Who are your biggest influences?

I’ve always had a very eclectic love of music and I’ve immersed myself in a number of styles over the years. Folk, rock, jazz, Brazilian, Spanish, blues, country. There are great musicians and incredible songs in every genre. But if I had to name names, the short list would include Dylan, the Beatles, Miles Davis, Wes Montgomery, Segovia, Clapton, Jeff Beck, Steve Earle, John Scofield, Robbin Ford,  Nirvana, Tom Petty, Wilco, Little Feat, Weather Report. But I’m just getting started….

If you could collaborate with one artist, living or dead, who would it be?

I have great faith in and reverence for the song writing genius of John Lennon. He would be my go-to guy.

What was the first concert you ever went to?

The first one I remember going to was Andres Segovia, the Spanish classical guitar master. My mother took me when I was quite young.

 What is your favorite song to perform?

It’s not so much the song as the people I’m playing with and the vibe that is being shared. The magic of music can happen anytime, anywhere.

What are some of your passions outside of music?

Travel, the Italian language, tai chi, golf, my dog.

So I cruised down to Nashville to record new tunes. Had a blast, played with some great players. All super talented guys and great people.

When new tunes get recorded, I always feel like a Dad with a child being born. All of them turned out great.  I look forward to all of you hearing them soon. Still tweaking lyrics, which take a while to craft. I’ve always believed the words should be as powerful as the music. Together equals quality.

In the meantime, there’s another 4 to 6 songs which I will record with the band this summer. Exciting happenings for TFB. I have to admit, so wanting to see crowd reactions to the new ones. I always feel that way. The anticipation, hoping fans like them too.

 Knee deep with words. I always know they will come together when its time. But that never stops me from stressing and wanting to get them all done by tomorrow.

 Spring is here and it feels great. Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mom’s of the world. Well, actually, I think mainly USA. Different countries have different dates. I do well just to remember here in the US.

 God Bless and keep rockin!

 XO -

 Tom

So much is going on, and I keep forgetting to keep the fans

informed. OK…….

The two recent U.S. shows we did with our new friends

Wishbone Ash were fabulous. FitzGeralds in the Chicago

suburb of Berwyn was a great time. Full house, new

friends, old friends. Thanks so much for everyone coming

out.

Turner Hall in Milwaukee was really cool. We would most

definitely play there again. Was a fun night, great crowd.

No surprise considering it is Milwaukee.

Couple of weeks ago I went to Nashville to regroup with

Rick Chudacoff, my producer, to go over new tunes, goals,

and make a plan. So the plan is to go into the studio to lay

down tracks on 4-5 new tunes in Nashville with familiar

old friends, Christian Cullen and Danny Parks. Rick will

play some bass, and I hear we have a killer drummer named

Greg. Will be gone the week of 4-22. So excited! But I’m

under pressure to get the tunes into shape. The reason we

are doing it like this now is to get some hot radio music

ready for the masses now.

Right behind that plan is to continue writing some more in

order to record another 5-8 tunes with TFB in Chicago this

summer. We’re all really pumped for this. The new music

is killer!!

We started posting photos on Facebook where I comment

on them. I love it. It’s so easy to do and I love recalling the

moments. Hope you like the pics and quotes too.

Working on a new EPK which will be posted soon and

have many highlights from our Europe tour. In fact, new

videos have been posted on YouTube and FB. I think

they’re pretty hot.

Have made a couple of gear upgrades: Found a cool used

Marshall JCM 900 amp. Heavy artillery.:) It’s the same

amp I used in Europe, and I loved it. Really love the sound.

It’s hot!

Will be using on stage another Taylor acoustic. It’s made of

Koa wood and is beautiful. We’ve been doing many open

string tuning songs, that it became a need to have a third

Taylor. Great guitars I trust and rely on. They never let me

down.

I think that’s it from here. Hoping everyone is doing great

and wanting Spring to get here tomorrow.

God Bless,

TF

Meet Ryan Veitch. Ryan is the keyboardist for Tom Fuller Band but also does double duty as a guitarist. 

Who are your biggest influences?  David Gilmour, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Beatles, and too many more to count.

If you could collaborate with one artist, living or dead, who would it be?  This is really tough!  I’m gonna go with Gilmour on this.  I’ve heard him speak of his songwriting process, and he talks of never finding the next note before the current one is right.  That kind of meticulous writing is very intriguing.

 What are you listening to now? A washing machine and two barking dogs.  :)  Also, Muse, Silversun Pickups, Radiohead and Them Crooked Vultures.

