Fuel: Hello everyone, this is Carl and Jeff from Fuel!
George_and_Weezee : I recently saw you guys in Hamilton, Ontario (Coops Coliseum). I just wanted to say that you guys were the most amazing alternative act I've seen in such a long time. What was it like opening up for Aerosmith?
Fuel: Carl: Wow. Aerosmith being the rock gods that they are, it was obviously a great honor for us. Their machine is well oiled and they've been through all the trials and tribulations, so they've got it all down. It was great seeing how everything went with those guys. And they're just awesomely cool.
ADIDAS_GUY_2000 : When did the band first start playing together?
Fuel: Carl: Jeff and I grew up together in Skanton TN. We met Brett around 1992.
Jeff: I think I met Jeff about a year before we joined forces, so it was great that we had a friendship before we came together as a band. We've been playing ever since—as Fuel since about 1995.
FuelFreakForever : Hi, Carl, Brett, Jeff, and Kevin! I saw you guys at the Y100 Sonic Session—it was totally amazing. Jeff, I talk to you through e-mail, GwenRulz33? Anyway, I have to tell you that you are my all time favorite group and you've helped me through some really rough times in my life!!! Well, I just wanted to tell you that and ask, have any of you taken lessons for anything: guitars, bass, drums, vocals?? Thanks, and I love you guys!!!!
Fuel: Jeff: I actually studied music in college, that was my major. I took guitar instruction there as well as bass and I taught some independently, through music stores and such.
Carl: I was pretty much self-taught. Everything was by accident. [laughter]
sun_goddess5 : OK, this is for Brett. I noticed that Carl Bell wrote all the songs. I was wondering how you get such emotion through your singing even though you didn’t write the songs. Do you apply them to events in your own life, or are you just that damn good?
Fuel: Carl: Brett's not here, so I can't answer totally for him, but from my standpoint I can always count on him taking a song up 20% from where I wrote it. We work well as a team. Brett's always been the voice I've had in my head of what I wish I could sing like.
THECRAFT98 : How did you guys come up with the name "Fuel?"
Fuel: Jeff: We got tired of people misspelling our other names on the marquees. [laughter] Def Leppard was taken.
Jenny_From_Met_Cafe_Show : What is your favorite town to play gigs in?
Fuel: Jeff: Every town has it’s unique goodness. As long as there's a good vibe going it doesn't matter where you are. It's just about the music.
Lehcar1030 : Which do you prefer, playing in a small club or a large stadium?
Fuel: Carl: Both have their strengths and weaknesses. There's nothing like the feeling of stepping out on a stage with Aerosmith, the hugeness and vastness of it, but it's a little impersonal. With the smaller stages you're right down there with the fans, sweating with the fans. I like them both. I don't have a preference.
Ashsmells : How did you feel when you first heard "Shimmer" on the radio?
Fuel: Carl: We put out our own independent releases, so we've heard our songs on the radio for a while, so we were kinda adjusted to it.
Jeff: It's obviously a great feeling, the first time you've heard it. It's great to know that your stuff is out there and accessible.
Carl: The first time I heard it in like NYC or LA it was great. You start to see the scope of it then.
The_Special_Goodness : One of the members of The Pressure said that it was completely ridiculous to play a show where the ticket was over 7 dollars. Do you agree? Have you guys even heard of The Pressure?
Fuel: Jeff: I've never heard of them, but I think that from our standpoint it's important to try and keep tickets at a reasonable rate. You want people to be able to see your band and not have to sacrifice everything for it. But as Pearl Jam found out, ticket prices aren't an easy thing to control.
Sunday_Girl_ : I saw in an online auction that "Porcelain" is selling for $150.00 plus. Does this make you feel successful, knowing that people are willing to dish out that kind of money for your CD?
Fuel: Jeff: I just heard that last night, actually, and I was blown away! I'm flattered, yeah. That's so amazing!
Jessie_Florida : What inspired you to write the song "Shimmer?" I love it!!
Fuel: Carl: Wow, I have to think about that... "Shimmer" was inspired by personal events in my life. You spend time with a person, then you separate, and when you come together after a time and worlds collide, it makes for an interesting dynamic. Things from the past are what inspired that song.
