Biography
Since their formation in 1990, Buzzov-en has maintained a steady output of sludge punk steeped in drug excess and misanthropic attitudes through multiple lineups and configurations. The group’s notoriety derives as much from their frequently chaotic and at times physically confrontational concerts as from their recorded work, placing them within a lineage of similarly unruly Southern acts that includes Eyehategod and Antiseen. Repeated personnel shifts and apparent dissolutions have marked the band’s history, yet singer and guitarist Kirk Fisher—credited variously as Reverend Dirtkicker or simply Kirk—has remained the sole unchanging participant. During the early to mid-1990s, Fisher recorded the debut EP Wound and the first album To a Frown for Allied alongside drummer Ashley Williamson (also known as Ash and Ash Lee) and bassist Brian Hill. After moving to Roadrunner Records, the band issued its second album Sore in 1994, having added guitarist Buddy Apostolis (likewise billed as Buddy and Little Buddy). Recognition comparable to that enjoyed by labelmates such as Sepultura and Fear Factory never materialized, however, leaving Buzzov-en a cult-level entity that sustained itself through relentless touring—including a stretch supporting GWAR—before collapsing without delivering another Roadrunner release. By the appearance of the 1998 album At a Loss, Fisher stood as the only original member, surrounded by new players that included bassist and vocalist Dave “Dixie” Collins, who subsequently joined Weedeater. Long presumed finished, the project reemerged in 2001 on Hydrahead with the belated album Revelation: Sick Again.
Albums