You may have noticed a curly haired guitar slinger playing in countless bands during your west-coast sea side jaunts to Perth, however it’s most likely you would have noticed Wesley Fuller making waves through Melbourne during your dalliances with culture, and all things cool.
Wesley Fuller taps into his inner Beach Boy, and takes us on a guitar driven journey with groovy new psych-pop single Runaway Renee
After years in bands Fuller decided that a solo project was the way to go, and it was in Melbourne that Fuller’s sound really began to connect:
“After several years of playing in a string of bands in Perth, I got bored and moved to Melbourne. Friends had been telling me for years that I should have a solo project outside of all the bands I was in, so early 2015 I decided to give it a crack. Late last year my demos attracted the attention of London based indie label 1965 Records, whom I signed with along with Andy Kelly (Jet, The Vines) who became my manager.”
Through 1965 Records we got our first taste of the new Fuller with a sample of Melvista in late February. Overflowing with fuzzy guitars, clean breaks, handclaps, and a chorus so addictive it invaded ears, including ours, and refused to leave.
One thing is certain with the signing to 1965 Records, Wesley Fuller is independent, and he likes it that way. “When I was a teenager, I thought forming a band and becoming as popular as The Beatles was an attainable dream. Now I’m completely content with having the freedom to be myself, have creative control and have lots of fun with my friends. Anything else that happens is a bonus and music will always drive me to be inspired.”
Fuller has just released his next single, Runaway Renee, and it serves to strengthen the lo-fi psych pop aesthetic that won he won us over with on Melvista. Written, recorded and produced himself over a hot summer in a Fitzroy share house, the song condenses those breezy summer feelings in to a crisp, jangly three odd minutes of bliss.
It’s the perfect antidote to the bitter cousin that is winter and something that fits in well with his obsessions:
“I grew up studying classical and baroque, became obsessed with 60s groups like The Beach Boys & The Who in high school and now listen to a lot of funk, glam rock, R&B and new wave. For me, nothing quite beats the fizzle you get when you unearth a banger, or re-discover a forgotten gem.”
Fuller has an admitted “fascination and appreciation for Kevin Parker‘s drum sounds on Innerspeaker,” and from that he looked to get a little freaky himself in the recording set-up, “I tried soloing the under snare mic, and it sounded nice and crispy. I ran it through a crazy tight compressor and maxed the volume, and it came out sounding thin and crunchy. Not in the same league as a Kevin Parker drum sound but quirky nonetheless. Some people hate it, some love it.”
Considering the multiple replays already it seems pretty unlikely that hate will be an emotion associated with this record. There really is only one thing left to do, make yourself a daiquiri, kick back in your beanie by the beach, and let the good tunes permeate your soul.
