Buffalo Tom

Buffalo Tom formed in 1986 in Boston, Massachusetts, emerging from a friendship among students Chris Colbourn, Tom Maginnis, and Bill Janovitz at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. The band’s name is a combination of Buffalo Springfield and drummer Tom Maginnis’s first name. Early in their career, J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. played a significant role by assisting with the production of their first two albums and performing lead guitar on the track “Impossible” from their self-titled debut. This period established their foundation in the alternative rock scene, drawing influences from bands such as Hüsker Dü and The Replacements.

Throughout the 1990s, Buffalo Tom achieved commercial milestones, with songs like “Sodajerk” (1993) reaching No. 7 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart and “Summer” (1995) peaking at No. 4 on the Heatseekers chart. Their album, “Big Red Letter Day,” charted at No. 17 on the UK Albums Chart in October 1993. The band’s music was featured in various media, including the 1994 television series “My So-Called Life,” where they also made an on-screen appearance in episode 12, “Self-Esteem.” They contributed to the 1993 AIDS-benefit album “No Alternative” and the CD “School House Rock! Rocks,” further diversifying their public presence. Their song “Taillights Fade” was used in the 1999 independent film of the same name. In 1999, their cover of The Jam’s “Going Underground,” released as a double A-sided single, reached No. 6 in the UK Singles Chart.

After a period of reduced activity, Buffalo Tom re-emerged in 2007, marked by performances at the South by Southwest Music Festival and a US summer tour. This resurgence led to the release of their album “Three Easy Pieces” in July 2007 through the New West label. They continued to release new music, including “Skins” in 2011 and “Quiet and Peace” in 2018. The band is also a regular performer at the Hot Stove Cool Music concerts, benefiting Theo Epstein’s ‘Foundation to Be Named Later’ charity. In 2024, they released a new album titled “Jump Rope” and composed the theme song “We Thought We Were Done” for NBC’s “Extended Family.”