What inspired you to start a band?

Most of us were in other bands before $1.09, so we were all used to looking through the local papers to keep up with the local music scene. Many of us came from a ska, punk, or reggae background, so since $1.09 was going to be mixing up all these styles, I think that’s what attracted most of us in the beginning.

How long have you guys been together?

Since 1992. That’s when we established the foundation of the band lineup that appeared on our first demo tape (“Buck Naked”) and our first album (“Songs in the Key of Bree”). So that would be 12 years now.

How'd you end up getting your name?

The name came to us one night at practice. We were throwing around band name ideas for a couple of weeks or so, and someone used the term “buck-o-nine” in the context of a joke they were telling, and then someone else said, “Hey, that sounds like a good name for the band”. We couldn’t think of anything else for the next couple of weeks, so the name stuck.

What's the best part about being in your band?

The fact that we have remained friends throughout this whole experience. We have had our ups and downs, and our share of arguments, but we’ve always been able to work things out. We have always been able to have fun together on and off the stage.

What're some of your favorite songs to play at your shows?

Barfly, Water in my Head, Round Kid, Jen's Cold, Sound System & My Town are always fun ones. Sometimes we play a song we haven't played in a long time that blows us away. It can vary from show to show.

Have you made any goals by being in a band? If so what goals have you achieved?

Yes, we set goals for ourselves almost from the start. We have achieved most of our goals, which involved putting out records, touring, and remembering to try to have a good time and put the fun and music first, ahead of money and egos.

Is there anything you're trying to convey with your lyrics?

Not specifically. We don’t approach an album with a theme in mind, and we’ve never really been activists. In general, though, you will find a recurring theme of irreverent humor, combined with an attitude that “anything is possible” (Guess which song that comes from)

How does the songwriting process go?

It varies for many songs, but in general, someone comes to practice with a basic idea, and then we start jamming it, adding horns, coming up with a loose arrangement, and adding vocals. Sometimes one person will have a complete song written, and then we just arrange it and add horns. Other times we will just jam some chord progression or baseline and build from there. It really can vary from week to week.

How does your band get along with each other?

In general, we get along really well. It’s kind of a locker room mentality, where we kid each other a lot, make jokes, make fun of each other, but in the end we all laugh a lot and help each other if someone needs it.

If you had the chance to go on tour with any band who would it be?

That’s a hard one to answer these days. If we are talking about a band we have never toured with before, it would probably be someone like Green Day. If we are talking about a band that is no longer around, it would probably be The Police. If we are talking about a band we have toured with in the past, it would probably be Voodoo Glowskulls or Suicide Machines, since we have had so much fun touring with those guys.

Have the main people in your life (parents friends) been supportive of you?

Yes, we were all really fortunate when we started out because our parents and families thought that what we were doing was really positive, and they actually liked the music we were playing. Since some of us had been in hardcore bands, or really bad bands, before $1.09, some of our parents were probably relieved that they could actually stand listening to the music. We have also had a lot of support from various brothers and sisters, who have gone to our shows, given us places to stay when we were on the road, and helped out by selling merchandise or getting people to sign up for our mailing list.

Any last words?

Thanks for reading this, and to those of you who still remember us and enjoy the music, or who have gone to our shows or bought records in the past, thanks to you the most! We are working on a bunch of new tunes for a new album (no release date yet). Check out our website, www.buckonine.com, for the latest upcoming shows, and for any news about the album.