The Fuzz Kings Interview with “Fat” Dave Johnston
© Marc J Chalifoux
Sometimes you need a band that’s just fun to listen to, not
necessarily pop music or anything, but just something to make you feel like the
world sucks a little bit less, and The Fuzz Kings may just be the ticket. Equal parts traditional western twang, surf
and fuzzy blues it’s hard not to smile when you listen to this music, sprawling
reverb drenched guitar teeming with some sweet slide work and an airtight
rhythm section to create intoxicatingly catchy tunes. There’s just something about The Fuzz Kings,
a slight hop in their step that’s infectious and undeniable, and by the time
the first song on their new album ReTurn Of The Century is finished I guarantee
your toe’ll be tapping. This is the kind
of album you put on when you’re kicking back with a couple of buddies shooting
the shit about what you’ve all been up to, how long it’s been since you’ve seen
each other, and how life’s kicking your ass and you’ve been having a hell of a
time the whole time! That’s not to say
this is background music, anything but, it does however sound very much like a
soundtrack to a better life that I’ve been living in my head for years, too
afraid or too dumb to act on in real life.
It’s rare I find music that can put me in a good place like this can,
it’s the true definition of party music to me and it’s a pleasure to be able to
share a nice in-depth piece with another one of Canada’s well kept secrets as
well. So, grab a cold one out of the
fridge and let me know what you think when you’re finished kids…
necessarily pop music or anything, but just something to make you feel like the
world sucks a little bit less, and The Fuzz Kings may just be the ticket. Equal parts traditional western twang, surf
and fuzzy blues it’s hard not to smile when you listen to this music, sprawling
reverb drenched guitar teeming with some sweet slide work and an airtight
rhythm section to create intoxicatingly catchy tunes. There’s just something about The Fuzz Kings,
a slight hop in their step that’s infectious and undeniable, and by the time
the first song on their new album ReTurn Of The Century is finished I guarantee
your toe’ll be tapping. This is the kind
of album you put on when you’re kicking back with a couple of buddies shooting
the shit about what you’ve all been up to, how long it’s been since you’ve seen
each other, and how life’s kicking your ass and you’ve been having a hell of a
time the whole time! That’s not to say
this is background music, anything but, it does however sound very much like a
soundtrack to a better life that I’ve been living in my head for years, too
afraid or too dumb to act on in real life.
It’s rare I find music that can put me in a good place like this can,
it’s the true definition of party music to me and it’s a pleasure to be able to
share a nice in-depth piece with another one of Canada’s well kept secrets as
well. So, grab a cold one out of the
fridge and let me know what you think when you’re finished kids…
Listen
while you read: http://thefuzzkings.bandcamp.com/
while you read: http://thefuzzkings.bandcamp.com/
Who’s in The Fuzz
Kings right now? Is this the original
lineup or have there been any changes made to the lineup?
Kings right now? Is this the original
lineup or have there been any changes made to the lineup?
Well… Both. We started out as a three piece with Nathan
Ouellete on drums, Alex Thurgood on bass, and me on guitar and vocals, and then
during the recording of our latest release ReTurn of The Century we took on a
fourth member; Tom Kerr, who engineered our first EP as well ReTurn Of The
Century. We all got along great, so Tom
learned up a bunch of songs and joined us on tour last summer.
Ouellete on drums, Alex Thurgood on bass, and me on guitar and vocals, and then
during the recording of our latest release ReTurn of The Century we took on a
fourth member; Tom Kerr, who engineered our first EP as well ReTurn Of The
Century. We all got along great, so Tom
learned up a bunch of songs and joined us on tour last summer.
Do any of you have
any other bands or side projects going on at this point? Have you released anything with anyone in the
past? If so, can you tell us about that?
any other bands or side projects going on at this point? Have you released anything with anyone in the
past? If so, can you tell us about that?
I’ve been doing some solo acoustic performances, and will
likely be releasing something with that.
Tom and Alex have another band they’re getting going with another
songwriter. Nathan plays a lot, he’s
involved with the local jazz scene and plays with a number of great players,
but he gets his “smash” on with us.
We’ve all been playing in bands and travelling around the countryside
since the mid-nineties.
likely be releasing something with that.
Tom and Alex have another band they’re getting going with another
songwriter. Nathan plays a lot, he’s
involved with the local jazz scene and plays with a number of great players,
but he gets his “smash” on with us.
We’ve all been playing in bands and travelling around the countryside
since the mid-nineties.
How old are you
and where are you originally from?
and where are you originally from?
We’re all in our early thirties… I’m from Edmonton originally, but I’m the
only one. We were all born in different
parts of the continent.
only one. We were all born in different
parts of the continent.
What was the local
music scene like where you grew up? Were
you very involved in the local scene there at all? Did you see a lot of shows there when you
were younger? Do you feel like the local
scene played an important role in shaping your musical tastes or the way that
you perform today?
music scene like where you grew up? Were
you very involved in the local scene there at all? Did you see a lot of shows there when you
were younger? Do you feel like the local
scene played an important role in shaping your musical tastes or the way that
you perform today?
