Fuel (band)
Fuel |
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Fuel is an American hard rock band formed by guitarist/songwriter Carl Bell and bassist Jeff Abercrombie in 1989. Originally known as Small the Joy, they changed the group's name to Fuel sometime in 1994. They are well known for their hit songs "Shimmer" from Sunburn, "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)" and "Bad Day" from Something Like Human, and "Falls on Me" from Natural Selection.
History
Early years
Fuel was originally formed in 1989 in Atlanta, Georgia by guitarist/songwriter Carl Bell and drummer Jody Abbott. Singer/guitarist Brett Scallions joined the group after Carl Bell and bassist Jeff Abercrombie saw him in a bar in Jackson, Tennessee in 1993.[1] That same year, keyboardist/vocalist Erik Avakian joined the lineup and the band moved to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in 1994 where they played at local Pennsylvania bars and nightclubs. Their first EP Porcelain was released in 1996 and sold well locally, spawning a small radio hit with "Shimmer." The popularity of the EP brought them to the attention of Sony's 550 imprint, which released their second EP Hazleton the following year.
Upon signing to Sony, the band entered Longview Farm recording studios in Massachusetts, along with producer Steven Haigler and session drummer Jonathan Mover due to problems between Abbott. The band's full length debut, Sunburn, came out in 1998. "Shimmer" was again included and almost became a Top 40 hit; while, the other singles ("Bittersweet," "Jesus or a Gun," and "Sunburn,") received some airplay. The songs "Shimmer" and "Sunburn" are also featured on the charitable album Live in the X Lounge. "Sunburn" was also featured in the movie Scream 3, and the band contributed the non-LP track "Walk the Sky" to the Godzilla film. The band hit the road in support of the release, but problems with Abbott continued. Once again Mover was enlisted, this time to play drums on tour while the band sought out a full time drummer to join. It should be noted that the liner notes for the cassette and CD issues of "Sunburn" list the band members as Carl Bell (guitar), Brett Scallions (vocals), Jeff Abercrombie (bass), and Kevin Miller (drums), although Jonathan Mover is credited with playing all the drums and percussion on the record. The band picture includes Miller, though he did not play on the record.
Something Like Human (2000)
In 2000, after lying low for two and a half years, Fuel came back with their second album, Something Like Human, and scored a Top 40 hit in the U.S. with "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)" which peaked at #30 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[2] Something Like Human proved to be a commercial success for the band, as the album peaked at #17 on the Billboard 200[3] and was certified Double Platinum by the RIAA on September 25, 2001.[4]
Natural Selection (2003)
The group's third album, Natural Selection, named after Darwinian theory was released in September 2003 and debuted at #15 on the U.S. Billboard charts.[3] The extended lag time between Something Like Human and Natural Selection was due to legal problems[5] and lead singer Scallions having to recover from surgery to repair a deviated septum he suffered from an on-stage collision with Bell.[6] The album spawned the hit "Falls on Me," which peaked at #52 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.[2] Despite the exposure of the song, the album did not sell as well as Something Like Human did, and to date has not been awarded even Gold status by the RIAA.[4] The album was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2004 for best engineered album,[7] and the band contributed the song "Won't Back Down" to the Daredevil soundtrack earlier in the year. They released their greatest hits album The Best of Fuel on December 13, 2005.
