Grand Buffet | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Jarrod Weeks (left), Jackson O'Connell-Barlow (right) | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania |
| Genres | Alternative hip hop,Experimental |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Labels | Self-produced Fighting Records |
| Members | Jackson O'Connell-Barlow Jarrod Weeks |
| Past members | "G-Rude" (Dan Grudovich) |
Grand Buffet is an Americanhip-hop duo fromPittsburgh, Pennsylvania, consisting of Jackson O’Connell-Barlow and Jarrod Weeks. Their music blends hip hop, funk, and experimental elements, often featuring satire and absurdist humor. Throughout the group’s career, both members have used multiple stage names, often changing aliases between releases.
Grand Buffet has toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe. In 2005, the duo completed a European tour withSage Francis,[1] followed by a U.S. tour withOf Montreal andMGMT in 2006.[2] The group later toured withGirl Talk in 2008 andThird Eye Blind in 2009. The duo has also shared stages with artists includingStreetlight Manifesto,[3]MC Lars[4],Sole,Cex,Magnolia Electric Co.,[5]Gil Mantera's Party Dream, and the lateWesley Willis.[5]
Grand Buffet formed in 1996 after O’Connell-Barlow and Weeks met atHampton High School in Allison Park.[2] The group initially included a third member, DJ G-Rude (Dan Grudovich), who appeared on their first release. Grand Buffet released two self-produced full-length albums,Scrooge McRock (1997) andSparkle Classic (2000), followed by three EPs collectively referred to as the “Trilogy of Terror”:Undercover Angels (2002),Cigarette Beach (2002), andPittsburgh Hearts (2003). Each release credited the members under different aliases;Pittsburgh Hearts marked the first release credited under their real names.
Although credited only onScrooge McRock, G-Rude continued to appear in promotional imagery, resulting in three-member artwork on bothScrooge McRock andDicer: The Unheard Funk Tracks. The group’sMySpace page later listed the members as Viceroy (Weeks) and Plaps (O’Connell-Barlow).
In 2004, Grand Buffet releasedDICER: The Unheard Funk Tracks, a compilation of outtakes, radio performances, and unreleased material. The following year, they releasedFive Years of Fireworks, a greatest hits collection that included a bonus DVD of music videos, live footage, and behind-the-scenes material. A sequel toDICER was announced in 2005, with Weeks suggesting it could become an ongoing series.[6]
During 2005 and 2006, Grand Buffet occasionally toured with a DJ, including DJ Jester the Filipino Fist, who has also toured withKid Koala.[7]
On May 8, 2007, the EPThe Haunted Fucking Gazebo was released, followed by the albumKing Vision on January 8, 2008, both on Fighting Records.
The group has publicly distanced itself fromScrooge McRock, later describing it as a collection of early demos rather than a proper album.[8] Between 1998 and 1999, Grand Buffet recorded material for an unreleased album titledPeter Weller, named after the actorPeter Weller. The project was abandoned, though several tracks were later included onDicer.[citation needed]Sparkle Classic is considered the first album in the group’s official discography.[8]
The duo has also referenced a children’s album titledGorilla and Fox,[8][9] though no release date has been announced.
Grand Buffet appears in the 2003 German documentaryGolden Lemons, directed by Jörg Siepmann, which documents aWesley Willis tour supported byDie Goldenen Zitronen and Grand Buffet.[10][11]
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