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.
Gee Whiz
Buck 65 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well, believe me I've tried but there's no explaining,
Eyes piled up you look like a painting,
Saintly and sexy, the soft-spoken wind blows,
Uncertain curtains cover broken windows,
In desperate need of a safe haven and inflamed,
I walk around Paris, unshaven and ashamed,
Teenage crisis and the end of romance,
I see myself in the form of a wolf,
Furry, down on all fours and worried,
Uneven colours and the echoes of fly tones
Connections I've lost in a collection of jawbones
Apples and oranges, you decide which,
I'm writing graffiti on suicide bridge
I once knew a woman who was clever and tough
Who said too much make up is never enough
Her eyelids were heavy with words and desire
She lives underwater with the birds and the fire
And it just so happens I'm selling my psyche
If you like love you'll love this, most likely
You and me are meant to be, that's right I love you,
Can't you see, whatever partner you do choose, you have the ability to marry,
6, 7, 8, I'll never hurt you, you know.
Husbands love their wives,
Yeah, love the woman,
Part of me is here with you,
One life, where my heart beats for you,
Well, here we are again,
Here's a couple, treacherous
I'm impatient in relationships in and love
When will you see quand allez-vous me voir
Tell me what is it is, Gee Whiz, I don't think I know.
Bird girl, sorry I'm too sleepy to make
But the sounds of my dreams always keep me awake
Don't wanna scare the birds away so I speak soft
Memories like the shows of Vanessa Beecroft
Her bedroom philosophies are so perplexing
But I think these two wooden legs are so sexy
Cries of sadness, spectacular
You be Rossy de Palma and I'll be your Dracula
Fist is of agony decorate the last room
Shoes by the door, on the floor is your costume
Open the trunk with the car key, the odd way
Love songs, call me the marquee de shad
Lord of the files, you lost me I wonder how
Midnight, meet me at the entrance for the underground
So many questions, but I'm afraid to ask
So I whisper them to apollinaire by Picasso
I touch all the flowers and break the chain
I wish I could fly, but I'd rather take the train
And it just so happens I'm selling my psyche
If you like love you'll love this
You wouldn't tell me what it was because
I don't think you know
The song "Gee Whiz" by Buck 65 is a complex and poetic exploration of love, loss, and self-discovery. The lyrics are highly abstract, painting images of surreal landscapes and emotional states that are difficult to pin down. The refrain, "Tell me what it is, Gee Whiz, I don't think I know," is a question that goes unanswered throughout the song, emphasizing the uncertainty and confusion that the singer feels.
The first verse describes a scene of beauty and despair, with eyes "piled up" like a painting and broken windows covered by curtains. The singer is lost and searching for a safe haven, wandering through Paris in search of company. The second verse takes a more surreal turn, with the singer seeing himself as a wolf and struggling to reconnect with lost connections. The image of "writing graffiti on suicide bridge" reinforces a sense of desperation and hopelessness.
The third verse shifts again to more concrete images of love, with the singer expressing his devotion to an unnamed partner. But even here, there is a sense of unease and trepidation, with the singer impatient and unsure if he will ever be truly seen and loved.
Overall, "Gee Whiz" is a deeply introspective and impressionistic song that resists easy interpretation. It's a meditation on the complexities of human emotion and the difficulty of finding meaning in a confusing and unpredictable world.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell me what is it is, Gee Whiz, I don't think I know.
Asking for an explanation of something unknown.
Well, believe me I've tried but there's no explaining,
The singer has attempted to provide an explanation, but it is impossible to do so.
Eyes piled up you look like a painting,
The person being addressed has a striking appearance and resembles a work of art.
Saintly and sexy, the soft-spoken wind blows,
The person being addressed has qualities of purity as well as attractiveness, and there is a gentle breeze present.
Uncertain curtains cover broken windows,
The windows are broken and covered by curtains that aren't able to hide the state of disrepair.
In desperate need of a safe haven and inflamed,
The person being addressed is experiencing pain and desperately needs a safe place to go.
I walk around Paris, unshaven and ashamed,
The singer is in Paris, feeling unkempt and guilty about something.
20 odd years since last time I slow danced,
It's been over 20 years since the artist has participated in a slow dance.
Teenage crisis and the end of romance,
The experience of a teenage crisis and the end of romance has happened.
