Stinky Artists

He’s been a landscape gardener, a truck driver, an envelope stuffer and a street paver, but, these days, Fuzz Townshend is checking off musician on his tax forms, and the private sector's loss is a music lover's gain.

Following up on his acclaimed North American album debut, “Far In”, released in 2001, Fuzz Townshend is now back with his second album, entitled, simply, “Fuzz Townshend”. Based in Birmingham, England, Fuzz is a former member of seminal alternative act Pop Will Eat Itself. More recently, Fuzz has been the drummer for acclaimed UK sampladelic funksters Bentley Rhythm Ace, while, at the same time, pursuing his well-respected career as an in-demand producer and remixer.

Fuzz's musical career started when he was still at school in Birmingham, England (the city where he still is based). While most of his contemporaries were brushing their teeth and donning their pajamas, 14-year-old Fuzz was out playing drums with the bigger boys. Says Fuzz: "I used to get dropped off at the school gates with my books after a night's gigging. Sometimes I used to have to take my school uniform with me ready for the next day if we were playing out of town". Fuzz progressed to Pop Will Eat Itself, after Richard March, Pop Will Eat Itself's bass player, sought him out in a local hangout which Fuzz was known to frequent. Fuzz recalls, "Richard asked if I would like to be Pop Will Eat Itself's drummer and I said 'Yes'. I was just going to be touring with them, but as I could operate computers and write a bit, my contributions became great, so they took me on as a proper member of the band. I spent about four years with them."

Richard March went on to form Bentley Rhythm Ace and Fuzz became their drummer, too. One of their early gigs was at legendary club the Big Beat Boutique, in Brighton, England. Recalls Fuzz fondly: "That was absolutely brilliant! We had these terrible suits to wear in the green material that boiler suits are made out of that cost L5 [$8.00] from this shop in London. They were so badly cut, we had to unstitch the sleeves on one of the suits because we couldn't get our arms through. It was a great laugh!"

Around the same time, Fuzz launched his solo career, self-releasing a single entitled "Hello Darlin'", which garnered both critical acclaim and commercial chart success in the UK. Several additional singles followed in the UK, including "Smash It", "Tasty Big Ed" and "Bus" -- Fuzz's ode to his favorite mode of transportation. Not content merely to sing about buses or to travel by them, Fuzz actually has owned and restored several vintage buses. He even has worked as a bus mechanic. He says, "I love buses, so I was getting paid to do something completely pleasurable!"

The release of Fuzz’s UK singles was succeeded, in turn, by the UK release of Fuzz’s full-length solo album debut, entitled "Far In", on Birmingham, England-based independent label Fruition Records. Stinky Records then released, in 2001, the critically-lauded North American version of “Far In”, complete with two new tracks.

The release of “Far In” was succeeded by the release in late 2002 of Fuzz’s sophomore album, eponymously titled “Fuzz Townshend”. Whereas his maiden release, “Far In”, saw Fuzz unleashing a heady, happy and hedonistic musical brew of inventive, toe-tapping beats and catchy, hook-laden melodies, “Fuzz Townshend” marks a more song-based, introspective direction for Fuzz, albeit without sacrificing any of the rump-shaking funkiness and rollicking fun of “Far In”. A highly personal and ecumenical musical travelogue, “Fuzz Townshend” finds Fuzz mining a variety of musical eras and genres, ranging from UK Swinging Sixties pop, Seventies disco, folky psychedelia ala Syd Barrett and Robert Wyatt, and post-modern dirty blues ala Beck, all anchored by Fuzz’s booming beats and tight, stomping rhythms.

What with the U.S. release of Fuzz’s sophomore opus, “Fuzz Townshend”, and a busy producing and remixing schedule, Fuzz is not likely to have much rest and relaxation any time soon. No matter, though, because, as Fuzz muses, "I can't bear to be away from my studio and not be playing…but, ideally, I'd holiday in Ireland driving my 43-year old Land Rover around. I'm not one for lying on beaches all day unless there's a bar!" However, if ever you find yourself in Birmingham, England and happen to bump into Fuzz enjoying a much-deserved break at the pub, be warned that he's rather partial to pricey red wine. Quips Fuzz: "Look towards the top shelf if you're thinking of buying me a drink!

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