Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo

{{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |Template:Short description|noreplace}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Life in General1996Let It Happen1998studioSlowly Going the Way of the BuffaloMxPx - Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo cover.jpgMxPxTemplate:Start dateFebruary 1998Robert Lang Studios, Seattle, WashingtonPunk rock,<ref name="AMreview" /> pop punk<ref name="AMreview" />40:29A&M, Tooth & NailSteve Kravacx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}} Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo is the fourth studio album released by American punk rock band MxPx in 1998. The album title was taken from a letter that a fan had written to the band, complaining that the band was changing and was "slowly going the way of the buffalo".

Background

Due to the success of MxPx's "Chick Magnet", from their previous album, Life in General, the band signed a multi-album contract with A&M.<ref name=Reece18>Reece 1998, p. 18</ref> A&M had previously signed a deal with Tooth & Nail to co-market Life in General.<ref name=Reece18/> This market deal was "cobbled together in order to sign the band", according to A&M chairman Al Cafaro.<ref name=Reece18/>

Composition and recording

Moving away from the sound of Life in General, the band "dirtied things up a little", according to vocalist and bassist Mike Herrera, for Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo.<ref name=Reece18/> The band refrained from making the album "sound like it was produced in a lab."<ref name=Reece18/> Greg Hetson of Bad Religion has guest vocals on "The Downfall of Western Civilization".<ref name=Reece18/>

Release

To generate hype, A&M picked 1,000 of the band's fans and, from April to June 1998, sent them a CD of songs from the album.<ref name=Reece18/> Despite the band's sizable fan base, the label was not approaching the album with high expectations.<ref name=Reece18/> The vice president of A&M estimated the album would easily achieve 100,000 in sales.<ref name=Reece18/> On May 6, "I'm OK, You're OK" was sent to modern rock radio stations.<ref name=Reece18/> The band supported Bad Religion on their tour of Europe in May.<ref name=Reece18/> Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo was released on June 16 through A&M.<ref name=Reece18/> From June 30, for five weeks, the band played on the 1998 edition of Warped Tour.<ref name=Reece18/> In August, the band supported Blink-182.<ref name=Reece18/>

Reception

Template:Album ratings The album charted at number 99 on the Billboard 200<ref name=Bill200/> and at number 2 on the Top Contemporary Christian chart.<ref name=TCC/> It certified gold in January 2000 by the Recording Industry Association of America.<ref name=RIAA/>

Personnel

Template:Col-start Template:Col-2 MxPx

• Mike Herrera — vocals, bass
• Tom Wisniewski — guitars, backing vocals
• Yuri Ruley — drums

Additional musicians

• Ronnie King — keyboard
• Greg Hetson — lead guitar on "The Downfall of Western Civilization"
• Dale Yob — vocals on "I'm OK, You're OK"
• Jeff Bettger — screams on "Fist vs. Tact" and "The Theme Fiasco"

Template:Col-2 Production

• Steve Kravac — producer, mixing
• Aaron Warner — production assistant
• Al Lay — mixing assistant
• Brian "Big Bass" Gardner — mastering

Artwork

• Marina Chavez — photography
• Mitch Tobias — photography
• John Nissen — illustrations
• Luke W. Midkiff — illustrations/ video direction

Chart positions

Album

Chart (1998)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard 200<ref name=Bill200>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	99
U.S. Billboard Top Contemporary Christian<ref name=TCC>"Top Contemporary Christian" 1998, p. 37</ref>	2

Certifications

Country	Certification	Sales
United States	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	500,000+

Bibliography

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