BareFuzz: Artist Spotlight

by Liz Mitchell
Photo credit Focal Points at Local Joints
If you haven’t heard the word “BareFuzz” yet, you will soon. The psych-rock fusion band that started in the summer of 2016 by bassist Adam Tackett, and drummer Derek Petrucci, has quickly taken Columbus by storm, and they’re just warming up. With an eclectic group of sounds and styles, the guys of BareFuzz find inspiration ranging from a variety of musical legends. At any given time you’re able to hear the folk-rock jam of Grateful Dead, the extensive composition of Pink Floyd, and even the intense metal of Tool, but just when you think that’s all they’ll bring, the guys bring it back down to the raw blues of Jimi Hendrix.
Their unique blend allows for the creation of what I can only think to refer to as a storm—a slow escalation into a massive tornado of face-melting jam sessions, which slip back into a smooth and sexy “eye of the storm.” The transition is so fluid that before you know it, they have you back off your feet again, spinning into another musical whirlwind. What I find craziest is the consistency of differences that they’re able to incorporate each time they step onto a stage. Sets twist and turn around the high, energetic bursts and slow, groovy lows which can only be achieved through a great amount of improvisation.
I talked with BareFuzz drummer, Derek Petrucci to find out just how much of their jam is made on the spot, and it turns out that up to 75-85% of their live music is improvised. “Everyone plays their own role in moving songs along and we feed off the energy of the crowd to kind of decide where to go next,” says Derek, explaining that there was a mixture of both practice and immediate clicking within the group. “The more we play with each other, and get to know each other, the better our improvisation gets.” And the chemistry between the five band members by no means goes unnoticed. Every time they start to play you’re able to see all five individual personalities merge together into a whole to create the fun, funky, unique, and passionate music of BareFuzz.
I first saw the guys play at The Werkout Music and Arts Festival back in August. Being one of the band’s biggest, and most honorable accomplishments thus far according to Derek, I was excited to witness such an important set for them. Since then I’ve seen BareFuzz play four more times, noticing some serious improvements with each. It’s awesome the amount of progression they’ve made in just three short months and watching them grow more and more into their own mold tells me that there is truly nowhere for them to go from here but up.
So whether you’re a fan of slow and mellow beats, fast-paced and dizzying shred sessions, or groovy tunes you can move to, these guys will always have you covered. Give their new album Extended Play a listen and your ears will be treated to a journey filled with an assortment of timeless psychedelic-rock. Just remember to brace yourself for heavy weather while you wander through the storm of BareFuzz.
Listen to their single “Heavy Weather” by clicking the image below!