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.
Stella
Buck 65 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
ghost town, stray dogs
whole nine, the gold mine closed down
i knew the woods like the back of my hand
and i would shoot the breeze
with the roots and trees
i'd go by the river
and watch the way the devil dances
even though i did have several chances
everybody slept
when the morning dew turned to frost
darkness moved in
and somebody burned a cross
a girl named stella cuwin
was prettier than you'd imagine
the town should've given her the crown
for the beauty pageant
but instead
some local pinhead started spreading rumors
about the cuwins being inbreds
and what's worse, people believed it
cause the family was dirt poor
and down on their luck
so that made it hurt more
picking up garbage and mowing the grass
at this point stella stopped going to class
you know how they ridicule a kid in school
and this shit's enough
to make anybody feel like a misfit
she made herself invisible
and hid inside a house of mirrors
whenever the fear stops
so did the tear drops
but fear is forever
and lies become legend
and eventually growing
slowly, exponentially
she should've been a cover girl
treated like a princess
but she's an enigma
haunted by the stigma of incest
she tried to hide the scars
her name reminds me of the stars
i saw diamonds divide
in the corners of her eyes
she tried to hide the scars
her name reminds me of the stars
i saw diamonds divide
in the corners of her eyes
one horse town
known for the most softness
little old schoolhouse
burned down post office
blueberries and bulrushes
a tree with a tire swing
volunteer fireman's fair
the whole entire thing
stella was heartbroken
decided to start smoking
bad taste in her mouth
she grew into a sad face
her few friends were worried
but her parents were always pround of her
but she never escaped from under the cloud cover
a woman reduced
she was eaten by a monster
and after all these years
the past, it still haunts her
it whispers her name
when she's trying instead
to just listen to music
while she's lying in bed
now the story of stella
is one that every child knows
but the witch in the woods
is more like a wild rose
she tried to hide the scars
her name reminds me of the stars
i saw diamonds divide
in the corners of her eyes
she tried to hide the scars
her name reminds me of the stars
i saw diamonds divide
in the corners of her eyes
The lyrics to Buck 65's song Stella tell a tale of a woman named Stella Cuwin, who was ostracized and ridiculed in her small town due to false rumors of incest about her family. Despite Stella's beauty and potential, she becomes a recluse, hiding herself away from the world in a house of mirrors. The lyrics paint a picture of a haunting and tragic existence, with the past continuing to shape and haunt Stella's present-day reality.
The opening lines of the song capture the setting and atmosphere of the town where Stella grew up. The dirt road, ghost town, and stray dogs evoke a sense of abandon and neglect, while the reference to the gold mine that closed down suggests a history of economic hardship. The lyrics go on to describe how Stella's beauty was overlooked and overshadowed by the rumors about her family, leading her to retreat into herself and hide from the world. The imagery of diamonds dividing in the corners of her eyes suggests that despite her sadness and isolation, there is still a beauty and sparkle within her.
Overall, the lyrics to Stella are a poignant and powerful portrayal of how false rumors and societal prejudices can shape and destroy a person's life. The theme of beauty and potential being wasted due to societal pressures and expectations is a common one in Buck 65's music, and Stella is a particularly poignant example of this.
Line by Line Meaning
i was raised on a dirt road
Buck 65 grew up in a rural area.
ghost town, stray dogs
The town where Buck 65 grew up was abandoned and impoverished.
whole nine, the gold mine closed down
The town where Buck 65 grew up used to be prosperous, but the primary industry shut down.
i knew the woods like the back of my hand
Buck 65 was very familiar with the forests surrounding his town.
and i would shoot the breeze
Buck 65 would spend time idly talking.
with the roots and trees
Buck 65 would talk to the trees and other plants in the forest.
i'd go by the river
Buck 65 would spend time by the river.
and watch the way the devil dances
Buck 65 would observe the movement of the water in the river.
but never took his hand
Buck 65 did not give in to temptation.
even though i did have several chances
Buck 65 had the opportunity to give into temptation, but did not.
everybody slept
Everyone in the town was asleep.
when the morning dew turned to frost
The change from night to morning was apparent in the coldness of the dew.
darkness moved in
The absence of light became more noticeable.
and somebody burned a cross
A violent act occurred in the night.
a girl named stella cuwin
Buck 65 introduces the titular character, Stella.
was prettier than you'd imagine
Stella was more beautiful than one might expect.
the town should've given her the crown
Stella should have been crowned beauty queen in a pageant.
for the beauty pageant
This is a reference to a beauty contest.
but instead
Something else happened.
some local pinhead started spreading rumors
Someone in the town began spreading falsehoods.
about the cuwins being inbreds
The rumors were defamatory and alleged that Stella's family engaged in incestuous behavior.
and what's worse, people believed it
The townspeople were easily influenced to believe the false rumors.
cause the family was dirt poor
Stella's family lived in poverty.
and down on their luck
Stella's family was going through a hard time.
so that made it hurt more
The rumors about Stella and her family were especially damaging.
