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5.22.2011

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.

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

5.21.2011

TENDERLY YOURS FIRST EDITION



Last night at the Wild Rose Tender Validations played their first ever DJ set under the DJ names Invisible Tambourine & Stay-at-Home Dad. Thanks to DJ BMOREFREE, we pulled it off like true champs! Thanks to everyone who made it out!


Here is our set list, and stay tuned for a free download of some of our favorite jams from the night!





Identity X-RAY SPEX
Let’s Be Friendly With Our Friends STA PREST
Collecting Dust ESSENTIAL LOGIC
She’s a Winner CEBE BARNES BAND
Dum Dum VASELINES
Show Me KICKING GIANT
Working Girl CHERI
Rock Hard SUZI QUATRO
C’Mon RUNAWAYS
DJ Invisible Tambourine in action!

Don’t Call it Love GIRL SCHOOL
Oh Yeah BABES IN TOYLAND
Don’t FIFTH COLUMN
Ask For It HOLE
Andre L7
Beg Waves PONYTAIL
Glamour Girl CHICKS ON SPEED
Lonely Sea ALEXIS
My Secret Lover PRIVATE
White Horse JESSICA 6
Hot Mess (Jokers of the Scene Remix) CHROMEO
Mediocrity Rules (41 Small Stars Mix) LE TIGRE
Talk Potty THE NEED
Bitchsy KIDS ON TV feat. MAGGIE MACDONALD
Monitress MOCKET
Everything Goes CRAMPS
Radical or Pro-Parental JULIE RUIN
Hopsccortch HUGGYBEAR

The More You Know

Jungle Jezebel DIVINE
Big Girls Don’t Cry EDITH MASSEY
Suck My Left One BIKINI KILL
Party X-RAY SPEXS
Rah Rah Replica! BIKINI KILL
Drunken Butterfly SONIC YOUTH
Hurt GLASS CANDY AND THE SHATTERED THEATER
I Eat Cannibals TOTO CIELO
She’s in a Rage PRIMA DONNAS
Precious Little Diamonds FOX THE FOX
Love is a Drug GRACE JONES
Mind Your Own Business DELTA 5
Two Guys For Every Girl PEACHES
Jump Up Step Back KINGDOM

Lively Crowd at the Rose!
Dawn TITTSWORTH
Hustler SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO
Hold On (Subfocus Remix) RUSCO 
Running Up the Hill CHROMATICS
Can’t Shake This Feeling GRUM
You Make Me Like Charity THE KNIFE
Getting Over You DAVID GUETTA
I’m in Miami Bitch LMFAO
DJ Stay-at-Home Dad's Number One Fan!

5.20.2011

It's The End of The World as We Know It. Do You Feel Fine?



According to an Oakland evangelist [who's apparently really good at math], this was our last week together, folks. How did you spend it?

I'm writing this on a Thursday. The same Thursday that happens to be the second to the last day of the World. Or, the Universe? Wait, maybe its just humanity. Maybe it's just Evangelical Christians?

I'm not sure.

But what I do know is that something is going to happen on May 21, 2011. Something. Because billboards don’t lie. For now, I’m going to do my laundry. Laundry may seem futile in the event of an apocalypse but hey, it’s always nice to have a good stash of clean drawwws in case, no?

For your amusement, I'm passing along some things you might find useful for if you're waiting for Godot or just waiting for the second spin cycle to stop. With all due respect to REM, "Gimmie Shelter," "All Along The Watchtower" and the entire Metal genre, I give you: guidance, insight, predictions and comfort of the musical variety for the end times:

Our story begins with foreshadowing.

Creedence Clearwater Revival - "Bad Moon Rising"

This is not an anthem to start your day. It's a call to arms!

Europe - "The Final Countdown"

Have you contemplated your mortality yet? Has something stirred inside? Maybe you need to go make some phone calls. Don't worry, you still have time. Some time.

Talking Heads - "Road To Nowhere"

Wait. Whats so funny again?

Regina Spektor - "Laughing With"

For believers.

The Wailin' Jennys - "Long Time Traveller"

Cash layn’ down the law.

Johnny Cash - "The Man Comes Around"

Back into annihilation mode! Maynard and The Gang direct their destructive feelings more toward LA and less toward the World but hey, apocalypse is apocalypse so it made the cut. Hold on to yer intestines!

Tool - "Ænema"

Re-connect with your inner goth. It might come in handy to start getting you into the post-Rapture state of mind. Practice makes perfect.

Sisters of Mercy - "Black Planet"

The end of the world is not complete without lots of face paint, drums, cymbals that magically emit smoke clouds and overexposure. The original video for this song was better.

Florence And The Machine - "Dog Days"

If anyone can send you coasting into oblivion it's Steely Dan.

Steely Dan - "King of the World"

Tom Waits, the purgatory circus ringleader himself, doing what he does best.

Tom Waits - "God's Away On Business"

José says: it's okaaay, it's just rapture.

José González - "Save Your Day"

In the end, perhaps you should just say fuck it, put on some Dylan and transcend downstream.

Bob Dylan - "Wigwam"

Thanks to TVMOTMC for helping celebrating the last week of humanity and life as we know it. Be good to each other. Over and out.
-Nicole E. Leigh


Skeeter Davis - "The End Of The World"

5.08.2011

ON VACATION: TENDER ASSIGNMENTS


Currently, Tender Validations is taking an extended break from bi-monthly assignments to enjoy the weather, the beach, babes, and to learn some DJ skills. Stay tuned for the Tender Validations DJ Collective and a dance party that is off the hook!

Until then, please check back often for awesome mixtapes, and daily affirmations. 

♥ TVMOTMC

JOHN WALKER: November 12, 1943 - May 7, 2011