I_ Bev : Carl, I have never heard the earlier version of "Shimmer" and I was wondering if there was much difference?
Fuel: Carl: [laughter] Must be from West Virginia! The song isn't that different, really. The song remained pretty true. The first version might be a little more aggressive. P.S. - be nice to my Aunt Beverly.
Shimmr : What's with the cover of your CD?
Fuel: Carl: I think if you're going to have a musical career, you might start off in graphic design. It's so hard to get great art. We found that one literally in the eleventh hour before that album had to be out. It was in the portfolio of Clay Patrick McBride. We were at the label working, burning the midnight oil, and it seemed to fit the best.
Quebert_cutiepie : Was it hard to film "Bittersweet" because of the moving stage?
Fuel: Jeff: Yeah, it actually was. My amp fell off the side of the stage in this one shot and nearly hit this guy at the side. Had it hit him he probably would have been seriously injured. There's even a shot you don't see where the amp falls and brushes my shoulder. It was kinda difficult and scary all at the same time.
Ashsmells : How do you feel when you go out on the stage and everyone is yelling FUEL, FUEL, FUEL!!? Can you describe what's going through your head?
Fuel: Carl: It's very gratifying and pretty uplifting. Knowing how much work you put in to get where you are, it's very gratifying to feel that forward motion.
Jeff: I think that if you can take that positive energy and feed off of it, you use it to energize the show that much more.
Sister_Mary_Innocent : Why don't you guys play "Grey" or "Stripped Away" anymore?
Fuel: Carl: It's been very difficult for us recently, on tour in support positions. Finding the time to rehearse is hard. With Aerosmith we didn't have a soundcheck, so we'd walk out on stage cold. You didn't even know if your stuff would work.
Jeff: Also, as an opening act, you just don't have as much time to play as you might like. So those two facts together equal no "Grey" and no "Stripped Away".
_SiLVeR_THe_KiLLeR_WeaZeL_ : Do you guys have a favorite band of the past and/or a favorite inspirational band?
Fuel: Carl: Wow, it's hard to have one favorite. I'm a big fan of music of the 70's. I think the songwriting was better and the variety was broader. I like old Elton John, Zeppelin; I think the new Marilyn Manson record is smokin'.
Estrela86 : When do you think you will be working on the next album?
Fuel: Carl: Actually, we're working on it right now. There are a lot of songs being written. But at the same time it goes back to the time constraints of being able to put them together as a band. I love to write.
OzoneBaby18 : Do you enjoy when the fans talk to you, or do you get annoyed?
Fuel: Jeff: We totally love it! We enjoy talking to our fans and we want to be friends with our fans. I think it's something that comes natural to us. We're just friendly guys, we can't help it.
BlueOrb_98 : Carl, after the free concert in DC, I noticed you looked out of the window at the crowd gathered there. How did that make you feel??
Fuel: Carl: I think it's just nice to see a lot of hard work coming to fruition. It's great to know that people want to come hear the band and the music. I was gratified and thankful.
JC_LOVERs : How does it feel to have one of your songs play on MTV?
Fuel: Jeff: It's always been a dream of ours, obviously, to be heard and seen. As a kid growing up I watched MTV all the time, so to see myself on TV is a beautiful thing. I'm very happy that I've been given the opportunity to do that.
Lehcar1030 : I really love "Jesus or a Gun." Do you think you'll be releasing it as your next song?
Fuel: Jeff: There is that possibility. We've discussed releasing that one next, but it's still up in the air. We just released "Bittersweet," so we'll be out with that one for a while.
Rocker_Chik : Which song off of "Sunburn" is your guys' personal favorite?
Fuel: Kevin: I think we all have different personal favorites. My personal favorites are probably "Sunburn" and "It's Come To This."
itchy_surf : Did you have fun on David Letterman?
Fuel: Brett: We never actually did Letterman, but we did Conan O'Brien. It was a strange experience but a lot of fun. It was the first time I've been nervous in a long time. It was strange to see Conan holding the record and then the camera pans over to us. We were doing "Shimmer" and the opening is nothing but me, so I just had to start playing. I was nervous, but it was fun.
char77e : Brett, how do you feel about the extra attention you get from the ladies?