Line-up changes (2004-2006)
Miller and Scallions leave
After disagreements (both public and private), drummer Kevin Miller was dismissed from the band in 2004. On February 7, 2006, Fuel announced through their website that singer Brett Scallions had left the band. Although the band (now with a new lead singer) said that Scallions left on friendly terms, Bell has stated that there were problems with Scallions' voice, "Brett had some voice issues…struggling with his voice at times... he had kinda lost a little bit of it."[8] Bell also wrote a letter on their website stating "We will all miss him and we wish him the best." Scallions refuted Bell's comments in an interview where he stated "...It wasn’t an enjoyable environment for me, and I don’t think for any of us really, except for Carl maybe – because Carl’s mind was set into his songs, his music, and that’s the way it was. For me, growing up and being a fan of music, being a fan of creativity, you wanna be a part of things, you wanna actually feel like you are in a band, and it just wasn’t feeling like that anymore."[9]
Daughtry receives lead singer offer
Fuel had already laid down the instrumental tracks for their fourth album and soon started auditioning singers so the band could move forward. Abercrombie and Bell took notice of American Idol contestant Chris Daughtry, after he performed "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)" on the show. The single shot up to the Top 10 download list on iTunes and stayed there for a number of days. This also sparked interest in other Fuel songs, which began to appear in the Top 100 download chart on iTunes. On March 3, 2006, judge Randy Jackson stated in an interview that Daughtry had been offered the opportunity to become Fuel's new lead singer.[10] Fuel confirmed their interest on their official website. On May 11, 2006, Abercrombie and Bell appeared on the TV show Extra to officially offer Daughtry the job.[11] However, though flattered, Daughtry turned down this offer.[12]
By this time also, Tommy Stewart, formerly of Godsmack, was named as Fuel's drummer on Fuel's Myspace page.[13]
New singer chosen
On June 8, 2006, Bell announced that the band has found a new lead singer but were waiting confirmation from the record label to announce it.[14] Still, they officially entered the studio in mid-August with producer Scott Humphrey to start recording their fourth album. Due to other commitments Stewart was not available to play drums on the album, so Tommy Lee and Josh Freese performed drums in his place. The band has posted photos from within the studio fairly often on the band's website and MySpace.
On March 9, 2007, Carl Bell officially announced that Fuel's next album, complete with new band members, was fully mixed and going to mastering, and on April 19, 2007, he posted on Fuel's official website that their new lead singer has been confirmed as Toryn Green.
Angels & Devils (2007)
On May 15, 2007, Bell announced the title of the new album - Angels & Devils - set to be released on August 7, 2007. On June 19, 2007, Fuel's first single from their new album, "Wasted Time," was released into rock radio and internet download and peaked at #24 on Billboard's Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks. A second single, "Gone," was released on October 23.
Fuel performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Friday August 10, 2007.
Angels & Devils debuted on the Billboard 200 at #42, selling about 15,000 copies in its first week.[15]
Playlist: The Very Best Of Fuel (2008)
On October 20, 2008, Sony's catalog division Legacy Recordings released the album "Playlist: The Very Best Of Fuel" on their Playlist series.[16]
Re-Fueled (2009)
Since concluding the tour for Angels & Devils, Fuel has shown little activity. News related to Fuel came up when in 2009, former frontman Brett Scallions got together with Jeff Abercrombie to start playing Fuel material under the group name Re-Fueled.[17] According to Scallions, "Jeff and I have remained friends, he called me up a while back and we decided - let’s go out and have fun because he and I haven't played together in a while. It just seemed like the timing was right."[17] Scallions has also recruited former Buckcherry guitarist Yogi, and former Candiria drummer Ken Schalk to round out the line up. The band has put together a list of tour dates for the fall where they are expected to be playing all the classic Fuel songs, from the band’s first three albums.[17]
Reformation (2010)
In February 2010, Philadelphia's WMMR announced that Fuel, "re-grouped with original singer Brett Scallions", will be performing at their annual MMR*B*Q concert.[18] There were also rumors of other festival dates being in the works. The limited information given led to believe that the original Fuel had rejoined their forces. However, Carl Bell's stand in the alleged reunion raised questions, even more so since there was no official confirmation from the band at that time. To add to the dubiousness of the situation, Toryn Green stated on his MySpace that it seemed to be Re-Fueled promoting their own shows under the name of Fuel.[19]
On March 2nd, 2010, Brett Scallions announced via the Fuelies Message Board that the "Fuel" advertised will consist of the current Re-Fueled line-up: Brett Scallions, Yogi, Ken Schalk, and new Re-Fueled bassist, Brad Stewart (formerly of ShineDown), leaving him the only member of the old Fuel left in the band. [20]
The situation was clarified further by Scallions: "It won’t be the same as the original Fuel. Unfortunately things aren’t really resolved between Carl and myself and Jeff has decided that he no longer wants to tour. All I’m asking from you guys is that you at least give me a chance to give you a great show. You gave Carl that chance when he was the only one on the stage. Some of you have already commented on how you won’t be making this one. Well, you just might miss something great." [20]
The band will embark on world tour in April. [21]
There has been no statement from the original band members Carl Bell or Jeff Abercrombie concerning Scallions announcement and "Fuel" tour dates. Furthermore, the band status at their official Myspace and Facebook pages has not been updated to the recent development. The band has been on hiatus since the end of Angels & Devils tour. Carl Bell's messages at the Fuelies website suggest that there were problems, "the between record legal issues" with the label that were yet to be solved.[22] In an interview for Rockin' Music Reviews from 2007 Bell expresses his frustration over the limited support the latest album Angels & Devils received from the label. [23] There has been no personal message from him since March 2009.
