Shindig! Issue #157 – The Fuzztones

An extract from CLIVE WEBB’s interview with RUDI PROTRUDI

Rudi Words

After four decades, THE FUZZTONES seem to be more popular than ever, a concert draw across Europe and the focus of a forthcoming documentary film. Founder and frontman RUDI PROTRUDI reflects on the long and turbulent history of garage-rock’s great revivalists with CLIVE WEBB

Released in 1984, The Fuzztones’ debut album Leave Your Mind At Home was a live recording stronger in performance than sound quality. It was though their first full studio release, the following year’s Lysergic Emanations, which really thrust them to the forefront of the garage-rock revival.  

The Fuzztones became musical pioneers, the first band to bring the garage sound to European audiences. “We only ever toured America once, for two weeks, back in ’84”, recalls Protrudi. While the alternative scenes in New York and Los Angeles afforded opportunities for the band, the heartlands of Middle America were less fertile ground. As Protrudi puts it, “The rest of the country only wanted to hear what was being played on MTV.” 

By contrast, from their earliest overseas tour in ’85 as the opening act for The Damned, The Fuzztones attracted much larger audiences than at home. Lysergic Emanations sold over 30,000 on the strength of their concert performances, reaching the top spot on the Greek and Spanish charts. 

However, it was not all good news. “Unfortunately, that was the last accounting we were privy to,” confides Protrudi, “and we never received one single dime of royalties.”

 Nearly broke and battered by some unpleasant experiences, The Fuzztones barely survived the tour. For the first but by no means last time, the band broke up soon after returning to the States. Protrudi pursued other musical interests for a time, but The Fuzztones had become an integral aspect of his identity and after a move to Los Angeles in the late ’80s he revived the name with a new set of musicians.

Together with Protrudi, the resurrected Fuzztones now consisted of bassist John Carlucci, drummer Mike Czekaj, organist Jason Savall and guitarist Jordan Tarlow. What at fist seemed to be fortune smiling on the band would, however, soon prove a cruel grin.

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