Paul Buff

Paul C. Buff is name-checked on the cover of "Freak Out!" (1966) under the heading "These People Have Contributed Materially In Many Ways To Make Our Music What It Is. Please Do Not Hold It Against Them"; he is also mentioned in "The Real Frank Zappa Book" (1989) as an "amazing gentleman" (see the chapter "Let's Get Into Show Business").

Inventor, engineer, composer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist, Buff was a key player in an early turning point not only in FZ's career, but surf music in general, and the nature of the recording industry itself.

At age 21, opened a music recording studio in the southern California.

He is as well regarded in the Music Business and Audio Engineering fields for his development and marketing of high tech recording equipment, as a producer/engineer for four Top 40 gold records, and as a multi-talented musician.

Has worked with groups such as the Surfaris ("Wipe Out"), The Chantays ("Pipeline"), Sweet Pain, Giant Crab, and Yankee Dollar.

Buff claims to be the "Godfather of Snorks" and other such early Zappa noises..., although, according to Ray Collins, this title should go to Dick Barber.

In 1960, Ronnie Williams introduced FZ to Paul Buff, owner of Pal Recording Studio in Cucamonga, CA. Paul, Frank, Ronnie, and Dave Aerni recorded a bunch of 7" singles at Pal recording studio between late '60 and 1963. In '63, Buff got the opportunity to work with Art Laboe at Original Sound. After a couple of months, he sold the Pal recording studio to Zappa. Paul provided fuzz bass for The Lost Episodes, and had a hand in recording the first two tracks of the Mystery Disc.