New Fuel confirmed
On April 8, 2010, the reformation of Fuel was finally confirmed in an official press release issued via PRWeb. [24] Also the Fuel MySpace and Facebook have finally been updated with the new line-up and tour dates. The new band website is www.fuelrocks.com.
"There is only one original of anything" exclaims Scallions, "and that includes Fuel. The original lineup with Carl, Jeff, Jody and myself will always be something special to all of us, and our first Fuelies (a term for Fuel fans) but it has been thirteen years since the original lineup was intact, and since then many great musicians have come and gone. The lineup I put together for Fuel is not meant to replace or diminish what any of the original members created. Just the opposite, it is to give our fans a live destination, and to keep the Fuel name alive for a new generation to discover. Maybe someday we'll all get on the same page and play together again, but life happens and the next thing you know you just can't jump on a bus and take off for a month, let alone a year."
Original bassist Jeff Abercrombie is currently the owner/operator of Thud Studios, a well reputed destination for rehearsing and recording in the greater Los Angeles area www.thudstudios.com. Original lead guitarist, and principal song writer Carl Bell is producing new music for a diversified group of artists. Bell has also been busy writing for film and television.
When reached for comment Bell stated, " Look, Brett sang all of this stuff on the bands biggest records, so it's pretty clear that the fans want to hear him singing Fuel songs, and that is what they are going to get. Our fans are important and they deserve a Fuel, even if it isn't an original lineup. Who knows maybe someday there will be an all original reunion. I have learned to never say never." [24]
Members
Current lineup
- Brett Scallions - lead vocals, guitar (1993-2006, 2010-present)
- Yogi - guitar (2010-present)
- Ken Schalk - drums (2010-present)
- Brad Stewart - bass guitar (2010-present)
Former members
- Toryn Green - lead vocals (2006-2008)
- Carl Bell - guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (1989-2008)
- Jeff Abercrombie - bass guitar (1989-2008), (2009-2010, in Re-Fueled)
- Tommy Stewart - drums, percussion (2006-2008)
- Kevin Miller - drums, percussion (1997-2004)
- Jonathan Mover - drums, percussion (1994-1998)
- Jody Abbott - drums, percussion (1989-1997) (as Small the Joy)
- Erik Avakian - keyboards (1993-1996) (as Small the Joy)
- Larry Swartz - keyboards (1991-1993) (as Small the Joy)
- Todd Bobbet - rhythm guitar(1987-1989)(as Small the Joy)
Touring Members
- Ronny Paige - bass guitar (2008)
Discography
Albums and EPs
| Date of Release | Title | Label | U.S. peak | RIAA Certification[4] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Small the Joy | Self-release | - | |
| March 17, 1994 | Fuel | Self-release | - | |
| May 1, 1996 | Porcelain | Self-release | - | |
| March 17, 1998 | Hazleton | Epic Records | - | |
| March 31, 1998 | Sunburn | Epic Records | 77 | Platinum |
| September 19, 2000 | Something Like Human | Epic Records | 17 | 2x Platinum |
