Their Name is Fuzzbox and their second record is titled Big Bang!. On first listen , you'll hear hummable, danceable, snappy pop, but don't let the package fool you. If you take a second listen, you'll find a foxy, feisty all-female pop band as well as a highly outspoken feminist foursome who openly express their sexuality and cleverly defend their right to do it their way. Check out the upbeat mover "Pink Sunshine." Underneath the bold, brassy music and cheery vocals, you'll hear lyrics about the irony of love and the false expectations women have been raised to believe. "Do You know?" is about victims of incest. and
"Self!" the album's first single, delivers a message to women to "stand up and refuse to accept abuse of any kind."
We're a lot less pop than our music suggests, explains the band's effervescent and talkative keyboard player, bassist and contributing songwriter, Maggie. "We're not into writing fluffy love songs. Lyrically, we're somewhere between U2 and The Pet Shop Boys."
The Fuzzbox image is over the top and exaggerated to the point of being accused of selling sex. Jo, the band's guitarist, tosses aside the accusation. "Everybody is sexual. It's an undeniable facet in everyone's life. Most male bands don't have to put up with that kind of criticism, but because we're women, we have to justify ourselves." "Sexism doesn't get the same attention as racism," Maggie points out. "Still it is just
as Important, isn't it? It's about denying human beings their basic human rights. We are purposely subversive in our attempt to attract listeners. Once we've got their attention, we're hoping they'll notice we have something to say - and they'll think about it."
The double-edged meaning of Fuzzbox is the perfect attention-grabber for a group that wants to use its voice to make a difference. And Big Bang! is an ideal name for an album by a band that's evolved so quickly. Explains Maggie: "We started out as four teenage girls playing a one-off gig at a club. In less than 6 months, we'd recorded our first single, and within a year, our debut LP ,We've Got A Fuzzbox And We're Gonna Use It. In the beginning, we didn't take it seriously. It wasn't until after our first tour of America that we made the leap toward musical proficiency and lyrical poignancy. It's important for women in pop to rise above the stereotypes. And that's what we intend to do."
With Big Bang!, Fuzzbox shatters a lot of myths, makes a lot of noise, addresses a host of urgent and relevant issues, has fun and entertains. All in one shot. Big bang , indeed.
FUZZBOX: BIG BANG!
Luscious funk and pop from the girls. Self!, Pink Sunshine, Walking On Thin Ice, Fast Forward Futurama, Irish Bride, more. Geffen 171646 C $9.98 D $14.98
