p.1 #1 · Paul Buff's background in the music business and with electronics
I've seen some people attack Paul Buff for various reasons. One of the odder ones was where a former employee insinuated that Buff's career in the music making industry was a sham because he had no music business photos on the walls of his office.
In the middle of doing some reporting on an unrelated matter I had conversations with a couple of guys who used to work in the recording industry on the West Coast and I asked them what they knew about Buff. They certainly knew who he was and they dropped a couple of names: "Kepex", "PAL studios", & "Valley Audio" so I did a little internet surfing and found this:
"PAL Studios Not an acronym or initial, but simply the name "pal" meaning friend or buddy. The name of inventor, engineer, composer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist, Paul C. Buff's original recording studio in Cucamonga, CA where he recorded Frank Zappa (and taught him recording technology), as well as creating the original sound of west coast surf music (recording, for example, The Surfaris "Wipe Out" in 1962). The name was taken from his mother and stepfather's recording label named PAL. (Paul's day-job was at General Dynamics, which Frank Zappa nicknamed "The Bomb Factory.") His next company was named Allison Research after his first wife. In 1980 he merged Allison Research with Bob Todrank's Valley Audio and formed Valley People. The name derived from the 225-acre art/music colony he and Bob developed in the '70s. Paul's latest company is White Lightning in Nashville. "
You can knock the products White Lightning and Alien Bees for what ever reasons you have, but the facts are: he really is who he says he is, did what he says he did, and he knows his way around electronics.
p.1 #3 · Paul Buff's background in the music business and with electronics
I think most post attacking him and not expecting him to defend himself are silly. I also read (now ignore) those who knock his effective watts (which I think is a good way to describe the resulting light)....
But I don't see the point of this post. Do you really think he needs someone else to point out the things he and those who actually know him point things out? Hatters will always be around. I simply ignore them unless I have an opportunity to swat them down.
p.1 #6 · Paul Buff's background in the music business and with electronics
I used products from both Valley People and Allison Labs in custom audio equipment I built in the early-mid 70's. PCB's customer focus and customer service were exemplary then as now.
When I first became acquainted with Alien Bee products, I emailed Paul and we reminisced about those days for a couple of emails. We actually met in about '76, when we were both much younger.
p.1 #12 · Paul Buff's background in the music business and with electronics
E-Vener wrote:
You can knock the products White Lightning and Alien Bees for what ever reasons you have, but the facts are: he really is who he says he is, did what he says he did, and he knows his way around electronics.
sfwalter wrote:
I'm a big Paul Buff fan! He's a great guy with an eclectic background. I hope I accomplish as many things as he has done.
I think this is the problem. This is why people defend him so strongly - they interpret the current disappointments that people have been feeling over the company's recent track record as a direct attack on the man's accomplishments. This is not the case! No one is denying Paul's past achievements! What people have an issue with is his (and the company's) recent performance, which is anything but stellar (especially when compared to those much older achievements).
p.1 #16 · Paul Buff's background in the music business and with electronics
deepsnapper wrote:
I don't see the point of this post either.
Well, I do. Paul Buff seems to be a lightning rod for comments here and at other forums, and in many cases, attacking his credibility. It's refreshing to me to read some of his early history.
Let me add that I am an Alien Bees customer who has no other affiliation with Paul C. Buff other than I bought some of his products. In doing so, I had some questions, and a defective part was shipped to me. A call to customer service answered my questions, and acknowledged the problem I had, and they shipped a replacement part right away, with no challenge. That's good enough for me, as customer service for me is a very important part on any purchase,
