the prof.fuzz 63

We’re the featured artist on today’s episode of The Paul Groovy Show, broadcast from the UK. Tune in online at 2 PM Central at https://theflashonair.co.uk/

Our very own Sleepy Redhead (aka Maren Farmer Art) has created 12″ x 12″ paintings for each of the songs on the Peaches & Herbicide album! These are for sale on our bandcamp page: https://prof-fuzz63.bandcamp.com/merch

The Prof.Fuzz 63
“Peaches & Herbicide”
A PF63 Release (PF63-01)
2022

“Peaches & Herbicide,” the fifth full-length album from “The AC/DC of Richardson TX,”* The Prof.Fuzz 63, is scheduled for release on 27 May 2022.
The album is self-released, in association with Sister Molecule Collective.

The eleven-track album, recorded and mixed by Michael Scarborough at Echo Base in Bryan TX and Fort Collins CO, and mastered by Stephen Finley at Sugar Hill in Houston TX, finds the PF63 family revisiting some old songs and exploring new possibilities of Open D guitar tuning on a number of plague-years tunes. The guitars are loud, gritty, and fuzzy; the organ lays a heavy sonic foundation, punctuated by dirty piano accents; while the drums pound and punch relentlessly. There are maracas too. And as always, the lead vocals are literally phoned-in by The Professor.

The opening track is an amped up remake of a signature song from the band’s 2016 debut. In “Van Stoner’s Stoner Van (over the limit),” the titular character finds the accelerator pedal of the titular vehicle and burns rubber down the highway to hell.

“(Do the) New Plague!” opens with a brief homage to The Fall before launching into a heavy danceable riff backed by a second fuzzed-out guitar, courtesy of Michael Scarborough (Ex-Optimists, Charm Bomb). The lyrics urge the listener to dance, even as the world suffers through the twin plagues of ignorance-and-misinformation, and coronavirus.

“Spaceman Fist (Buzz Aldrin’s Greatest Hit)” honors the second man on the moon for his most significant accomplishment: punching a moon landing denier in the face. The chorus will have you singing along and punching the air (or idiots) in no time.

“Alien Tow Truck Driver” parades a cast of oddball characters through a narrative landscape that is vague and suggestive, yet it’s ultimately unclear what exactly is going on. Two versions of this song appear on the album: this surf-tinged take, and a faster and fuzzier rendition that closes the album under the abbreviated title of “AAAlien TTD.”

Side XXX (of the LP edition) closes with a cross-fade of “The Ballad of Los Panchos,” a short maraca-driven ditty praising a Texas all-you-can-eat Mexican diner (Pancho’s), into the Flipper-esque enviromental anthem “The Forestry” (originally written in 1981 by Professor Fuzz and his high school friend George Spelvin).

On the flipside (LP edition only; please do not attempt to flip your CD or digital files!), Side 63, the album’s title track, “Peaches & Herbicide,” kicks off with an open-tuned slide guitar riff that segues into a droning 1-2 1-2 beat in an unabashed love song, punctuated with the chorus-declaration “I’m drunk on peaches and herbicide!” Is there any other way?

“Fire on a Chain” stays in the Open D tuning but twists it into the service of a minor-keyed post-punk ode to a woman with good genes (i.e., red hair), before blowing up and out with a somewhat familiar sounding fuzzed-out walk-down outro.

Once again, the band adopts a Flipper song and warps it into something recognizable yet entirely their own. “Ha Ha Ha,” the flipside of Flipper’s 1981 “Love Canal” 7” (also covered by PF63 on their 2020 album “Owls”) becomes a laconic organ-driven sing-along. Legally licensed, so the Flipper guys get paid.

“Plastic Cup / The World (Still) Needs Nevada” revisits a tune originally recorded for the Dreamy Life Records “Group Therapy 4” tape. Stolen from The Fibs in a dream, the 2017 version clocked-in at just over six minutes, and painted a dirgey abstract commemoration of the life of the late north Texas musician Nevada Hill. Here, the band ramps up the tempo (to under five minutes of run time) and transforms the tune into a joyous celebration of life, suitable for both the memory of the late Mr. Nevada Hill, and those we collectively lost during the plague years.

“AAAlien TTD” closes out the album with a fuzzed-up re-take of “Alien Tow Truck Driver” (from Side XXX), with its images of love triangles, Elvis, aliens, tow trucks, and a dead boyfriend careening along some dark desert highway into oblivion and feedback. Sure. Why the hell not?

