Grant Lee Buffalo

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Grant Lee Buffalo
Grant Lee Buffalo, 1996
Background information
Origin	Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres	Alternative rock, Americana
Years active	1991–1999, 2010–2014
Labels	Slash, Chrysalis
Past members	Grant-Lee Phillips Paul Kimble Joey Peters
Website	grantleebuffalo.com

Grant Lee Buffalo was an American rock band based in Los Angeles, California, United States, consisting of Grant-Lee Phillips (vocals and guitar), Paul Kimble (bass) and Joey Peters (drums).

All three were previously members of another Los Angeles band, Shiva Burlesque.^[1] In the late 1980s, Jeffrey Clark, Grant-Lee Phillips, James Brenner and Joey Peters started as a rock music formation called Shiva Burlesque.^[2] They released two studio albums, the self-titled Shiva Burlesque in 1987 on Nate Starkman & Son Records, and a follow-up (and final) album, Mercury Blues, which was released in 1990 on Fundamental Records. Matt Snow in Q Magazine highlighted the Doors and Echo and the Bunnymen as references and described the last album as "great late-night un-easy listening".^[3] Paul Kimble replaced Brenner on bass and the band renamed as Grant Lee Buffalo in 1991.^[2]

Phillips, Kimble, and Peters transitioned from Shiva Burlesque’s more psychedelic and experimental sound to create something unique. Grant-Lee Phillips, the creative force in the band, brought with him a unique voice that could be both hauntingly gentle and powerful, paired with a sombre storyteller's honesty. This combination would form the core of Grant Lee Buffalo’s identity.

The band’s early influences were a mix of 70s rock, folk, and country, but it was Phillips’ fascination with American history, landscapes, and personal narratives that shaped the band’s lyrical direction. Their sound was further characterized by the use of unconventional instruments and experimental recording techniques, which allowed them to create a distinct atmosphere in their music.