Interview with Seattle's one and only Tony Buff

Tony Buff © Derek da Silva

TV: First off, we'd like to congratulate you on bringing Raging Stallion and Fetish Force to Seattle. Most porn companies work out of California, what made you decide to bring it here?

TB: Thank you, it really is a dream come true.  When I initially went into negotiations with Raging, they wanted me to relocate to San Francisco but that was a non-starter for me.  I've been in Seattle for over twenty years now and have developed some amazing ties to the community here.  Seattle is an exceptional place to live and I wouldn't want to give it up.  Luckily, Raging agreed to let me base production for Fetish Force here in the Pacific Northwest.  In actuality it makes perfect sense.  We have one of the best fetish scenes in the world and the city is very queer positive.

Tony with Derek da Silva

TV: We are utterly impressed by your body of work. (No pun intended!) How did you get started?

TB: Wow.  Again, thank you.  That really means a lot to me.  It's kind of been a labor of love.  I never would have gotten into the industry if it weren't for my involvement in the fetish/Sm scene.  I was at a run called Inferno sponsored by the Chicago Hellfire Club about four years ago when I met Derek da Silva.  I didn't know it at the time but he had been working in the industry for a number of years doing SM and wrestling films.  After a visit to Seattle, he asked if I would be interested in topping him for a video and suggested it would give us a chance to see each other again. Well, a few days after that conversation, Derek called to tell me Daddy Zeus was coming out of retirement to direct a trilogy, he had been cast in the first film and they were looking for a top.  He put DZ and me in contact, I sent down some photos and before I knew it I was heading to Palm Springs to shoot my first adult feature.

Tony with Daddy Zeus

TV: Was it hardcore right off the bat? (hahahahahaha) What kind of porn do you prefer?

TB: Oh yeah, it was hardcore from the start.  That first feature for Daddy Zeus was brutal and intense.  Derek and I wanted to capture the essence of our play which was definitely on the edge.  Like my taste in music, my porn preferences are all over the board.  I watch the professional stuff, amateur content, gay, straight... the stuff that gets me off though is the stuff that captures a realness and connection in the content.  Unfortunately, there isn't a whole lot of that out there. 

TV: Do you get to choose what music plays during a scene? If not, what kind of music would you prefer to be playing? 

TB: No, there isn't generally any music playing on set when we are in production.  That would make for an editing nightmare.  All the music is added in post-production.  The folks at Titan did a great job with the Rough line, but I'll have far more control over the work we'll be doing for FetishForce.  We’ve had our first feature, Industrial Encounters, scored by Maxi for Remixlabs, a local musician here in Seattle.  And the soundtrack is now available via Amazon and other internet music sites.

TV: What are some of your all time favorite bands?

TB: Belle & Sebastian, Bob Marley & the Wailers, the Damned, Edie Brickell & the New Bohemians, Guns N' Roses, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Nine Inch Nails, Pansy Division, the Pet Shop Boys, Pink Floyd... all over the place, right?

One of Tony's and our favorites.

TV: Is there anyone in the industry you want to work with/admire?

TB: I've been exceptionally blessed in my experience working in the industry.  I've worked with most of the best directors of our time, including Daddy Zeus, Brian Mills, Chris Ward, Bruce Cam, Joe Gage and Tony Dimarco.  I've also worked with some of the most talented performers, like François Sagat, Dean Flynn, Adam Killian, Roman Heart and many others.  I guess I'm not really looking to work with one particular person in the industry now as much as I'm looking forward to recruiting some of the best players in the world and working with them to product real, edgy and intense content for FetishForce.

TV: We really like your queer approach to your body of work. Do you ever face adversity from other porn stars for being different?

TB: I guess I don't fit neatly into some people's preconceived normative ideas.  I'm sure there are some who don't know what to make of me and know there are those who don't understand the nature of our work, but that hasn't really manifest itself in any type of adversity.  But then with my 'fuck you' attitude toward things, I doubt I'd have noticed anyway.

TV: What do you think of gay for pay?

TB: I think it's a waste of good production funds.  If I'm going to pay a performer, I'd rather spend the money on someone that enjoys the content we're shooting.  Now if it were Gay for Pain, I might find that more appealing.

TV: Have you seen the Jeff Stryker or Colton Ford music videos? What do you think of porn stars having music careers? What would your music video look like?

TB: [Laughing.]  Um, yeah... let's just say I fully support people exploring their creative endeavors.  Derek is actually an accomplished punk producer and plays in his own band.  I enjoy his stuff more than the pop stuff some of the others are doing.

TV: What is the leather community like in Seattle compared to other places you've been? Better? Worse? Supportive? 

TB: The Leather community in Seattle is incredible.  It's the primary reason why I wouldn't want to move.  I've been able to travel throughout the US and Canada over the past few years and there are some great regional communities, especially in Chicago and Toronto, but the Pacific Northwest really is unique.  Seattle has a queer ethos that I find very attractive.  We have a strong players' community and I love the fact that the delineations between the men's, women's and het communities aren't as rigid here as they are in other areas.

TV: Best scene ever?

TB: Oh, that's a tough question.  I love my scene with Derek and Tober Brandt in Fear.  The scene with Will Parker from Folsom Flesh, which won the GayVN for Best Duo Sex Scene, is pretty spectacular.  And I'd have to include the scene with my boy of nine years, Chris Yosef, from the first Rough feature, Fist and Piss.

TV: Worst scene ever?

TB: Clearly there have been some shoots that were more challenging than others, but I'm not going to point them out here.

TV: Any funny stories? (a la shooting porn)

TB: I would love to see the original take of my solo scene in Home Invasion where I'm standing in the doorway with the gun watching the action unfold between Tyler Saint and Enrique Currero.  I was pretty much doing a little CBT on my cock with the business end of the hand gun before Joe Gage yelled, "Cut!" and explained to me that, "this isn't one of your movies."  Now don't get me wrong, I have nothing but respect for Joe and I love working with him, but when I first read the script, I was expecting a different movie than the one that was shot.  I mean, really, Tony Buff as the leader of a crew of criminals that invade a house occupied by a father and his sons... I was expecting something a little more... well, aggressive.  I knew that wasn't going to be the case after I arrived on set, Joe pulled me aside and said, "Now, Tony... No pushing, no shoving, no slapping, no punching, no kicking, no biting, and especially, no porno butt-smacking."  Still, the role earned me Best Actor nominations that year at both the GayVNs and the Grabbys so I can't complain.

http://grabbys.com/

TV: Would you ever do straight porn?

TB: Absolutely!  I play with women quite regularly in my personal life, so doing it on camera wouldn't be an issue for me.

--------------------------------------------------

Stay up-to-date with Tony on his blog, or

 follow Tony Buff on Twitter