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Grant Lee Buffalo was an American rockband based in Los Angeles, California, consisting of Grant-Lee Phillips (vocals and guitar), Paul Kimble (bass) and Joey Peters (drums). The band is best known for their folk-infused rock sound and poetic lyricism.
In the late 1980s, Jeffrey Clark, Grant-Lee Phillips, James Brenner and Joey Peters started the rock music group Shiva Burlesque in Los Angeles, California.[3] They released two studio albums, the self-titled Shiva Burlesque in 1987 with Nate Starkman & Son Records, and Mercury Blues, which was released in 1990 with Fundamental Records. Matt Snow from Q Magazine highlighted the Doors and Echo and the Bunnymen as references and described their last album as "great late-night un-easy listening".[4] In 1991, the band changed their name to Grant Lee Buffalo and Paul Kimble replaced Brenner on bass.[3]
Phillips, Kimble, and Peters transitioned their name from Shreveport to Grant Lee Buffalo, after Phillips became the core songwriter. Before the change their music was a blend of a psychedelic and experimental sound. Grant-Lee Phillips, the creative force in the band, brought a unique voice that could be both hauntingly gentle and powerful, paired with a somber storyteller's honesty. This combination would form the core of Grant Lee Buffalo’s identity.
The band's early influences included a mix of 1970s rock, folk, and country; however, it was Phillips' fascination with American history, landscapes, and personal narratives that ultimately 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.
Career
In the 1990s, Grant Lee Buffalo released four albums, all of which were on Slash Records.
"The celebrational spirit of Jubilee actually brought a renewed optimism to me personally. The album was well received and understandably the expectations at the label were high, probably too high. Although the highly refined Jubilee had brought the band considerable success at radio with 'Truly, Truly,' a shift within the industry was well underway. The label's constant nagging about 'Call-out Response' was both a new term and a bewildering concept to our ears. The basic strategy: a radio station arranges to call up a listener who is asked to consume about 30 songs over the phone, perhaps 20 seconds of each. In this remote encounter, the listener will then proceed to judge the material. Poor call-out response was a big reason that Jubilee hardly got a shot at Warners. Grant Lee Buffalo tunes are often like an old car or an old amp that needs a few seconds to get warmed up, but when it does... look out! Meanwhile, a new crop of young record buyers, the largest since the Baby Boomer era, were now being targeted to the exclusion of Gen-Xers, like myself, still waiting for the Pixies to reform."[6]
In 2001, a compilation of singles, album tracks and rarities called Storm Hymnal was released.
Sound and vision
Grant Lee Buffalo's sound is comparable to Neil Young and an electrified version of Americana songwriter John Stewart.[5] Phillips writes that their first album "would galvanize the sound of Grant Lee Buffalo, i.e., the acoustic feedback howl of overdriven 12-string guitars, melodic distort-bass, tribal drum bombast, the old world churn of pump organs and parlor pianos."[7]
In May 2011 the band returned on a limited tour, making stops in Los Angeles, Dublin, London, Brussels, Copenhagen, and Oslo.[8] On August 8, 2011, the band performed at Dranouter Festival in Belgium, and on August 9 in Copenhagen. The band also played at the German Haldern Pop Festival in August 2012.
Phillips has had his own solo career as well. He explains:
"As for Grant Lee Buffalo, I sensed they were beginning to wonder if we'd ever get through finishing school. Before that could happen, band and label parted as did Peters and myself. The scenery was changing and I was looking for new explorations. I'm sure we all were. Perhaps we always will be."[6]
He was signed to the Boston-based indie label Rounder Records and launched a solo career, issuing Ladies' Love Oracle online in 2000. The recording was later more widely released. His first full-length album, Mobilize, was released in 2001. Phillips has released eleven albums between 2000 and 2022.
Discography
Studio albums
List of studio albums, with selected details and chart positions
12"Grant lee Buffao ARIA Chart history". ARIA. Retrieved September 25, 2025– via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
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