The local scene here has seen some good times and some bad
times, but we’ve all been a part of it every step of the way. The local music has definitely shaped things
for me. It made me want to dig deep and
find where their sound came from. Seeing
a band live is a very special thing that a lot of kids don’t get to do anymore,
but in Edmonton there are a lot of bands here that have accomplished a lot on a
national level, which is really easy for people to get excited about.
times, but we’ve all been a part of it every step of the way. The local music has definitely shaped things
for me. It made me want to dig deep and
find where their sound came from. Seeing
a band live is a very special thing that a lot of kids don’t get to do anymore,
but in Edmonton there are a lot of bands here that have accomplished a lot on a
national level, which is really easy for people to get excited about.
What about your
household when you were a child? Were
either your parents or any of your relatives musicians or extremely involved or
interested in music when you were growing up?
household when you were a child? Were
either your parents or any of your relatives musicians or extremely involved or
interested in music when you were growing up?
There was always music in the house growing up, but nobody
ever took it as far as I did. None of
them ever started bands or made records or anything like that. They always had pretty good taste in music
too though, which is fortunate.
ever took it as far as I did. None of
them ever started bands or made records or anything like that. They always had pretty good taste in music
too though, which is fortunate.
What do you
consider to be your first real exposure to music?
consider to be your first real exposure to music?
Hard to say. When I was
a kid, we had a couple of cassettes in the car at all times. One was The Best of Buddy Holly, and the
other was The Beach Boys Greatest Hits.
Thinking back on it now, it must have triggered something in my
brain. I grew up in the 80’s and 90’s
not even knowing about groups like New Kids On The Block. I mean, I’d heard of Michael Jackson,
Madonna, etcetera but I really didn’t know how big of a deal they were until
way later on in life. I was sheltered in
all the best ways.
a kid, we had a couple of cassettes in the car at all times. One was The Best of Buddy Holly, and the
other was The Beach Boys Greatest Hits.
Thinking back on it now, it must have triggered something in my
brain. I grew up in the 80’s and 90’s
not even knowing about groups like New Kids On The Block. I mean, I’d heard of Michael Jackson,
Madonna, etcetera but I really didn’t know how big of a deal they were until
way later on in life. I was sheltered in
all the best ways.
If you were to
pick a moment, a moment that seemed to change everything and opened your eyes
to the infinite possibilities of music, what would it be?
pick a moment, a moment that seemed to change everything and opened your eyes
to the infinite possibilities of music, what would it be?
At one point, I’d heard that one of my favorite bands The
Murder City Devils singer worked at a gas station when he wasn’t on the
road. That may not even be true, but it
helped me realize that these monsters of rock and roll, these charismatic
entities were regular, everyday people who you might not look twice at. They’re not the biggest band in the world by
any stretch, but a great band, and an influential band on the roster during the
golden years of SUB-POP. Suddenly, it
all seemed so attainable.
Murder City Devils singer worked at a gas station when he wasn’t on the
road. That may not even be true, but it
helped me realize that these monsters of rock and roll, these charismatic
entities were regular, everyday people who you might not look twice at. They’re not the biggest band in the world by
any stretch, but a great band, and an influential band on the roster during the
golden years of SUB-POP. Suddenly, it
all seemed so attainable.
When did you
decide that you wanted to start writing and or performing your own music and
what brought that decision about for you?
decide that you wanted to start writing and or performing your own music and
what brought that decision about for you?
When I started learning how to play some of the pop-rock
songs on the radio in the mid-90’s. They
came so easy to me. Three or four
chords… Seemed like no big deal. I just figured it would make more sense if I
sang a song about my girlfriend and my struggles instead of someone else’s.
songs on the radio in the mid-90’s. They
came so easy to me. Three or four
chords… Seemed like no big deal. I just figured it would make more sense if I
sang a song about my girlfriend and my struggles instead of someone else’s.
What was your
first instrument? When and how did you
get it?
first instrument? When and how did you
get it?
1962 Fender Telecaster – Japanese reissue. I got it in 1994 and I still have it, and
still tour with it. It cost me nine
months of delivering flyers in my neighborhood.
still tour with it. It cost me nine
months of delivering flyers in my neighborhood.
How and when did
you all originally meet?
you all originally meet?
We’d all been bashing around the Edmonton music scene as
teenagers, but we became friends when we all started working together. Three out of the four of us work at Long
& McQuade, which is a nation-wide Canadian Musical Instrument
retailer. Nathan, our drummer, runs his
own drum shop, but his wife used to work at Long & McQuade interestingly
enough.
teenagers, but we became friends when we all started working together. Three out of the four of us work at Long
& McQuade, which is a nation-wide Canadian Musical Instrument
retailer. Nathan, our drummer, runs his
own drum shop, but his wife used to work at Long & McQuade interestingly
enough.
What led to the
formation of The Fuzz Kings and when would that have been?
formation of The Fuzz Kings and when would that have been?
