer remains carefree and content with his situation of having no destination or plans. Despite the roughness of the journey, as shown by the hole in the muffler and 40 parking tickets, the singer seems to enjoy the freedom of the open road and embraces the unexpected.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Wicked and weird," which can be interpreted as a reminder of the unpredictability and absurdity of life on the road, or perhaps even a commentary on how the singer's unconventional lifestyle might be viewed by others. The use of metaphors such as "rat fish" and "back flips on your mattress" add a surrealistic and playful touch to the lyrics, further emphasizing the unconventional nature of the singer's personality and lifestyle.
Line by Line Meaning
Driving with a yellow dog, I95
I am driving down I95 with my loyal yellow dog
He's got a smile on his face and big shiny eyes
My dog is happy and excited to be on this adventure with me
Up at a decent hour, never ate yet
We woke up early but haven't eaten yet
Got a little Johnny Cash in the ol' tape deck
I am listening to some good ol' Johnny Cash on my tape deck
Nothing in the trunk but some base ball gloves
The only things in the trunk are some baseball gloves
A pair of jumper cables and a set of golf clubs
I have jumper cables and golf clubs in case of any emergencies
Blanket on the back seat, we're in rough shape
We have a blanket on the back seat and we're not in the best shape
Sunroof held on with a bit of duct tape
My sunroof is being held on with duct tape
Looking for a gas station, better make a list
We need to find a gas station so I need to make a list
Fill'er up with regular, I need to take a piss
I'm filling the gas tank with regular gas and I need to use the restroom
Sexy girl air freshener, snacks and that pinwheel
I have a sexy girl air freshener and some snacks in the car, as well as a pinwheel
Top up the fluids, clean the bugs off the windshield
I need to top up the fluids and clean the bugs off my windshield
Not a care in the world, not a how and a why
I have no cares or worries at the moment
No destination, not a cloud in the sky
I have no set destination and it's a clear day
Back on the road not a moment too soon
We're getting back on the road just in time
Dish ran away with some other spoon
Something unexpected happened but I'm not too bothered by it
Wicked and weird, I'm a road hog with an old dog
I'm a strange and unconventional road hog with my loyal old dog
Singing slow songs, tryin'a hold on
We're singing slow songs and trying to hold on to the moment
Wicked and weird, I'm a rat fish
I'm a strange and unconventional person
Tryin'a practice doin' back flips on your mattress
I'm trying to do back flips on your mattress (which is a bit odd)
Hole in the muffler, ghosts on the shoulder
My muffler has a hole in it and there are ghosts on the side of the road
Cough drops, loose change in the beverage holder
I have some cough drops and loose change in the beverage holder
To roll down the window, you gotta use a wrench
The window needs a wrench to be rolled down
Been thinking about brushing up on my french
I've been considering brushing up on my French language skills
Right there in the glove box, if you should look
If you were to look in the glove box, you'd find something
You'll find 40 parking tickets and a copy of the Good Book
The glove box contains 40 parking tickets and a copy of the Bible
Don't bother looking, you'll never find me
No need to look for me as I'm always on the move
I'm starting from scratch and leaving trouble behind me
I'm starting fresh and leaving all my troubles behind
Christ Almighty, there's a rattle in the wheel well
There's a rattle in the wheel well which is frustrating
Dog fell asleep and man, I don't feel well
My dog fell asleep and I'm not feeling too great either
But all I need's a half decent breakfast
All I need is a good breakfast to get me going again
And I'll be back at it, dirty and reckless
Once I have breakfast, I'll be back on the road, driving dirty and recklessly
Five o'clock shadow, lips like mudflaps
I have a five o'clock shadow and my lips are chapped (like mudflaps)
Hands like eagle's talons, eyes like hub caps
My hands are like eagle talons and my eyes are round like hub caps
The further I get, I keep goin' faster
The further I drive, the faster I go
Whispers in the wind and cows in the pasture
I can hear whispers in the wind and see cows in the pasture
I have no plans and nothin' to prove either
I have no plans and nothing to prove to anyone
I eat out of a bag and sleep in a movie theatre
I eat food out of a bag and often sleep in movie theaters
The highway's a story teller, I just write it down
The highway is full of stories and I'm just writing them down
Already been beaten, there's no way to fight it now
I've been beaten before and there's no point in fighting it now
I just kick back and keep warm on the cold days
When it's cold, I just relax and try to stay warm
And laugh 'cause it ain't like it was in the old days
I laugh because things are not like they used to be
I figure when I make it to the Heavenly gates
When I make it to heaven
They'll be working on my car and playing '78's
They'll be working on my car and listening to old records (78's)
Lyrics © Red Brick Music Publishing, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: CHARLES WISHART AUSTIN, GRAEME ROSS CAMPBELL, RICHARD TERFRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind