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.
Blood Of A Young Wolf
Buck 65 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh my god, I'm hot to steal, beside myself in friendless number
I ain't got no culture, nothin', dirty words, but that don't count
Flight attendants, waitresses, superstition - good amount
There's work to do, hell to pay, memories & finger prints
Calling Papa ignorance
And I don't wanna go (sick & tired)
Egg & spoon race, slow & steady. Desert highway.
Still I'm stuck, I can't afford it. Picture postcards, small memento
Echo-shadow, echo-shadow-sterling silver, burning furnace
Frozen, nowhere, just a kid I had a friend named deadly earnest
Cross my heart & hope to die, stick a needle in my arm
Praise the heavens, call the cops. Relax. There's no cause for alarm
Diamond rings & little babies, 'startlements' & miracles
I remember pretty faces so severe & lyrical
I'm talkin' Amelia Earhart, Neko Case or Frida Kahlo
All alone the way it should be, I don't even need a shadow
Seeds of wisdom found no purchase, we don't even have a chance
Birthday party Armageddon, long stem roses avalanche
Broken fingers, goin' nowhere fast & screeching to hault
All that work for nothing, oh, whipping boy. It's all my fault
Zoom-kick-persuasion-tech
Zoom-kick-persuasion-tech
Zoom-kick-persuasion-tech-tech-tech
I don't want to go to pieces, easy going, I'm afraid to fly & so I'm running
Catchin' fish & chopping wood, the revolution slow time coming
I don't know what else to do, cross my fingers, teach the children
Read your fortune, storm the studios, come on all ye faithful pilgrims
No more same old song & dance, some good ideas get over played
I eat my breakfast, ride my bike a knife between my shoulder blades
See, I'm a man of many problems, up against some scary odds
We kill, we hide, we all fall down, idiots love to bury gods
It doesn't happen over night though - never. Still I'm filled with wonder
Lonely like the tight rope walker, hitchhiker, long distance runner
Zoom-kick-persuasion-tech
Good night for you. Bad night for me
But I still love you lying down : K.I.S.S.I.N.G.
Not bad, not bad, not bad at all, I tried your shoes on
Cigarettes & crucifixes. Ingmar Bergman, Alphonse Mouzon.
Really boring modern music, really boring modern girl
Get me out of here I'm drowning, I don't like this modern world
Anti-intellect & marketing. Pretty-pretty. Who needs talent?
Crying eyes we're so out-numbered, fight for the right to remain silent
But what do I know? Who am I? My two left feet my big dumb face
I'd do the same if I had the chance. Cheat the system, rig the race
It's all one big misunderstanding, inside out I turn my coat
Don't look back, don't move a muscle, one false move, that's all she wrote
Zoom-kick-persuasion-tech
Zoom-kick-persuasion-tech
Zoom-kick-persuasion-tech-tech-tech
The lyrics of "Blood of a Young Wolf" by Buck 65 are a stream of consciousness reflection on life, culture, and society. The song begins with an imagery of ten thousand horses on Sable Island and an endless summer, which sets a dreamy and surreal tone. The singer is discontented and lonely, feeling like an outsider in his culture and society, represented by his lack of culture and dirty words. His references to flight attendants, waitresses, and superstition suggest a life of transience and being subject to the whims of fate.
The chorus of the song, "Zoom-kick-persuasion-tech" is a paradoxical refrain that adds to the surreal quality of the song. The singer is reflective and nostalgic about his past, his "pretty faces so severe & lyrical" like Amelia Earhart, Neko Case, or Frida Kahlo. Still, the seeds of wisdom have found no purchase, and he is facing difficult times, "broken fingers, going nowhere fast & screeching to a halt."
In the end, the song is an observation of modern life, filled with boredom, anti-intellect and marketing, and a desire to cheat the system. It is also a call to remain faithful to one's self and to fight for the right to remain silent. The chorus, repeated three times at the end, emphasizes the paradoxical and chaotic nature of modern life.
Line by Line Meaning
Ten-thousand horses. Sable island. Endless summer
I'm in the midst of natural beauty and warmth, surrounded by wild horses on Sable Island.
Oh my god, I'm hot to steal, beside myself in friendless number
I feel a strong urge to commit a crime, alone and isolated from others.
I ain't got no culture, nothin', dirty words, but that don't count
I lack any form of sophistication or elegance and use vulgar words, but that's irrelevant.
Flight attendants, waitresses, superstition - good amount
I come across a large number of people who work as flight attendants or waitresses, and believe in superstitions.
There's work to do, hell to pay, memories & finger prints
I have work to complete, consequences to face, and memories and traces of myself that remain.
Calling Papa ignorance
I am blaming my father's ignorance for my own struggles and issues.