Mid 2012, things were winding down a bit from an alt-country
band I was playing in called Jake Ian & The Haymakers. That was a band where I had very little
involvement in the songwriting and I’d taken the gig to cleanse my pallet a bit
and learn something new, which was great because before that I was feeling a
little uninspired. But when I came back
to writing I had a bunch of new songs and inspiration, and I had to get back at
it. I was just fortunate to find some
people who were looking to do something new at the time.
band I was playing in called Jake Ian & The Haymakers. That was a band where I had very little
involvement in the songwriting and I’d taken the gig to cleanse my pallet a bit
and learn something new, which was great because before that I was feeling a
little uninspired. But when I came back
to writing I had a bunch of new songs and inspiration, and I had to get back at
it. I was just fortunate to find some
people who were looking to do something new at the time.
The name seems to
be pretty self-explanatory to me, and I love it, but I might be missing
something. What does the name The Fuzz
Kings mean or refer to? Who came up with
the name and how did you all go about choosing it?
be pretty self-explanatory to me, and I love it, but I might be missing
something. What does the name The Fuzz
Kings mean or refer to? Who came up with
the name and how did you all go about choosing it?
We wanted a band name that sounded like it had been around
for a long time. We went through several
different sorts of “The ___ Kings” names before finding one that hadn’t been
used, so we seized it. Ironically
enough, the first release had no fuzz guitar on it at all. The fuzz pedals came later.
for a long time. We went through several
different sorts of “The ___ Kings” names before finding one that hadn’t been
used, so we seized it. Ironically
enough, the first release had no fuzz guitar on it at all. The fuzz pedals came later.
Is there any sort
of shared creed, code, ideal or mantra that the band shares or lives by?
of shared creed, code, ideal or mantra that the band shares or lives by?
We just try to make our songs ‘stupid’ and fun enough. If you’re not having fun, you’re doing it
wrong.
wrong.
Where are The Fuzz
Kings located at these days?
Kings located at these days?
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
How would you
describe the local music scene where you all are at right now?
describe the local music scene where you all are at right now?
It feels like it’s going to explode. There’re really a lot of great things
happening right now and I can’t wait to see what happens.
happening right now and I can’t wait to see what happens.
Do you feel like
you’re very involved in the local scene?
Do you book or attend a lot of local shows?
you’re very involved in the local scene?
Do you book or attend a lot of local shows?
Not as involved as I used to be. I get out when I can to see what I can see,
but making music has definitely slowed down the amount of music see. I’m also a dad and an old car enthusiast, and
there’re only so many days in the week.
Tom’s an avid supporter of local bands, as is Alex.
but making music has definitely slowed down the amount of music see. I’m also a dad and an old car enthusiast, and
there’re only so many days in the week.
Tom’s an avid supporter of local bands, as is Alex.
Are you involved
in recording or releasing any local music?
If so, can you tell us about that briefly here?
in recording or releasing any local music?
If so, can you tell us about that briefly here?
We release our own music at this point, which keeps us
busy. We’re interested in split
releases, compilations, and helping other bands release their music but we
haven’t gotten into that at this point.
Perhaps we will.
busy. We’re interested in split
releases, compilations, and helping other bands release their music but we
haven’t gotten into that at this point.
Perhaps we will.
Do you feel like
the local scene there has played a large or integral part in the sound, history
or evolution of The Fuzz Kings or do you feel like you all could be doing what
you are, and sound like you do, regardless of your location or surroundings?
the local scene there has played a large or integral part in the sound, history
or evolution of The Fuzz Kings or do you feel like you all could be doing what
you are, and sound like you do, regardless of your location or surroundings?
We’re very Edmonton-proud and Alberta-proud, but we set out
to differentiate ourselves from what’s happening in Edmonton, just for
variety’s sake. There’s a lot of country
and blues in our sound which reaches people in various walks of life. We might sound kinda the same if we lived
somewhere else, but the attitude would be different.
to differentiate ourselves from what’s happening in Edmonton, just for
variety’s sake. There’s a lot of country
and blues in our sound which reaches people in various walks of life. We might sound kinda the same if we lived
somewhere else, but the attitude would be different.
How would you
describe The Fuzz Kings’ sound to our readers who might not have heard you all
before in your own words?
describe The Fuzz Kings’ sound to our readers who might not have heard you all
before in your own words?
Buddy Holly meets Social Distortion.
I’m curious to
hear who you’d claim as your major musical influences? What about influences on the band as a whole
rather than just individually?
hear who you’d claim as your major musical influences? What about influences on the band as a whole
rather than just individually?
We come from all over the map musically, but we see
eye-to-eye on the bands and artists that gripped us in our formative
years… Bands like Operation Ivy, The
Replacements, Rancid, Tom Waits, Rocket From The Crypt…
eye-to-eye on the bands and artists that gripped us in our formative
years… Bands like Operation Ivy, The
Replacements, Rancid, Tom Waits, Rocket From The Crypt…
What’s the
songwriting process like for The Fuzz Kings?
