Buffalo | Artist

Buffalo was an Australian heavy rock band formed 1971 in Sydney by mainstay Dave Tice (vocals), together with Paul Balbi (drums), John Baxter (guitar), Peter Wells (bass) and Alan Milano (vocals). Tice and Wells were previously with Brisbane band Head, and Norman Roue was with Band of Light. Milano left after their debut album and Balbi was replaced on drums by Jimmy Economou. Buffalo was the first Australian band to be signed to UK's Vertigo Records label however they remained largely an underground band. The band's style was straight forward heavy guitar riffing with progressive blues touches, akin to bands such as Black Sabbath and Uriah Heep. In fact Buffalo supported Black Sabbath at two Sydney shows on the Australian leg of their Volume IV tour, in January 1973. Buffalo's first album Dead Forever was released in '72 and was commercially successful despite being black-banned by commercial radio because of its morbid cover. Their second album Volcanic Rock, released the following year, is now regarded as a proto-metal classic. Their third album Only Want you for Your Body is likewise excellent as is the 1974 self-titled EP, but after that the band's output takes a downturn, coinciding with the departure of guitarist John Baxter. After disbanding in 1977, Tice joined UK pub rockers Count Bishops, but later returned to Australia to work as a solo artist and together with ex-AC/DC bass guitarist Mark Evans as Tice & Evans. Peter Wells co-founded Rose Tattoo and John Baxter formed Southern Cross along with Alan Milano. Australian musicologist Ian McFarlane noted that there was "nothing subtle about Buffalo's primal, heavyweight sound, but it was delivered with a great deal of conviction.. combining the dense, heavy riffing with the progressive blues chops, the band certainly captured the arrogant disposition of the times in a bold and thunderous fashion." The band name "Buffalo" was chosen, according to legend, randomly off an Australian map, being more marketable than the former name 'Head', with its sexual and drug connotations.

Artist Website: wikipedia/Buffalo

Featured Albums: Buffalo

Related Artists: Southern Cross, Count Bishops, Rose Tattoo