Guitars, Trains and Automobiles  by Meghan Barnes

From hopping freight trains to playing for the White Sox, Brad Heller has had his fair share of experiences to lend to his writing.  In losing himself in his experiences, he was able to find his voice— a voice that follows in the footsteps of some of the most lyrical artists of our time— Springsteen, Mellencamp, and Cash, to name a few.  Following the political lyricism of Springsteen, Heller captures us with his enchanting instrumentals, while forcing us to face the political misfortunes of our generation.

The summer before college, when most teenagers are still celebrating their recent graduation, Heller was backpacking across country— train hopping.  With nothing more than the bare essentials he set forth on an adventure that would change his life forever.  “We were trying to go where the gypsy road took us,” Heller explained.  In leaving without a set destination, he was able to become more in tune with the road that would play such a significant part of his future.

A few short years later, his love for the road would resurface as Heller accepted a job playing for the White Sox organization.  After five years of playing professional baseball— while living in New York, he realized it was time to move on.  Even though he had continued to write and perform music, it had taken the back burner to his baseball career.  Heller realized to do what he loved, what was in his heart, he would have to leave his career behind— and embark on a new one, a feared one the somewhat unstable life of what we call a musician.

Heller’s latest project, The Fustics, incorporates a blue-collar oriented style— using rhythm guitars and harmonicas as well as pianos and organs to create a technique which is solely their own.  In tapping into the wide variety of musical talents that the Wilmington area has to offer, The Fustics are able to appeal to the vast majority of their audiences— uniting people who otherwise may not have experienced the musical culture of Eastern North Carolina.   

“Aside from the love of a woman, there is nothing more gratifying than a self-written song,” Heller explains, and in it’s simplicity we are able to understand the reason for the passion behind his lyrics.  In looking at the world as something artful, Heller is able to capture moments, and emotions that would otherwise escape us, and put them into a lyrical form.  The key to creating this balance, as Heller explained, is finding the right mixture of musicians who all have the same goal in mind.

In using the ever growing Craig’s List to find band members, Heller was taking a chance, but the outcome was magnificent.  “Older players,” Heller explained, “if they like what you’re doing tend to stay on the same page.”  In turning away from the normality of finding the youngest raw talent in Wilmington, Heller was able to tap into a more seasoned, serious crowd of musicians.  Aside from a single touring bassist, The Fustics are composed of veteran musicians who bring numerous years of playing experience as well as original playing methods to the band.

The Fustics— currently working on their third album, which is due to be released in late October— can be seen playing in local Wilmington hot spots such as Black Horn Bar & Grill in Carolina Beach, and Hells Kitchen, downtown.  Although the band is primarily touring outside of the Wilmington area, they stay true to their roots, performing in local bars and clubs on a monthly basis.