Is there one of you who usually come to the rest of you with a riff or
more finished idea for a song to work out with you all? Or do you all do a lot of jamming and kind of
kick ideas back and forth until you kind of work out a song?
songwriting process like for The Fuzz Kings?
Is there one of you who usually come to the rest of you with a riff or
more finished idea for a song to work out with you all? Or do you all do a lot of jamming and kind of
kick ideas back and forth until you kind of work out a song?
Typically, I show up with a song and we bang it out in
fifteen minutes. Then it gradually takes
shape as we flesh it out over a few rehearsals, but that’s been changing a bit
lately since Tom joined. It’s a lot more
collaborative, which is really interesting and fun. Everybody puts their mark on every song, and
since the common goal is doing what’s right for the song, the recipe’s been
working well.
fifteen minutes. Then it gradually takes
shape as we flesh it out over a few rehearsals, but that’s been changing a bit
lately since Tom joined. It’s a lot more
collaborative, which is really interesting and fun. Everybody puts their mark on every song, and
since the common goal is doing what’s right for the song, the recipe’s been
working well.
What’s recording
like for The Fuzz Kings? I think that
most musicians can obviously appreciate the end result of all the time, hard
work and effort that goes into making an album when you’re holding the final
product in your hands. Getting to that
point though, that’s another story, and doing that as a band can be extremely
difficult to say the least. What’s it
like for The Fuzz Kings?
like for The Fuzz Kings? I think that
most musicians can obviously appreciate the end result of all the time, hard
work and effort that goes into making an album when you’re holding the final
product in your hands. Getting to that
point though, that’s another story, and doing that as a band can be extremely
difficult to say the least. What’s it
like for The Fuzz Kings?
We keep it really fun and light-hearted. We believe that fun vibe carries itself
through to the finished product. Songs
are usually all worked out before-hand, and we trust each other to play to the
best of our ability, so there’s really nothing to fight about.
through to the finished product. Songs
are usually all worked out before-hand, and we trust each other to play to the
best of our ability, so there’s really nothing to fight about.
Do you all head
into the studio to record or do you take a more DIY approach to things and
prefer to handle every aspect of the recording yourselves?
into the studio to record or do you take a more DIY approach to things and
prefer to handle every aspect of the recording yourselves?
We used to record with Tom…
But now Tom’s in the band, so it’s definitely DIY – in Tom’s
studio. We all pull our weight as best
we can so Tom doesn’t feel overwhelmed, but we all always feel like we could do
more to help.
But now Tom’s in the band, so it’s definitely DIY – in Tom’s
studio. We all pull our weight as best
we can so Tom doesn’t feel overwhelmed, but we all always feel like we could do
more to help.
Is there a lot of
time and preparation that goes into a recording session for The Fuzz Kings
where you all spend a lot of time working out every nook and cranny of a song,
and know exactly how it’s going to play out before you ever set foot in the
studio? Or do you all kind of get a good
idea of what a song’s going to sound like and then leave it some room to live
and breathe on it’s own and evolve a little bit during recording if necessary?
time and preparation that goes into a recording session for The Fuzz Kings
where you all spend a lot of time working out every nook and cranny of a song,
and know exactly how it’s going to play out before you ever set foot in the
studio? Or do you all kind of get a good
idea of what a song’s going to sound like and then leave it some room to live
and breathe on it’s own and evolve a little bit during recording if necessary?
Most of the nooks and crannies of the songs get worked out
over time rehearsing and playing shows.
A song should definitely breathe, but we try to make as much progress
with that before hitting the studio as we can.
Typically, we have at least the drums and bass recorded in one day. But if we had a bigger budget we’d probably
take more time.
over time rehearsing and playing shows.
A song should definitely breathe, but we try to make as much progress
with that before hitting the studio as we can.
Typically, we have at least the drums and bass recorded in one day. But if we had a bigger budget we’d probably
take more time.
Your first release
that I know of was the Accentuate Everything 12” in 2013 which is limited to
only 250 colored vinyl copies. What was
the recording of Accentuate Everything like?
Was that a fun, pleasurable experience for you all? Who recorded that material? When and where would that have been? What kind of equipment was used?
that I know of was the Accentuate Everything 12” in 2013 which is limited to
only 250 colored vinyl copies. What was
the recording of Accentuate Everything like?
Was that a fun, pleasurable experience for you all? Who recorded that material? When and where would that have been? What kind of equipment was used?
Accentuate Everything was recorded by Tom before he joined
the band. It was done at his house and
it was pretty fun. The original intent
was to have some demos to use for grant applications, but when we didn’t get
any grants, we just put it out ourselves.
The whole thing was recorded on a Sunday afternoon in the fall of 2012.
the band. It was done at his house and
it was pretty fun. The original intent
was to have some demos to use for grant applications, but when we didn’t get
any grants, we just put it out ourselves.
The whole thing was recorded on a Sunday afternoon in the fall of 2012.
