MiG Music 2024
Make you holler, gonna make you shout, it’ll even knock you out: dirty sound revivalists flaunt their latter-day
Live At Rockpalast
One of those ensembles who successfully and repeatedly failed to disappoint their fans, THE FUZZTONES may have kept relatively quiet for a few years now, after more than four decades in business – the title of 2022’s "Encore" suggesting the goodbyes were forthcoming – yet their concerts always were a treat to listen to, let alone watch. And when they hit the stage of Bonn’s “Harmonie” club on October 10th, 2009 as part of Crossroads Festival, it was with guns blazing to bring forth fuzz ‘n’ buzz eagerly lapped up by the veterans’ followers – to get caught in the act for the German TV programme “Rockpalast” while playing a selection of their best moments. As the Americans’ performances finally land on CD and DVD to preserve their brilliance for posterity, history seems to be within the global audience’s grasp and available for scrutiny and enjoyment. And why not?
Spurned by a blaring sax and jovial ivories, “In Heat” opens the proceedings with a well-pronounced garage gorgeousness, as Rudi Protrudi, hiding behind black spectacles and bangs and propelling his sneer by a tambourine, jives like a sage of his generation, whereas Lenny Svilar peels rock ‘n’ roll licks off a Vox Phantom guitar – shaped, traditionally for this outfit, just like Surrealitic Pille’s bass which is anchoring it all and deepening the band’s impressive dynamics on “Bad News Travels Fast” and other infectious classics. There might be a different, not so frantic and more delicate, groove to such later-period smashes as “Blood From A Stone” that’s given a carnivalesque coda, yet the veterans’ energy and fervor are the same throughout their hour-long, seventeen-pieces-strong set. A satisfying set to say the least.
It’s difficult, even for a fan, to dismiss the cosmic grandeur – cruelly castrated in aural form and preserved in all its glory on video – of “Ward 81” on which Rudi’s six strings join in the fun to lead the finely detailed assault, the cut which captures the quintessence of punk the ensemble emerged out of, as the harmonica-enhanced “Hurt On Hold” careens, riding on Rob Louwers’s cymbals, towards timeless rhythm-and-blues. As does “Action Speaks Louder Than Words” – which has Protrudi whip off his sunglasses to hypnotize the punters, dancing with total abandon and singing along, and which sees Lana Loveland unleash a short, albeit immensely tasty, solo on her organ, one more Vox instrument on display; however, the logically linked, elegant “Get Naked” and “Nine Months Later” hark back to psychedelic idealism not a lot of nihilists deal in. And though, despite the skronk of Rockin Rollo’s brass, “Romilar D” demonstrates decreased tension, the piece’s rough edge complementing the casual look of the vocalist’s denim, the rawer “Brand New Man” and “Johnson In A Headlock” – which share a tempo – reheat the sweaty atmosphere and tempt him to venture into the crowd to serenade ladies and turn “She’s Wicked” into a camera-pleasing show.
But then “This Sinister Urge” offers a mighty twang to start switching, with a helluva gusto, between balladry and onslaught, before “Strychnine” delivers an effective blow for a festive finale, with Mr. Protrudi swinging his mic on its cord and affectionately hugging fans and Ms. Loveland signing off with a quote from Bach’s perennial figure. As a result, a state of fugue is guaranteed – that’s the very gist of THE FUZZTONES’ gust laid out here for everybody to dig.
*****
