AN INTERVIEW WITH PAT FUGONI
By way of introduction, Pat Fugoni is singer of the band KAVA KAVA, as well as the main-man behind the exciting 'CHOCOLATE FIREGUARD' record label - based in West Yorkshire.
Here he talks candidly about how on earth he finds the time to do what he does so darn well!...
1. HI PAT, HOW ARE THINGS?
Hi Steve, Yeah not bad, mustn't grumble! Thanks for asking ...... Coming back from China. Been out here investigating some opportunities for music with a couple of other labels .....
2. YOU ARE INVOLVED IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IN A BIG WAY. FIRST OF ALL, TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPLOITS AS FRONTMAN FOR THE AMAZING BAND KAVA KAVA...
Well I've been playing and singing in Kava Kava for a few years now!
3. HOW DID THE KAVA KAVA SOUND DEVELOP, AND HOW HAS YOU MUSIC GOT TO BE SO WELL KNOWN AND LOVED RIGHT ACROSS EUROPE?
We started out as a 4 piece underground psychedelic (funky) rock band with a kind of a spacey George Clinton vibe. Really underground. Just played a few festivals and venues here and there. A few records came out on some independent labels pushing our music out via their various PR and distribution channels around the globe. This helped us develop and establish a reputation and helped us take it a little more seriously too! The band has always been pretty diverse with its song writing but more recently we discovered the delights of brass sections and electronics and this is the direction we have been taking things on the latest album 'Maui.'
4. YOU REGULARLY PLAY IN COUNTRIES THROUGHOUT EUROPE. DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVOURITE CITIES OR VENUES THAT YOU ALWAYS ENJOY WRITING HOME ABOUT?
Well, this summer we certainly have played some excellent festivals! The bizarrely named 'Rock For Churchill' in the Czech Republic was a pretty enjoyable experience a few weeks back. As was Muisiglanzgmeind, nr Engleberg in Switzerland...... Budapest, Prague and Paris are definitely great places to play. But we mustn't forget how cool it is to play in Huddersfield, especially the Timeless Festival! http://www.timelessfestival.co.uk/
5. WHAT HAS SO FAR BEING THE HIGHLIGHT OF BEING IN KAVA KAVA?
Hard to say really. I think the live work. That 'special' gig when it all comes together. We have played at Glastonbury a few times and these gigs have been excellent. There have been a few highlights. Trutnov Festival was outrageous.
6. WHAT HAS THE RESPONSE BEEN LIKE TO YOUR LATEST ALBUM, 'MAUI'?
It's been alright really. In the UK the dance scene has embraced this particular release, you know mags like 'M8' & 'DJ.' There's been some good responses from DJs and things are really picking up in the US right now. It clocked up some great reviews, spins on around 300 radio stations and we managed to get a track on the first episode on new TV series 'The Weeds.' Another exciting result was a special edition of the album for Russia. It was a real thrill to receive a few copies in the post with Russian language all over the artwork.
7. AS WELL AS BEING THE FRONTMAN FOR KAVA KAVA, YOU ALSO RUN THE FRESH AND EXCITING 'CHOCOLATE FIREGUARD' RECORD LABEL?...
Yeah that's right. What an idiot!
8. THROUGH SUCH A LABEL YOU ARE CURRENTLY HARD AT WORK PROMOTING A WEST YORKSHIRE BAND BY THE NAME OF MARY-JANE. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THEM?
Teri is such a great singer. Working with Teri and her band came about when I got the chance to develop some local talent via the Timeless Music Project. This follows on from Chocolate Fireguard's annual Timeless Festival which we hold in Ravenskowle Park and is now in its fourth year. The idea is to promote Huddersfield music. So along with a compilation 'Sounds From A Big Town' we've developed an album from Dalton based hip hop crew Practical Headz and now Lowerhouses melodic punk band Mary-Jane. Mary-Jane are a great guitar band. They are definitely a new style for the label but I think we have done them justice recording the debut 'What I came Here For' over in Prague and getting Geordie from Killing Joke in to produce them. Mary-Jane sound ace on this CD. A bit like The Distillers meets Hole/Nirvana.
click here for page two of this interview