You followed up
Accentuate Everything with the “I’m Your Goon” b/w “Guilty Conscience” single
for Record Store day back in April of this year (2014). Were those tracks written or recorded
specifically for that single or were they tracks you’d had sitting around for a
bit looking for a home? If they were
recorded for the single can you tell us about that?
Accentuate Everything with the “I’m Your Goon” b/w “Guilty Conscience” single
for Record Store day back in April of this year (2014). Were those tracks written or recorded
specifically for that single or were they tracks you’d had sitting around for a
bit looking for a home? If they were
recorded for the single can you tell us about that?
“I’m Your Goon” was a left-over track from the recording of
ReTurn Of The Century and “Guilty Conscience” was a one-off that we did in
another studio. They were both going to
be ‘rainy day’ songs that we’d wanted to use for compilations or split 7”s with
other bands, but this Record Store Day opportunity came up so we went for it. Neither of them really fit in with the
overall vibe of ReTurn Of The Century the way we’d hoped they would… The original plan was to have twelve songs on
that album but “I’m Your Goon” was too edgy for the overall feel, and “Guilty
Conscience” was recorded in a drastically different way so we saved them. Since we’ve been writing and recording so
many songs, we figured, “Why wait?” and went with the RSD release idea.
ReTurn Of The Century and “Guilty Conscience” was a one-off that we did in
another studio. They were both going to
be ‘rainy day’ songs that we’d wanted to use for compilations or split 7”s with
other bands, but this Record Store Day opportunity came up so we went for it. Neither of them really fit in with the
overall vibe of ReTurn Of The Century the way we’d hoped they would… The original plan was to have twelve songs on
that album but “I’m Your Goon” was too edgy for the overall feel, and “Guilty
Conscience” was recorded in a drastically different way so we saved them. Since we’ve been writing and recording so
many songs, we figured, “Why wait?” and went with the RSD release idea.
As well as the
“I’m Your Goon” single you also released your brand new full-length ReTurn Of
The Century not too long ago. What can
listeners expect from the new album? Did
you all try anything radically new or different when it came to the songwriting
or recording of ReTurn Of The Century?
“I’m Your Goon” single you also released your brand new full-length ReTurn Of
The Century not too long ago. What can
listeners expect from the new album? Did
you all try anything radically new or different when it came to the songwriting
or recording of ReTurn Of The Century?
The songs are a lot more developed, and have more punch to
them than Accentuate Everything. A lot
more thought and preparation went into these songs, because we started
recording ReTurn of The Century one week before releasing Accentuate
Everything, so we’ve been ahead of the game for quite a while. Similarly, we’ve already begun work on a
release for 2015.
them than Accentuate Everything. A lot
more thought and preparation went into these songs, because we started
recording ReTurn of The Century one week before releasing Accentuate
Everything, so we’ve been ahead of the game for quite a while. Similarly, we’ve already begun work on a
release for 2015.
Was the recording
of the material for ReTurn Of The Century very different than your earlier
material? Do you feel like you’ve
learned a lot since the recording of Accentuate Everything? When was ReTurn Of The Century recorded? Where was that at and who recorded it? What kind of equipment was used this time
around?
of the material for ReTurn Of The Century very different than your earlier
material? Do you feel like you’ve
learned a lot since the recording of Accentuate Everything? When was ReTurn Of The Century recorded? Where was that at and who recorded it? What kind of equipment was used this time
around?
Both albums were recorded in the same place, by the same
engineer, and since we were happy with the results of Accentuate Everything, we
went with a similar studio set-up. That
being said, guitar amps were different, we used more pedals, and there was more
overdubbing, doubling up parts to make them thicker sounding… Just to make it all punchier.
engineer, and since we were happy with the results of Accentuate Everything, we
went with a similar studio set-up. That
being said, guitar amps were different, we used more pedals, and there was more
overdubbing, doubling up parts to make them thicker sounding… Just to make it all punchier.
Do The Fuzz Kings
have any music that we haven’t talked about yet, maybe a song that appeared a
compilation or a single that I might not know about?
have any music that we haven’t talked about yet, maybe a song that appeared a
compilation or a single that I might not know about?
“Your Lipstick Only Gets In The Way” from Accentuate
Everything was used on a Movember compilation that’s available on iTunes, and
before the end of 2014 we should see a new Fuzz Kings song on a compilation
that’s being put out by the university radio station as part of the annual fund
drive.
Everything was used on a Movember compilation that’s available on iTunes, and
before the end of 2014 we should see a new Fuzz Kings song on a compilation
that’s being put out by the university radio station as part of the annual fund
drive.
With the release
of Return Of The Century not too long ago at all, are there any other releases
in the works or on the horizon for you all at this point?
of Return Of The Century not too long ago at all, are there any other releases
in the works or on the horizon for you all at this point?
We’ve started working on a follow-up album of eight songs
that should see the light of day in early 2015.
Since we just released a 7” and a full length CD, there’s not much
urgency to push it out the door, which makes for a much more relaxed approach
to recording.
that should see the light of day in early 2015.
