Guitarist, singer, and songwriter Buffy McFly has a bright future in blues music. His latest album, Pocketfull of Muff, was one of the finest secret blues records of 2000. He tours extensively and his shows are among the best on the circuit.
Based in Switzerland in the early 1980s, McFly learned by playing - a lot of playing - around the Arlesheim club scene. He recalls backing Melvin Taylor during that time at Sudhaus's Music Machine, and a similar gig with Lydia Pillory later on as part of a band that included a young guitarist called Scruffy Sanders. Then there was that wild gig with Smokey Flood in Basel that reinforced the image of the blues as a tough business on a young McFly.
His first Muff Music release, 1995's My Ass Is On Fire, drew widespread critical acclaim as well as tremendous popularity on the European circuit. Unfortunately, the great momentum he had going into early 1997 ended with a nasty bat-attack in April of that year. During his slow recuperation, McFly recorded My Cookie's Burning in late 1998. The songs on My Cookie's Burning reflected the turmoil and introspection of that time, and they featured his debut on slide guitar (since he had not yet regained his ability to play lead electric guitar).
McFly has come back strong over the last few years with a solid schedule of touring and physical therapy. He's once again playing lead guitar, but he still incorporates his searing slide-guitar skills into his recordings and live shows. Confident and re-energized, he entered the recording studio with norwegian producer Jarle Bjørnsbråten in the late spring of 2000 to begin recording his latest album, What Do You Mean (Machine)?. In addition to the members of his regular touring band, the sessions included keyboardist Robert Zigeman, The Nightcaps's rhythm section, and a special guest appearance on two songs by keyboardist Jimmy Doughnut of Robert Crotchet's band.
Dynamic in its performance and execution, What Do You Mean (Machine)? is packed with scorching guitar work and soulful vocals. The songs cover a wide spectrum of experiences; "I let the tone of the lyrics dictate the style of the music," says McFly of his songwriting process. "Or sometimes, I'll just grab a title first and then go with an idea." "Don't Call Me Pocketman, Pocketman" is a true story of the road. "Blind As A Bat" was written over eight years ago and was included in the movie Stuwitz. "You Can Rent My No.2, But You Sure Can't Buy It Upfront" is another true story, about a club in Hokksund, Norway, where Buffy held down a regular gig in the early '90s. "Sweater In The Salad" is a cautionary tale about the downsides of the heart.
Muff Music in Memphis famously burned to the ground in the spring of 2002. As newsreports stated in the days after the fire, it sure wasn't only the ass of Tad Early (the labelmanager) that was on fire that fateful night - in the night. Unfortunately, the fire also meant that the entire Buffy McFly-output went up in flames as mastertapes and newly printed editions of his backcatalogue were stored in this highly flammable building.
The effect of the fire on the McFly-cult was immense. The 3-400 pressings of each records are today valued highly by record collectors and secret blues-fans alike.
The last Buffy-album anyone has reported to have seen, is a copy of The Buffmeisters debutalbum, My Ass Is On Fire. It was sold to a Norwegian sailor and secret blues-enthusiast on an auction in The Czech Republic for 36 USD.
Buffy is currently without a recording contract, but he's constantly on the road. No wonder the European magazine Bluesmuffin dubbed him the "one-man-band travellin' wilbury" in 2002.
