Buffalo Buffalo

The band Buffalo Buffalo grew from the idea of two of the band members, Tripp Watson (vocals) and Aaron Frost (drums). These longtime friends have been in bands since their freshman year of high school, one of which was All Skylines Collide. It was in these bands that their style had to adapt and change to the musical styles of their fellow band members. Buffalo Buffalo has allowed them to let loose and produce the sound they always wanted. "We wanted to start some classic rock," said Frost. But it wasn't until recently, when they added bassist Bryan Zannotti and lead guitarist Jake Meyer, that their idea became a reality. At a time when most bands are looking to make their own new sound including electronics and synthesizers, this local La Crosse band is going back to classic rock roots.

After sitting in on one of Buffalo Buffalo's rehearsals, it's evident that they all bring something different to the table. Zannotti comes with influence from the rock and jazz worlds; Watson showcases his quirky side, while Frost and Meyer wrangle the classic essence of the group. It's always interesting to see how the dynamics of different personalities come together to create one cohesive sound. It's within their sound that they exude effortless energy. The first song they played was called "Shoes and Booze," which was a fun and very catchy tune. It was written about drunken intrigue between a guy and girl who see each other across the room, but never meet one another. The band described this piece as "an intro piece just to get people poppin'." Buffalo Buffalo is a bit unorthodox when it comes to song titles and lyrics. Watson said he likes to write about "everyday life and having fun. But I like to do it in a quirky way."  

Frost and Watson are also working on a side project called Mess. This strays from Buffalo Buffalo's genre of classic rock. "Mess is ‘synthy' music that melds female and male vocals," said Watson. For this project, Frost plays drums while Watson sings and plays lead guitar. In order to satisfy the female vocal element they bring in guest vocalists to record with them. With both of their eccentric styles, this serves as a good outlet for them to be creative. Writing lyrics for Mess is something Watson talked about fondly: "Mess allows me to map out the randomness in my head and make it into something constructive."

Both Buffalo Buffalo and Mess are planning on playing at the Warehouse and other venues soon. You can check out their music at http://www.purevolume.com/messrock.