Since we just released a 7” and a full length CD, there’s not much
urgency to push it out the door, which makes for a much more relaxed approach
to recording.
With the
completely insane postage rate increases that don’t show any sign of letting
up, I try and provide our readers with as many possible options for picking up
stuff as I can. Where’s the best place
for our US readers to score you albums?
completely insane postage rate increases that don’t show any sign of letting
up, I try and provide our readers with as many possible options for picking up
stuff as I can. Where’s the best place
for our US readers to score you albums?
We’ve decided to keep things simple and do mail orders
exclusively through our Bandcamp page where there are some combo deals
available for anyone who wants more than one item.
exclusively through our Bandcamp page where there are some combo deals
available for anyone who wants more than one item.
What about our
national and international readers?
national and international readers?
Same site. Keeping
track of multiple sites and juggling inventory can get convoluted, so we’re
keeping it easy.
track of multiple sites and juggling inventory can get convoluted, so we’re
keeping it easy.
And where’s
the best place for our interested readers to keep up with the latest news like
upcoming shows and album releases from The Fuzz Kings at?
the best place for our interested readers to keep up with the latest news like
upcoming shows and album releases from The Fuzz Kings at?
Are there any
major plans or goals that The Fuzz Kings are looking to accomplish in the rest
of 2014?
major plans or goals that The Fuzz Kings are looking to accomplish in the rest
of 2014?
Just bigger and better shows really. We’re gaining some notoriety in our home
town, planning a western Canadian tour in August 2014. It’d be nice to get some good physical
distribution before the next album’s ready, but we take it all as it comes.
town, planning a western Canadian tour in August 2014. It’d be nice to get some good physical
distribution before the next album’s ready, but we take it all as it comes.
Do you all spend a
lot of time out on the road touring? Do
you like being out on the road? What’s
touring like for The Fuzz Kings?
lot of time out on the road touring? Do
you like being out on the road? What’s
touring like for The Fuzz Kings?
We love to tour, but don’t get to do it nearly as much as
we’d like. Hopefully we’ll be able to
change that a bit. It all comes down to
money. It’s a lot harder to roll the
dice when you have a kid or a mortgage or a job that has a lot of
responsibility attached to it, but when we get to go it’s that much more
rewarding. We travel pretty comfortably
and so far it’s been pretty successful.
we’d like. Hopefully we’ll be able to
change that a bit. It all comes down to
money. It’s a lot harder to roll the
dice when you have a kid or a mortgage or a job that has a lot of
responsibility attached to it, but when we get to go it’s that much more
rewarding. We travel pretty comfortably
and so far it’s been pretty successful.
© Gregrogy Hann
© Gregrogy Hann
What, if anything,
do you all have planned as far as touring goes for the rest of the year (2014)?
do you all have planned as far as touring goes for the rest of the year (2014)?
We’re touring western Canada for two weeks in August. Then we’ll nail down a few weekend trips here
and there to keep up appearances in towns where the shows went really well.
and there to keep up appearances in towns where the shows went really well.
Who are some of
your favorite bands that you’ve had a chance to share a bill with so far?
your favorite bands that you’ve had a chance to share a bill with so far?
Forbidden Dimension, The Creepshow, Corb Lund, Jr. Gone
Wild, Ten Second Epic. All great bands,
and hugely influential in our little corner of the continent, and it’s been an
honor to play with all of them.
Wild, Ten Second Epic. All great bands,
and hugely influential in our little corner of the continent, and it’s been an
honor to play with all of them.
In your dreams,
who are you on tour with?
who are you on tour with?
I’ll say Social Distortion but I’m pretty sure Tom and Alex
would say Rocket From The Crypt, which I can’t argue with. That would rule.
would say Rocket From The Crypt, which I can’t argue with. That would rule.
Do you have any
funny or interesting stories from live shows or performances that you’d like to
share here with our readers?
funny or interesting stories from live shows or performances that you’d like to
share here with our readers?
We rolled into Vancouver last year to play a well-known
venue called The Railway Club. When we
got there the venue was clearly double-booked…
They were charging cover for two shows at one entrance, there was no
signage or posters, everything was all wrong.
Not cool, but rather than bailing on a band that was twenty hours of
highway driving from home, they set us and the other band up in this back
conference room. There was a small
practice PA in there, it was a neat little room, but it was clearly going to be
a shit-show. So, we didn’t bother
setting up cameras, something we’d been doing for the whole tour, which we
should have, because it ended up being a pretty wild night. Oh yes, and we drank a little more than we
usually do because this show was screwed from the start. A whole pile of people that were there for
the other gig that was happening ended up crashing our little party, dancin’
and shakin’, partying the night away.
