Being Buffalo interview

Being Buffalo tell Victoria Gottschalk that you can keep your sex, drugs and rock n roll, they just want some Galaxy chocolate and a cuddle:

"I didn’t get into music through ABBA!” exclaims Matt Child, while his musical ‘other half’ Thom George laughs next to him. “All I’m saying is they were part of my upbringing. Usually, whatever your parents listen to is what you tend to listen to.”

Described as “folk-driven pop, with an organic twist”, Being Buffalo are a two-piece band, based in London, formulated by Thom George and Matt Child. During live shows, Being Buffalo turn into a six-piece but Thom and Matt are the guys that ultimately make the magic. Their album Before We Fall Apart is available on their website (£5 for a digital album; I’d say that’s money well spent) and it’s safe to say that these boys know what they’re doing. Having produced a record that’s versatile, contemporary yet still the type of music mums will enjoy, Being Buffalo have been compared to the likes of Mumford & Sons and Ed Sheeran. “In some ways, we’re similar but then we’re nowhere near them in another way.” Matt states. Although it is obvious to see why these comparisons are made, it’s also fair to say that Being Buffalo are on a different level to the aforementioned musicians. With lyrics full of personal anecdotes that an audience are able to relate to, Being Buffalo play real, honest music that doesn’t just make you want to walk in the rain, but dance in it too.

“A lot of the songs on the album are quite autobiographical. It’s a bit Marmite-y because it could go two ways. It could either find someone who really connects with it, like 'Oh wow, I lost my granddad, I didn’t really know him that well,' or somebody else could be, like 'Why is this guy telling me about his granddad?'” Thom’s talking about Granddad John, and, with refreshingly honest lyrics, I can understand why he’s compared his songs to something you spread on toast. However, while personal lyrics are something Being Buffalo embrace, it’s not just the vulnerability of the songs that make Being Buffalo stand out from the crowd; it’s also their catchy melodies and fres ideas that make me want to shout about them from the rooftops.

It’s not false bravado with these guys: they don’t just play music; they know it too. “My taste is really varied,” says Matt when I quiz them both on what they listen to in their spare time. “I’m into jazz, gospel, American country rock like Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts and stuff like that. I’m more into some singer-songwriter stuff but then I’m also into some straight pop too. In my teens I was more about indie music and new bands, but when I got more serious about it, I started looking back before I was born and learning about Stevie Wonder and Carole King and people that have set where music is, and we’re kind of, hopefully, developing that a bit.”

Thom agrees with Matt on this one and believes musical influences are usually who you’re brought up listening to. “My parents were always big music fans. My Mum just used to play James Taylor on repeat, Joni Mitchell, Van Morisson. They helped me get into music. They bought me my first guitar when I was 11.” Between both boys is a shared love and passion for the band; both of them wanting to push Being Buffalo forward. Although they have different ideas as to how to do this, they always seem to meet in the middle. “We spend a lot of time with each other so all decisions are usually completely 50/50.” Matt’s in charge of music and Thom’s in charge of lyrics, although both tend to dabble in each other's responsibilities every so often. “For all my weaknesses that I have as a writer, Matt kind of fills in the gaps.”

“We’ve learnt to compromise because there have been so many times where I’m convinced of an idea in my head and then Thom’s said, 'No, I disagree.' So I learn to go, 'Okay, even though I know I’m right, I’m still going to listen to you,' and then you end up going, 'Maybe I agree with him.' So you learn to work together. There’s nothing on the album that makes me think, 'Oh, I wish I had my own way with that'.”

The album was recorded in Matt’s own ‘music room,’ as the boys call it, and I’m told that a lot of the songs didn’t really turn into something until after they had been recorded. “It was all trial and error, but we’re really happy with it. We spent an awful lot of time on really miniscule details, so there’s a lot of pride in this for us.”

Considering they’re a relatively new band, Being Buffalo have already laid a foundation upon which they’re hoping to expand. Having played venues such as The Bedford and The Cavern, they’ve started to get their name out there and, ideally, a bigger fan-base is what they’re after. “It sounds a bit corny, but every single person who ‘likes’ our Facebook page makes this better. It’s amazing and it means an awful lot to us because what we do is really personal and, in five years time, if we could have more people talking about us, sharing what we’re doing and, more importantly, getting involved with what we’re doing, that’d be great. I want to get to know the people who are behind those ‘likes’. That’s important to me.”

But for now, what are Being Buffalo’s plans? “We need to promote the album, get a few more things out there on the internet about us and ideally get some form of investment that enables us to tour a bit.” However, while they plan to hit the road, a spiral into rock n roll habits is definitely not on the cards. “We are just generally pursuers of old people’s habits” claims Matt, allowing Thom to elaborate. “I suppose the trendy answer would be, 'Oh, we love going out, getting drunk and sleeping with girls,' but no, I just like a nice game of Scrabble with some whiskey. Some Galaxy chocolate and a cuddle would be nice too.”