What was the first concert you ever went to?  Not sure.  It was either Primus, with The Melvins opening at the Aragon (I seem to remember doing some crowd surfing at this show!), or Radiohead at the Riviera.  1993. 

What is your favorite song to perform?  Anything with a loud guitar and powerful vocals.

What’s the first song you remember hearing?  Early on, I played my parents 45’s to death in my room, making my own mix tapes by holding a tape recorder close to the turntable speaker.  I actually think I still have one from when I was about 5 or 6!!  Anyways, a variety of music to be sure, but most memorably The Beatles - Hello Goodbye and Eight Days a Week, The Amboy Dukes - Journey to the Center of the Mind, and Leon Redbone - Ain’t Misbehavin.

What’s the most embarrassing thing that ever happened on stage?  We were playing an outdoor festival, backing a certain unnamed personality who proceeded to make comments on stage that made the 5000 or so people in the crowd, let’s just say, uncomfortable.  I was handed a note to deliver to said person to encourage them to tone it down a bit, courtesy of the city representatives in attendance.  He was not pleased.  I wanted off the stage.  Immediately.

 What are some of your passions outside of music?  Time with friends and dogs.

What is your favorite TFB song?  Tough one.  I have to go with Killing Time.

For the next week, we’re going to spotlighting the members of the Tom Fuller Band so you can get to know them better. First up, the man who keeps the beat, drummer Jordan Kozer!!

Who are your biggest influences?

John Bonham (Led Zeppelin), Keith Moon (The Who), Ringo Starr (Beatles), Charlie Watts (The Rolling Stones) and Glenn Kotche (Wilco)

What are you listening to now?

White Denim, Tame Impala, The Penthouse Sweets, Megafaun

What is your favorite TFB song?

Between The Lines

What are some of your passions outside of music?

Motorcycles, Boating, Golf, Running

What’s the most embarrassing thing that ever happened on stage?

Tripped over a guitar cable after a set at the Metro in Chicago in front of 1,500 people. 

WHEN I’M WRITING, THIS IS THE FONT AND SIZE I USE. IF I’M PLAYING

GUITAR OR THE PIANO, I CAN ROLL UP TO MY DESK AND DRAFT

WORDS ON MY PUTER INSTANTLY. EVERYTHING I NEED. I CAN TYPE

IN ANYTHING EXACTLY WHEN I FEEL IT. CLUELESS WHY I AM EVEN

TALKING ABOUT THIS.:)

I MISSED THE WORLD ENDING LAST WEEK. DOES ANYONE KNOW

WHAT CHANNEL IT WAS ON?

WHAT A YEAR. SO MANY NEW FACES, CITIES, STAGES. AND OF COURSE

LAUGHS AND SMILES. TFB IS GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT FROM ALL

OF YOU COOL FANS.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE!!! MAY THE NEW YEAR OF 2013

BE PROSPEROUS AND HEALTHY FOR YOU AND YOURS. HAVE A SAFE

HOLIDAY SEASON AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT.

GOD BLESS,

This is an oldie but a goodie. Check out Tom talking about his latest CD ‘Ask’. 

Where do I begin? Traveling and doing shows with Little Feat

was a blast. We had so much fun, and all the memories, just

outstanding!! Wrapping up our tour with them in Chicago was

a fitting way to end. I was really emotional on the last night. Of

course it took me by surprise and I really didn’t understand why

until I drove home by myself. I do a lot of thinking when I am

driving. Anyway, I realized I was sad. Sad because the tour was

over, sad that it would be a while before I reconnected with Paul,

Billy, Ken, and the rest of the Little Feat entourage.

Many thanks to everyone who was a part of this tour. Little Feat,

their support crew, the venues, John, Zach, Alice, and of course,

Joel, Jordy, John, and Ryan. Honestly all of us bonded to another

level and was a team effort across the board.

The fans were great. Everywhere we played, so many people came

up to me to comment about how great the band was, how great the

tunes were, and how we were a great fit to perform with Little Feat.

Honestly was like their fan base was perfect for TFB. Be sure to

check out all the cool pics from the shows on the TFB website.

I will forever be grateful. When I go back to any of those cities, I

will fondly recall the smiles, laughs, and memories of some really

great rocking times. Austin, Dallas, Minneapolis, Mankato, Iowa

City, Chicago…………………..loved it!!!!!!!

Since then……….the man is back! Been letting it out and am

finally almost back in the writing groove. We are starting to learn

some new tunes. Have to admit, even though they aren’t ready yet

for the studio, it’s getting close. Wanting to get back to the studio

soon, to give birth to another set of TF rock tunes. I bet a lot of you

are ready too. — TF

So………………….Drove into this like Jurassic Park like place. Skunks, turkeys, deer…………….we looked for lions. tigers and bears too. Never did see the actual zoo. There wasn’t time.

