“Twenty-Eight Teeth” was released
in 1997 and spawned their first nationwide
radio single, “My Town.” It was
a simple little song at the end of the album,
about their hometown of San Diego. The single
became a nationwide hit and propelled “Twenty-Eight
Teeth” to nationwide success. The band
continued their touring schedule with the
same intensity they always had. As Buck-O-Nine
met more and more new fans everyday, these
became some of the best of times for the band.
At the end of the “Twenty-Eight Teeth”
tour, the band lost its first original member,
drummer Steve Bauer. They began work on their
next album without a drummer. When it came
time to record they used a studio drummer
from Philadelphia named Chuck Treece. With
a new approach to song writing in the spirit
of growing as a band, they released their
fourth studio album, “Libido,”
in 1999. This record featured a departure
from their original sound, and the band was
immensely proud of it. While the success of
the album equaled the success of “Barfly”
it didn’t even come close to the success
of “Twenty-Eight Teeth.” Times
were changing and so was Buck-O-Nine. Soon
after the release of “Libido,”
the band lost its second original member,
Scott Kennerly. Quickly regrouping with new
drummer Jeff Hawthorne and Bassist John Bell,
originally of Unwritten Law, the band continued
to tour through 1999.
After the “Libido” tour, the seven
current members of Buck-O-Nine began writing
songs for a new album. They went into the same
studio where they had recorded “Libido”
to cut a live demo tape for TVT. They recorded
and mixed 12 songs similar to the style in which
“Key of Bree” and “Barfly”
were recorded. The songs were more reggae flavored
and had an interesting new vibe. Unfortunately,
with the changes in the music business and the
changes at TVT, the band was dropped from TVT’s
roster and this future
Buck-O-Nine album was put on hold.
Faced with yet another twist of fate the band
continued to play shows and write songs. One
show they played in Japan was recorded live
onto a small mini-disc player for their own
enjoyment. After listening to the mini-disc
countless times, the band realized they had
captured something on tape they had been trying
to harness on all of their albums, the energy
of their live show. The idea was put in play
to maybe release this recording. Singer Jon
Pebsworth released “Hellos and Goodbyes,”
on his label Offramp Records in the later part
of 1999.
Buck-O-Nine continued their touring regimen
through the winter of 2000. After a sold out
show at one of the band's favorite venues, the
Fireside Bowl in Chicago, bassist John Bell
became critically ill and had to be rushed into
surgery to save his life. This sad situation
forced the band to abandon the tour and head
home. At this point, the band decided to stop
touring full time. Buck-O-Nine decided to mellow
out for while and enjoy their lives at home
in San Diego.
John Bell, inspired to go back to school after
his close call, left the band in 2000. The band
asked longtime friend Andy Platfoot, to become
the new bass player of Buck-O-Nine. A sucessful
tour in of the UK in 2001 with Andy was a very
positive experience that brought the band closer
than they had been in a long time.
Currently Buck-O-Nine still plays shows for
fun. They have re-connected with the positive,
fun vibe that the band originated from.