picking up garbage and mowing the grass
Stella's family had to perform menial labor to make ends meet.
at this point stella stopped going to class
Stella stopped attending school.
you know how they ridicule a kid in school
Buck 65 references the bullying culture that exists in schools.
and this shit's enough
The bullying that Stella faced was unbearable.
to make anybody feel like a misfit
Stella began to feel like an outsider in her town.
she made herself invisible
Stella tried to become unnoticed.
and hid inside a house of mirrors
Stella found solace in mirrors undisturbed by other people.
whenever the fear stops
Stella would only emerge from her hiding place when she was not afraid.
so did the tear drops
Stella would cease crying when she felt safe.
but fear is forever
Despite occasionally feeling safe, fear was always lurking.
and lies become legend
False rumors about Stella had spread and became widely believed.
and eventually growing
Over time, the rumors about Stella became worse and more hurtful.
slowly, exponentially
This is a reference to the proliferation of falsehoods in Stella's town.
she should've been a cover girl
Stella should have been a model and beauty icon.
treated like a princess
Stella deserved royal treatment.
but she's an enigma
Despite her beauty, Stella was an enigma.
haunted by the stigma of incest
Stella's family was stigmatized by the false rumor.
she tried to hide the scars
Stella tried to cover up the damage done to her.
her name reminds me of the stars
The beauty of Stella's name contrasts with the ugliness of her mistreatment.
i saw diamonds divide
Buck 65 noticed glistening gems.
in the corners of her eyes
The gems were visible in Stella's eyes.
one horse town
Stella's hometown was very small.
known for the most softness
The town was known for being a peaceful place.
little old schoolhouse
The school building was small and old.
burned down post office
A post office had caught fire and burned down.
blueberries and bulrushes
The local flora and fauna.
a tree with a tire swing
One of the trees in town had a tire for a swing.
volunteer fireman's fair
The townspeople held a fair to raise money for the fire department.
the whole entire thing
The fair was a big event in the town.
stella was heartbroken
Stella was feeling very sad.
decided to start smoking
Stella took up the habit of smoking cigarettes.
bad taste in her mouth
Smoking tasted unpleasant to Stella.
she grew into a sad face
Stella's sadness became evident on her face over time.
her few friends were worried
Stella's friends were concerned about her wellbeing.
but her parents were always proud of her
Stella's parents supported her despite her difficulties.
but she never escaped from under the cloud cover
Stella remained sad and felt like she could not escape her problems.
a woman reduced
Stella was diminished by her experiences.
she was eaten by a monster
Stella's torment was overwhelming.
and after all these years
The effects of Stella's experience have remained with her.
the past, it still haunts her
Stella is still negatively affected by what happened to her.
it whispers her name
The past continues to call out to Stella.
when she's trying instead
When Stella is trying to forget and move on.
to just listen to music
Stella seeks out something pleasant and soothing.
while she's lying in bed
Stella tries to find comfort in her bed.
now the story of stella
Buck 65 brings the focus back to Stella.
is one that every child knows
The story of Stella's mistreatment is one that is all too common in real life.
but the witch in the woods
Buck 65 introduces a metaphor.
is more like a wild rose
The witch in the metaphor is actually more like a beautiful flower than a wicked sorceress.
she tried to hide the scars
Buck 65 repeats a previous line.
her name reminds me of the stars
Buck 65 repeats a previous line.
i saw diamonds divide
Buck 65 repeats a previous line.
in the corners of her eyes
Buck 65 repeats a previous line.
she tried to hide the scars
Buck 65 repeats a previous line.
her name reminds me of the stars
Buck 65 repeats a previous line.
i saw diamonds divide
Buck 65 repeats a previous line.
in the corners of her eyes
Buck 65 repeats a previous line.
Contributed by Evelyn O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
MikeMilhouse
This was one of the songs that got me motivated to learn some of Rich's stuff on guitar and try my hand at it. I actually memorized all the lyrics to 'blood of a young wolf' took forever! This song is fantastic though, one of if not his best. I can never explain to my buds why I like his stuff but I'm a lifetime fan....picked up Dirtbike and can't wait to get into it. This song and 'phil' were the best on the square album.
54spiritedwill54
This is my favourite Buck 65 song.
John Reed
Are you serious? If so I would like to commend you for sticking by a friend despite being attacked for it. And this song is amazing!!! Goosebumps everytime.
Tearing Up
This was on CBC's Zed right? They need to keep shows like that on the air. We need a CBC's Radio 3 music show!
KingOfTheFlowers
now the story of stella is one that every child knows but the witch in the woods is more like a wild rose
ShaneKarma376
He seems so much more comfortable and in his element at home. Not that he isn't amazing every other place.
abe
This is gold.
illagen1
good song
1silvervespa
One of my classmates from primary she is beautiful.
Like the Girl on front of National Geographic the eyes ....the face .
The soul.
Krogan Love
I'm from the same town.... seriously good poetry.