Looks like John Lewis and I are playing golf Friday with Ken and Paul from Little Feat. This is going to be a long week. :) Love it.

Drove to Mankato this morning to rock them too. Was kinda on the way until we realized Joel was the navigator. Hour later, we found our way. Another great show. Even I am amazed how tight we are on stage. It’s like it’s all coming together in a very elevated way. Think we have the Chicago  shows on our minds. Park West this Thursday and Friday. These will be cool. Don’t miss them!

God Bless,

Tom

PS: Iowa City on Wednesday. Love Iowa too. :)

I’m calling this one Ramblings. Just too much in my head. Join me.

This is turning out to be a very cool month! First was Summerfest in Milwaukee on

July 4, now band trips to Dallas and Austin, Texas for shows with the legendary

band Little Feat, then off to NYC to close out the month. Really cool happenings.

Have you seen the cool poster for Little Feat?

I was asked about 5 reasons I am turned on by the Little Feat shows. We have like

another 5 or 6 in early September with them:

Reason #1 is traveling with the band. We’re all going together in a very cool van,

truck, RV thing. I just know it holds all of us plus gear. So I think it will be 6 of

us. Anyway, hanging with the band on a road trip to Texas is my idea of a very

memorable time to be had. We’ll do some video on the way, sing tunes I’m sure,

maybe write a couple of hits, and of course tons of smiles and laughing. John,

Joel, Jordy and Ryan are like a family to me. I never tire of being around them.

Love the dudes.

Reason # 2 is I also love Texas. I haven’t been there in about a year or so. In

another life, I have been to Dallas many times, Austin once, Fort Worth, and

numerous small towns along the way. Texas is a cool place to hang. Hoping too, to

see some old Texas friends and of course, make new ones. Texas is a great state

that is huge. They think Big, but are down to earth good people.

Reason #3 is writing. There will be a lot of time while away to clear my head, and

get the ideas out. Been starting to write more and a trip like this will be loaded

with moments that I can put into words at some point. I could call them Ipad

tunes. You know it’s weird. I never really know when the magic will happen, but I

will be ready.

Reason # 4 is for our Texas fans. I so want our fans there to hear us live. I think

they will get it and help us rock out Dallas and Austin.

Reason #5 is Little Feat. Feel good music we all can relate to. Fat Man in a

Bathtub? Bring it on I say! I think Little Feat is very much a unique American band

as my producer Rick Chudacoff has said before. Part of my mission will be to

say hi to Paul Barrere and Billy Payne. I guess they all knew each other way back

when in LA. I like meeting his music friends past and present. I have met some

wonderful people along the way.

Back to ramblings……………… the NYC thing. It started out as catch a flight to

NYC for an Ariel Publicity event. Then it was bring John too, they want you to

perform. Then I mentioned percussion……….that led to Jordy being involved.

I thought fine, we’ll fly out, fly back. Same day, a no brainer. Well one thing

led to another. We’re all going. Ariel PR thing which will be great. They have

done such a great job for TFB. Looking forward to meeting all of the cool people

at Ariel. We’ll do a short set for them, pictures, interviews etc. Thinking this

thing will be heard by many all over the world. Cool stuff. Then Zach asks if

we’d like to do a show in Greenwich Village at the iconic Rock wood Music Hall.

So………………TFB live at 11:30 PM for an hour. Getting chills just thinking about.

1917 Steinway grand piano, 1963 Slingerland drums………….We don’t have to

bring gear other than sticks, guitars, and whatever else I can’t remember at the

moment. This show will be recorded too. It’s feeling like a meant to be thing

and I know the music will be fabulous and done in a slightly different way, with

a killer TFB vibe. I’m thinking this is going to be something very special. We’re all

stoked. It’s really fun to think how this all just kind of evolved.

Thinking right after Texas and NYC, I’ll be heading back to London for a few days.

Haven’t been there in a while, so I’m excited to return. It’s weird how the weather

in all of the UK has been the opposite of what we have experienced in much

of the US, hot and humid verses cold and rain. Have been praying daily to the

rain gods for help. All the grass is brown in most places and I worry about crops,

farmers, us.

What else? Lilah says hey, I say goodbye for now, and a sincere promise for

more to come.:) Watch for Summerfest videos to be posted very soon. Garden

Dreaming Days is my favorite already.

TF