On WABE’s series “Speaking of Music,” we hear stories from local musicians in their own words. This installment takes a listen to the music of the Buzzards of Fuzz. Guitarists and vocalists Benjamin Davidow and Van Bassman provided an inside look behind the curtain of their gritty, spaced-out psychedelic rock outfit.
Though the pair come from different musical backgrounds, with Davidow raised by two adept pianists and surrounded by music and Bassman discovering the music life later in high school through a Jimi Hendrix obsession, they enthusiastically joined forces when they met in Atlanta.
Bassman described the local scene as a proving ground for hard-working musicians. “The ‘City Too Busy to Hate’ won’t accept anything less than our best, and when we travel to other cities to perform, we bring a lot of that with us. It’s a hard scene, and it keeps you on your toes,” said Bassman. Davidow chimed in, “Well, we tried to leave, but the traffic was so bad, we couldn’t get past the perimeter.”
Featured track “Desert Drivin'” was born out of an endearing story from Bassman: “My grandmother was buried here [in Atlanta]. I went for a visit, and the plastic flowers on her grave were a little worse for wear, so I drove across town in rush-hour traffic to pick up some new mums for her. It was a sweltering summer day in Atlanta, and some condensation from my soda leaked into my car stereo, killing my radio.” Stuck in traffic, sweating, bored, and singing and beating on the dashboard, Bassman came up with the song. “Thanks, Grandma,” said the Buzzards.
The band’s new (and first full-length) eponymous album, “The Buzzards of Fuzz,” is out now on all major streaming platforms. More on the Buzzards of Fuzz can be found on their official website, https://www.thebuzzardsoffuzz.com.
