We use cookies to help us understand how you use our site, and make your experience better. To find out more read our privacy policy.
Play

00:00

/

00:00

Full screen
Video quality

Low 0 MB

High 0 MB

HD 0 MB

Captions
Volume
Volume
Hero image for The Ballad of Buckskin Bob

The Ballad of Buckskin Bob

Ian Morris (aka Tex Pistol) , Music Video – 1986

from the single The Ballad of Buckskin Bob (2021)

In 1986 ex-Dudes guitarist Ian Morris decided to use a stage name  his birth name "wasn't poppy enough", so Tex Pistol was born. It was a perfect fit for his single 'The Ballad of Buckskin Bob', a "loving parody of cowboy pop culture" written by Morris's former bandmate Lez White. Morris used his sound engineering skills and a computer sampler to transform White's version into a hook-filled, whip crackin' pop gem. The video indulges in childhood fantasy: two boys play shootout in the mall while Mum does the shopping. Tex, clad in his fringed jacket and stetson, rides a coin operated pony all the way to glory.

This pioneering, monophonic 8-bit floppy disc sampler enabled Morris to record almost every instrument in an epic arrangement of ‘Buckskin Bob’ and another Dickheads’ song, ‘Winter’. The sonic effects were panoramic, dramatic and humorous, with many musical references; think Sergio Leone meets Lee Hazlewood. Morris was reluctant to release the recordings, but was persuaded to put them out using a pseudonym. “Ian Morris just didn’t sound poppy enough,” he said, and an alias suited his take-it-or-leave-it approach to fame. “Tex Pistol” was appropriate to the songs, and the tongue-in-cheek spirit with which they were recorded.
– Excerpt from Chris Bourke's profile of Ian Morris, AudioCulture website, 11 February 2014

Key Cast & Crew

Generic Profile image for Ian Morris

Ian Morris

Performer