Just before their home coming gig and UK tour supporting Two Door Cinema Club, Daisy from Fuzzy Sun kindly agreed to talk to me about their recent successes, how she started playing, the challenges facing women in the music industry, and her passions outside of music.
Debbie: The name Fuzzy Sun where does it come from?
Daisy: There’s a song Fuzzy Sun by a guy called Jim O’Rourke it comes from an EP called Halfway to a Three way and Kyle really likes it. So, he suggested it as a band name, and we were all like yeah, it’s really cool, so we used it.
Debbie: So what’s the best gig you’ve played this year so far?
Daisy: The Stockport County gig with The Blossoms at Edgley Park. It was unreal. It was crazy for a number of reasons, I think. The first reason being the fact that there were people stood at the front when we went on, when we thought no one was gonna be there - was crazy. There was a lady at the front who had an inflatable sun and I had a moment where I thought, wow this is pretty cool! And the second reason being because we went to school with some of the Blossoms boys, it was such a special moment seeing them play and sell it out to about 15,000 people, watching the crowd singing all the words to their songs. You know 10 years ago we were all in school together and now they’ve done all that. It’s incredible. Really lovely!
Debbie: What impressed me as well was that the people who were there to see you knew all the words. It was the first time I’d seen you and I didn’t….. (both laugh) but it was really amazing to see.
Daisy: Yeah, it’s really amazing….
Debbie: So what got you into music and playing?
Daisy: When I was four, my mum taught me to play the piano. She sat me down and had got this book and she was showing me this is C, this is D.. we had stickers on the piano. We went through it every now and then. I picked it up from this book. I think that she just wanted to see if I liked it… she tried my brother with it as well and he sat there with his arms folded and his eyes closed saying “I’m not doing it”? (both laugh)…. But I loved it. I never really had lessons.. I remember just figuring it out. Then I remember when I was about nine, my next door neighbour was getting rid of an old guitar and brought it over. I was like… I really like this and I was trying to play it; but it was full size and the strings really hurt my fingers because I was small and it was a big guitar. So my mum said we would get me a smaller guitar, with softer strings and they would get me lessons. I had guitar lessons, I then had drum lessons. Then when I went to high school, I started singing lessons when I was in year seven.
I loved that, but it was more the classical side of things… but the stuff I wanted to sing was more pop, so the stuff that I was learning wouldn’t translate over; so I started to write my own songs…. I was maybe about 12.
Debbie: What was your first song called?
Daisy: I don’t remember… something about a long road (laughs)…
Debbie: Quite Beatle-esque?
Daisy: I wouldn’t go that far! It was not great…I’ve probably got the lyrics written at home still somewhere…. Then I started having these vocal coaching lessons and I really started getting into my own voice. I then started doing singer/songwriter stuff, until I went to Uni, really. Then at Uni I did my degree in music and I started getting into electronic and tech music, and then DJ’s and stuff. I then fell in love with DJ’ing and the song writing took a bit of a back seat for a little bit as I was writing electronic stuff from when I was about 18 to about 21?...Then I fell back in love with the singing. I was balancing the two for a while, then that’s when Kyle and I started writing together again.
We did our Princess duo for about two years and then that kinda felt like it wasn’t going to progress any further. That’s when we decided to start a full band and then that’s where Fuzzy Sun was born.
Debbie: Wow! I feel like I’ve had your life history in music
Daisy: (laughs)…
Debbie: So that’s come all come from your mum teaching you piano. Was that on a proper piano?
Daisy: Yeah it was a proper old piano… My mum used to play piano to quite a high standard, she’s quite good! She really drilled into me to not be nervous about playing.
I remember when I did my first gig when I was about 14. I was so nervous I forgot all the words to my own songs, and it was dreadful. It was kinda nice though because I needed to do that. My music teacher told me that when I practiced I had to imagine that you’re in the room where you’re going to play. That all the people are there with you….. I used to imagine that every time I was practicing. Now I don’t really get nervous unless it’s like a really big gig.
Debbie: At Edgely Park, were you nervous?
Daisy: I was a little bit, but it’s like adrenaline takes over and you’re fine. I don’t forget the words now anyway! You know what you’ve got to do and you’re buzzing…. When I come off stage sometimes people ask me if I’ve taken anything and I don’t! It’s just the adrenalin. You’re on such a buzz when you come off stage. And it’s lovely when you come off stage and then people ask you to sign stuff.
It’s really lovely that people enjoy what you’re doing and for us at this stage, it is a bit weird but it’s really nice we have that gratification from our fans. We’re on a journey and we’re where we are. We really love it.
Debbie: Personally, when I meet bands, I’d rather have a chat with the artist whose music I admire than ask for a picture. You have an affinity with their music and it’s great to share that with them…
Daisy: Definitely. I love speaking to fans! Obviously they know who we are, but I love speaking to them and hearing about how our music has helped them. The things that they really like. We don’t know what they’re like because we haven’t met them before and it’s really lovely to meet them. Obviously your music wouldn’t be what it is without those people who listen to it, download it and love it.
I'll share part 2 of the interview next Wednesday, where Daisy talks about her musical influences, the challenges facing women in the music industry and her passions outside of music.
Fuzzy Sun's new single I Ain't Right is out today and available on all platforms.
As always I am eternally grateful for this opportunity and I want to thank Daisy and the guys in Fuzzy Sun for making this interview possible.
Fuzzy Sun are on
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and their website can be found
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