Fuel's Hard Work
Has Paid Off in Platinum

There’s nothing better than to see hard work translate into success. Although Fuel already has enjoyed a level of greatness very few bands attain - platinum albums for one - just a year ago they were playing live venues with only a few hundred fans. This time around in support of their sophomore effort, Something Like Human (Sony/550 Records), they produced three sold out nights at the infamous Hollywood Whiskey-a-GoGo. That’s tough to accomplish in a town delivering constant world class entertainment.

Fuel's performance at The Whiskey was no exception to world class. Storming the stage donned in a feather-brimmed suede cowboy hat and wrapped in a long white feathered fur coat and tan leather pants, Brett Scallions, the lead vocalist of Fuel, embraced flamboyance and flare. This is somewhat in contrast to their new album that embraces a more traditional rock feel, especially with tracks like the mellower "Bad Day."

Scallions claims that Something Like Human "Is truly a Fuel album." Goodbye alternative? Were they ever? The album has produced a hit single, Hemorrhage and has generated heavy rotation on alternative and pop radio in spite of the inability or unwillingness by some stations to announce the song name on air. This somewhat perplexes guitarist/writer Carl Bell, pondering why radio has such difficulty with Symbolism 101. Nevertheless, intentionally or not, it failed to produce the kind of controversy that translates into media exposure and increased fan support. It could have been five sold out shows!

You can blame Eminem for hogging the spotlight.

Regardless of their musical direction, their debut album can’t be ignored as they opened the show with the explosive "Jesus or a Gun" from Sunburn. The super-rail-thin Scallions stalked his audience and swarmed back and forth to the delight of the many over zealous female fans as he progressed in the set with selections of old and new.

Somewhat lost in the Scallions visual spectacle was Bell and crew. They somewhat melted in the background lending incredible support but deferring to Scallions' exuberance. Maybe it’s just fatigue. Fuel has been touring extensively for the past two years, carrying them pretty much throughout the world. And in spite of this heavy schedule, the effervescent Bell was busy piecing together a work of art.

It’s difficult to do it all, but Fuel comes very close.