Since we’d been getting un-hinged and going super hard, our guitar
player, Tom, decided to climb up on this little bar that ran along-side the
stage area. What he didn’t know was that
the bar manager, in his excitement of how well our little show was doing, put a
few extra pints on that bar for us. Tom
ended up crushing those pints, causing them to pour directly into the powered
mixer that was suspended beneath the bar blowing the entire P.A. and causing
blue sparks and flames to shoot out in the direction of our drummer. The power went out, and that 100-year old bar
could have seen some serious fire damage.
Somehow we ended up getting paid despite the damage which I can’t
believe. I’m afraid to ask for another
gig there. For now…
venue called The Railway Club. When we
got there the venue was clearly double-booked…
They were charging cover for two shows at one entrance, there was no
signage or posters, everything was all wrong.
Not cool, but rather than bailing on a band that was twenty hours of
highway driving from home, they set us and the other band up in this back
conference room. There was a small
practice PA in there, it was a neat little room, but it was clearly going to be
a shit-show. So, we didn’t bother
setting up cameras, something we’d been doing for the whole tour, which we
should have, because it ended up being a pretty wild night. Oh yes, and we drank a little more than we
usually do because this show was screwed from the start. A whole pile of people that were there for
the other gig that was happening ended up crashing our little party, dancin’
and shakin’, partying the night away.
Since we’d been getting un-hinged and going super hard, our guitar
player, Tom, decided to climb up on this little bar that ran along-side the
stage area. What he didn’t know was that
the bar manager, in his excitement of how well our little show was doing, put a
few extra pints on that bar for us. Tom
ended up crushing those pints, causing them to pour directly into the powered
mixer that was suspended beneath the bar blowing the entire P.A. and causing
blue sparks and flames to shoot out in the direction of our drummer. The power went out, and that 100-year old bar
could have seen some serious fire damage.
Somehow we ended up getting paid despite the damage which I can’t
believe. I’m afraid to ask for another
gig there. For now…
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Do you all give a
lot of thought to the visual aspects that represent the band like art for
flyers, posters, covers, shirts and that kind of thing? Is there any kind of meaning or message that
you’re trying to convey with your artwork?
Is there anyone you usually turn to in your times of need when it comes
to that kind of thing? If so, who is
that and how did you originally get hooked up with them?
lot of thought to the visual aspects that represent the band like art for
flyers, posters, covers, shirts and that kind of thing? Is there any kind of meaning or message that
you’re trying to convey with your artwork?
Is there anyone you usually turn to in your times of need when it comes
to that kind of thing? If so, who is
that and how did you originally get hooked up with them?
We do. Honestly we
try and keep our money as local as we can, whenever we can. We’ve got a logo of a kid sleeping in class
that we use for stickers, t-shirts, etcetera; it appears on the CD as well. It’s our main emblem, but we like to have
different artwork styles for each release because we try not to have our
releases sound the same… So they
shouldn’t look the same either.
try and keep our money as local as we can, whenever we can. We’ve got a logo of a kid sleeping in class
that we use for stickers, t-shirts, etcetera; it appears on the CD as well. It’s our main emblem, but we like to have
different artwork styles for each release because we try not to have our
releases sound the same… So they
shouldn’t look the same either.
Do you have a
preferred medium of release for your music?
With all of the various methods of release that are available to
musicians today I’m always curious why they choose and prefer the various
mediums that they do. What about when
you’re listening to and or purchasing music?
preferred medium of release for your music?
With all of the various methods of release that are available to
musicians today I’m always curious why they choose and prefer the various
mediums that they do. What about when
you’re listening to and or purchasing music?
We all love vinyl.
It’s cool and fun and people get really excited about it, but we’ve seen
more CDs sell than records at this point, so it’s important to stay accessible.
It’s cool and fun and people get really excited about it, but we’ve seen
more CDs sell than records at this point, so it’s important to stay accessible.
Do you have a
music collection at all? If so, can you
tell us a bit about it?
music collection at all? If so, can you
tell us a bit about it?
I do. It’s a pretty
good selection of styles, all of it sounds great, lots of it’s rare at this
point, but it’s not that big. Honestly,
I didn’t buy any records for a few years because all I wanted to do was play
and create.
good selection of styles, all of it sounds great, lots of it’s rare at this
point, but it’s not that big. Honestly,
I didn’t buy any records for a few years because all I wanted to do was play
and create.
I grew up around a
pretty massive collection of music, my dad granted me access to just about any
classic garage, psych or blues album I could ever wish for and I fondly
remember kicking back with a pair of headphones, reading the liner notes and
just staring at the cover artwork, letting the whole experience transport me
off to another place. There was
something almost magical about having something tangible and physical to hold
in my hands to experience along with the music which made for a much more
complete listening experience. Do you
have any such connection with physically released music?
pretty massive collection of music, my dad granted me access to just about any
classic garage, psych or blues album I could ever wish for and I fondly
remember kicking back with a pair of headphones, reading the liner notes and
just staring at the cover artwork, letting the whole experience transport me
off to another place. There was
something almost magical about having something tangible and physical to hold
in my hands to experience along with the music which made for a much more
complete listening experience. Do you
have any such connection with physically released music?