| September 23, 2003 | Natural Selection | Epic Records | 15 | |
| December 13, 2005 | The Best of Fuel | Epic Records | - | |
| August 7, 2007 | Angels & Devils | Epic Records | 42 | |
| October 20, 2008 | Playlist: The Very Best of Fuel | Sony Legacy Recordings | - |
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart peak positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | U.S. Mod. | U.S. Main. | |||
| 1998 | "Shimmer" | 42 | 2 | 11 | Sunburn |
| "Bittersweet" | - | 17 | 15 | ||
| 1999 | "Sunburn" | - | 31 | - | |
| "Jesus or a Gun" | - | 26 | 24 | ||
| 2000 | "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)" | 30 | 1 | 2 | Something Like Human |
| 2001 | "Last Time" | - | 25 | 21 | |
| "Innocent" | - | 4 | 10 | ||
| "Bad Day" | 64 | 12 | 14 | ||
| 2003 | "Won't Back Down" | - | 37 | 22 | Natural Selection |
| "Falls on Me" | 52 | 11 | 9 | ||
| 2004 | "Million Miles" | - | 33 | 16 | |
| 2007 | "Wasted Time" | - | - | 24 | Angels & Devils |
| "Gone" | - | - | - | ||
- The singles from the first three albums are all featured on the retrospective album, The Best of Fuel, with the exception of "Million Miles" (it contains the song "Quarter" from the same album instead).
- "Shimmer" and "Sunburn" was distributed as a Double A-Side single in Australia. It spent 59 weeks in the Top 100 charts in 1998/99.
Notes
- ^ Anderson, Philip. "Interview with Carl Bell/Fuel". KAOS2000 Magazine. March 3, 1999.
- ^ a b "Billboard Chart History".
- ^ a b "Billboard Album Chart".
- ^ a b c "Gold and Platinum Database Search". Retrieved 2008-01-01.
- ^ Davis, Darren. "Fuel Rehearsing for New Recording". Yahoo! News. October 23, 2002.
- ^ "Fuel Vocalist Sings Again After Surgery". Yahoo! News. October 16, 2003.
- ^ "46th Annual Grammy Award Nominees".
- ^ Chad. "Carl Bell of Fuel Speaks Out". Alternative Addiction. July 21, 2007.
- ^ Chad. "Brett Scallions Tells His Story". Alternative Addiction. August 5, 2007.
- ^ [1] [dead link]
- ^ ExtraTV.com: Chris Daughtry Gets 'Idol' Boot and Offer of a Lifetime
- ^ http://web.archive.org/web/20070212210742/http://www.news14charlotte.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=121114
- ^ MySpace.com - FUEL - Harrisburg, Pennsylvania - www.myspace.com/fuel
- ^ http://forum.sonymusic.com/webx?14@443.KPQkaXSIcK4.0@.ee7e779!discloc=.ee825b9
- ^ Katie Hasty, "After Five-Year Absence, UGK Scores First No. 1 Album", Billboard.com, August 15, 2007.
- ^ [2] LegacyRecordings.com. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
- ^ a b c Chad. "Brett Scallions Forms New Band 'Refueled'". Alternative Addiction. August 15, 2009.
- ^ http://www.wmmr.com/music/concerts/rbq2010.aspx
- ^ "Toryn Green's MySpace" Blog entry from February 9, 2010.
- ^ a b "Fuel Return With Brett Scallions And World Tour". Rawkpit. March 12, 2010.
- ^ "Fuel Planning Spring Tour". TuneLab. March 11, 2010.
- ^ "Until there is some clarity in our situation, what are you gonna do?" Fuelies.net September 13, 2008.
- ^ "Bell's view in Baltimore" Fuelies.net November 13, 2007.
- ^ a b "Fuel re-ignite with Bon Jovi, fronted by original lead vocalist Brett Scallions" PRWeb.com April 8, 2010.