How did you get started, and what has led up to where you are today as an artist?
My first band was called AAL in 1999, and by 2003 we morphed into Greenstick Fracture. I was a part of that band until 2006. I gave up any musical ambition after that, almost to the point of quitting playing guitar altogether. Then in 2015, I bought a guitar from one of my absolute favorite singer/songwriters – Donnie Vie, formerly of Enuff Z’nuff. I started writing songs again, and last year I decided to try to get my music heard. There were some false starts, but early this year I figured “it’s now or never” and decided to give it one more try.
Who do you feel has influenced you the most as an artist?
I have so many influences, but Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick has definitely been my biggest influence. Shortly after I started playing guitar and writing songs, I realized a few things. 1. I was never going to be the sexy singer front man like Jon Bon Jovi or Bret Michaels. 2. I wasn’t going to be a “shredder” on guitar like C.C. DeVille. But then when I really started getting into Cheap Trick I saw Rick Nielsen as someone I could actually emulate. All I really wanted out of music was to be a guitarist and songwriter. And that’s what Rick Nielsen is. In my mind he’s “the GOAT” and definitely my biggest influence.
What do you feel sets you apart from other artists and gives you your own sound?
What gives me my own sound is the fact that I have such diverse influences. Everything from 70’s power pop, to the 80’s “hair bands” to 90’s alternative rock, to early 2000’s pop punk. Fuzzruckus has everything from power pop songs to acoustic pop, so it’s hard to truly classify. Which is why I call us “fuzzy pop rock”. A definition of fuzzy is “difficult to perceive clearly or understand and explain precisely”.
What has been your biggest challenge and what do you feel you have learned from it?
My biggest challenge has always been to let go of the failures of the past. And if I ever figure out how to do that, I’ll know what I learned from it!
Tell us about your latest project, what have you got going on at the moment?
Our latest single is “Feelings”, an original power pop/pop punk track that wraps up our second EP – The Heartbreak Anthem Equation. The first two tracks were cover songs of two of my earliest influences. Cheap Trick “Ghost Town” and REO Speedwagon “In Your Letter”. All of the songs together are connected by a circumstance in my life years ago where everything that goes into a “Heartbreak Anthem Equation” came full circle. It’s a long story though. I told it on twitter during the promotional countdown to the single. So if someone is that interested, by all means, check out our tweets!
What advice would you give to anyone new coming into the industry?
As the great REO Speedwagon song says – “Keep Pushing”! If you’ve got something you believe in, something that you know is quality and should be heard – you can’t give up too soon! Keep going until you’re heard! I know from experience that is much easier said than done. Believe me, I was ready to give up for good until early this year until I decided to give it one more try!
Is there anyone you’d like to thank for getting you to where you are now, anyone you’d like to give a shout-out to?
There’s such a great indie music community on twitter that we’re very fortunate to be a part of! I’ll name some names that really stand out, but I hate that I can’t list everyone because there has been so many.
The Negatrons – we were honestly just kind of treading water on twitter before Tommy Negatron was gracious enough to let us ride his coattails! Seriously, after we became friends on twitter – it was a whole new ballgame for Fuzzruckus!
Also, Scoopski, Modern Amusement, The Future Us just to name a very few!
We’re thankful to so many artists and supporters on twitter!
How can fans find you?
Google “Fuzzruckus” and it will take you to everywhere we are! We’re on Spotify, amazon, youtube, Apple music, bandcamp.
songwhip.com/fuzzruckus will take to you everywhere we have music!
Follow Fuzzruckus
Twitter