Biff Rose

File:BiffRose.jpg

Biff Rose's self-titled 1970 album.

Paul 'Biff' Rose is an American comedian and singer-songwriter.

Early career

Biff Rose was born on October 15, 1937, and grew up in New Orleans. He served briefly in the Army. By the early 1960's, he was a successful comedian and folk musician, associated with the NYC Greenwich Village nightclub scene. He was profiled in The New York Times (1964) and Time Magazine (January 29th, 1965). His act combined banjo-accompanied comedy songs with monologues written by Joseph Newman (a successful Cleveland based humorist and Paul Newman's uncle). He toured extensively as the opening act for Glenn Yarbrough of the Limeliters. By 1965 he had landed in Hollywood, working with George Carlin as a sketch writer for television variety shows such as "The Mort Sahl Show" and John Davidson's "Kraft Summer Music Hall" (1966), for which he also wrote the opening theme ("Sing a Summer Song").

Late 1960's-1970's

Eventually, Biff turned his attention to songwriting. After Van Dyke Parks brought him to the attention of producer Art Podell, Bill Cosby's Tetragrammaton label released Biff's commercial debut, "The Thorn in Mrs. Rose's Side" in 1968. An underground hit, it featured Biff's tenor vocals and virtuosic piano playing, combining New Orleans barrelhouse, stride, and classical flourishes with Broadway-inspired orchestral arrangements. A song co-written with Paul Williams, "Fill Your Heart", was recorded by both Tiny Tim [[1]] and, later, David Bowie (on the "Hunky Dory" album, which owed much stylistically to Biff's sound[[2]]). Many of Rose's songs had a tendency towards pun-riddled surreal humor, with a religious and political edge. On the other hand, he could write unusually personal ballads: His most popular song of this era was "Molly," a love song later covered by John Denver. Other songs were recorded by Pat Boone, actor Sajid Khan, and rockabilly musician Dorsey Burnette.

Rose was marketed as a friendly-yet-subversive hippie, a representative of the American youth counterculture. He appeared on Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show" 12 times from 1968 to 1970, usually taking on a ribbing role against the straighter-laced Carson [[3]]. He also performed his songs on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour [[4]], American Bandstand [[5]], and Hugh Hefner's Playboy After Dark [[6]]. He emceed the Atlantic City Pop Festival of 1969 [[7]], and the Atlanta Pop Festival of 1970 [[8]].

His Tonight Show appearances became increasingly risk-taking, culminating in his 12th (and final) appearance [[9]] where he performed a song about Jesus and Mary Magdalene "making love in each others' eyes." (This performance can be heard on Biff's CD "E-stir Parade.")

After Tetragrammaton Records folded, Rose recorded albums for the Buddah label, United Artists, and Pacific Arts. These albums were unpredictable, running the gamut from confessional/mystical songwriting to zenlike live comedy routines [[10]] and free jazz experiments. The Mike Nesmith-produced "Roast Beef" album featured 14 ballads, alternating with violent piano improvisations, recorded in one continuous take. He spent much of the 1970's touring the country in a piano-rigged VW bus.

1980's-present

Rose ceased releasing albums as the 80's began. He returned, in 1996, with the "Bone Again" CD. He has since released three other disks. His more recent records have continued his experimental, questing approach to songwriting. Song structures are stretched, unusual synthesizer settings are employed, and lyrics tend towards dense, conversational, rapped stream-of-consciousness. He tends towards taboo-breaking in his subject matter and use of language. Recent years have seen a revival of interest in Rose, with feature articles in "Mojo" and "BB Gun" magazines, and two compilation CDs (one US, one European) due in the fall of 2005.

Rose now tours intermittently, playing small venues and the occasional summer festival. He lives in New Orleans when New Orleans is not submerged.

Discography

Rare early albums

• Biff, Cliff, and Warren, 1961 (self-release)
• Urban (folk) Renewal: Blue Dog Cellar (live compilation w/ 3 other artists, Kimberly Recordings, 1962)
• Banjo and Ballyhoo, 1963 (Angry Young Man Records, self-release)

LP-era albums

• The Thorn in Mrs. Rose's Side (1968, Tetragrammaton) [to be re-released on Water Records, Fall 2005]
• Children of Light (1969, Tetragrammaton) [to be re-released on Water Records, Fall 2005]
• Biff Rose (1970, Buddah)
• Half Live at the Bitter End (1971, Buddah)
• Uncle Jesus, Aunty Christ (1972, United Artists)
• Hamburger Blues [w/ Wall Matthews] (1974, Sweet Jane Limited)
• Roast Beef (recorded 1976, released 1978, Down Pat/Pacific Arts)
• Thee Messiah Album (1979, Pacific Arts)

CD-era albums

• Bone Again (1996, Fast Eddy)
• The Elizabethan Period [w/ Elizabeth Suggs] (2000, GoddessOne)
• E-Stir Parade(2002, Wascals)
• Live At The Earl Of Oldtown (recorded 1977, released 2003, Wascals)
• The Night Wiggah and the Nippie Higger (2004, Wascals)

One-liners from Biff Rose

• My words are just some antics.
• I'm bound and determined to be cliche-free.
• God is the name of a reality too personal to be named.
• Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace or I'll take matters into my own hands.
• There's only two ways to handle women, and no one knows either of them.
• He's just a shell of a man, but if you hold him to your ear you can hear the ocean roar.

External links

Official websites

• BiffRose.com
• biffrose.biz
• biffrose.net
• Jewmanity.com

Other

• Biff Rose Biography on mp3.com
• Map of the Heavens, Positions of Planets, Astrological Birth Chart of Biff ROSE, born October 15, 1937 at 5:30 PM in La Nouvelle Orléans, LA (USA)