The lack of wild times assures me that Being Buffalo are definitely around to stay. It’s so uplifting to see a band fuelled only by their music and other musicians around them. “Inspiration for me is a guy called Matt Bellamy, although when you listen to Muse and then Being Buffalo, you’d never guess,” says Matt, while Thom states James Taylor and Mohammed Ali as his main inspirations. “Ali was my dad’s hero and I like the idea of standing up for what you believe in no matter what.”

My afternoon with Being Buffalo confirmed that while it’s obvious that both guys have heaps of ambition fuelled by a mutual passion for their music, they’re also really genuine, and it’s refreshing to talk to people who will admit that they sometimes take phone calls while they’re on the toilet and that their biggest vice is a nice sheepskin-lined slipper.

For more information on Being Buffalo, gig dates and general ramblings, here are the three most important websites you’ll need. They love talking so don’t hesitate to get in touch. http://www.facebook.com/BeingBuffalo 
http://www.twitter.com/BeingBuffalo 
http://www.reverbnation.com/beingbuffalo   

Interview by Victoria Gottschalk

Big Day Out 2007 - review

More than happy to sidestep the Australian flag debate on the strength of being English, this particular reviewer (below) was keen to focus solely on the music rather than the politics at Big Day Out. The Butterfly Effect though, were full of patriotism. “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie,” they yelled before launching into a routine set of heavy rock, while people who prefer their rock to be less obvious and more brooding went to check out an impressive show by The Drones.

Lily Allen treated punters to witty and intelligent stories wrapped in bubblegum pop with hints of reggae and ska, and proved to be the perfect antidote to the plethora of bland pop stars around at the moment. Her tongue was typically sharp, and between songs she gleefully attacked George Bush and, slightly less obviously, Jet’s drummer, Chris Cester, who she had had an altercation with earlier in the week. “Fuck you Chris, and your rubbish band,” she yelled, to the amusement of a heaving Boiler Room.

Less controversial, but equally appealing were The Sleepy Jackson, who offered a grand and poignant display, before The Vines rolled onto stage. Anyone who thought The Vines were yesterday’s news will be surprised to learn that, just as they did at Homebake, they belted out a cracking set to a crowd that was practically turning cartwheels while hollering along to every word. Maybe it’s simply because they were playing on home soil, but there seems to be a bit of life left in the old dogs yet.

While The John Butler Trio offered the Main Stage’s most charming and eclectic set of the day, Englishmen Kasabian performed on the Green Stage with a swagger that suggests they are used to playing to European crowds who worship their every move. But, while their indie-dance set was well-enough received, they’ve still got plenty to prove on these shores before they are entitled to strut in such a way. Still, a little self-belief never hurt anyone I suppose.

Over on the Local Produce Stage, Dappled Cities Fly played to a criminally small audience, and those who stayed away missed some interesting, upbeat arrangements. Perhaps the reason that the crowd was so diminutive was because, at the same time, The Killers were drawing the biggest attendance of the day with an efficient set of crowd-pleasers. As the Americans left the stage, a massive chunk of the crowd dispersed while scratching their heads and wondering how the next performers, Jet, were afforded such a high placing on the bill when the likes of My Chemical Romance were relegated to a much earlier slot. Judging by the way the band pouted and postured their way through their set, it seems that Jet genuinely believe that they are the greatest band in the world, which is something that saddens me to my very soul, as this offering was nothing more than a clichéd collection of painfully generic rock songs so bland that they failed to connect on any level whatsoever.
Juxtaposing Jet’s hackneyed display with what followed from Muse made the barmy British prog-rockers’ performance seem all the more outstanding. Embellishing their relentless attack of hits with stunning visuals, this was a band clearly intent on rocking Big Day Out to within an inch of its life with their space-age opera. Frontman Matt Bellamy produced sounds, both vocally and from his effects-laden guitar, that ripped through the crowd like a cyclone, as hits like Time is Running Out and Knights Of Cydonia somehow made the vast arena seem intimate. It was a breathtaking and engaging hour, which attacked the senses to such a degree that it left most of us feeling the need for a little lie down.

There was no time for rest though, as, not prepared to let Muse pull the rug from under them, Tool immediately belted out what was essentially a greatest hits collection, which delighted ardent supporters and the uninitiated alike. Full of those trademark chunky riffs, their menacing prog-metal sound had fans from the very front row to the VIP boxes going totally nuts.

In an ideal world, the proceedings would have been rounded off by Lily Allen and Chris Cester resolving their differences with some kind of public dance-off, but this world is not ideal, and so the drunk and dishevelled crowd simply shuffled home, happy that the astonishing sets from Muse and Tool were still ringing in their ears.

Review by Rob Townsend