Buffalo Records

Lore & Background

Doug Allsopp, a Californian who moved to Japan in 1991, founded Buffalo Records after realizing that Japanese releases often include extras and more information, and that Japanese magazines rarely review imports. He brought West Coast bluesman Kelly Joe Phelps to Japan in 1999 for a tour. According to the September 8, 2001 issue of Billboard, Allsopp set up the label to import alternative-country titles from labels including Bloodshot, Sugar Hill, and Sci-Fidelity, and he was open to suggestions from a network of record buyers.

The label's first releases were Spanker Madness by Asylum Street Spankers, and Ghosts of Hallelujah and Texas Trumpets by The Gourds. Although these did not sell in great numbers, the exercise was deemed worthwhile. In 2000, the label released Heartbreaker by Ryan Adams and The Hurting Business by Chuck Prophet. As of 2001, the label was importing records from overseas countries and paying royalties there.

As part of the label's 5th Anniversary 'Heart of America' series, Buffalo released In the Land of Dreams by Austin, Texas multi-instrumentalist Stanley Smith (catalog number LBCY-305), the first in the series. The Prodigal Son album by Michael Powers, released on the Baryon label in the US in 2006, was also released in Japan on Buffalo Records (catalog BUF-136) the same year. In 2008, with CD sales dropping, Allsopp attended the annual fair of promotional goods at Tokyo's Big Sight to look for an additional venture. A tour by Martinez Akustica (featuring Chilean musician Victor Martinez Parada) in July/August 2009 led to distribution and release of their recordings through Buffalo.

Reader's Guide

Buffalo Records occupies a distinctive niche in the Japanese music market as a label that specialized in importing and releasing alternative-country and blues albums, often providing Japanese editions with extras that appealed to local collectors. Its founder, Doug Allsopp, leveraged his California roots and connections to bring American roots music to Japan, including arranging tours for artists like Kelly Joe Phelps. The label's approach was noted for its adventurousness, as highlighted in The Journal of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, which named it alongside P Vine/Blues Interaction as one of two great blues labels in the country. Despite modest sales for early releases, the label persisted, releasing albums by notable artists such as Ryan Adams and Chuck Prophet in 2000. Buffalo Records also engaged in direct importation and royalty payments, and later expanded into distribution through ventures like the Martinez Akustica tour. Its significance lies in bridging American alternative-country and blues with Japanese audiences, adapting to market changes such as declining CD sales by seeking new business opportunities. The label's legacy is that of a small but influential player in the global circulation of roots music, particularly through its curated releases and artist support.

Did You Know?

• Buffalo Records was founded by Doug Allsopp, a Californian who moved to Japan in 1991.
• The label's first releases were Spanker Madness by Asylum Street Spankers, and Ghosts of Hallelujah and Texas Trumpets by The Gourds.
• As of 2001, Buffalo Records was importing records from overseas countries and paying royalties there.
• The label released the Prodigal Son album by Michael Powers in Japan in 2006, the same year it was released in the US on the Baryon label.