Buffalo

Band members

• Final line-up
  • Dave Tice (vocals)
  • Jimmy Economou (drums)
  • Chris Turner (guitar)
  • Ross Sims (bass)

• Former members
  • Pete Wells (bass) (1972 - 1976)
  • Karl Taylor (guitar) (1975)
  • Norm Roue (guitar) (1975)
  • John Baxter (guitar) (1972 - 1975)
  • Alan Milano (vocals) (1972)
  • Paul Balbi (drums) (1972)

Formed

Sydney, NSW, 1972

Band information

In pre-dating both AC/DC and Rose Tattoo, Sydney's Buffalo could well be the earliest, some would even say the ultimate, of Australia's heavy rocking blues and boogie based rebel rock n roll bands. With a monstrously heavy sound that called to mind no less than the mighty Black Sabbath, Buffalo came to be in 1972 after changing their name from the previous Head, which existed as long ago as 1968. As a five piece featuring Tice, Baxter and Wells plus Paul Balbi on drums and a second lead vocalist in Alan Milano, this line-up was to produce the Dead Forever album but proved to be short-lived. Milano and Balbi both left soon afterward.

With Economou on drums Buffalo entered perhaps their most legendary period, issuing another two albums of raw and massively heavy rock, the likes of which weren't to be repeated until the release of AC/DC's TNT album more than a year later, and perhaps not even then. In 1973 the band supported Black Sabbath in Sydney and then opened for Slade and Status Quo in Melbourne and the following year played at the opening of the Opera House in Sydney with acts like Sherbet and Skyhooks. After this time however the band began to wane.

Baxter left in 1975 to be replaced by Karl Taylor and Norm Roue for the lacklustre Mother's Choice. Buffalo went back to a four-piece line-up with Chris Turner stepping into the guitar position but by this time the band was almost at the end. Wells formed Rose Tattoo in late 1976 after a tour with Rainbow and the final album featured Ross Sims on bass guitar. Buffalo ultimately disbanded in 1977.

In truth Buffalo was probably ahead of its time in terms of Australian audiences, never achieving anywhere near the level of success that the first three albums deserved, although the band did develop a large cult following in parts of western Europe.

The band’s first two albums were re-released in 2005.

Discography

Albums:

	1972	Dead Forever	Vertigo
	1973	Volcanic Rock	Vertigo
	1974	Only Want You For Your Body	Vertigo
	1975	Mother's Choice	Vertigo
	1977	Average Rock n Roller	Vertigo
	1991	Highlights and Oversights	Raven
	1992	Skirtlifter	Raven

Singles:

	1972	Susie Sunshine	Vertigo
	1973	Just a Little Rock n Roll	Vertigo
	1973	Sunrise	Vertigo
	1974	What's Going On	Vertigo
	1975	Little Queenie	Vertigo
	1975	Lucky	Vertigo
	1976	Sweet Little 16	Vertigo
	1976	Rolling	Vertigo
	1977	Sailor	Vertigo