Fu Manchu – Interview

fu manchu

California is the land of the rich and the famous, and home to Fu Manchu, quite possibly rock ‘n’ roll’s most badass band of the new millennium. With ten years under their belts, the addition of Kyuss drumlord Brant Bjork a few years back, and a fanbase that has no match, Fu Manchu deserves the tag, whether you know it or not. And with time you will, Fu Manchu is sure. They’ve endured the underground scene for the past decade and have only recently begun to get the respect they rightfully deserve.

Having released most of their material on indie label Bongload Records, as well as a stockpile of seven-inches, it wasn’t until 1996 that they were finally recognized in the music world as a force to be reckoned with. They inked a deal with Mammoth Records and released In Search Of, a stoner rock masterpiece. It was followed up by The Action Is Go, which was produced by former White Zombie guitarist J. Yeunger. The Action Is Go had a more spacey feel than most of their previous work, but still maintained a serious boom that the Fu had become known for. You might think that with all the hype that surrounded them, they would be heard on standard rock radio and maybe even MTV. Unfortunately, they weren’t. And now it’s 2000 and their latest release, King Of The Road, has hit the shelves with hopes of breaking down the barrier that plagues American culture. European fans were given King Of The Road over three months ago, so why the wait on American soil? Drumming guru Brant Bjork summed it up pretty easily. “You definitely get more respect in Europe. They respect artists and musicians, and they respect the fact that it’s all entertainment and we’re there to have a good time. It’s not cliquey. In the States, people as listeners are really about cliques. They’ll only dig it if their friends dig it. They’ll dig it if it’s some weird hip cult thing or they think they can do it better, and a lot of them can’t.”

As for the respect thing in the US, they still haven’t received it. MTV finally ran a tiny segment on their News Bulletin, but still haven’t added “Over the Edge”, the first single from the new album, to their rotation. Everything that Fu Manchu has done has been basically ignored by the mainstream, but that has little effect on this foursome that’s out to rock, not to impress any of the bigwigs. “I think respect is coming around. We’re not doing this for respect, it’s just a matter of having fun,” says Brant. “Rock ‘n’ roll, the best, most glorious and inspirational rock ‘n’ roll, has always had a sense of humor. It just fills gaps, it’s simple. You want the kids to forget about their troubles and have a good time.”

Had they been bent on success like Brant’s former band, Kyuss, things would be a lot harder to deal with, especially knowing just how talented they truly are. That’s why they’ve adopted a pretty laid-back approach to the whole thing, which is what makes this band so damn cool. They aren’t in it for the money or the fame; they’re in it to play rock ‘n’ roll, stoner rock, retro rock, whatever you’d like to call it. As long as they continue to see smiles on fans’ faces, they know they’ve done their job, and they do it night in and night out. The music isn’t angst ridden, it’s not based on a horrible childhood, it’s all about living the American Dream, whatever yours may be. “When Van Halen was packing stadiums, they’d come out all amped. They get the crowd going ‘Fuck work, fuck all your problems. Let’s party and have a good time, drink some beers.’ It’s like a party for thirty-five thousand people. With Korn, they’re talking about all their problems and they’re all bummed out. That sucks when you think about it. That’s not really the point of a rock show.”

Nothing against a band like Korn, they are the best at what they do, and that just happens to be being pissed off. Fu’s approach to life kind of got stuck in 1976 and the whole vibe that went along with it. Fast cars, crazy decked-out vans, hot women basking in the summer heat. Whatever it was, it captured Fu Manchu’s attention. Maybe that’s why a lot of comparisons echo names not heard for many years. Names like Blue Cheer, Thin Lizzy, and Mountain, alongside standards like Zeppelin and Deep Purple. They’ve got the knack for writing music like Chris Cornell and Kurt Cobain did in the early 90’s, only it’s a little more fun to listen to now. Music wasn’t meant to be this cool anymore, but it is. Fu Manchu knows it, their fans sure know it, but somehow the general population has just missed it. With groups like Monster Magnet, Creed, and Loudmouth offering a stoney side to the realm of rock, Fu Manchu’s door may have finally been opened.

Feel the ground for the rumble of these kings of the road; they may be plowing through your neck of the woods next. Don’t be ashamed to like them; they’re just happily stuck in a time warp. Isn’t that what Santana is doing and defying now? It’s all about a good time. And rock ‘n’ roll has always been about that, as has Fu Manchu.

+ rick hinkson


Posted

in

by

Tags:

Comments

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.