And I don't wanna go (sick & tired)
I am exhausted and do not want to continue on my current path.
Zoom-kick-persuasion-tech
I am using rapid and forceful persuasion techniques.
Egg & spoon race, slow & steady. Desert highway.
I feel like I'm stuck in a slow and difficult race in the middle of a deserted place.
Still I'm stuck, I can't afford it. Picture postcards, small memento
I remain stuck and unable to advance, and can only afford to collect small tokens and mementos for memories.
Echo-shadow, echo-shadow-sterling silver, burning furnace
I feel like my echo repeats constantly and my life is being tested and punishing me severely.
Frozen, nowhere, just a kid I had a friend named deadly earnest
I feel numb and alone with no place to go, and I once had a friend named Deadly Earnest.
Cross my heart & hope to die, stick a needle in my arm
I am making a promise to do something, and using a graphic and painful image to emphasize my sincerity.
Praise the heavens, call the cops. Relax. There's no cause for alarm
I am making extreme and conflicting statements and telling everyone to relax because there is no reason to panic.
Diamond rings & little babies, 'startlements' & miracles
I feel a desire for both material wealth and the purity of life and supernatural events.
I remember pretty faces so severe & lyrical
I recall beautiful faces that are both stern and poetic.
I'm talkin' Amelia Earhart, Neko Case or Frida Kahlo
I am referring to significant and inspirational female figures in history and the arts.
All alone the way it should be, I don't even need a shadow
I embrace being alone and self-sufficient to the point where I don't even require a companion or reflection.
Seeds of wisdom found no purchase, we don't even have a chance
People struggle to be wise and make any progress in life, as we are doomed to fail.
Birthday party Armageddon, long stem roses avalanche
Events meant to be happy and celebratory turn into total chaos and overwhelming disaster.
Broken fingers, goin' nowhere fast & screeching to hault
My fingers are crippled and I am unproductive and at a standstill in life.
All that work for nothing, oh, whipping boy. It's all my fault
My labor and effort have led to nothing, and I feel like a scapegoat for causing my own problems.
Good night for you. Bad night for me
Things are positive for others, but not for me at the moment.
But I still love you lying down : K.I.S.S.I.N.G.
I still love someone, even when laying down together in a intimate way.
Not bad, not bad, not bad at all, I tried your shoes on
I have tried to step into your shoes and see things from your perspective, and it's not as bad as I thought it would be.
Cigarettes & crucifixes. Ingmar Bergman, Alphonse Mouzon.
I am mentioning smoking and religious symbols alongside two famous cultural figures.
Really boring modern music, really boring modern girl
I am bored with both modern music and the typical modern woman.
Get me out of here I'm drowning, I don't like this modern world
I feel overwhelmed and suffocated in modern society and want to escape.
Anti-intellect & marketing. Pretty-pretty. Who needs talent?
I see a problem with society valuing superficial qualities over intelligence or skill.
Crying eyes we're so out-numbered, fight for the right to remain silent
Many people are upset and outnumbered, and some are fighting for the right to remain unheard.
But what do I know? Who am I? My two left feet my big dumb face
I am trying to ask what credibility or value I have, as I feel completely inadequate and foolish.
I'd do the same if I had the chance. Cheat the system, rig the race
If given the opportunity, I would cheat and manipulate the system to my advantage.
It's all one big misunderstanding, inside out I turn my coat
Everything seems to be a massive misunderstanding, and I am changing my thoughts and perspectives constantly.
Don't look back, don't move a muscle, one false move, that's all she wrote
I am warning others to not make any mistakes, as it could mean the end or failure.
Lyrics © Red Brick Music Publishing, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: CHARLES WISHART AUSTIN, GRAEME ROSS CAMPBELL, RICHARD TERFRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tim Haun Fishing
A decade later this song still moves me like no other. We love and miss you Buck. Hope you come back to making music again. It affected more people than you realize.
N.
AMEN
Katie Mosher
I haven't listened to this song in a very long time. It still brings tears to my eyes for so many reasons. Brilliant. xx
Dmitri Shebalev
2019 and im still here. 13 years after i first heard this song, so much has changed in my life, but it still gives me clear instructions on how to live my life and imbues me with internal strength.
PunkyHipHopDude
The older I get, the more I seem to appreciate this. Probably one of the most slept on artists in hip hop Buck 65. Way ahead of his time.
droan999
How ya doing man? Just saw your comment! Any recommendations
Rob Salazar
Oh for sure!
Tim Haun Fishing
Same man. Same.
Frank Kovacs
"Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my arm"... Fucking brilliant! I feel privileged to have witness such poet. We're hearing something special here, folks.
jose mora
This song helps me understand what I feel deep Deep within me where my heart sadly hides alone hoping to one day be nurtured