Buffalo - Volcanic Rock & Only Want You For Your B
Buffalo - Volcanic Rock & Only Want You For Your Body (1973 & 1974)
One of the great lost classic Australian LP's from the 1970's is Buffalo's 2nd. LP: Volcanic Rock - one of the band's greatest records and essentially the first stoner rock album ever issued in Australia. The importance of Volcanic Rock can never be underestimated. This is the album that established the band's reputation for dispensing uncompromising heavy psych rock of monumental proportions; this is the album that continues to enthral aficionados of the genre the world over. It was this LP that established the classic line-up of: vocalist Dave Tice (who later joined UK R&B band The Count Bishops), guitarist John Baxter, bass player Pete Wells (who later switched to slide guitar in another legendary Aussie band: Rose Tattoo), and drummer Jimmy Economou. Aztec Music will be reissuing all 5 Buffalo titles in late 2005 / early 2006 - Dead Forever, Volcanic Rock, Only Want You For Your Body, Mother's Choice and Average Rock N' Roller. Each release will be a deluxe version: newly remastered from the original master tapes with rare bonus tracks. They will be packaged in a 6-panel digi-pak with 24 page booklets - liner notes by Ian McFarlane, rare photos and recent interviews with key band members. Please note: there have been several unauthorised Buffalo CD's released over the past 10 years - Aztec Music's reissues will be the first ones that are both fully licensed, and done with the full co-operation of the band themselves - look for the AVSCD catalogue number & Aztec Music logo. Buffalo were the first band outside the UK to be signed direct to the prestigious progressive label Vertigo.
Volcanic Rock:
1. 4:58 Sunrise (Come My Way)
2. 9:03 Freedom
3. 5:38 Till My Death
4. 7:25 The Prophet
5. 10:33 (I) Intro: Pound Of Flesh (II) Shylock
Only want You For Your Body:
6. 4:52 I'm A Skirt Lifter, Not A Shirt Raiser
7. 3:40 I'm Coming On
8. 4:33 Dune Messiah
9. 3:37 Stay With Me
10. 3:57 What's Going On
11. 7:27 Kings Cross Ladies
12. 6:17 United Nations
Buffalo - Dead Forever (1972)
Hailing from Sydney, Australia, Buffalo's hard rock style from the 1970s would ironically earn them their greatest success in the late '80s in countries such as France and Germany, thanks to the band's recordings on the collectible Vertigo label.
The first Australian band to sign to Vertigo, Buffalo was one of the heaviest bands, along with Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs and Blackfeather. Their debut album, Dead Forever..., sold over 25,000 copies and was followed by Volcanic Rock in July 1973 and Only Want You for Your Body in June 1974. Their controversial album covers were in the best heavy metal tradition, as were some of their outlandish song titles (such as "I'm a Skirtlifter, Not a Shirt Raiser"). Slide guitarist Norm Roue joined in mid-1974, but when guitarist John Baxter was fired, the band began it's downward spiral. Karl Taylor joined the band and their next album, Mother's Choice, was released in March 1976: Phonogram had rejected their first two album title choices of Songs for the Frustrated Housewife (too sexual) and Thieves, Punks, Rip-offs and Liars (too controversial). By album's release, Roue and Taylor had left. Chris Turner then joined and Colin Stead made a short appearance. Bassist Peter Wells was next to leave and formed the highly successful Rose Tattoo. He was replaced by Ross Simms. Buffalo then supported Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow during their Australian tour in November 1976. By the time Buffalo's next album, Average Rock'n'Roller, was released in July 1977, they had disbanded.
1. Leader 6:01
2. Suzie Sunshine 2:55
3. Pay My Dudes 5:33
4. I´m A Mover 10:47
5. Ballad of Irving Fink 4:31
6. Bean Stew 7:06
7. Forest Rain 6:30
8. Dead Forever 5:30