“Peaches & Herbicide” is (initially) available on CD and digital download (an LP version is in the works; stay tuned!) on the PF63 bandcamp page:

https://prof-fuzz63.bandcamp.com/album/peaches-herbicide

Cover painting by Maren Farmer Art.

*Thanks to Kelly Menace for this description.

Track List [runtime]

A01 van stoner’s stoner van (over the limit) [1:59]
A02 (do the) new plague! [3:48]
A03 spaceman fist (buzz aldrin’s greatest hit) [2:41]
A04 alien tow truck driver [3:41]
A05 the ballad of los panchos [0:53]
A06 the forestry [3:37]

B01 peaches & herbicide [3:27]
B02 fire on a chain [3:40]
B03 ha ha ha [2:53]
B04 plastic cup/the world (still) needs nevada [4:50]
B05 AAAlien TTD [3:57]

Next up is our first-ever show in our city of residence (outside of Casa de Fuzz)!

We’ll be sharing a Sunday evening stage with two other hyper-local bands, The Two Watts, and Safety Meeting, at Guitars & Growlers on Campbell in Richardson, in the very shadow of my place of employment.
Early show. Safety Meeting kicks things off at 6:00, followed by The Two Watts at 7:00, and we close things out at 8:00.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1374567342988055

… in which The Professor talks about the Psychedelic Panther Festival and PF63’s forthcoming album, Peaches & Herbicide, among other things…

Big weekend coming up!

Friday night we play Andy’s Bar in Denton for the first time since 2016 batting lead-off in front of our friends Crooked Bones, The Infamists, and Posival (who release a new album that night). We’re gonna play a short set starting right at 8, so don’t be late if you wanna get fuzzed up with us.
https://www.facebook.com/events/319750746243110

Saturday we play on Day 2 of the Psychedelic Panther Fest at Main at South Side in Fort Worth. The whole fest is gonna be amazing! 29 bands! Artists! Food vendors! We’re gonna play a longer set of some of our more psych-adjacent tunes on the inside stage at 6:00 PM. Come early. Stay late. Psyche up your panthers.
https://www.facebook.com/events/374742311130609

Next Saturday night we play a rare show on our side of the Metroplex! Double-Wide in Deep Ellum is the place! Joining us are our friends The Sewing Jar and The No-Where Jets! Details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/647859889680558/

The fun we had in Houston and Beaumont this weekend will be hard to top, but we’re gonna give it our best shot this Friday in Bryan at The 101 for some First Friday rock and roll with our friends Casbah Club and The Wheel Workers, and then again on Saturday in Fort Worth at MASS with The Cush and The Me-Thinks!

The video for “Nudist Buddhist Judas Priest Fan,” lovingly crafted by Ryan J. Gill of The Other Ass, has been featured on the current episode of Back to the Music (episode #53), along side videos by Sleaford Mods, The AquaDolls, IDLES, MC-16, Drake, and others. Check it out here: https://www.toxickatproductions.com/back-to-the-music

Thanks Christina and Kat!

The van will be heading south for a fuzzy weekend at the end of the month!
Friday March 25, we join our friends The Wheel Workers, and Nerve Curlers at Dan Electros.
Saturday March 26, we rock the fishtank at Thirsty’s in Beaumont for three unique sets from 10 PM to 1 AM.

March comes in like a lion (or tiger, or owl) next Friday night at GROWL Records in Arlington. We share the stage again with our friends The Sewing Jar, and for the first time with fellow Boston Terrier parents American Werewolf Academy!

Music starts at 8:30. Grab a beverage from Division Brewing and rock out!

https://www.facebook.com/events/293864555930168

Happy to announce that PF63 is part of the Sister Molecule Collective.
Check our out comrades in rock, and support indie/DIY music:
https://sistermoleculecollective.bandcamp.com/artists

Next up: Dr. Jeckyll’s Beer Lab in Pantego!

We start things off early at 8:00 PM, followed by SHARPY (https://sharpymusic.bandcamp.com/releases), Economy Island (https://economyisland.bandcamp.com) (from Austin), and Lunar Reverb (https://lunarreverb2019.bandcamp.com).
Cover charges MAY apply.
Come early and grab some dinner at 2 Campas Kitchen (https://www.2compaskitchen.com), then drink up and rock out!

