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Forums :: America Fan Blog :: Follow The Buffalo

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AmericaSL
Member

Posts: 1435
From: Orem, Utah

Follow The Buffalo
Posted on: 06/24/2013 11:09 PM

I received a note from America fan, Jason, the other day with some information that I'm sure all of you will be interested in. It's a link to a song by the band FOLLOW THE BUFFALO. You will recall that Gerry had played with this band when Ian Samwell heard Gerry's acoustic guitar playing and asked to meet him. That was pretty much the start of AMERICA's professional career. Here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=XedtiwIR304

Thanks Jason for sharing this with us!
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shasta
Member

Posts: 1901

Re: Follow The Buffalo
Posted on: 06/24/2013 11:41 PM

This is fun, Steve! Although, I must admit, it's no wonder Follow the Buffalo didn't make the top 40. Sorry. I like the piano part on this song. I guess it's pretty generic, but it makes the song, in my opinion. Do we think this is Gerry playing lead guitar on this song? At times it's obscured by that raggin' piano. Vocals are not good. But this is a great find. If this isn't the song that attracked Ian Samwell, then perhaps the one that did is out there somewhere. Hope.
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jasonsmith
Member

Posts: 16

Re: Follow The Buffalo
Posted on: 06/25/2013 02:11 PM

Steve thanks for posting this. Gosh, it's been far too long since I posted on this site. I hope you are all well.

To my knowledge this is the only recording that FOLLOW THE BUFFALO issued. I spotted their name in the recent issue of UK mag FLASHBACK as a support band. There's also an advert for AMERICA too, playing the Waltham Forest Tech which is a UK college in East London. This is from 1971 so is likely one of their earliest concert adverts. They were playing alongside UK acts Brinsley Schwarz and Mighty Baby. I'll scan it soon and send it to Steve.

I've been busy with my own music fanzine and record label. You can find out more on my websites: www.slipstreamrecords.com www.fantasticexpedition.com

Cheers

Jason
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jasonsmith
Member

Posts: 16

Re: Follow The Buffalo
Posted on: 06/25/2013 02:44 PM

Here's an interesting reply I had from a guy called Nick Butt who has just written a book about his experiences in the music business in the later 60s: This was on the FLASHBACK magazines fan site:

Hi Jason, I accompanied Dave Howson to Audition Follow the Buffalo at a country club in Watford in 1969. They subsequently changed their name to America and Dave hired Vic Keary's studio in Chalk Farm to do some demo recordings which David's widow still has. More about the Watford trip in: http://www.amazon.co.uk/ElectricNick-No-Direction-Home-ebook/dp/B00B103GJA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1371115125&sr=1-1&keywords=electricnick

Interestingly Jeff Dexter said this:

Jeff Dexter: None of the boys that formed America were members of Follow the Buffalo, Gerry Beckley played on one of their demos, that included him singing a piece that would eventually become a part of America's repertoire.

I then asked Jeff about DIRT PIT MANOR which I've been trying to track down for most of the last decade.


Jeff Dexter: I have some photos of Dirt Pit Manor somewhere, that little hole where we put America.

I'm hoping to get to see some of these photos soon.

Cheers

Jason
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johnc
Member

Posts: 120

Re: Follow The Buffalo
Posted on: 06/25/2013 10:14 PM

Not to make things even more confusing, but here's what the late Ian Samwell told me in 1998 (referring to Daze, not Follow The Buffalo):

I thought they [America] were enormously talented. How it happened was that someone came into my office at Warner Bros., and my job at that time was looking for talent. I'd already brought in Rod Stewart and The Faces and a girl called Linda Lewis, who went on to have tremendous success in Britain. But this guy came in. His name was Dave Hawson. And he had some group that he wanted me to hear [Daze]. I was kind of sitting in my office, and he said, look, "They're up at the Roundhouse Studios right now, can you come?" And it's only about a mile and a half or something. So I said, okay, I'll come up and listen. And when I got there, they had equipment problems. So instead of actually playing me something, they played me a tape. And in the middle of this tape was this guitar solo. So I said, "Well, who played the guitar solo?" And they said, "Well it's this friend of ours, his name is Gerry, uh Beckley." And I said, "Well, I wish you luck with your group. I don't really think they're anything that I would be interested in at this moment. But I'd love to meet the guitarist." And then he started to tell me that Gerry was already in a group with a couple of friends [Dewey and Dan]. And I said, "Well have them come up to my office and we'll talk about it." And then I had them come over to the house and play and stuff. I arranged with my friend Jeff Dexter, who was my roommate, to get them some gigs so that they could get some experience playing for an audience. And he agreed to do that. Eventually he became their very first manager. It took about a year from the time that I first picked up on Gerry's guitar solo to the time when Warner Bros. actually agreed to sign them. They were very slow to respond to it. They didn't… get it.
Edited by johnc on 06/25/2013 10:18 PM
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shasta
Member

