(Graphic artist extraordinaire and “Then and Now” documentarian Kristen Tobiason describes how Buffalo Springfield pushed us beyond the fringe.)
In the early ’80s, American hardcore punk rock was at its peak. New Wave was also flourishing amidst Studio 9 dance crowds. Bi-curious, lipstick boys. Giant shelves of sprayed hair in several shades of Clairol color.
What better way to rebel against your peers than to emulate a ’60s folk-rock band …
Buffalo Springfield. seriously?
Since all I had heard of them up to that point was “For What it’s Worth,” I could have summed this band up as Canadian fluff (except that Neil Young was in the band, and in my opinion, there is something very grandfather punk about Neil Young).
Upon investigation, their sound was not folk-fluff at all, but surprisingly edgy. Poetic. Interesting. The hook, line and sinker was “Mr. Soul,” which has some of the sickest guitar lines I’ve ever heard, intertwined with incredible lyrics like:
“In a while will the smile on my face turn to plaster?
Stick around while the clown who is sick
Does the trick of disaster”
Amidst ’80s angst & narcissism, bands of the ’60s Sunset Strip era like Love, The Byrds and Buffalo Springfield were like taking a deep breath of air.
“I am a Child”; “Broken Arrow”; “Four Days”; “Pretty Girl Why”; and my favorite, “Expecting to Fly,” are examples of master songwriting skills that have stood the test of time. I have rarely taken their material out of rotation, and when I have, have come back to it with fresh appreciation.
— Kristen Tobiason
More “This We Dug”!
- This We Dug: The Rolling Stones
- This We Dug: The Rolling Stones
- This We Dug: ‘Forever Changes’
- This We Dug: The Ramones
- This We Dug: A Certain Ratio
- This We Dug: The Sex Pistols
- This We Dug: Laurie Partridge
- This We Dug: Johnny Thunders
- This We Dug: K.C. and the Sunshine Band
- This We Dug: Iggy Pop
- This We Dug: the Red Krayola
- This We Dug: X-ray Spex
San Diego then and now, featuring Kristen Tobiason:
- Then and Now:The Che Cafe
- Then and Now: San Diego!
- Then and Now: Ideas as my maps
- Then and Now: Graveyard Park
- Then and Now: New Year’s resolutions
- Then and Now: Saigon Palace
- Then and Now: the Chicken Pie Shop
- Then and Now: Off the Record
- Then and Now: Rock Palace
- Then and Now: The Ken Cinema
- Then and Now: Adams Avenue Theater
- Then and Now: Topsy’s
- Then and Now: Greenwich Village West
- Then and Now: Funland
- Then and Now: Studio 517
- Then and Now: La Posta
- Then and Now: Presidio Park
- Then and Now: El Cajon Blvd. Denny’s
thanx matt for posting this
didnt noise 292 cover
for what its worth?
anyways as i recall a few
of us did wear fringe suede jackets
a bit of hippie in
the punkcion
>>thanx matt for posting this
didnt noise 292 cover
for what its worth?
Lou: Very badly, one time, at our final gig. We shoulda done “Mr. Soul” … More our speed! 🙂
>>anyways as i recall a few
of us did wear fringe suede jackets
I had one … Knee-high fringe suede moccasins, too …
Did you see them in the river?
They were there to wave to you …
Could you tell that the empty-quivered,
Brown-skinned Indian on the banks
That were crowded and narrow
Held a broken arrow?
bluebird
Mr. Soul would have been the better choice either way,Matt.Thanks to my dad I was a Neil Young fan at a pretty young age and became aware of the Buffalo Springfield while exploring his record collection.I believe those records are now mine,but I bought him a cd anthology box set a few birthdays back.