Paul Buff

American sound engineer, technician & producer, who founded Pal Recording Studio in Cucamonga.
Buff was a self-taught pioneer in the field of independent record production in the early 1960's, developing his skills through the necessity of low budgets and creating unique techniques, recording equipment and sounds that would elevate such groups as The Surfaris (opens in a new tab) and The Chantays (opens in a new tab), and caused the 'surf sound' of the 60's to emerge.
From mid 1960 musician Frank Zappa almost became a permanent fixture in Buff's studio. Zappa's emerging musical skills and vision for the fusion of genre styles became an ideal marriage to Buff's technical skills on the console. The duo released a number of singles together as producers. Many of these works, with Buff engineering and producing, can be heard on the Zappa release The Lost Episodes (opens in a new tab). Bootlegs also exist from this period.
Having sold the Pal studio to Zappa by 1963, Buff then relocated to Art Laboe's. Here he also produced Sugarloaf and Strawberry Alarm Clock.
During his time at Pal studio Buff had produced records on his own labels Pal,,, Plaza and.
Buff retired from the music industry in 1982, and set up an electronics business called "White Lightning". In 2004 he opened the "Different Strokes" art gallery in Nashville, Tennessee and an artwork publishing company called "GoGo Press".