On Friday Feb 18 we play the fabled Rubber Gloves in Denton for the first time. On the bill with Gorgeous Hair, New Avenues, and Posival. Details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/295964622377800

Photos by Kevin Wellendorf

Saturday. 29 January 2022.
We’ll be kicking off the festivities at MASS, followed by Big Heaven, and Itchy Richie and the Burnin’ Sensations. There will be cupcakes of both orientations (gluten and glutenless). Yeehaw! Mask up. Rock out.
https://www.facebook.com/events/152151847128671

Saturday night live in Denton! We’ll be joining Posival, Gorgeous Hair, Ceclia, and Everything is Temporary for an evening of tacos, beer, and music at Killer’s. Music starts at 7 PM. Bring your vax card. Mask up. Rock out.

https://www.facebook.com/events/230630235681902

We’re unleashing a new video for an old song on NYE!

During the intermission of our Virtual New Year’s Eve Party on FB, we’ll be premiering Ryan J. Gill’s (The Other Ass) soon-to-be Academy Award winning video. Tune in at 10:00 PM Central for more heavy metal easter eggs than you can fit in a studded-leather cod-piece!

Video URL: https://youtu.be/xaNvtpvXrEg

Back for year six of the stay-at-home NYE tradition. Join us on FB from 9:00-11:00 PM Central for the 2021 installment of The Prof.Fuzz 63 Virtual New Year’s Eve Party! We’ll play some songs. We’ll eat some snacks. We’ll premiere a new video at 10 PM. We’ll bug our neighbors until the new year hits the east coast.

No FB event page for this one, just watch for the LIVE video to pop up on our page: https://www.facebook.com/prof.fuzz63

Next up is a little weekend run east of our north Dallas garageland.

On Thursday December 16, we return to one of our favorite places: Sundown Tavern in Ruston, Louisiana, where we’ll be making noise all night long. Three sets! No repeats (unless someone asks nicely and tosses a couple of bucks in the tip jar)!

Saturday we’re fuzzing up The Lamplighter Lounge in Memphis, Tennessee for an early afternoon show (3:00 PM start time). Joining us on the bill are Memphis locals Indigo Child and Joybomb. It’s gonna be fun, so tell your friends what’s what.

“What about Friday?” you might be asking. Well, we struck out trying to find a gig that night, but if you know any place along the road between Ruston and Memphis that might want to have a fuzzy soundtrack to their Friday evening, hit us up. We’re bringing our PA, so skateparks, record stores, family reunions, weddings, gender reveal parties, etc are all possibilities.

December 3rd First Friday at The 101! Music starts at 9:00 PM.
Audience-Participation Punk Rock with Ride the Panda!
Lo-fi fuzzed-out post-punk garage-rock with The Prof.Fuzz 63!
NOTE: This WILL be on the Final Exam!

Up next is a big ol’ birthday bash at GROWL Records. Come celebrate getting old(er) with Wade (Division Brewing) and Mr. B (PF63), who amazingly enough share a birthday. Joining us from Houston are Nerve Curlers (from the ashes [or is that asses] of the original “killers of rock and roll,” The Escatones) AND DFW’s glam punks The No-Where Jets (who may or may not also be involved in some cherry scary activities).

This may also be the last PF63 DFW show of 2021 (nothing else on the calendar at the moment, but always open to interesting offers…).

Saturday night (November 6, 2021) we head back to Dr Jeckyll’s Beer Lab in beautiful Pantego TX to make noise with our friends Crooked Bones and Emily Davis (from El Paso and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/EmilyDavisOfficial/videos)!

Come early and pre-show with some of the best Mexican food in the stripmall circuit (2 Compas Kitchen), grab a snowcone from the parking lot for good measure, and drink some beer (or root beer) from the mad beer scientists themselves. We kick things off around 8, followed by Emily, and then Crooked Bones close out.

More info on FB: https://www.facebook.com/events/1177236199450650

We’re heading down to Austin to play Day 2 of Satellite Fest 2021 at Kick Butt Coffee. Show starts at 6:00. We’ll be joining National Treasure Jean Caffeine for a couple of songs at the end of her set before fuzzing things up on our own. Our set is scheduled for 8:15, but who really knows on these things.

For more details see the FB event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1079737382560729

Tune in for a livestream on the Kick Butt Coffee YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/user/KickButtCoffee