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Buck Shot’s Headbanger Hoedown
Topics: Buck Owens, Bakersfield Sound, Bakersfield, Hank Ray, BLT, Buck Shot, Bakotopia, country, Myndsick, John Owens, Lloyd Reading
Posted by HANKRAYBLUES Sat Jul 26, 2008 15:10:21 PDT
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Buck Shot’s Headbanger Hoedown
Bako band seeks to conjure up original country spirit with hybrid sound

By Hank Ray, Bakotopia.com contributor

In my opinion, Bakersfield is a city struggling to find a new musical identity, or maybe retrieve lost glory after the passing of Buck Owens.

The Bakersfield sound was a genre of country music developed in the mid to late 1950s in and around Bakersfield, Calif. Bakersfield country was a reaction against the slickly produced, string orchestra-laden “Nashville Sound” that was becoming popular in the late ’50s.

Buck Owens and the Buckaroos, and Merle Haggard and the Strangers are the most successful artists of the original Bakersfield Sound era — Fender Telecaster “twang” with a driving beat!

There’s been much attention focused on the restoration of Oildale, where much of the original country magic took place half a century ago. Included in the renovation is a giant mural of the Bakersfield Sound with Buck Owens, Merle Haggard and the ghostly images of Dust Bowl migration.

Despite some fanfare, it seems many locals don’t seem to care, or even despise the city’s musical legacy. Local country acts such as Hank Ray (myself), The Blackboard Playboys, and Dr. Bruce Thiessen play in dark corners of the Bakersfield night. Buck’s Crystal Palace remains somewhat of a tourist destination more than a haven for local talent.

Bakersfield needs a defibrillator — something to bring it back to life.

Recently there has been a slight swell in the tide of Bakersfield country music with younger local punk and heavy metal bands playing a heavier, revitalized Bakersfield sound. Their anthem? “Streets of Bakersfield” — the song made popular by the classic duet of Buck Owens and Dwight Yoakam.

In 2005, a young local punk band called The Kookoonauts received airplay on Bako’s own KRAB radio with a cow-punk song called “Searching.” The guitar was defiantly twanging, and the driving drums numbed indo-cranial cavities! Unfortunately, the band dissolved when their guitarist was badly beaten in one of the downtown venues.

The Iron Outlaws are a fantastic Bakersfield country band with definite Bad Religion and punk overtones - especially with their tune “If I Could Only Die For Love.” We are sure to see huge things from them, and I am sure some young Bakersfield ladies have hung up “wanted” posters for these Iron Outlaws!

As far as perpetuating the legacy of the Bakersfield sound, it is coming soon — like a tsunami on the horizon, and it is coming from the very house of Buck.

I recently toured all the old abandoned Bakersfield honkytonks from the golden age of “Nashville West” with Mr. Lloyd Reading, an alumnus of the ’30s “Blackboard craze.”

When Lloyd’s daughter Anna told me her son was also into country music, this sparked more than just a flash interest and when I heard a demo by his band Buckshot, the ink in my pen began to boil over! The band had so much drive, power and freshness, it blew me away.

I must have listened to it over and over a hundred times or more, and I am actually listening to it now as I put pen to paper. The band sounds to me like a cross between Alan Jackson and Social Distortion; with some Mavericks thrown in for good measure!

The name of the band is “Buckshot” and they are locked and loaded, fully loaded for Buck. In fact, one of the lead singers is John Owens, son of the late Buck Owens.
John has been a hard working ranch hand and foreman on the Owens’ Horse Ranch for most of his life; and is the quintessential “American cowboy.”

He is a caricature of the West — he speaks in a direct manner, and is reserved with facial expression and tone. When we first met, I couldn’t help reflecting on the Western movie classic, “Tombstone” when the character Mr. Fabian states to Josephine Marcus, “You’ve set your gaze upon the quintessential frontier type. Note the lean silhouette ... eyes closed by the sun, though sharp as a hawk. He’s got the look of both predator and prey.”

John Owens has none of the attributes of a musician, save one: He has a voice bestowed on him by his father.

In addition to John’s extraordinary voice, the band is the perfect mix of talent. Meeting the band was much like the David Allen Coe song, “Desperado’s Waiting on a Train.”

Buckshot is a group of friends who like to hang out together. One day at the beach they discovered John had the “Owens gift.” Rhythm guitarist, David Allen, started his music career when he got out of the Navy. David, like the rest of the band are hardcore Bakersfield born and bred, and most are relatives of country royalty.

But despite their country roots, all the band members came from an assortment of local heavy metal bands that have been shaking the walls of Bakersfield for the last decade.

When I asked David to describe Buck Shot’s music, he relaxed his arms over his guitar, turned his head toward the band and said, “We got a bunch of rock guys with an old school country guy, so it’s going to have an almost Southern rock edge.”

Simon Faughn, as John Owens points out, is as far from country in appearance as a person could be — shaved head, Mr. Spock side burns, and two sleeve tattoos down his arms. Simon has played in many local metal bands over the years. In fact, he is also concurrently in a popular band called 800 lb. Gorilla. And where does an 800-lb. gorilla sleep? Any where he wants to — even the world famous Buck Owens Ranch!

Simon went on to describe his musical influences with Buckshot …

“Once we start writing our own music, that’s when our real distinctive sound will emerge, and our roots will shine through. Hank III is my absolute favorite. The influential roots I pull from go way back. I like that old boondocks, hillbilly, redneck sound, I LOVE THAT!”

Mike Martin holds down the lead guitar, backup vocals, and sports a red, white, and blue Fender Telecaster in the tradition of Buck Owens, whose songs they cover so well. Mike screeches and twangs like the old masters, and I am sure Buck would approve. His vocal high notes are reminiscent of Buck’s old partner in rhyme, Don Rich.

Like most of the band, Mike’s family was also involved in the early Bakersfield music scene. His grandfather is the great Lloyd Reading.

The rhythm section of Buckshot is comprised of DD Boutros, bass; and Colby Swank, drums. They too are products of the local metal scene and sharpened their chops in local headbanging homeboys, Myndsick.

Colby and DD create a wall of driving sound that sets the canvas for what is sure to be called a “new Bakersfield sound” masterpiece!

BUCK SHOT ONLINE

Story also printed in Bakotopia magazine, issue 34, 8-7-08

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Comment From: matt

Another great article, Hank! Check it out in this week's issue of Bakotopia magazine! Comment From: HANKRAYBLUES

Matt and Buck Shot, thanks for the help and opportunity!!