The Fuze
A no-name band outa Galway, 1979 and counting.
Colleges and commerce; art and pop; rock and punk. Strange bedfellows but passions were primed. So go for it man.
You could say it was heady, and it was. First a charity gig in the new Physics Hall. Idol virgins through sound. On into the future. The buzz man, the buzz. New Irish rock. The timing sweet and our own making it happen. Power, performance, energy. Something could explode, hear.
And love was all around. Love of the truths shared in rocking the foundations. Coming, going, starting to leave. All the time trying to be faithful to an unhappy country.
And the band became all. Careers and studies were abandoned. PA, lights and instruments leased. Engineers and roadies hired (and highered - if you'll excuse the expression). The ballrooms of Ireland throbbed to one, last capacity crowd. Summer of eighty-one and Sunday Morning was happening ten times a day on Radio 2. The lads gigging six nights a week from Donegal to Dublin.
Timeline
1977
STARTING WITH A SUNBURST...
The rock outfit begins life when Claremorris native Mike (Stan) Staunton and Dubliner Dave Fitzgerald meet during one of Dave's many trips to Mayo. As students in Galway they hook up with Renmore friends Mike Arrigan and Paul Gaughan (the two Mikes first meet through the FCA). The fledgling group harbour a common ambition to win Slogadh's band competition and set about realising this goal. For the finals they put together a set that includes an original composition, 'As We Are', and duly set a packed Leisureland alight. Building on this success, Sunburst establish themselves as one the city's best live young bands over the next 18 months.
1979
FRONT MAN WANTED for original band
So reads the advertisement posted on the UCG notice board. Self-taught musician and songwriter (and sometimes student) Pat Coyne answers the call. Along with John Fitzpatrick (medical student, keyboard player and hometown neighbour of Stan's) they unite with the lads from Sunburst and form a six-piece. It isn't until after their first gig that Dick Murphy (since, sadly, departed), a work colleague of Mike Arrigan's, comes up with the name The Fuze.
TALENT WAS ALSO OBVIOUS when the band with-no-name gave an impressive performance. Loud, and with attack, these are a lively bunch, especially Coyne, who pranced, danced and leaped about the place, and generally dominated the proceedings. They sang three original songs, "Invasions (Bowie influence?), 'Moonlight And Roses' and 'Don't You Touch Me', but helped them go down with The Jags 'I Got Your Number' and Steve Millar's classic 'Swingtown.'
Afterwards I met up with this nameless group, three of whose members are in UCG. I was told that this was their first public appearance and that they'd only gotten together for this concert in the past few days. They introduced themselves as Mike Staunton, bass, John Fitzpatrick, keyboards, Dave Fitzgerald, lead guitar, Paul Gaughan rhythm guitar, Mike Arrigan, drums and percussion and how could we forget?, Pat 'super' Coyne, lead singer. This band has potential, only time will tell of their commitment. Will a UCG rock band emerge?"
- UCG Rag Mag, 1979
(Review of The Fuze's first gig)
1980
THE FUZE SET CAROUSEL ALIGHT
New wave band The Fuze set the Carousel alight on Friday night with their own special original sounds and, in the progress, deservingly scooped the £1,000 prize and recording contract as the outright winners of the Tramore Music Festival. The Galway band had a definite edge especially in originality over the other finalists in a - competition in which the overall standard was very high. A six piece band, they seem destined for bigger things and, properly promoted, who knows we may even have another Boomtown Rats in the making...
- Munster Express, 1980
“I've my dreams set on writing and performing original songs” a 19-year-old Pat reveals in an interview. He does both with style.
ON THEIR FIRST excursion outside Galway The Fuze walked away with first prize at the Tramore Band Competition which, among other things, landed them a record deal with Mulligan Records. On their second jaunt away from home they walk away with the prize for the best Dublin debut by any band, earning them this 'rave' review and probably the kiss-of-death. Together since November 79 they have established a very individual sound with definite influences from The Rats, U2 and even Madness in 'I Am A Soldier. Pat Coyne's lyrics and vocal style revealed considerable potential,
especially when joined on vocals by guitarist Paul Gaughan. John Fitzpatrick's keyboards add a lot of colour and ideas to the sound especially on their upcoming single 'Stone Age Man. The even superior 'It's A Sunday Morning' is more typical of their overall modern Bowie influenced style, which can keep you dancing while listening to subtle underpinnings and off-beat themes. The Fuze have ideas and ability in abundance. Watch them go."
- Senan Turnbull, Hotpress, 1980
(Review of gig in the Project Arts Centre, Dublin)
1981
THE FUZE IS LIT
THE FUZE IS LIT. The west’s newest band is all set for it’s debut appearance on the ballroom circuit on Sunday night next, March 1st. The zealous new five-piece have been achieving quite a reputation for itself in the past fifteen months, and their first single ‘Stone Age Man’ is due for release this week. Describing themselves a ‘pop/new wave’ group, they will now include more covers along with their original material to suit the wider appeal of the ballroom circuit. Some weeks ago the boys made their debut on RTE’s ‘Anything Goes’ and Radio 2 rockstar Dave Fanning has featured The Fuze on his radio show on numerous occasions. Now that The Fuze is lit, just wait for the explosion!
- Western People, 1981
IT’S A SUNDAY MORNING. I remember being impressed with the last single from The Fuze and the same applies here. Written by the band’s lead vocalist Pat Coyne and bassist Mike Staunton, the song is a strong rock number that has that distinctive sound made by many Irish bands of this type. Is a definite Irish sound emerging? The Fuze have been touring Ireland for the past few weeks and you should catch their live act...
- RTE Guide, July 1981
Single
Stone Age Man
Reviewing ‘Stone Age Man’ Hotpress declares “The Fuze light up with promise, align themselves with new music but don’t irritate with new poses and could dance across lakes of dry ice.” Bang on! Couldn’t have put it better ourselves. Released in March 81, these three minutes of power pop make it to number 32 in the charts
I RECALL SEEING A VIDEO of this song (‘It’s A Sunday Morning’) on ‘Anything Goes’ and being struck not just by the power and pop-sensibility of the song, but also by the fact that here was an example of a very rare species – an Irish band singing about a uniquely Irish situation. The video showed the band standing around at the back of a church, while a priest spouted fire and brimstone and thumped his bible on the pulpit.
- John Waters, Hotpress, June 1981
Single
It's a Sunday Morning
Described by the band as a song “about what every young fellow in the West of Ireland feels when he’s called out of bed by his mother on a Sunday morning”, ‘It’s A Sunday Morning’ is well received by the critics. Hotpress states “bass and drums aren’t as blunt and brusque for Fuze-pop as in comparable British productions but they compensate with a light feathery touch on the keyboard melody lines. Almost a water-ice.” It tops out at 14 in the charts, helped along its way by a music video (a new marketing concept) directed by RTÉ’s Bob Collins
Band Line-up Throughout the years
Pat CoyneLead Vocals | ||
Paul GaughanGuitar, Vocals | ||
Mike StauntonBass | ||
Mike ArriganDrums, Percussion |
Barry DuffyDrums, Percussion | |
John FitzpatrickKeyboards, Vocals |
Eddie LynchKeyboards |
Noel FureyKeyboards, Vocals |
Dave FitzgeraldLead Guitar |
Declan KennedyLead Guitar |
Videos
Buy the CD
15 remastered studio recordings from the early eighties, including the hit singles It's a Sunday Morning and Stone Age Man plus five bonus live tracks.
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