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My name is Francesco Fuschi a.k.a. Paolo, I’m a Sicilian guitarist based in Greater Manchester.
My musical background involves many different experiences, from Blues to Rock, from Funk to Jazz, from cover bands to original projects.
I’ve always wanted to expand my knowledge about music and I am currently studying and discovering new sides of it and I think I’ll never stop to do so.
Undoubtedly my guitar playing is strongly blues orientated and there are one million reasons that can explain why, but I think that the main one is simply spontaneous attraction. Nowadays even if I’m working on developing my knowledge in the field of Jazz and to orientate my playing towards to it, the Blues is always there.
When six years ago I moved into Manchester I started to hang out at the ‘Dance House’, a place in Oxford Road opposite the BBC Building. It was there that I discovered Funk. The Djs used to play records of the Meters, Gil Scott Heron, Funkadelik, James Brown, The Family Stone etc. and there were two jam sessions per week, where these guys were playing funky grooves, based on only one chord or one riff and everybody could join in. It was there that I discover Funk and Funky Guitar.My Italian Background:I started to play guitar when I was 12, I had some private tuitions for 3 or 4 months and after that I kept on playing on my own. I remember when this guy showed me the twelve bar blues in E, and I remember that it was love at first sight, same as the minor pentatonic scale. For a while that was the only Blues I knew.
When I was about 14 / 15. I was attracted by many different musical genres such as Rock, Hip Hop, Italian Singer-Song Writing Stuff, and I started to play in a band where I played the bass parts on the guitar, then one day I felt brave enough and went for my first solo ever and thanks to my skills… I played the greatest solo ever… ;) an A minor pentatonic scale backwards and forwards!... I felt like God! ?
Few years later, Palermo, which is my Hometown, changed a lot and all of a sudden there was live music everywhere, anything you liked, but mainly rock and blues bands, and many of my friends started to join bands and playing around. I remember two bands that I loved, one called Pastense and the other one called Backwood. These guys use to play ‘70s rock and they kicked asses. Then I joined my first serious band called The Slow Trains, which was a sort of Bob Dylan and The Band thing. We played Blues and original material. It was a very useful experience also because we got a residence night in a place out of town where we used to play every Friday.
Meanwhile I kept on flirting with other bands and jamming every time I could with other people. When I quitted The Slow Trains, I formed another band called The Mary Blues Band. It was a cover band that included songs by Hendrix, Led Zep, Janis Joplin, Creedence Clearwater Revivals, Free etc.
The new thing about this new project was my debut on vocals. It was big fun, and people seemed to enjoy our gigs. That was my last Sicilian band, then I moved here in Manchester.Past Musical Experiences in the U.K.:In June 2002. I’ve been accepted at Salford University where I got a degree in Music and where I’ve played with a lot of bands and it was great fun!
Among them I want to mention The Junkie Jukebox Band (www.myspace.com/junkiejukeboxband) and the Funkunians (www.myspace.com/funkunians ). Both fantastic experiences!
I’ve also had the opportunity to gig around the North West with a funky rock band called The Hurricane State (www.myspace.com/hurricanestate), which was great too.
I’m thankful to all these guys mentioned above, they taught me a lot and I hope that they have enjoyed playing with me too.Nowadays Side Projects:Nowadays together with Joe Betts on Sax and Sam Gray on vocals (both ex Funkunians) we play around pubs and venues in Greater Manchester under the name of Revolutions (www.myspace.com/therevolutions1).
Besides with these two guys plus Matt McCloud (ex Funkunian too) on Drums and Andy Brown on Double Bass we play in a Jazz quintet called Smokey Joes.
Morning Job:As a lot of other musicians I’ve got a morning job too, I’m a guitar teacher and work for Bolton Music Service.My thoughts about Fuschi3:Fuschi3 to me is a way to go back to the roots and to play the Blues, but I guess is not the shortest. Our Blues is contaminated by many different influences and we constantly try “to do our own thing†with it. David and Rick are a great rhythmic section and they always bring fresh ideas to the songs and arrangements that we work on.The Blues is the master key in Fuschi3’s House, and as long as it grooves all the rest is more then welcome to stay!Peace Everybody.
Francesco Fuschi a.k.a. Paolo
