November 17, 2009 Music+Clubs » Features

The late Jerry Fuchs made an impression 

Looking (and listening) back at the Martian

by T. Ballard Lesemann
click to enlarge Jerry Fuchs
  • Jerry Fuchs
     
 

"Scooby Doo"

a Martians song from the Refuel compilation, 1993

"Tied in a Room"

a Martians song from the Refuel compilation, 1993

"Buffalo Nickel"

a Martians song from the Refuel compilation, 1993

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Sometimes it takes a jolt of tragic news to knock you off-track to a spot where you can pause and appreciate that lost talent. An artist who consistently displays eminence, creativity, and skill can easily be taken for granted — especially one who avoids the spotlight.

Last week, I heard the bad news about Gerhardt "Jerry" Fuchs, one of the most accomplished and genuinely friendly drummers I'd ever known during my 15 years in the Athens, Ga., band scene. Based in Brooklyn, but back-and-forth travels between there and Athens, Fuchs most recently played drums with a number of acclaimed indie/experimental bands, including !!!, The Juan MacLean, The Turing Machine, and, most recently, Maserati. He was attending a benefit event in the Williamsburg neighborhood on Sun. Nov. 8 when he accidentally fell down an elevator shaft and died. He was 34.

Several memorial services took place in New York, Athens, and Fuchs' hometown of Marietta, Ga., this week to honor his memory. I wish I could have been there.

Thinking back to when I first encountered Fuchs re-inspires me today.

I remember hearing a lot of hoopla about Fuchs through bandmates and friends in '93. He had great chops and a really weird rock band called The Martians. As a drummer, I was eager to check it out myself.

Over the spring and summer of '93, Fuchs and his bandmates in The Martians — guitarist Hugh Connelly and bassist Keith Kortemeier — made their move from Atlanta to Athens. Jerry was a freshman at the University of Georgia at the time, and the only student in the band.

The early-'90s Athens band scene had plenty of jangly bands, plus a healthy group of songwriters and a burgeoning jam-band community. On the other side of things, an increasing number of groups delved into heavier, more aggressive styles of rock. It wasn't long before The Martians established themselves as one of the more creative, jagged, and shouty bands in that corner.

I worked with four friends on an co-op record label project called Self-Rising Records through most of the previous year. We released EPs for my old band, Roosevelt, as well as the rock trio Bliss. We had plans for a few other local bands in the works, but the biggest thing on our plate was a 19-song, all-Athens compilation album titled Fuel, which documented a good handful of the heaviest, guitar-driven underground rock bands at the time.

When Jerry and The Martians came to town, they hooked up with a lot of musicians through that Self-Rising team. When the label produced the follow-up compilation Refuel, The Martians contributed "Scooby Doo," "Tied in a Room," and "Buffalo Nickel."

It was almost shocking to hear Fuchs on those songs. He had great technique and a confident sense of dynamics. He drove the band with muscular single-stroke rolls, unusual kick-and-tom patterns, and explosive execution.

While recordings were strong, seeing Jerry on stage was even more fun. The first time I saw him was at a Martians gig at the long-gone Atomic Music Hall in the fall of '93. Fuchs managed a lot of sound out of a small kit, and the band's power-trio setting allowed him plenty of musical space.

I remember meeting and complimenting Fuchs after that Atomic show. For all the fire and bluster of his on-stage drummer persona, he was surprisingly friendly, earnest, and polite — especially compared to some of the groaning slackers on the scene at that time. He had genuine enthusiasm that never waned during his time in Athens and beyond.

This week, thinking of Fuchs, his accomplishments, and his positivity, I want to practice harder and look harder for the brighter side of things.

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Jerry was a good friend, I worked with him on Wall St, when we first saw his art work we were blown away, then when we went to see him play we were breathless, we told him every day to quit Wall St and go after his dreams, thankfully he quit and went back to Athens to finish up his degree, he returned to Brooklyn and sealed his legacy, RIP Fuchs!!

Posted by AdZacta on December 9, 2009 at 10:55 AM | Report this comment

So very sad to see someone like Jerry, with immense talent and a kind personality, leave the world.

I was able to shoot Maserati on their European tour with Ostinato and had drinks with them all after the show. Ostinato drummer Matt Clark played in place of Jerry since he was in London with !!! and I remember him going on about how amazing Jerry was (thoughts captured here http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrys/4362977…).

I like this comment by Juan Maclean:

"During a particularly difficult time, while backstage in a club in Chicago, Jerry told me "Juan, I will follow you to the end of the earth and I will always be there for you." That was Jerry, the greatest drummer in the world, the greatest friend you could ever have."

This video really captures some of his talent: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF0ZxA130u4

Here's a little mix I created with some of the music he helped to create: http://8tracks.com/exposur3/remembering-je…

Thanks for this writeup, I really enjoyed reading it.

Posted by chrys on November 18, 2009 at 8:19 AM | Report this comment

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