I do. I grew up in a
similar situation where a lot of value was placed on actually having a record,
dropping the needle… They were so big
and bright, and when I started finding records of my own to bring home it
became all the more important.
similar situation where a lot of value was placed on actually having a record,
dropping the needle… They were so big
and bright, and when I started finding records of my own to bring home it
became all the more important.
As much as I love
my hard copies I keep as much of a digital backup as I can. Not only does it give me easier access to
certain stuff when I just don’t feel like looking for it, but it has really
allowed me to take my collection on the go with me for the first time. When you team digital music with the internet
though, that’s when things start getting interesting. Together they’ve exposed people to an entire
world of music that they’re surrounded by and it’s allowed them unparalleled
access to those bands and allowed them interaction on a global scale for the
first time. On the other hand though,
illegal downloading is getting what’s left of the profit margins for a lot of
people and it’s harder than ever to get noticed in the chaotic digital scene
out there right now as everyone’s been kind of granted a semi equal” voice out
there. As a musician during the reign of
the digital era, what’s your opinion on digital music and distribution?
my hard copies I keep as much of a digital backup as I can. Not only does it give me easier access to
certain stuff when I just don’t feel like looking for it, but it has really
allowed me to take my collection on the go with me for the first time. When you team digital music with the internet
though, that’s when things start getting interesting. Together they’ve exposed people to an entire
world of music that they’re surrounded by and it’s allowed them unparalleled
access to those bands and allowed them interaction on a global scale for the
first time. On the other hand though,
illegal downloading is getting what’s left of the profit margins for a lot of
people and it’s harder than ever to get noticed in the chaotic digital scene
out there right now as everyone’s been kind of granted a semi equal” voice out
there. As a musician during the reign of
the digital era, what’s your opinion on digital music and distribution?
I see the necessity in it…
And the convenience, but as far as piracy goes, we haven’t seen much of
it. We generally get the vibe that
people would rather own it than get it for free, like there’s value to it,
which is good, because it wasn’t cheap to make!
It’s good for marketing and helps get shows, but I don’t think anyone
should be obligated or pressured into giving their albums away for free, but
throwing a free song out there for the sake of marketing is the price of doing
business.
And the convenience, but as far as piracy goes, we haven’t seen much of
it. We generally get the vibe that
people would rather own it than get it for free, like there’s value to it,
which is good, because it wasn’t cheap to make!
It’s good for marketing and helps get shows, but I don’t think anyone
should be obligated or pressured into giving their albums away for free, but
throwing a free song out there for the sake of marketing is the price of doing
business.
I try to keep up
with as much good stuff as I can but there just isn’t time to make it through a
half of a percent of the awesome stuff out there. Is there anyone from your local scene or area
that I should be listening to I might not have heard of before?
with as much good stuff as I can but there just isn’t time to make it through a
half of a percent of the awesome stuff out there. Is there anyone from your local scene or area
that I should be listening to I might not have heard of before?
Check out Betrayers, Lad Mags, The Frolics, Wafer Thin
Mints, James T. Kirks and Old Wives.
Mints, James T. Kirks and Old Wives.
What about
nationally and internationally?
nationally and internationally?
Napalmpom, Forbidden Dimension, The Pygmies, The Mandates,
Ramblin’ Ambassadors, Vicious Cycles, Greenback High, The Mants, Jim Jones
Revue and Hellacopters.
Ramblin’ Ambassadors, Vicious Cycles, Greenback High, The Mants, Jim Jones
Revue and Hellacopters.
Thanks so much for
taking the time to talk to me, it was awesome learning so much about the band
and I hope you had at least a little fun looking back on everything you’ve
managed to accomplish as a band. Before
we call it a day and sign off though, is there anything that I could have
possibly missed or that you’d just like to take this opportunity to talk to me
or the readers about at this point?
taking the time to talk to me, it was awesome learning so much about the band
and I hope you had at least a little fun looking back on everything you’ve
managed to accomplish as a band. Before
we call it a day and sign off though, is there anything that I could have
possibly missed or that you’d just like to take this opportunity to talk to me
or the readers about at this point?
I think we’re good.
Thank you!
Thank you!
DISCOGRAPHY
(2013) The Fuzz Kings
– Accentuate Everything – digital, 12” – Self-Released (Limited Edition of 250
copies on Colored Vinyl)
– Accentuate Everything – digital, 12” – Self-Released (Limited Edition of 250
copies on Colored Vinyl)
(2014) The Fuzz Kings
– “I’m Your Goon” b/w “Guilty Conscience” – digital, 7” – Self-Released [Record
Store Day 2014] (Limited to 300 copies)
– “I’m Your Goon” b/w “Guilty Conscience” – digital, 7” – Self-Released [Record
Store Day 2014] (Limited to 300 copies)
(2014) The Fuzz Kings
– Return Of The Century – digital, CD – Self-Released
– Return Of The Century – digital, CD – Self-Released
Interview made by Roman Rathert/2014
© Copyright http://psychedelicbaby.blogspot.com/2014
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