Local artist profile: Jacob ‘Fuzz’ Harrison

THIS week we chat with prolific Trash Cult regular, songwriter, singer and guitarist Jacob ‘Fuzz’ Harrison, who believes in ten years he’ll still be doing the same thing, but with a few more grey hairs and back pain.

What motivated you to take up the guitar and singing your own songs?

I was drawn to guitar as a kid, my old man had the AC/DC box set DVD and I remember being absorbed by Angus Young and thinking he was the coolest dude ever.

Then, a few weeks before high school they sent out a flyer to see if people were interested in guitar lessons and I was able to convince my parents to let me give it a go.

They assumed I would drop it after a few months – 19 years later and here we are.

How would you describe your style?

Honest and raw.

I love to absolutely send it – it’s a very cathartic and healing process, but very exhausting.

When I write I try to connect to something that I care deeply about or something that gets my blood boiling and use that as emotional fuel.

Which other guitarists and/or singers inspire you?

That changes over time, but some have been more consistent.

Gareth Liddiard from the Drones and Tropical !@#$storm has been a consistent inspiration.

The way he writes and plays guitar is so strange that it’s hard not to find some interesting ideas that I could try out myself.

His vocal delivery is also absolutely next level.

 

Have you had any mentors over your career?

I was fortunate to have a great music teacher when I was starting out in high school.

I was lucky that he recognised in me and my mates that we weren’t loving the theory, so we just jammed for our lessons.

I definitely learnt a lot about improvisation and how to play music with other people during that period.

What are some highlights you have from your time so far?

The real highlight is the incredible people you get to have something in common with.

I’m always in awe when I go to local places (Trash Cult mostly) and see people that I’d just been having a beer with get up there and absolutely rip it up, then get off stage and continue whatever conversation we were just having.

How can people check out your work online?

A couple of the bands I’ve been in (Saturnine, No Hope, Harold Holt Search Party) have their stuff on Spotify/YouTube/Bandcamp.

Where do you see yourself as a musician in a couple of years? What about in ten years?

I hope to see myself still making stuff that resonates with me and maybe a few other people.

In 10 years, I suspect I’ll still be doing the same thing, which I love, but with a few more grey hairs and back pain.

What would you say to young regional aspiring musicians who are thinking of making a go of the creative life?

Find what you love and chase it – being in a band and making progress towards whatever goal you have is really hard work.

If you love what you do, and you can see yourself improving, then dig in.

Don’t burden yourself with expectations, the music world can be difficult to navigate especially coming from rural areas.

Be kind to yourself and those around you.

Be really honest – if you can bring your honest self and your honest sound, you’ll push the medium forward, and that will be worth remembering.