Grant Lee Buffalo
Grant Lee Buffalo was an American rock band based in Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991 from the dissolution of the earlier band Shiva Burlesque, the group's core lineup consisted of Grant-Lee Phillips, Paul Kimble, and Joey Peters. The band is known for their folk-infused rock sound, lyricism, and their engagement with American historical and contemporary themes.
In the late 1980s, Jeffrey Clark, Grant-Lee Phillips, James Brenner, and Joey Peters started the rock music group Shiva Burlesque in Los Angeles, California. They released two studio albums: the self-titled Shiva Burlesque in 1987 with Nate Starkman & Son Records, and Mercury Blues, which was released in 1990 with Fundamental Records. Matt Snow from Q magazine highlighted The Doors and Echo & the Bunnymen as influences and described their last album as "great late-night uneasy listening". In 1991, the band changed its name to Grant Lee Buffalo and Kimble replaced Brenner on the bass.
The band's early influences included a mix of 1970s rock, folk, and country; however, it was Phillips' interest in American history, landscapes, and personal narratives that ultimately shaped the band's lyrical direction.
Career
In the 1990s, Grant Lee Buffalo released four albums, all of which were with Slash Records.The single, "Truly, Truly", received extensive airplay on American radio. The full album, Jubilee, received positive responses, but less airplay:
In 2001, a compilation of singles, album tracks, and rarities called Storm Hymnal was released.
Sound and vision
Music critics have compared Grant Lee Buffalo's sound to Neil Young and John Stewart, in describing the band's approach to Americana-influenced rock. Phillips writes that their first album "would galvanize the sound of Grant Lee Buffalo, i.e., the acoustic feedback howl of overdriven 12-string guitars, melodic distort-bass, tribal drum bombast, the old world churn of pump organs and parlor pianos."Lyrically, they reference American history as well as contemporary events. For instance, "Lone Star Song" from Mighty Joe Moon references the Waco siege and "Crackdown" from Copperopolis references the murder of Yoshihiro Hattori as well as the Oklahoma City bombing.
Live
Following a 12-year hiatus, Grant Lee Buffalo reunited in May 2011 for a limited tour with stops in Los Angeles, Dublin, London, Brussels, Copenhagen, and Oslo. On August 8, 2011, the band performed at Dranouter Festival in Belgium, and on August 9 in Copenhagen. The band also played at the German Haldern Pop Festival in August 2012.Publication
In October 2017, Chrysalis Records acquired Grant Lee Buffalo's back catalog from Slash Records. Chrysalis/Blue Raincoat CEO Jeremy Lascelles had previously signed the band to the label's publisher in the 1990s.Solo careers
Phillips has had his own solo career, starting in 2000. He explains:He was signed to the Boston-based indie label Rounder Records and launched a solo career, issuing Ladies' Love Oracle online in 2000. The recording was later more widely released. His first full-length album, Mobilize, was released in 2001. Phillips has released eleven albums between 2000 and 2022.