Fuel: Brett: It's very flattering but I don't take advantage of it. I don't think of myself as any type of sexual role model or anything like that. It's certainly flattering that girls might put me in a light to be admired.
Mayfield4 : Do you guys miss the "Reel to Reel" days at all, as far as the simplicity of it all? Or is the success worth everything?
Fuel: Brett: It's part of our life and it was a very fun time. We hope to grow as musicians, learning how to perform live and put on the best show we can. I think it was a nurturing environment for us and we need to move on. I hope we'll continue to be on the uprise and use it all to our advantage.
Heaven_Marquet : Brett, what kind of music do you prefer listening to, other than your own?
Fuel: Brett: I like to listen to everything. I'm not a big country or rap fan, but I love to listen to the old stuff. I grew up on Beatles, Elton John, Zeppelin; I grew to love The Cult. I'm a big fan of Radiohead and the new Manson record. Before shows we'll listen to Pantera or Nine Inch Nails, but there are times you like to throw on a good Sadé record and just mellow out.
OldGrizelda8 : Do you like the music of female singers such as PJ Harvey, Ani Difranco or Tori Amos?
Fuel: Brett: yeah, I like PJ Harvey more than others. I like Tori's older stuff and it's taken me a while to get used to the newer stuff. I think she's kinda lost me a bit.
shimmerchk : What are the dynamics between the four of you? Is one person the practical joker, another the mother hen, etc.?
Fuel: Brett: I think we all like a good joke, we're all pulling gags on each other. It's a brotherhood that the four of us have and ragging on each other isn't taken personally.
Chicka517 : Whom would you like to open up for you in your next tour?
Fuel: Brett: Well, we just finished up with Aerosmith, so I don't think you could reach too much higher. We're actually thinking about forming our own headline tour next year, maybe finding another band at the same level as us and doing a co-headline tour with a third band there to support us.
THEKaTsEE : How do you all get along traveling in the Winnie?
Fuel: Brett: We're not in that thing anymore. We're in the tour bus now, with the driver and our own bunks. Everyone respects each other for space, there's no problem whatsoever. If something gets out of hand, like clutter, you just rag on the guy until it goes away.
THEKaTsEE : Have you had any remarkable experiences while on the road?
Fuel: Brett: Well, there's always been situations like in Sacramento when Carl and I got too close and his guitar cracked me on the face. I got 8 stitches and a deviated septum. I'll have to go in for surgery if I ever want my septum straight.
Kevin: We actually had to cancel a show because a promoter couldn't guarantee us that the venue would be safe. We had to cancel the show with Creed, though Creed actually got the chance to go back and do another show.
Matchbox20Fanatic42 : What type of musicians would you like to be remembered as when it's all said and done?
Fuel: Brett: I guess you want to be known as a credible one, whether your career is big or not. You want to be known as a great band for years to come. Bands like Aerosmith or the Beatles, you look at them and think to yourself that you want people to know you and respect you and love you for the rest of your life. Even after your life.
Chicka517 : Who has been your favorite person/band to meet?
Fuel: Brett: This past year has been so crazy, meeting Jimmy Page and the guys in Van Halen and then touring with Aerosmith. Those three, they're such icons, you just look at them and say "wow" to yourself. We had an absolute blast on the Aerosmith show though, the band and crew were so nice and helpful. We'll do a few shows with them in December and their New Year's Eve show in Boston. Aerosmith in their own stomping grounds, you can only imagine how insane that show will be.
Kevin: As an aside, one thing I've been wanting to do is set up a national tour, going everywhere, where the ticket price would be to turn in a gun to centers in the towns, so we could find a way to get rid of the guns that are on the streets and reduce the violence that we see with kids. We'd love to know what people think about it, if the kids out there would be interested in cooperating. If you guys have any feedback, you can let us know at fuelweb.com on the web.
Fuel: Thanks everyone for showing up, and we hope to see you all wherever you are in the near future! It's been great talking to everyone!
