Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo
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Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo
Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo is a band making music that explores detail and difference through repetition and layering. They are based in Edinburgh and Glasgow, although they play gigs in unusual locations throughout Scotland. Current band members are Mike Gallagher and Neil Simpson. They regularly collaborate with Sam Collier, a minimal visual artist, on the appearance of their performances and record sleeves. Their website contains a mailing list and more extensive documentation regarding the band's activities.
History
After both Mike and Neil discovered that they had a shared interest in drone based music , they began making music in 2005. Both had been working on other music projects up to this point. Neil was in Glasgow based drone due 'Pre-'. Mike was, and continues to be, a member of 'Dirty Husband', a noise duo
Music & Methods
Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo are interested in creating detailed music which allows listeners to focus their attention on what they are actually hearing. In very broad terms, they have 2 means of doing this; excessive repetition and drones. Each of their releases and each of their live performances involve these separately or in combination.
Live performances
2008
Concrete Series
Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo are currently undertaking a series of performances related to the visual appearance of concrete. These events are taking place in unusual and concrete related locations throughout Scotland, in Dundee, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Stirling.
Dundee Contemporary Arts
The first event in the Concrete series took place in Dundee Contemporary Arts on Feb 21st. The performance directly related to the exhibition 'Straight Letters' by Camilla Løw The performance consisted of 2 20 minute pieces. Both were based around slightly exaggerated recordings of the cement mixer that was used to make the concrete sculptures in the exhibition. Both also featured electric guitar and electric bass parts.
Le Weekend, Stirling
The second event in the series is due to take place as part of Le Weekend, in Stirling. Buffalo buffalo will be performing in Stirling town centre on Sunday 25th of May. Full details regarding this event will be provided via the band's mailing list.
2007
Forth Islands Series
During 2007 Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo performed on each of 4 islands in the Firth of Forth, near Edinburgh. Each of the events was associated with a CD release, details of which can be found below.
Cramond
The first of the Forth Island events took place on Cramond Island, just off the Edinburgh coast, On March 23rd. Access was gained via a tidal causeway [1]that connects the island to the mainland. The performance took place in one of the disused military buildings on the north side of the island. It involved an acoustic guitar and prepared cello.
Inchkeith
The second of the Forth Island events took place on Inchkeith Island on 23rd August. Access was gained via a chartered boat. The performance took place outside an automatic lighthouse [2] on the island. It involved an accordion and 4 tape recorders
Inchcolm
The third of the Forth Islands events took place on Inchcolm Island on 9th September 2007. Access was gained via the ferry [3] service the runs to the island over the summer. The performance took place in the chapterhouse of the partially ruined abbey [4] on the island. It involved 2 acoustic guitars and 3 tuning forks.
Inchmickery
The fourth of the Forth Islands events took place on Inchmickery island on 5th December 2007. Access was gained via a chartered boat. The performance was based on recordings of the boat engine [5]. The recording of the boat engine was played through some speakers on the outward and return journey. Mp3 players with the same recording were distributed to audience members to listen to while exploring the island.
Other 2007 performances
In addition to the Forth Islands series, Buffalo buffalo undertook the following performances.
Q-Factor, Queen's Hall, Edinburgh
In February Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo created an installation of spatialised sine waves in the bar area. in the bar area of the Queen's Hall. This was undertaken as part of Q-Factor, an event at Edinburgh's only festival of electronic and experimental music, Dialogues.
Geometers, Patriothall Gallery, Edinburgh
In March Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo performed for 3 hours at the preview of the exhibition 'Geometers'. The exhibition took place at Edinburgh's Patriothall Gallery . It contained minimal artworks by Edinburgh based artists Sam Collier and Eilidh McNair. The performance featured the same guitar chord, played at one minute intervals. The volume of the chord increased gradually over 3 hours until it filled the gallery space.
Tremors, Stills Gallery, Edinburgh
In May Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo performed at Stills Gallery in Edinburgh with Wounded Knee and Daniel Padden's One Ensemble. The event was organised by Tremors
2006
Tremors, Scottish Book Trust, Edinburgh.
In August, Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo performed in the Scottish Book Trust's 'Secret Garden' along with Wounded Knee and Kylie Minoise [6]. The performance featured the same harmonic guitar chord, played at 1 second intervals, for 20 minutes. The event was organised by Tremors and Emerged.
Releases
2007
Forth Islands Series
Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo launched a CD at each of the Forth Island events in 2007. Each CD was produced in very limited quantities. The sleeves were hand made in different ways to the same minimal design. The sleeve design was developed by Sam Collier. Each CD contained 1 track of up to 25 minutes in length. Each CD contained an inlay made from details relevant to the particular island.
Cramond
The CD contains 20 minutes of very repetitive electric guitar music. The white sleeve was handmade by peeling strips of the digipak away from its backing to make a regular pattern of 7 horizontal lines. Each inlay [7] was made from one of 30 unique photographs of the concrete columns that line the causeway to the island.
Inchkeith
The CD contains 20 minutes of layered and slightly distorted bontempi organ. The black sleeve was made by laboriously scraping the black coating from the digipak using wire wool. The inlays [8] were made from close up details of a map of the island.
Inchcolm
The music on the CD was assembled from a series of 20 recordings made in the chapterhouse of the abbey on the island These recordings were created using music from a 14th Century manuscript known as the Inchcolm Antiphoner. It is thought that this music was designed to be sung in the Abbey on the anniversary of St Columba's death, June 9th. The recordings were made on June 9th 2007. The recording process was begun by playing a short section of the choral music through a speaker in the chapterhouse, and by recording the sound resonating within the room. This recording was then played into the chapterhouse and again the sound of it resonating was recorded. This process was repeated until 20 recordings had been created, each one progressively more affected by the acoustics of the chapterhouse. In a studio, the recordings were then layering and removed sequentially using a computer program. The piece begins as clear choral music, becomes increasingly resonant and full of reverberation, and then becomes more drone-like as the earlier recordings are progressively removed.
The white sleeve was made by applying varnish to the digipak.
The inlays [9] were made from layered details from the Incholm antiphoner. The transparency of the individual layers was varied in order to generate a series of different images.
Inchmickery
The CD contains 26 minutes of repetitive minimal techno that evolves very very gradually. The inlays [10] were made from unique photographs of Inchmickery Court in Muirhouse, Edinburgh. The sleeve was made by applying black paint to black digipaks.
2006
Split ep with Visitor Q
In 2006, Edinburgh based label Pjorn72 released a 4 track ep by Buffalo buffalo and Visitor Q. Each act contributed 2 tracks. Buffalo buffalo appeared on this release under the name Silent Order.
Doing the right thing takes the emptiness away
Buffalo buffalo's first release was a track on the 23 track compilation 'Doing the right thing takes the emptiness away. This CD was released by Edinburgh based label Pjorn 72. Buffalo buffalo contributed a 3 minute repetitive guitar track called 'A pile of bricks'. Buffalo buffalo appeared on this release as Silent Order.
External links
Full documentation regarding the live performances and releases, information about upcoming events, music downloads and many other things can be found on the Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo website
![[1]](http://www.buffalobuffalobuffalo.net/images/cramond/causeway-perspective.jpg){kind=link}
![[5]](http://www.buffalobuffalobuffalo.net/images/inchmickery/engine.jpg){kind=link}