Posts: 1901

Re: Follow The Buffalo
Posted on: 06/26/2013 12:39 AM

Hello All, I need to get me a real monkeywrench! Then I'd feel better inserting one from time to time.

John, I just finished reading your complete history (for the 2nd time) and took note of what you just quoted here. However, Gerry used to (maybe still does) teach in Jon Hartmann's classes and a 1-hour segment of his lecture is findable online. In that, he states (and is reading from their boxed set booklet) that he was doing session work with Follow the Buffalo when Ian Samwell remarked on Gerry's guitar solo. That it was Follow the Buffalo stands to reason as the Daze was the group formed in high school and disbanded sometime while Dan was at Old Dominion University.

Sorry. I'm off to get me a monkeywrench now!
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jasonsmith
Member

Posts: 16

Re: Follow The Buffalo
Posted on: 06/26/2013 01:18 AM

This is very interesting. Here's a continuation with Nick Butt and his reply:

Jason Smith 7:58pm Jun 25
Nick, hi. You said in our Flashback conversation that Dave Howson's widow had demos. Jeff Dexter seems to think that America weren't involved but I wonder. You went to Watford to see Follow The Buffalo and the AMERICA guys went to school in Watford. They also recorded their 1st LP in Chalk Farm so maybe you're right. It would be fascinating to know more. I believe that before choosing the name AMERICA they were also called DAZE in case that rings any bells. Cheers, Jason


Nick Butt 10:33pm Jun 25
Hi Jason, I know I am right, Dave Howson managed America before Jeff. Paul Waldman who was Dave's partner in Middle Earth records confirmed this in a long statement he wrote for my book:
http://www.facebook.com/l/zAQEeOIq9AQGdutJVNPI9HEF5pdLWEggqBYE7rCyL8xAxjg/www.amazon.co.uk/ElectricNick-No-Direction-Home-ebook/dp/B00B103GJA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1372195287&sr=1-1&keywords=electricnick

Jeff often contradicts my memories, the most classic 2 have been Sammy Davis Junior at the Roundhouse, Jeff insisted that he never played there (contrary to my memories). John Cadbury the carpenter at the Roundhouse later confirmed my story. Jeff also insists that Nick Drake had no connection with Portobello Road (disagreeing with my memory). Not only have Nick's master tapes recently been found in Basing Street Studios, he also wrote a song called "Ladbroke Grove".
History is written by the Victors!.
I have been friends with Jeff for 45 years but we often disagree about the history. BTW, the demo tapes I was talking about have "America" written on them. Kind Regards, Nick.

So if this is true are there some long lost AMERICA demos out there... I'll keep digging. I'll have to buy Nick's book to read this long statement.
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shasta
Member

Posts: 1901

Re: Follow The Buffalo
Posted on: 06/26/2013 11:34 AM

Good Morning! Ole Monkeywrench here. I just re-listened to Gerry's lecture where he discusses Follow the Buffalo (from the booklet in the boxed set, which he's holding in front of the camera) and he says that Follow the Buffalo was "some English guys" that he did some session work with - playing bass or lead guitar, "whatever was needed." And I just reread Dan Peek's book last week, in which he mentions Fallow the Buffalo. He says Gerry did session work with them. Never does he say that he (Dan Peek) was part of Follow the Buffalo, or Dewey either.
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Rainman
Member

Posts: 49

Re: Follow The Buffalo
Posted on: 05/23/2017 05:45 AM

Steve,
Glad you posted this info!! For years I thought that I had read somewhere the band was called "Swallow The Buffalo" I thought hmm.... what an odd name for a band, but hey it was the 60's:) Follow the Buffalo makes much more sense.

Thanks
Kevin
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