I see myself in the form of a wolf,
The artist has an internal perception of themselves as a wolf.
Furry, down on all fours and worried,
The wolf form is furry, on all fours, and anxious.
Uneven colours and the echoes of fly tones
The colors are uneven and there's a noise like the buzzing of flies.
Connections I've lost in a collection of jawbones
The singer has lost connections of jawbones or memories that are important.
Apples and oranges, you decide which,
There are options to choose from, and it's up to the person being addressed to have their preference.
I'm writing graffiti on suicide bridge
The singer is writing graffiti on a bridge with a history of being used for suicide.
I once knew a woman who was clever and tough
The artist is thinking of a woman they previously knew who was intelligent and strong-willed.
Who said too much make up is never enough
The woman had an opinion on makeup.
Her eyelids were heavy with words and desire
The woman had deep thoughts and strong wants as evident by her heavy eyelids.
She lives underwater with the birds and the fire
The woman has an unusual way of living, with birds and fire under the water.
And it just so happens I'm selling my psyche
The artist is offering their psyche for sale.
If you like love you'll love this, most likely
If the person being addressed enjoys love they will also enjoy the psyche being sold.
You and me are meant to be, that's right I love you,
The artist has feelings of love for the person being addressed and believes they are meant to be a couple.
Can't you see, whatever partner you do choose, you have the ability to marry,
It doesn't matter who the person being addressed chooses to be with; they have the right to marriage.
6, 7, 8, I'll never hurt you, you know.
The artist won't cause harm to the person being addressed.
Husbands love their wives,
Husbands are supposed to love their wives.
Yeah, love the woman,
Reinforcing the idea of loving women as a husband.
Part of me is here with you,
The singer feels a connection with the person being addressed.
One life, where my heart beats for you,
The artist's heart beats for the person being addressed in this one life they have.
Well, here we are again,
The situation being repeated.
Here's a couple, treacherous
The situation with the couple being addressed is unstable and potentially deceitful.
I'm impatient in relationships in and love
The singer is a restless and impatient person in relationships and love.
When will you see quand allez-vous me voir
The artist is asking when the person being addressed will finally see them or notice them.
Bird girl, sorry I'm too sleepy to make
The artist doesn't have the energy to create something for the person being addressed, who is referred to as bird girl.
But the sounds of my dreams always keep me awake
The artist's dreams are keeping them awake.
Don't wanna scare the birds away so I speak soft
The singer is careful not to scare birds, so they talk in a gentle voice.
Memories like the shows of Vanessa Beecroft
Memories of experiences similar to those of performance artist Vanessa Beecroft.
Her bedroom philosophies are so perplexing
The singer is confused and perplexed by the woman's intimate thoughts and beliefs.
But I think these two wooden legs are so sexy
The singer finds the wooden legs attractive despite their unconventional nature.
Cries of sadness, spectacular
Sadness is happening in a grand or showy way.
You be Rossy de Palma and I'll be your Dracula
The artist and person being addressed will take on specific roles, like the actress Rossy de Palma and her on-screen love interest Dracula.
Fist is of agony decorate the last room
Agony is decorating or filling the artist's final resting place.
Shoes by the door, on the floor is your costume
Shoes are by the entrance and the person being addressed is wearing what could be considered their attire or costume.
Open the trunk with the car key, the odd way
The trunk of the car has to be opened in an unusual or specific way.
Love songs, call me the marquee de shad
The artist identifies as the marquee de shad and enjoys love songs.
Lord of the files, you lost me I wonder how
The person being addressed has lost the artist's interest or attention, and they are surprised or curious about it.
Midnight, meet me at the entrance for the underground
The person being addressed should meet the artist at the entrance of an underground location at midnight.
So many questions, but I'm afraid to ask
The singer has numerous inquiries but is hesitant to ask them.
So I whisper them to apollinaire by Picasso
The artist is whispering their questions or musings to notable artists Apollinaire and Picasso as if they are present.
I touch all the flowers and break the chain
The singer is breaking free and not following a pre-decided path.
I wish I could fly, but I'd rather take the train
The singer would like to have the ability to fly but prefers more practical modes of transportation.
Lyrics © Red Brick Music Publishing, Peermusic Publishing, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: CHARLES WISHART AUSTIN, GRAEME ROSS CAMPBELL, NICHOLAS THORBURN, RICHARD TERFRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind